List of Supreme Court Judgments with AOR exam

The Landmarks of Indian Jurisprudence – A Guide Through the SCR

The table provided is more than a simple list; it is a curated journey through the modern history of Indian law. It catalogs some of the most significant judgments delivered by the Supreme Court of India, each referenced by its unique citation in the Supreme Court Reports (SCR), the official and authoritative record of the Court’s decisions.

For a legal professional, especially an Advocate-on-Record (AOR) aspiring to practice before the Supreme Court, this list represents the essential canon of precedents.

Understanding these cases is not merely about passing an exam; it is about grasping the constitutional and legal bedrock upon which contemporary Indian jurisprudence is built.

The Significance of the SCR Citation

While commercial journals like the Supreme Court Cases (SCC) are widely used for their quick publication and annotations, the SCR is the official citation.

In any legal filing before the Supreme Court, such as the petitions checked in the previous checklists, referencing the SCR citation is the gold standard for authenticity.

The AOR exam, in particular, tests a candidate’s familiarity with these official citations, ensuring they can precisely identify and argue based on the most authoritative version of a judgment.

A Tour of Legal Milestones

The cases listed span decades and touch every facet of Indian law:

• Constitutional Pillars: Cases like Kesavananda Bharati (1973) (the “Basic Structure” doctrine), Maneka Gandhi (1978) (expanding the meaning of Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21), and S.R. Bommai (1994) (defining the limits of President’s Rule) are the cornerstones of Indian constitutional law. They define the relationship between the state and its citizens and between the various organs of the state.

• Expanding Rights: The list highlights the Court’s role as a protector of rights. Vishaka (1997) laid down guidelines against sexual harassment at the workplace, Shayara Bano (2017) declared instant triple talaq unconstitutional, and Navtej Singh Johar (2018) read down Section 377 to decriminalize homosexuality. The foundational Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (2017) judgment affirmed the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right.

• Criminal Jurisprudence: Landmark criminal law principles are found in cases like Sharad Birdhi Chand Sarda (1984), which detailed the doctrine of circumstantial evidence, and D.K. Basu (1996), which laid down guidelines for arrest and custody to prevent torture and deaths in lock-ups.

• Economic and Commercial Law: The list reflects India’s evolving economic landscape with cases like Mafatlal Industries (1996) on tax refunds, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code trilogy of Swiss Ribbons (2019), Essar Steel (2019), and Ssangyong Engineering (2019), which shaped the country’s corporate insolvency framework.

For an AOR, this list is a map of the legal territory. Mastering the principles, the facts, and most importantly, the correct citations of these cases is a non-negotiable part of their professional arsenal, enabling them to effectively argue and present cases before the highest court.

Short Notes for AOR Exam Preparation

Here are concise notes on a selection of crucial cases from the list, focusing on their legal principle and significance.

1. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) Suppl. SCR 1

   • Principle: The Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution under Article 368 is not unlimited. It cannot alter the “Basic Structure” of the Constitution.

   • Significance: The most important case in Indian constitutional history. It established judicial review of constitutional amendments and preserved the core ideals of the Constitution.

2. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India [1978] 2 SCR 621

   • Principle: The right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 cannot be taken away without a procedure that is fair, just, and reasonable. Expanded the scope of Article 21 by reading it with Articles 14 and 19.

   • Significance: Revolutionized Indian jurisprudence, making Article 21 the source of many fundamental rights.

3. Indra Sawhney v. Union of India [1992] 2 Suppl. SCR 454

   • Principle: Upheld the implementation of 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in central government jobs. Introduced the “creamy layer” concept to exclude advanced sections within OBCs. Capped total reservations at 50%.

   • Significance: The foundational judgment on reservation policy for OBCs.

4. S.R. Bommai v. Union of India [1994] 2 SCR 644

   • Principle: The power of the President to impose President’s Rule under Article 356 is subject to judicial review. The stability of a state government must be tested on the floor of the assembly.

   • Significance: Curbed the arbitrary misuse of Article 356 by the central government.

5. Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan [1997] 3 Suppl. SCR 404

   • Principle: Laid down binding guidelines to prevent sexual harassment of women at the workplace, invoking international conventions (CEDAW) and fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, and 21.

   • Significance: Pioneering case in judicial activism; led to the enactment of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

6. I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu [2007] 1 SCR 706

   • Principle: Reaffirmed the Basic Structure doctrine. Any law placed in the Ninth Schedule after April 24, 1973 (the Kesavananda Bharati date) is open to judicial review if it violates the Basic Structure.

   • Significance: Strengthened the Basic Structure doctrine and limited the protection offered by the Ninth Schedule.

7. Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India [2017] 10 SCR 569

   • Principle: Unanimously declared that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

   • Significance: A landmark judgment that affects a wide range of issues from state surveillance to LGBTQ+ rights and data protection.

8. Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India [2018] 7 SCR 379

   • Principle: Decriminalized consensual homosexual acts between adults by striking down part of Section 377, IPC, to the extent it applied to same-sex relations. Violated Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21.

   • Significance: A historic victory for LGBTQ+ rights in India.

9. Swiss Ribbons Pvt. Ltd. v. Union of India [2019] 3 SCR 535

   • Principle: Upheld the constitutional validity of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) in its entirety. Held that financial creditors are given primacy under the Code for logical reasons.

   • Significance: A crucial judgment that provided stability and certainty to the corporate insolvency resolution process in India.

10. Shayara Bano v. Union of India [2017] 9 SCR 797

    • Principle: Declared the practice of instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) unconstitutional and void as it violated Articles 14, 15, and 21.

    • Significance: A major reform for the rights of Muslim women, leading to the legislation of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.

Complete List of Supreme Court Judgments with SCR and Equivalent Citations

Note: This list is compiled from the provided data. For absolute accuracy in legal practice or examination, it is always recommended to verify the citations against the most recent and official sources.