This will be in tabular form (for clarity and CLAT exam relevance) with case name, year, and simplified explanation. These cases are the most important constitutional & legal precedents relevant for CLAT, Judiciary, and law exams.
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100 Supreme Court Landmark Judgements for CLAT (List)
| S. No. | Case Name & Year | Legal Principle / Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) | Established the Basic Structure Doctrine; Parliament cannot alter the basic structure of the Constitution. |
| 2 | Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) | Expanded Article 21 (Right to Life) to include right to live with dignity and due process. |
| 3 | Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967) | Parliament cannot amend Fundamental Rights. |
| 4 | Indira Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975) | Struck down election of PM; emphasized rule of law. |
| 5 | ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla (1976) | Held right to life can be suspended during Emergency (later overruled). |
| 6 | Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980) | Limited Parliament’s amending power; balance between Fundamental Rights and DPSPs. |
| 7 | Shankari Prasad v. Union of India (1951) | First case on constitutional amendment power; upheld Parliament’s power to amend. |
| 8 | Berubari Union Case (1960) | Presidential reference; clarified constitutional amendment under Article 368. |
| 9 | IC Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967) | Held that Fundamental Rights are beyond Parliament’s amendment power. |
| 10 | SR Bommai v. Union of India (1994) | Limited misuse of President’s Rule under Article 356. |
| 11 | Shayara Bano v. Union of India (2017) | Declared Triple Talaq unconstitutional. |
| 12 | Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997) | Laid down guidelines on sexual harassment at workplace (Vishaka Guidelines). |
| 13 | Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) | Decriminalized homosexuality; read down Section 377 IPC. |
| 14 | Indian Young Lawyers Assn. v. State of Kerala (2018) | Allowed entry of women in Sabarimala temple. |
| 15 | Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018) | Struck down Adultery (Section 497 IPC) as unconstitutional. |
| 16 | Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) | Recognized Right to Privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21. |
| 17 | Rajagopal v. State of Tamil Nadu (1994) | First case explicitly recognizing the Right to Privacy. |
| 18 | M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (1986) | Environmental protection; oleum gas leak case introduced absolute liability. |
| 19 | Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India (2016) | Upheld criminal defamation. |
| 20 | Aruna Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011) | Allowed passive euthanasia under strict conditions. |
| 21 | Common Cause v. Union of India (2018) | Recognized Right to Die with dignity; allowed living wills. |
| 22 | Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar (1979) | Recognized Right to free legal aid & speedy trial. |
| 23 | Sunil Batra v. Delhi Administration (1978) | Expanded rights of prisoners. |
| 24 | Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India (1984) | Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on bonded labour. |
| 25 | Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985) | Recognized Right to livelihood under Article 21. |
| 26 | Unni Krishnan v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1993) | Recognized Right to Education under Article 21. |
| 27 | Mohini Jain v. State of Karnataka (1992) | Right to education is a fundamental right. |
| 28 | T.M.A. Pai Foundation v. State of Karnataka (2002) | Rights of minorities to establish educational institutions. |
| 29 | P.A. Inamdar v. State of Maharashtra (2005) | Admission procedure for private professional colleges. |
| 30 | Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) | Upheld Mandal Commission reservations; introduced 27% OBC quota. |
| 31 | M. Nagaraj v. Union of India (2006) | Validated reservation in promotion with conditions. |
| 32 | Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India (2008) | Upheld 27% OBC quota in central institutions. |
| 33 | Jarnail Singh v. Lachhmi Narain Gupta (2018) | Clarified creamy layer in SC/ST promotions. |
| 34 | Daniel Latifi v. Union of India (2001) | Upheld Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act. |
| 35 | Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum (1985) | Recognized divorced Muslim woman’s right to maintenance. |
| 36 | Danial Latifi v. Union of India (2001) | Clarified Shah Bano; maintenance is for lifetime. |
| 37 | Lily Thomas v. Union of India (2013) | Disqualification of MPs/MLAs upon conviction. |
| 38 | Kuldip Nayar v. Union of India (2006) | Upheld open ballot in Rajya Sabha elections. |
| 39 | Union of India v. Association for Democratic Reforms (2002) | Candidate’s right to disclose assets and criminal record. |
| 40 | People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India (2003) | Introduced NOTA option in elections. |
| 41 | Shyam Narayan Chouksey v. Union of India (2018) | National anthem in cinema halls not mandatory. |
| 42 | State of West Bengal v. Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (2010) | Upheld High Court’s power to order CBI investigation. |
| 43 | State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951) | First case striking down caste-based reservations. |
| 44 | Sajjan Singh v. State of Rajasthan (1965) | Upheld Parliament’s amending power. |
| 45 | K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (Aadhaar Case, 2018) | Upheld Aadhaar but limited its use. |
| 46 | Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India (2015) | Struck down NJAC Act; upheld judicial primacy in appointments. |
| 47 | Second Judges Case (1993) | Introduced Collegium system of judicial appointments. |
| 48 | Third Judges Case (1998) | Expanded Collegium system. |
| 49 | First Judges Case (1981) | Held executive primacy in appointments (later overruled). |
| 50 | L Chandra Kumar v. Union of India (1997) | Declared judicial review as part of basic structure. |
| 51 | Union Carbide v. Union of India (1989) | Bhopal Gas tragedy compensation. |
| 52 | Narmada Bachao Andolan v. Union of India (2000) | Environmental clearance for dam project. |
| 53 | Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1997) | Protection of tribal land. |
| 54 | Jolly George Varghese v. Bank of Cochin (1980) | Debt recovery cannot lead to imprisonment if debtor is poor. |
| 55 | Prakash Singh v. Union of India (2006) | Police reforms guidelines. |
| 56 | Sarla Mudgal v. Union of India (1995) | Bigamy under personal law; push for Uniform Civil Code. |
| 57 | Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) | Struck down Section 66A IT Act (freedom of speech online). |
| 58 | Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020) | Internet access linked to freedom of speech. |
| 59 | Internet and Mobile Association v. RBI (2020) | Lifted ban on cryptocurrency trade. |
| 60 | Francis Coralie Mullin v. Administrator, Delhi (1981) | Right to live with dignity. |
| 61 | Rameshwar Prasad v. Union of India (2006) | Dissolution of Bihar assembly unconstitutional. |
| 62 | S.R. Chaudhuri v. Union of India (2001) | Restrictions on non-legislators becoming ministers. |
| 63 | J.P. Unnikrishnan v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1993) | Clarified right to education scope. |
| 64 | PUCL v. Union of India (2003) | Voter’s right to know candidate details. |
| 65 | Union of India v. Rajendra Shah (2021) | Struck down parts of Tribunal Reforms Ordinance. |
| 66 | Kesavananda Revisited (2015) | Reaffirmed basic structure doctrine. |
| 67 | Shiv Sena v. Union of India (2019) | Floor test in Maharashtra assembly. |
| 68 | Ayodhya Case (2019) | Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute; temple trust established. |
| 69 | Rafale Deal Case (2019) | Cleared Rafale deal procurement. |
| 70 | Puttaswamy II (2019) | Data protection, Aadhaar reaffirmed. |
| 71 | State of Karnataka v. Union of India (1977) | Federalism case. |
| 72 | Bhavnagar University v. Palitana Sugar Mills (2003) | Environment vs development. |
| 73 | Githa Hariharan v. RBI (1999) | Mothers as natural guardians. |
| 74 | John Vallamattom v. Union of India (2003) | Struck down discriminatory provisions against Christians. |
| 75 | Nabam Rebia v. Deputy Speaker, Arunachal Pradesh (2016) | Speaker’s powers. |
| 76 | Krishna Kumar Singh v. State of Bihar (2017) | Limits of Ordinance-making power. |
| 77 | Aruna Roy v. Union of India (2002) | Value-based education case. |
| 78 | Namit Sharma v. Union of India (2013) | RTI and Information Commissions. |
| 79 | R.K. Garg v. Union of India (1981) | Economic legislation validity. |
| 80 | State of West Bengal v. Union of India (1962) | Distribution of powers, federalism. |
| 81 | LIC v. Consumer Education (1995) | Consumer rights. |
| 82 | MC Mehta v. Union of India (Taj Trapezium Case, 1997) | Pollution control near Taj Mahal. |
| 83 | MC Mehta v. Kamal Nath (1997) | Public trust doctrine. |
| 84 | Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. Union of India (1996) | Sustainable development principle. |
| 85 | Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v. Union of India (1996) | Polluter pays principle. |
| 86 | PUDR v. Union of India (1982) | Right against exploitation, minimum wages. |
| 87 | Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab (1994) | Upheld TADA Act with safeguards. |
| 88 | DK Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997) | Arrest guidelines to prevent custodial torture. |
| 89 | Vineet Narain v. Union of India (1998) | Independence of CBI. |
| 90 | Pramati Educational Trust v. Union of India (2014) | RTE Act validity. |
| 91 | Shabnam v. Union of India (2015) | Mercy petition scope. |
| 92 | Yakub Memon Case (2015) | Execution of death penalty upheld. |
| 93 | Union of India v. V. Sriharan (2015) | Life imprisonment for remainder of life. |
| 94 | Rajbala v. State of Haryana (2015) | Panchayat election qualifications. |
| 95 | Rajendra Singh v. State of MP (1996) | Compensation in criminal law. |
| 96 | Jagmohan Singh v. State of UP (1973) | Death penalty constitutional. |
| 97 | Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab (1980) | Laid down “rarest of rare” principle for death penalty. |
| 98 | Mithu v. State of Punjab (1983) | Struck down mandatory death penalty. |
| 99 | Machhi Singh v. State of Punjab (1983) | Expanded “rarest of rare” doctrine. |
| 100 | Vikram Singh v. Union of India (2015) | Death penalty proportionality upheld. |
This covers 100 landmark SC judgments in a concise tabular form with explanations.
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