Concept:The Basic Structure Doctrine is a judicial principle that limits Parliament's power to amend the Constitution by protecting its essential features.
Explanation:This doctrine was first enunciated by the Supreme Court in the landmark
Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala case in 1973.
In that case, the 13-judge Constitutional Bench ruled by a 7‑6 majority that while Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution, it cannot alter or destroy its "basic structure" or essential features.
The Court did not provide an exhaustive list of these basic features, but over time, elements such as the supremacy of the Constitution, judicial review, secularism, rule of law, and separation of powers have been recognized as part of it.
This doctrine was later reaffirmed in cases like
Minerva Mills and
S.R. Bommai, but its origin is the
Kesavananda Bharati judgment.
Among the given options, the
Golak Nath case dealt with the amending power but did not enunciate the basic structure doctrine, while the
Maneka Gandhi case expanded fundamental rights. The
S.R. Bommai case applied the doctrine to the dismissal of state governments.
Answer:C. Kesavananda Bharati case