50th Anniversary of the Kesavananda Bharati judgment
On April 24, 2023, at the 50 anniversary of the Kesavananda Bharati judgment, the Supreme Court have created a dedicated webpage for the verdict and all the petitions and documents in that case.
About the Case
- The case was heard by a full court of 13 judges, the largest bench ever, and the judgment was delivered on April 24, 1973.
- The case was filed by Swami Kesavananda Bharati, the senior plaintiff and head of the Edneer Mutt in Kasaragod district of Kerala, who challenged the Kerala government’s attempts, through two land reform acts, to impose restrictions on the management of the Mutt’s property.
- The Kesavananda Bharati judgment held that provisions of the Indian Constitution can be amended by Parliament in order to fulfill its socio-economic obligations.
- However, more importantly, the judgment also held that the basic structure of the Constitution cannot be altered by Parliament no matter what.
Doctrine of Basic Structure
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