Constitution of Bharat: 1st Amendment: Part I

 Here are 10 landmark judgments related to the First Amendment of the Constitution of India:

1. Champakam Dorairajan v. State of Madras (1951)

• Significance: The Supreme Court struck down caste-based reservations, leading to the First Amendment of the Constitution to allow reservations for socially and educationally backward classes.

2. S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994)

• Significance: The Court emphasized the importance of secularism as mentioned in the Preamble, stating that the state does not have any religion.

3. Keshavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973)

• Significance: The Court held that Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution, provided it does not alter the basic structure, which includes the Preamble.

4. Indira Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975)

• Significance: The Court declared the 39th Amendment, which sought to protect the Prime Minister's election from judicial review, as unconstitutional, emphasizing the importance of judicial review and democracy.

5. Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India (1980)

• Significance: The Court held that the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution is limited by the basic structure doctrine, ensuring that the Preamble and the fundamental rights are protected.

6. A.D.M. Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla (1976)

• Significance: During the Emergency, the Court held that the right to move any court for the enforcement of fundamental rights was suspended, but this judgment was later overruled by the Minerva Mills case.

7. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978)

• Significance: The Court expanded the interpretation of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21, emphasizing that any deprivation of life or personal liberty must be fair, just, and reasonable.

8. I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu (2007)

• Significance: The Court held that laws violating the basic structure of the Constitution, including the Preamble, are void.

9. Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India (2008)

• Significance: The Court discussed the Preamble while examining the validity of the 93rd Amendment Act, emphasizing the principles of equality and social justice.

10. Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018)

• Significance: The Court referred to the Preamble while decriminalizing Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, emphasizing the principles of liberty and equality.

These cases highlight the evolving interpretation of the First Amendment and its impact on the Constitution.