Few areas reward an aspirant as consistently as Supreme Court judgments. They sit at the intersection of Polity, Governance, Rights, Social Justice and current affairs — which is exactly why UPSC keeps testing them in Prelims (which right? which article?) and rewarding them in Mains (as ready-made evidence). This page is a living reference of the most important Supreme Court judgments for UPSC 2027: the big recent Constitution Bench rulings plus the foundational landmarks you must never forget, each condensed into what the exam actually asks — the article(s), the issue, the holding, a Prelims anchor and a Mains use.
Everything here is summarised carefully to state the issue and holding accurately without legal overclaiming. Use it alongside your standard Polity book (see our Laxmikanth strategy) and the companion living notes on important government schemes and reports and indices.
Key Takeaways (Read This First)
- For each judgment fix three things: the constitutional article(s), the issue, and the one-line holding.
- Recent Constitution Bench rulings are the most "askable" current-affairs items for 2027 — start with the table below.
- Landmarks are static gold: Kesavananda Bharati, Maneka Gandhi, Indra Sawhney, S.R. Bommai, Puttaswamy recur across years.
- In Mains, name + one-line holding + link to theme — never a paragraph of legal reasoning.
- The law can move: a later bench or a Presidential Reference can modify a ruling (e.g., the Governor's-assent timelines). This page tracks such changes.
- Verify holdings on the Supreme Court portal / PRS before treating them as exam-ready.
How to Use This Living List
Read the tables case-by-case, then self-test by covering the last three columns. For Prelims, drill the article-to-case link; for Mains, rehearse a one-line holding you can drop into an answer. Every entry carries an authoritative source so you can verify the holding.
Last updated: July 2026. This is a living/evergreen article, reviewed every month by the faculty team at Naman Sharma IAS Academy. Where a subsequent bench or Presidential Reference revisits a ruling, the change is noted so your notes never mislead you.
Recent Landmark Judgments (2023-2025)
| Case | Constitutional articles | Issue | Judgment summary (holding) | Prelims relevance | Mains usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India (Electoral Bonds), 15 Feb 2024, 2024 INSC 113 | Art. 19(1)(a); Art. 14 | Constitutional validity of the 2018 Electoral Bond Scheme and anonymous political funding | Five-judge Bench unanimously struck down the scheme as violating the voter's right to information under Art. 19(1)(a); also struck the enabling amendments and unlimited corporate funding (violative of Art. 14). Directed SBI to disclose bond details to the ECI. | Right to information flows from Art. 19(1)(a); ECI's role; struck-down amendments to RoPA, Companies Act, Income Tax Act. | Electoral reforms; transparency in political funding; money power in democracy; RTI as a facet of free speech. |
| In Re: Article 370 of the Constitution, 11 Dec 2023 | Art. 370; Art. 356; Art. 1 | Validity of the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K | Five-judge Bench unanimously upheld the abrogation, holding Art. 370 was a temporary provision; upheld creation of the UT of Ladakh; directed restoration of J&K statehood and Assembly elections. | Art. 370 was "temporary"; J&K had no "internal sovereignty"; reorganisation under Art. 3. | Federalism & asymmetric federalism; integration of J&K; centre-state relations; temporary vs permanent provisions. |
| State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (SC/ST sub-classification), 1 Aug 2024, 2024 INSC 562 | Art. 14, 15, 16; Art. 341, 342 | Whether states can sub-classify SCs/STs for reservation | Seven-judge Bench (6:1) held sub-classification is permissible if based on quantifiable data of backwardness/representation; overruled E.V. Chinnaiah (2004). States cannot give 100% to one sub-group; some judges favoured a creamy-layer approach for SC/ST (obiter). | Overruled E.V. Chinnaiah; Art. 341 doesn't bar sub-classification; requires empirical data. | Substantive vs formal equality; reservation policy; intra-group inequality; social justice. |
| Property Owners Association v. State of Maharashtra, 5 Nov 2024 | Art. 39(b); Art. 31C | Whether all private property is a "material resource of the community" under Art. 39(b) | Nine-judge Bench (majority, with dissent) held not all private property qualifies as a "material resource of the community"; whether a resource does is context-specific. Held Art. 31C (as upheld in Kesavananda Bharati) survives. | Art. 39(b) is a DPSP; Art. 31C shield; overruled the broad Krishna Iyer-era interpretation. | DPSP vs Fundamental Rights; property & distributive justice; role of judiciary in economic philosophy. |
| In Re: Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (Assam Accord), 17 Oct 2024 | Art. 6, 7, 11, 14, 29 | Constitutional validity of Section 6A conferring citizenship on Assam migrants | Five-judge Bench (4:1) upheld Section 6A; migrants who entered Assam before 25 March 1971 are covered; those after are illegal immigrants. Parliament's power under Art. 11 upheld. | Assam Accord (1985); cut-off date 25 March 1971; Art. 11 lets Parliament regulate citizenship. | Citizenship & illegal immigration; federal-cultural balance; Assam's demographic concerns; fraternity. |
| In Re: Directions in the Matter of Demolition of Structures ("bulldozer" case), 13 Nov 2024, 2024 INSC 866 | Art. 21; Art. 300A; Art. 142 | Legality of demolishing an accused's/convict's property without due process | Held punitive demolition without due process is unconstitutional; issued binding pan-India guidelines (15-day notice, personal hearing, reasoned order, videography) under Art. 142; officials personally liable. Excludes public-land encroachments and court-ordered demolitions. | Due process & Art. 21; Art. 142 powers; separation of powers (executive can't be "judge"). | Rule of law; due process; accountability of the executive; natural justice; right to shelter. |
| Aligarh Muslim University v. Naresh Agarwal (AMU minority status), 8 Nov 2024 | Art. 30(1) | Whether an institution created by statute can be a minority institution | Seven-judge Bench (4:3) overruled S. Azeez Basha (1967): statutory incorporation does not by itself defeat minority status. Laid down a fresh test (who established it and predominant benefit); referred the AMU-specific question to a regular bench. | Overruled Azeez Basha; Art. 30 minority rights; "establish" given a broad meaning. | Minority rights & education; secularism; autonomy vs regulation of institutions. |
| State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor of Tamil Nadu, 8 Apr 2025 (see note below on the 2025 Presidential Reference) | Art. 200, 201; Art. 142, 143 | Governor sitting on / reserving Bills; scope of assent powers | Two-judge Bench held the Governor has no pocket or absolute veto; a re-passed Bill must be assented to; set timelines and used Art. 142 to grant "deemed assent". Note: a November 2025 Presidential Reference opinion (Art. 143) held courts cannot fix such timelines and that "deemed assent" is impermissible, while allowing limited review for prolonged, unexplained inaction. [[VERIFY current status — evolving; confirm latest before the exam.]] | Art. 200/201 assent options; Governor's discretion; Art. 143 advisory jurisdiction; Art. 142. | Centre-state relations; role/overreach of Governors; separation of powers; cooperative federalism. |
Foundational Landmark Judgments (Static / Historical — Must Revise)
These older judgments are historical but perennial: UPSC returns to them repeatedly, and they anchor almost every Polity answer. Learn the case, the article and the doctrine.
| Case (year) | Constitutional articles | Doctrine / holding | Prelims relevance | Mains usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) | Art. 368 | Propounded the Basic Structure Doctrine: Parliament can amend the Constitution but not its basic structure. | Basic structure doctrine; limits on amending power. | Constitutionalism; limits on majoritarianism; judiciary as guardian. |
| Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) | Art. 14, 19, 21 | "Procedure established by law" must be just, fair and reasonable; widened the scope of Art. 21. | Golden triangle (Arts 14-19-21); due process reading. | Expansion of personal liberty; rights jurisprudence. |
| Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980) | Art. 368; Art. 14, 19 | Reaffirmed basic structure; balance between Fundamental Rights and DPSP is itself basic structure. | Struck down parts of 42nd Amendment; FR-DPSP balance. | Harmony of rights and directive principles; limits on amendment. |
| Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) | Art. 16(4) | Upheld 27% OBC reservation; capped total reservation at ~50%; introduced the creamy layer for OBCs. | 50% ceiling; creamy layer; Mandal case. | Reservation policy; social justice; equality of opportunity. |
| S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) | Art. 356 | Laid down limits on President's Rule; made it judicially reviewable; secularism is basic structure. | Art. 356 misuse checks; floor test; secularism. | Federalism; misuse of emergency provisions; secularism. |
| Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997) | Art. 14, 15, 19, 21 | Framed guidelines against sexual harassment at the workplace (later codified in the 2013 Act). | Vishaka guidelines; judicial law-making. | Gender justice; women's safety; judicial activism. |
| Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) | Art. 21 | Held the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right under Art. 21. | Privacy as a fundamental right; nine-judge bench. | Data protection; surveillance; dignity & autonomy. |
| Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) | Art. 19(1)(a) | Struck down Section 66A of the IT Act as violating free speech. | 66A struck down; free speech online. | Digital rights; free speech vs regulation. |
| Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) | Art. 14, 15, 21 | Decriminalised consensual same-sex relations by reading down Section 377 IPC. | Section 377 read down; constitutional morality. | Individual dignity; rights of minorities; constitutional morality. |
Doctrines & Overruling Pairs to Memorise
Beyond individual cases, UPSC tests a compact set of doctrines that recur across judgments. Fix these firmly, because a single doctrine can answer many questions:
- Basic Structure Doctrine (Kesavananda Bharati, reaffirmed in Minerva Mills) — the amending power under Art. 368 cannot destroy the Constitution's core.
- Substantive equality (Maneka Gandhi, Davinder Singh) — equality is not merely formal; reasonable classification and affirmative action are permitted.
- Creamy layer & the 50% ceiling (Indra Sawhney) — the backbone of reservation jurisprudence.
- Constitutional morality (Navtej Johar, Puttaswamy) — rights of individuals and minorities cannot be subordinated to majoritarian sentiment.
- Due process & natural justice (Maneka Gandhi, the bulldozer case) — state action affecting life, liberty or property must follow fair procedure.
Equally important are the overruling pairs, a favourite Prelims trap: E.V. Chinnaiah (2004) → overruled by Davinder Singh (2024) on SC/ST sub-classification; S. Azeez Basha (1967) → overruled by the AMU judgment (2024) on minority status. Knowing which case displaced which is often the difference between a right and wrong answer.
Theme-to-Case Map for Mains
To make case citations effortless in the exam, pre-map judgments to the GS-II themes where they fit:
- Federalism / Centre-State relations: S.R. Bommai, In Re Article 370, State of Tamil Nadu v. Governor.
- Elections & democracy: Electoral Bonds (ADR v. UoI).
- Fundamental rights & liberty: Maneka Gandhi, Puttaswamy, Shreya Singhal, Navtej Johar.
- Social justice & reservation: Indra Sawhney, Davinder Singh.
- Rule of law & accountability: the bulldozer-demolition case.
- Directive Principles & the economy: Property Owners Association v. Maharashtra (Art. 39(b)).
- Minority & educational rights: AMU minority status case (Art. 30).
How to Use Judgments in Prelims
UPSC Prelims tests judgments in predictable ways: linking a case to an article or right ("The Right to Privacy was declared a fundamental right under which Article?"), asking about a doctrine (basic structure, creamy layer, 50% cap), or a statement-based check on what a judgment held. Your revision should therefore:
- Memorise the article-to-case mapping first (the second column of each table).
- Fix the one-line holding — what exactly the Court decided.
- Note whether a judgment overruled an earlier case (Davinder Singh overruled Chinnaiah; AMU overruled Azeez Basha) — a favourite distractor.
- Do not attempt to memorise paragraph-level reasoning for Prelims; that is Mains material.
Attempt free UPSC MCQs on Polity and recent judgments to test whether the mapping sticks under time pressure.
How to Use Judgments in Mains Answers
This is where judgments become high-value. A well-placed case citation signals depth and lifts an average answer. Use this discipline:
- Name + one-line holding. "In Puttaswamy (2017), the Supreme Court held that privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21" — that is enough; do not narrate the whole case.
- Link to the question's theme. Electoral Bonds → electoral reforms / RTI; S.R. Bommai → federalism / misuse of Art. 356; Davinder Singh → substantive equality; bulldozer case → rule of law and due process.
- Use judgments to balance an argument. Cite one case for a principle and, where relevant, note a limitation or a subsequent development (as with the Governor's-assent timelines being revisited in 2025).
- Avoid legal overclaiming. You are an administrator-in-training: state the holding accurately, do not invent ratios, and do not editorialise about "right" or "wrong" verdicts.
- Build a small, reusable bank of 15-20 judgments mapped to GS-II themes (rights, federalism, separation of powers, social justice) and reuse them.
Our Mains answer-writing guide shows exactly how to weave a case citation into an introduction or an argument without padding.
Update Checklist (What to Refresh Each Month)
- Add any new Constitution Bench or otherwise significant judgment with articles, issue and holding.
- Note when a ruling is overruled, modified, stayed or clarified by a later bench or a Presidential Reference.
- Track review/curative petitions that change the position.
- Re-verify the holding against the Supreme Court portal / PRS before marking it exam-ready.
- Keep the article-to-case mapping accurate — this is what Prelims tests.
Common Mistakes with Judgments
- Confusing which case did what — especially overruling pairs (Chinnaiah/Davinder Singh; Azeez Basha/AMU).
- Over-narrating in Mains instead of a crisp name + holding + link.
- Legal overclaiming — inventing ratios or misstating the holding.
- Ignoring subsequent developments — treating the April 2025 Governor timelines as settled when a 2025 Presidential Reference revisited them.
- Skipping the landmarks — the static classics are tested every single year.
- Relying on memory instead of verifying the holding on an authoritative source.
Master Polity & Judgments with a Mentor
Judgments are easy to read and hard to use under exam pressure. Structured Polity coverage and evaluated answer writing turn this list into marks.
- Join Naman Sir's GS Polity & Mains answer-writing program to learn how to deploy case law in answers.
- Attend Naman Sir's UPSC Masterclass for a live walk-through of recent Constitution Bench rulings.
- Attempt free UPSC MCQs to test your case-to-article recall.
Continue with the companion living notes: important government schemes for UPSC 2027 and important reports and indices for UPSC 2027, and strengthen your base with the Laxmikanth strategy.
Final Summary
Supreme Court judgments are a compact, high-yield bucket: a finite set of recent Constitution Bench rulings plus a small canon of landmarks covers most of what UPSC asks. For each case, lock in the article, the issue and the one-line holding; track overrulings and later modifications; and practise using cases as crisp evidence in Mains without overclaiming. Revisit this living page monthly — because in law, unlike static Polity, the position can genuinely change, and your notes must change with it.
Official / Authoritative Sources Used
- Article 370 verdict — Supreme Court of India judgment (In Re Article 370)
- Section 6A Citizenship Act — Supreme Court of India judgment
- Article 39(b) / Property Owners — Supreme Court of India judgment
- Electoral Bonds (ADR v. UoI) — Supreme Court Observer judgement summary (citation 2024 INSC 113)
- SC/ST sub-classification (Davinder Singh) — Supreme Court Observer case page (citation 2024 INSC 562)
- Bulldozer / demolition guidelines — Supreme Court Observer (citation 2024 INSC 866)
- AMU minority status — Supreme Court Observer judgement explainer
- Tamil Nadu Governor (Apr 2025) & 2025 Presidential Reference — The Hindu explainer on the Article 143 advisory opinion
- Supreme Court judgment portal (authentic texts) — main.sci.gov.in / judgments
Prepared by the faculty team at Naman Sharma IAS Academy, Sector 17C, Chandigarh (namanias.com). Last updated: July 2026. A living/evergreen reference, reviewed monthly. Summaries state the issue and holding accurately and avoid legal overclaiming.
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