50 Years Since Keshavananda Bharti Judgement | Supreme Court Announces Webpage Dedicated To Judgement

On the 50th anniversary of the landmark judicial pronouncement in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, the Supreme Court formed a webpage dedicated to the judgement. The formation of the webpage was announced today by CJI DY Chandrachud who stated that the said webpage could now help researchers across the world to learn more about the landmark judgement which was pronounced on 24th April 1973.

The webpage provides with the background, introduction, key legal issues raised, arguments made, conclusion reached, and reference material used in the case. As per the webpage–

"The case became one of the most important case in Indian constitutional history, and Sri Kesavananda Bharati is remembered as a key figure in the fight to uphold the principles of democracy and the rule of law in India."

Kesavananda Bharati was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court that outlined the "basic structure doctrine" of the Indian Constitution. The case is also known as the Fundamental Rights Case and the Basic Structure Case. The Apex Court in a 7-6 decision asserted its right to strike down amendments to the constitution that were in violation of the fundamental architecture of the constitution. 

In this case, the 13-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court deliberated on the limitations of the powers of the elected representatives of the people and the nature of fundamental rights of an individual. In a verdict divided 7–6, the court held that while the Parliament has 'wide' powers, it did not have the power to destroy or emasculate the basic elements or fundamental features of the constitution.