100 Landmark Judgments Every Lawyer Should Know

100 Landmark Judgments Every Lawyer Should Know

#	Case Name	Year	Key Holding
1	Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras	1950	Struck down ban on media under public order grounds; expanded free speech under Article 19(1)(a).
2	A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras	1950	Preventive detention under Article 21 need not satisfy Articles 14/19; later overruled.
3	Shankari Prasad v. Union of India	1951	Parliament's power to amend Fundamental Rights upheld.
4	State of West Bengal v. Subodh Gopal Bose	1954	Land acquisition laws valid if for public purpose under Article 31.
5	Ram Jawaya Kapur v. State of Punjab	1955	Executive derives power from Constitution, not legislature alone.
6	Berubari Union (Re)	1960	Territory cession requires constitutional amendment.
7	Sajjan Singh v. State of Rajasthan	1965	Reaffirmed Parliament's amending power over Fundamental Rights.
8	I.C. Golaknath v. State of Punjab	1967	Fundamental Rights not amendable; prospective overruling applied.
9	A.K. Kraipak v. Union of India	1970	Principles of natural justice apply to administrative actions.
10	Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala	1973	Basic structure doctrine: Parliament cannot amend Constitution's core features.
11	Bennett Coleman & Co. v. Union of India	1973	Newsprint policy violates free press under Article 19(1)(a).
12	Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain	1975	Broad separation of powers; free/fair elections part of basic structure.
13	ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla	1976	Habeas corpus suspendable during emergency; overruled in 2017.
14	Stanislaus v. State of Madhya Pradesh	1977	Right to propagate religion excludes forced conversions.
15	Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India	1978	Article 21's "procedure established by law" must be just, fair, reasonable.
16	R.G. Anand v. Deluxe Films	1978	Ideas not protected by copyright; only expression is.
17	Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab	1980	"Rarest of rare" doctrine for death penalty under Section 302 IPC.
18	Minerva Mills v. Union of India	1980	Judicial review and harmony between FRs/DPSPs part of basic structure.
19	Ajay Hasia v. Khalid Mujib Sehravardi	1981	Test for "State" under Article 12: government instrumentality.
20	Air India v. Nergesh Meerza	1981	Air hostesses' retirement rules discriminatory; violate Article 14.
21	Waman Rao v. Union of India	1981	Ninth Schedule laws post-1973 challengeable if violate basic structure.
22	Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India	1984	PIL for bonded labor; state duty to enforce labor laws.
23	Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum	1985	Muslim women entitled to maintenance under CrPC Section 125.
24	M.C. Mehta v. Union of India	1986	Absolute liability for hazardous industries; oleum gas leak case.
25	Collector of Anantnag v. Katiji	1987	Liberal interpretation of limitation under Limitation Act.
26	D.C. Wadhwa v. State of Bihar	1987	Re-promulgation of ordinances unconstitutional.
27	A.R. Antulay v. R.S. Nayak	1988	Judiciary not "State" for judicial functions under Article 12.
28	Asif Hameed v. State of J&K	1989	Separation of powers: no judicial interference in policy.
29	Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (Mandal Case)	1992	27% OBC reservation valid; creamy layer exclusion.
30	S.R. Bommai v. Union of India	1994	Article 356 misuse reviewable; secularism basic feature.
31	L. Chandra Kumar v. Union of India	1997	Tribunals subject to High Court jurisdiction; judicial review basic structure.
32	Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan	1997	Guidelines against workplace sexual harassment; POSH basis.
33	D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal	1997	Guidelines for arrest/detention to prevent custodial torture.
34	Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh	1997	Mining leases to private parties in tribal areas unconstitutional.
35	Church of God v. K.K.R. Majestic Colony	2000	Noise pollution from religious places actionable under environmental laws.
36	TMA Pai Foundation v. State of Karnataka	2002	Autonomy for minority educational institutions.
37	Asha Qureshi v. Afaq Qureshi	2002	Bigamy under Special Marriage Act if second marriage solemnized.
38	Rupa Ashok Hurra v. Ashok Hurra	2002	Curative petition as final judicial remedy.
39	Amar Nath Sehgal v. Union of India	2005	Moral rights of artists in works of art protected.
40	Satyam Infoway v. Sifynet Solutions	2004	Domain names protected under Trademarks Act.
41	Om Prakash v. State of UP	2006	Gang rape presumption under Section 376(2)(g) IPC.
42	M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath	2006	Public trust doctrine for natural resources.
43	I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu	2007	Ninth Schedule laws reviewable for basic structure violation.
44	Chacko v. Mahadevan	2007	Partition suits for joint family property.
45	DM Aravali Golf Club v. Chander Hass	2007	Separation of powers in land allotment.
46	Ashok Kumar Thakur v. Union of India	2008	27% OBC quota in central institutions valid.
47	Coca-Cola v. Bisleri	2009	Trademark rights in bottled water branding.
48	Naz Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi	2009	Section 377 unconstitutional for consensual adult homosexuality (overruled, then reinstated).
49	Aruna Ramachandra Shanbaug v. Union of India	2011	Passive euthanasia permissible with guidelines.
50	State of UP v. Sheo Shanker Lal Srivastava	2006	Compassionate appointment not vested right.
51	National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India	2014	Transgender as third gender; equal rights.
52	Swasthya Adhikar Manch v. Union of India	2013	Regulations for clinical trials to protect participants.
53	Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation	2013	Upheld Section 377; overruled in 2018.
54	Lily Thomas v. Union of India	2013	Immediate disqualification of convicted legislators.
55	Shreya Singhal v. Union of India	2015	Section 66A IT Act unconstitutional; vague speech curbs.
56	ABC v. State (NCT of Delhi)	2015	Unwed mother sole guardian without father's consent.
57	Zee Telefilms v. Union of India	2015	BCCI not "State" under Article 12.
58	Shayara Bano v. Union of India	2017	Triple talaq unconstitutional; violates Article 14.
59	Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India	2017	Right to privacy fundamental under Articles 14, 19, 21.
60	Common Cause v. Union of India	2018	Passive euthanasia and living wills recognized.
61	Indian Young Lawyers Assn. v. State of Kerala (Sabarimala)	2018	Women entry to Sabarimala temple; equality over religious custom.
62	Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India	2018	Decriminalized homosexuality; Section 377 partly struck down.
63	NCT of Delhi v. Union of India	2018	LG bound by Council of Ministers' aid/advice.
64	Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Aadhaar) v. Union of India	2018	Aadhaar constitutional with data protection limits.
65	Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India	2020	Internet access part of Article 19; J&K restrictions reviewable.
66	Chebrolu Leela Prasad Rao v. State of AP	2021	Special POCSO court can try rape cases.
67	Baglekar Akash Kumar v. Google LLC	2021	Intermediary liability for user-generated content.
68	Aruna Gounder v. Ponnusamy	2022	Hindu undivided family coparcenary rights.
69	Deepika Singh v. Central Administrative Tribunal	2022	Equal benefits for atypical families, including same-sex couples.
70	Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India	2022	10% EWS reservation constitutional.
71	Kaushal Kishor v. State of UP	2023	Ministers' hate speech not protected by Article 19(1)(a).
72	Supriyo v. Union of India	2023	No fundamental right to same-sex marriage; left to legislature.
73	Dr. Jaya Thakur v. Union of India	2023	ED chief appointment guidelines for independence.
74	B.V. Seshaiah v. State of Telangana	2023	Video conferencing for witness examination valid.
75	Dr. Nirmal Singh Panesar v. Paramjit Kaur	2023	Family pension rights post-remarriage.
76	M. Siddiq v. Mahant Suresh Das (Ayodhya)	2019	Title to Ram Janmabhoomi; ASI evidence pivotal.
77	Shah Faesal v. Union of India	2019	Abrogation of Article 370 constitutional.
78	Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India	2023	Election Commissioners appointed by committee, not executive.
79	Arun Kumar v. Inspector General of Registration	2019	Trans women as "bride" under Hindu Marriage Act.
80	Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India	2024	Electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional; violates voter rights.
81	Bilkis Yakub Rasool v. Union of India	2024	Remission to 2002 Gujarat riot convicts quashed.
82	Container Corp. v. Ajay Khera	2024	Phasing out BS-IV diesel vehicles in NCR.
83	Vishal Tiwari v. Union of India	2024	SEBI probe into Adani-Hindenburg monitored by SC.
84	Union of India v. Madras Bar Assn.	2010	NCLT/NCLAT constitutional; judicial review limited.
85	Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India	2016	Defamation under Sections 499/500 IPC constitutional.
86	Tehelka Tape Case (R.K. Anand v. Delhi HC)	2006	Contempt for influencing witnesses.
87	People's Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India	2003	Right to food; mid-day meals mandated.
88	Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corp.	1985	Pavement dwellers' right to livelihood under Article 21.
89	Excel Wear v. Union of India	1978	Closure of industrial undertakings requires permission.
90	Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar	1979	Speedy trial fundamental right; undertrial release.
91	Francis Coralie Mullin v. Administrator, UT of Delhi	1981	Right to life includes dignified living.
92	Olga Tellis (Pavement Dwellers)	1985	Eviction without notice violates Article 21.
93	Unni Krishnan v. State of AP	1993	Education up to 14 years fundamental right (later modified).
94	Kapila Hingorani v. State of Bihar	2003	State liability for salary arrears to employees.
95	Pradeep Kumar Biswas v. Indian Institute of Chemical Biology	2002	CSIR as "State" under Article 12.
96	P. Ramachandra Rao v. State of Karnataka	2002	No time limit for trials; case-by-case.
97	Zahira Habibullah Sheikh v. State of Gujarat	2004	Fair trial in Best Bakery case; retrial ordered.
98	Selvi v. State of Karnataka	2010	Narco-analysis involuntary; violates Article 20(3).
99	R. Rajagopal v. State of Tamil Nadu	1994	Right to privacy limited for public servants' actions.
100	K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (Aadhaar)	2018	Biometric data collection proportional; money laundering exception.

This list focuses on enduring precedents essential for lawyers, judges, and exams.