100 Landmark Judgments Every Lawyer Should Know
| # | Case Name | Year | Key Holding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras | 1950 | Struck down ban on media under public order grounds; expanded free speech under Article 19(1)(a). |
| 2 | A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras | 1950 | Preventive detention under Article 21 need not satisfy Articles 14/19; later overruled. |
| 3 | Shankari Prasad v. Union of India | 1951 | Parliament’s power to amend Fundamental Rights upheld. |
| 4 | State of West Bengal v. Subodh Gopal Bose | 1954 | Land acquisition laws valid if for public purpose under Article 31. |
| 5 | Ram Jawaya Kapur v. State of Punjab | 1955 | Executive derives power from Constitution, not legislature alone. |
| 6 | Berubari Union (Re) | 1960 | Territory cession requires constitutional amendment. |
| 7 | Sajjan Singh v. State of Rajasthan | 1965 | Reaffirmed Parliament’s amending power over Fundamental Rights. |
| 8 | I.C. Golaknath v. State of Punjab | 1967 | Fundamental Rights not amendable; prospective overruling applied. |
| 9 | A.K. Kraipak v. Union of India | 1970 | Principles of natural justice apply to administrative actions. |
| 10 | Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala | 1973 | Basic structure doctrine: Parliament cannot amend Constitution’s core features. |
| 11 | Bennett Coleman & Co. v. Union of India | 1973 | Newsprint policy violates free press under Article 19(1)(a). |
| 12 | Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain | 1975 | Broad separation of powers; free/fair elections part of basic structure. |
| 13 | ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla | 1976 | Habeas corpus suspendable during emergency; overruled in 2017. |
| 14 | Stanislaus v. State of Madhya Pradesh | 1977 | Right to propagate religion excludes forced conversions. |
| 15 | Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India | 1978 | Article 21’s “procedure established by law” must be just, fair, reasonable. |
| 16 | R.G. Anand v. Deluxe Films | 1978 | Ideas not protected by copyright; only expression is. |
| 17 | Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab | 1980 | “Rarest of rare” doctrine for death penalty under Section 302 IPC. |
| 18 | Minerva Mills v. Union of India | 1980 | Judicial review and harmony between FRs/DPSPs part of basic structure. |
| 19 | Ajay Hasia v. Khalid Mujib Sehravardi | 1981 | Test for “State” under Article 12: government instrumentality. |
| 20 | Air India v. Nergesh Meerza | 1981 | Air hostesses’ retirement rules discriminatory; violate Article 14. |
| 21 | Waman Rao v. Union of India | 1981 | Ninth Schedule laws post-1973 challengeable if violate basic structure. |
| 22 | Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India | 1984 | PIL for bonded labor; state duty to enforce labor laws. |
| 23 | Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum | 1985 | Muslim women entitled to maintenance under CrPC Section 125. |
| 24 | M.C. Mehta v. Union of India | 1986 | Absolute liability for hazardous industries; oleum gas leak case. |
| 25 | Collector of Anantnag v. Katiji | 1987 | Liberal interpretation of limitation under Limitation Act. |
| 26 | D.C. Wadhwa v. State of Bihar | 1987 | Re-promulgation of ordinances unconstitutional. |
| 27 | A.R. Antulay v. R.S. Nayak | 1988 | Judiciary not “State” for judicial functions under Article 12. |
| 28 | Asif Hameed v. State of J&K | 1989 | Separation of powers: no judicial interference in policy. |
| 29 | Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (Mandal Case) | 1992 | 27% OBC reservation valid; creamy layer exclusion. |
| 30 | S.R. Bommai v. Union of India | 1994 | Article 356 misuse reviewable; secularism basic feature. |
| 31 | L. Chandra Kumar v. Union of India | 1997 | Tribunals subject to High Court jurisdiction; judicial review basic structure. |
| 32 | Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan | 1997 | Guidelines against workplace sexual harassment; POSH basis. |
| 33 | D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal | 1997 | Guidelines for arrest/detention to prevent custodial torture. |
| 34 | Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh | 1997 | Mining leases to private parties in tribal areas unconstitutional. |
| 35 | Church of God v. K.K.R. Majestic Colony | 2000 | Noise pollution from religious places actionable under environmental laws. |
| 36 | TMA Pai Foundation v. State of Karnataka | 2002 | Autonomy for minority educational institutions. |
| 37 | Asha Qureshi v. Afaq Qureshi | 2002 | Bigamy under Special Marriage Act if second marriage solemnized. |
| 38 | Rupa Ashok Hurra v. Ashok Hurra | 2002 | Curative petition as final judicial remedy. |
| 39 | Amar Nath Sehgal v. Union of India | 2005 | Moral rights of artists in works of art protected. |
| 40 | Satyam Infoway v. Sifynet Solutions | 2004 | Domain names protected under Trademarks Act. |
| 41 | Om Prakash v. State of UP | 2006 | Gang rape presumption under Section 376(2)(g) IPC. |
| 42 | M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath | 2006 | Public trust doctrine for natural resources. |
| 43 | I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu | 2007 | Ninth Schedule laws reviewable for basic structure violation. |
| 44 | Chacko v. Mahadevan | 2007 | Partition suits for joint family property. |
| 45 | DM Aravali Golf Club v. Chander Hass | 2007 | Separation of powers in land allotment. |
| 46 | Ashok Kumar Thakur v. Union of India | 2008 | 27% OBC quota in central institutions valid. |
| 47 | Coca-Cola v. Bisleri | 2009 | Trademark rights in bottled water branding. |
| 48 | Naz Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi | 2009 | Section 377 unconstitutional for consensual adult homosexuality (overruled, then reinstated). |
| 49 | Aruna Ramachandra Shanbaug v. Union of India | 2011 | Passive euthanasia permissible with guidelines. |
| 50 | State of UP v. Sheo Shanker Lal Srivastava | 2006 | Compassionate appointment not vested right. |
| 51 | National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India | 2014 | Transgender as third gender; equal rights. |
| 52 | Swasthya Adhikar Manch v. Union of India | 2013 | Regulations for clinical trials to protect participants. |
| 53 | Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation | 2013 | Upheld Section 377; overruled in 2018. |
| 54 | Lily Thomas v. Union of India | 2013 | Immediate disqualification of convicted legislators. |
| 55 | Shreya Singhal v. Union of India | 2015 | Section 66A IT Act unconstitutional; vague speech curbs. |
| 56 | ABC v. State (NCT of Delhi) | 2015 | Unwed mother sole guardian without father’s consent. |
| 57 | Zee Telefilms v. Union of India | 2015 | BCCI not “State” under Article 12. |
| 58 | Shayara Bano v. Union of India | 2017 | Triple talaq unconstitutional; violates Article 14. |
| 59 | Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India | 2017 | Right to privacy fundamental under Articles 14, 19, 21. |
| 60 | Common Cause v. Union of India | 2018 | Passive euthanasia and living wills recognized. |
| 61 | Indian Young Lawyers Assn. v. State of Kerala (Sabarimala) | 2018 | Women entry to Sabarimala temple; equality over religious custom. |
| 62 | Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India | 2018 | Decriminalized homosexuality; Section 377 partly struck down. |
| 63 | NCT of Delhi v. Union of India | 2018 | LG bound by Council of Ministers’ aid/advice. |
| 64 | Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Aadhaar) v. Union of India | 2018 | Aadhaar constitutional with data protection limits. |
| 65 | Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India | 2020 | Internet access part of Article 19; J&K restrictions reviewable. |
| 66 | Chebrolu Leela Prasad Rao v. State of AP | 2021 | Special POCSO court can try rape cases. |
| 67 | Baglekar Akash Kumar v. Google LLC | 2021 | Intermediary liability for user-generated content. |
| 68 | Aruna Gounder v. Ponnusamy | 2022 | Hindu undivided family coparcenary rights. |
| 69 | Deepika Singh v. Central Administrative Tribunal | 2022 | Equal benefits for atypical families, including same-sex couples. |
| 70 | Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India | 2022 | 10% EWS reservation constitutional. |
| 71 | Kaushal Kishor v. State of UP | 2023 | Ministers’ hate speech not protected by Article 19(1)(a). |
| 72 | Supriyo v. Union of India | 2023 | No fundamental right to same-sex marriage; left to legislature. |
| 73 | Dr. Jaya Thakur v. Union of India | 2023 | ED chief appointment guidelines for independence. |
| 74 | B.V. Seshaiah v. State of Telangana | 2023 | Video conferencing for witness examination valid. |
| 75 | Dr. Nirmal Singh Panesar v. Paramjit Kaur | 2023 | Family pension rights post-remarriage. |
| 76 | M. Siddiq v. Mahant Suresh Das (Ayodhya) | 2019 | Title to Ram Janmabhoomi; ASI evidence pivotal. |
| 77 | Shah Faesal v. Union of India | 2019 | Abrogation of Article 370 constitutional. |
| 78 | Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India | 2023 | Election Commissioners appointed by committee, not executive. |
| 79 | Arun Kumar v. Inspector General of Registration | 2019 | Trans women as “bride” under Hindu Marriage Act. |
| 80 | Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India | 2024 | Electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional; violates voter rights. |
| 81 | Bilkis Yakub Rasool v. Union of India | 2024 | Remission to 2002 Gujarat riot convicts quashed. |
| 82 | Container Corp. v. Ajay Khera | 2024 | Phasing out BS-IV diesel vehicles in NCR. |
| 83 | Vishal Tiwari v. Union of India | 2024 | SEBI probe into Adani-Hindenburg monitored by SC. |
| 84 | Union of India v. Madras Bar Assn. | 2010 | NCLT/NCLAT constitutional; judicial review limited. |
| 85 | Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India | 2016 | Defamation under Sections 499/500 IPC constitutional. |
| 86 | Tehelka Tape Case (R.K. Anand v. Delhi HC) | 2006 | Contempt for influencing witnesses. |
| 87 | People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India | 2003 | Right to food; mid-day meals mandated. |
| 88 | Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corp. | 1985 | Pavement dwellers’ right to livelihood under Article 21. |
| 89 | Excel Wear v. Union of India | 1978 | Closure of industrial undertakings requires permission. |
| 90 | Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar | 1979 | Speedy trial fundamental right; undertrial release. |
| 91 | Francis Coralie Mullin v. Administrator, UT of Delhi | 1981 | Right to life includes dignified living. |
| 92 | Olga Tellis (Pavement Dwellers) | 1985 | Eviction without notice violates Article 21. |
| 93 | Unni Krishnan v. State of AP | 1993 | Education up to 14 years fundamental right (later modified). |
| 94 | Kapila Hingorani v. State of Bihar | 2003 | State liability for salary arrears to employees. |
| 95 | Pradeep Kumar Biswas v. Indian Institute of Chemical Biology | 2002 | CSIR as “State” under Article 12. |
| 96 | P. Ramachandra Rao v. State of Karnataka | 2002 | No time limit for trials; case-by-case. |
| 97 | Zahira Habibullah Sheikh v. State of Gujarat | 2004 | Fair trial in Best Bakery case; retrial ordered. |
| 98 | Selvi v. State of Karnataka | 2010 | Narco-analysis involuntary; violates Article 20(3). |
| 99 | R. Rajagopal v. State of Tamil Nadu | 1994 | Right to privacy limited for public servants’ actions. |
| 100 | K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (Aadhaar) | 2018 | Biometric data collection proportional; money laundering exception. |
This list focuses on enduring precedents essential for lawyers, judges, and exams.
