A curated reference of important Indian judgments that shaped constitutional rights, consumer protection, criminal law, and more — for general awareness and study.
Showing 12 of 12 landmark judgments
(1973) 4 SCC 225
Key principle
Basic Structure Doctrine
Established that Parliament can amend the Constitution but cannot alter its basic structure. This remains a cornerstone of Indian constitutional law and limits arbitrary constitutional changes.
Supreme Court of India
(1978) 1 SCC 248
Key principle
Expanded Article 21 — Due Process
Held that the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 is not confined to animal existence. Procedures depriving liberty must be fair, just, and reasonable, and fundamental rights are interconnected.
Supreme Court of India
(1997) 6 SCC 241
Key principle
Workplace Sexual Harassment Guidelines
Laid down binding guidelines for prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace until legislation was enacted, later codified in the POSH Act, 2013.
Supreme Court of India
(1980) 2 SCC 684
Key principle
Rarest of Rare — Death Penalty
Upheld the constitutional validity of the death penalty but restricted it to the "rarest of rare" cases, requiring courts to weigh aggravating and mitigating circumstances.
Supreme Court of India
(2014) 8 SCC 273
Key principle
Arrest Guidelines in 498A Cases
Directed that arrests in offences punishable up to seven years, including Section 498A IPC, should not be automatic. Police must follow Section 41 CrPC safeguards and document reasons for arrest.
Supreme Court of India
(1994) 1 SCC 243
Key principle
Wide Definition of Consumer & Service
Expanded consumer protection by holding that housing authorities providing flats are rendering a "service," and government bodies can be held liable for deficiency in service under the Consumer Protection Act.
Supreme Court of India
(1995) 6 SCC 651
Key principle
Medical Negligence as Consumer Dispute
Clarified that patients paying for medical treatment are "consumers" and medical services fall under consumer law, enabling claims for medical negligence through consumer forums.
Supreme Court of India
(2012) 6 SCC 613
Key principle
Taxation of Offshore Share Transfers
Held that an offshore sale of shares of a foreign company does not attract Indian capital gains tax merely because the underlying assets are in India, shaping cross-border M&A tax planning.
Supreme Court of India
(2018) 2 SCC 189
Key principle
Struck Down Adultery (Section 497 IPC)
Declared Section 497 IPC unconstitutional as it treated women as property of husbands and discriminated on gender. The offence of adultery was decriminalised.
Supreme Court of India
(2018) 10 SCC 1
Key principle
Decriminalised Consensual Same-Sex Relations
Read down Section 377 IPC insofar as it criminalised consensual sexual acts between adults in private, affirming dignity, privacy, and equality under the Constitution.
Supreme Court of India
(1987) 1 SCC 395
Key principle
Polluter Pays & Absolute Liability
Developed the principle of absolute liability for hazardous industries and reinforced environmental protection through PIL, making enterprises strictly liable for harm from dangerous activities.
Supreme Court of India
(2012) 1 SCC 656
Key principle
Sale Deed vs. GPA Transactions
Clarified that transactions transferring immovable property via GPA, agreement to sell, and will do not convey valid title. Registration of a proper sale deed is essential for legal ownership transfer.
Supreme Court of India