Abstract

Judicial review is a central feature of India’s constitutional framework, enabling courts to ensure that legislative and executive actions conform to constitutional mandates. This paper examines the role of the Supreme Court of India in strengthening judicial review through its interpretative authority and constitutional jurisprudence. It traces the evolution of judicial review from the Court’s early deferential approach in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras to the transformative expansion of rights in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India and the entrenchment of constitutional limits through the basic structure doctrine in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala. The study highlights how judicial review has been instrumental in protecting fundamental rights, particularly under Article 21, and in preserving constitutional supremacy against legislative and executive excesses. At the same time, it critically engages with debates on judicial activism, democratic accountability, and separation of powers. The paper argues that while judicial review has significantly strengthened India’s constitutional democracy, its continued legitimacy depends on principled adjudication, institutional restraint, and respect for democratic processes.

Keywords

  • Judicial review Supreme Court of India fundamental rights constitutional supremacy basic structure d

References

  1. A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras, A.I.R. 1950 S.C. 27. https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1857950/
  2. Basu, D.D. (2018). Commentary on the Constitution of India (26th ed.). LexisNexis.
  3. Bommai v. Union of India, (1994) 3 S.C.C. 1. Retrieved from https://indiankanoon.org/doc/60799/
  4. Dhankhar, J. (2025, April 18). SC’s judicial overreach? Vice President joins experts with fierce criticism. India Today. Retrieved from https://www.indiatoday.in/india
  5. India Today (2025). SC’s judicial overreach? Vice President joins experts with fierce criticism. Retrieved from https://www.indiatoday.in
  6. Khan, K., & Hamdard, J. (2024). Imperatives of Judicial Review in India. Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5073139
  7. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, (1973) 4 S.C.C. 225. https://indiankanoon.org/doc/257876/
  8. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, (1978) 1 S.C.C. 248. https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1766147/
  9. Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India, (1980) 3 S.C.C. 625. Retrieved from https://www.scobserver.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Suprme-Court-Judgement_-Minerva-Mills-v-Union-of-India.pdf
  10. National Judicial Academy. (2019). Judicial Review: Scope and Concept (P. V. Dixit, Presentation).
  11. National Judicial Data Grid. (2025). Supreme Court pendency data. National Judicial Data Grid. Retrieved December 2025, from http://scdg.sci.gov.in
  12. Nirula, M. (2024, August 28). Pioneering decision from the Indian Supreme Court recognizing freedom from the adverse effects of climate change as a fundamental right. Climate Law Blog (Columbia Univ.).
  13. Pandey, J.N. (2020). Constitution of India (64th ed.). Central Law Publications.
  14. PRS Legislative Research. (2021). Pendency and vacancies in the judiciary. Retrieved from https://prsindia.org/policy/vital-stats/pendency-and-vacancies-in-the-judiciary
  15. Saxena, S. (2025). The Future of Judicial Review in India: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century. LawFoyer International Journal of Doctrinal Legal Research, 3(4), 601–625. https://doi.org/10.70183/lijdlr.2025.v03.146
  16. Supreme Court Observer. (2023, December 11). “SCO Explains: Up to the Constitution Bench in Kashmir”. Retrieved from https://www.scobserver.in/journal/article/explainer-upholding-article-370-2023
  17. Supreme Court Observer. (2025, December 12). “November 2025: Pendency steadily increases by 400 cases”. Retrieved from https://www.scobserver.in/journal/november-2025-pendency-steadily-increases-by-400-cases
  18. Supreme Court of India (NDTV Editorial). (2025, April 21). “As It Is, We Are…”: Top Court on Bengal Federal Rule Plea. NDTV. Retrieved from https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/supreme-court-top-court-on-bengal-federal-rule-plea
  19. Verfassungsblog (2023). 50 Years of Kesavananda Bharti. Retrieved from https://verfassungsblog.de/50-years-of-kesavananda-bharti/
  20. Vishakha v. State of Rajasthan, (1997) 6 S.C.C. 241.
  21. World Justice Project. (2022). Rule of Law Index 2022. Retrieved from https://worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index
  22. Additional case law cited: Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar, (1980) 1 S.C.C. 81; S.P. Gupta v. Union of India, (1981) 1 S.C.C. 87; Francis Coralie Mullin v. Union Territory of Delhi, A.I.R. 1981 S.C. 746; M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, (1987) 1 S.C.C. 395; Subhash Kashinath Mahajan v. State of Maharashtra, (2018) 3 S.C.C. 330 (K.S. Puttaswamy on privacy); Shayara Bano v. Union of India, (2017) 9 S.C.C. 1 (triple talaq).