...
Rule
...
of
...
Law
...
in
...
India:
...
An
...
Overview
...
Surya
...
Deva,
...
Associate
...
Professor,
...
School
...
of
...
Law,
...
City
...
University
...
of
...
Hong
...
Kong,
...
Hong
...
Kong
...
I.
...
Introduction
...
The
...
term
...
'rule
...
of
...
law'
...
is
...
not
...
used
...
in
...
the
...
Indian
...
Constitution
...
anywhere.
...
The
...
term
...
is
...
though
...
used
...
frequently
...
by
...
the
...
Indian
...
courts
...
in
...
their
...
judgments.
...
For
...
instance,
...
an
...
online
...
search
...
of
...
the
...
Supreme
...
Court's
...
reportable
...
judgments
...
delivered
...
between
...
1
...
January
...
1950
...
and
...
1
...
January
...
2010
...
resulted
...
in
...
1,299
...
hits
...
of
...
the
...
term
...
'rule
...
of
...
law'.
...
(see
...
http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/chejudis.asp).
...
There
...
is
...
no
...
doubt
...
that
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law
...
pervades
...
the
...
Constitution
...
as
...
an
...
underlying
...
principle.
...
In
...
fact,
...
the
...
Supreme
...
Court
...
has
...
declared
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law
...
to
...
be
...
one
...
of
...
the
...
'basic
...
features'
...
of
...
the
...
Constitution
...
(
...
Indira
...
Nehru
...
Gandhi
...
v
...
Raj
...
Narain,
...
AIR
...
1975
...
SC
...
2295;
...
SP
...
Gupta
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India,
...
AIR
...
1982
...
SC
...
149)
...
,
...
so
...
this
...
principle
...
cannot
...
be
...
taken
...
away
...
even
...
by
...
a
...
constitutional
...
amendment.
...
As
...
this
...
Country
...
Report
...
will
...
outline,
...
the
...
Indian
...
conception
...
of
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law
...
is
...
both
...
formal
...
and
...
substantive.
...
It
...
is
...
also
...
seen
...
as
...
an
...
integral
...
part
...
of
...
good
...
governance.
...
Questions
...
are
...
though
...
raised
...
as
...
to
...
the
...
extent
...
to
...
which
...
the
...
constitutional
...
promise
...
of
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law
...
matches
...
with
...
actual
...
situation
...
in
...
India.
...
In
...
this
...
Report,
...
I
...
focus
...
on
...
three
...
broad
...
aspects
...
of
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law.
...
First,
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law
...
as
...
a
...
check
...
on
...
governmental
...
powers,
...
including
...
by
...
requiring
...
that
...
laws
...
are
...
clear,
...
predictable,
...
and
...
prospective.
...
Second,
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law
...
as
...
an
...
embodiment
...
of
...
protecting
...
people's
...
human
...
rights.
...
Among
...
others,
...
this
...
will
...
entail
...
a
...
guarantee
...
for
...
equal
...
treatment.
...
Third,
...
judicial
...
review
...
of
...
legislative
...
and
...
executive
...
actions
...
by
...
an
...
independent
...
judiciary.
...
In
...
a
...
way,
...
the
...
last
...
two
...
aspects
...
complement
...
the
...
first
...
aspect
...
in
...
that
...
they
...
limit
...
the
...
power
...
of
...
governmental
...
agencies.
...
II.
...
Checks
...
on
...
Governmental
...
Powers
...
The
...
Indian
...
Constitution
...
establishes
...
a
...
limited
...
government.
...
Bring
...
a
...
federal
...
country,
...
both
...
the
...
central
...
and
...
state
...
legislatures
...
have
...
the
...
power
...
to
...
make
...
laws,
...
but
...
only
...
subject
...
to
...
express
...
and
...
implicit
...
constitutional
...
limitations.
...
First
...
of
...
all,
...
the
...
constitution
...
specifies
...
and
...
demarcates
...
the
...
matters
...
on
...
which
...
the
...
central
...
legislature
...
and
...
state
...
legislatures
...
could
...
make
...
law
...
(
...
Constitution
...
of
...
India,
...
1950,
...
arts
...
246,
...
248-254
...
read
...
with
...
Schedule IX). Any law that breaches these limitations (e.g.,
...
a
...
state
...
law
...
made
...
on
...
a
...
matter
...
within
...
the
...
exclusive
...
competence
...
of
...
the
...
central
...
legislature)
...
could
...
be
...
declared
...
unconstitutional
...
by
...
courts
...
(
...
Medical
...
and
...
Educational
...
Charitable
...
Trust
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Tamil
...
Nadu
...
(1996)
...
3
...
SCC
...
15)
...
.
...
Second,
...
the
...
power
...
of
...
executive
...
to
...
make
...
laws
...
by
...
issuing
...
Ordinances
...
is
...
limited
...
-
...
both
...
in
...
terms
...
of
...
duration
...
and
...
situations
...
triggering
...
the
...
exercise
...
of
...
such
...
power
...
(
...
Arts
...
123
...
and
...
213)
...
.
...
The
...
executive,
...
of
...
course,
...
cannot
...
make
...
a
...
law
...
on
...
a
...
matter
...
on
...
which
...
the
...
corresponding
...
legislature
...
lacks
...
the
...
competence
...
to
...
legislate
...
(
...
Art
...
123(3)
...
provides:
...
'If
...
and
...
so
...
far
...
as
...
an
...
Ordinance
...
under
...
this
...
article
...
makes
...
any
...
provision
...
which
...
Parliament
...
would
...
not
...
under
...
this
...
Constitution
...
be
...
competent
...
to
...
enact,
...
it
...
shall
...
be
...
void.')
...
.
Third,
...
although
...
the
...
Indian
...
Constitution
...
-
...
having
...
established
...
a
...
parliamentary
...
form
...
of
...
government
...
-
...
does
...
not
...
follow
...
any
...
strict
...
separation
...
of
...
powers
...
(
...
Article
...
50
...
though
...
mandates
...
to
...
separate
...
the
...
judiciary
...
from
...
the
...
executive.)
...
,
...
a
...
system
...
of
...
checks
...
and
...
balances
...
has
...
been
...
put
...
in
...
place.
...
For
...
instance,
...
all
...
the
...
Bills
...
passed
...
by
...
the
...
Parliament
...
require
...
the
...
President's
...
assent
...
to
...
become
...
law
...
(
...
Art
...
111)
...
.
...
The
...
Parliament,
...
on
...
the
...
other
...
hand,
...
has
...
the
...
power
...
to
...
impeach
...
the
...
President
...
for
...
violating
...
the
...
Constitution
...
(
...
Art
...
61)
...
.
...
Fourth,
...
the
...
courts
...
have
...
held
...
that
...
any
...
executive
...
action
...
without
...
the
...
support
...
of
...
a
...
valid
...
law
...
will
...
be
...
void,
...
more
...
so
...
if
...
it
...
violated
...
fundamental
...
rights
...
(
...
Kharak
...
Singh
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
UP,
...
AIR
...
1963
...
SC
...
1295;
...
Bijoe
...
Emmanuel
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Kerala,
...
AIR
...
1987
...
SC
...
748)
...
.
...
Similar
...
to
...
the
...
position
...
in
...
many
...
other
...
jurisdictions,
...
laws
...
cannot
...
generally
...
be
...
retroactive,
...
especially
...
if
...
they
...
seek
...
to
...
impose
...
any
...
penalty
...
or
...
punishment
...
(
...
Art
...
20(1);
...
see
...
also
...
Singh
...
2008:
...
177-81)
...
.
...
The
...
judiciary
...
also
...
does
...
not
...
treat
...
vague
...
laws
...
or
...
administrative
...
guidelines
...
favourably.
...
Fifth,
...
in
...
a
...
multi-party
...
democracy,
...
the
...
presence
...
of
...
a
...
free
...
press
...
and
...
the
...
requirement
...
of
...
periodic
...
elections
...
can
...
be
...
one
...
of
...
mechanisms
...
against
...
the
...
abuse
...
of
...
governmental
...
power.
...
The
...
Constitution
...
expressly
...
limits
...
the
...
term
...
of
...
legislatures
...
(
...
Arts
...
83
...
and
...
172)
...
,
...
and
...
the
...
freedom
...
of
...
speech
...
and
...
expression
...
under
...
Article
...
19(1)(a)
...
has
...
been
...
interpreted
...
to
...
include
...
the
...
freedom
...
of
...
press
...
(
...
Express
...
Nespapers
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India,
...
AIR
...
1958
...
SC
...
58;
...
Bennett
...
Coleman
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India,
...
AIR
...
1973
...
SC
...
106)
...
.
...
In
...
addition
...
to
...
these
...
checks,
...
the
...
fundamental
...
rights
...
provisions
...
and
...
the
...
power
...
judicial
...
review
...
provide
...
effective
...
means
...
of
...
checking
...
the
...
power
...
of
...
the
...
legislature
...
and
...
executive.
...
These
...
two
...
aspects
...
are
...
discussed
...
below.
...
III.Equality
...
Guarantee
...
and
...
the
...
Protection
...
of
...
Human
...
Rights
...
Establishing
...
an
...
egalitarian
...
society
...
was/is
...
one
...
of
...
the
...
main
...
goals
...
of
...
the
...
India
...
Constitution.
...
The
...
fundamental
...
rights
...
and
...
the
...
directive
...
principles
...
of
...
state
...
policy
...
were
...
the
...
primary
...
tools
...
adopted
...
to
...
achieve
...
this
...
goal.
...
Part
...
III
...
of
...
the
...
Constitution
...
entitled
...
'Fundamental
...
Rights'
...
comprises
...
Articles
...
12
...
to
...
35
...
which
...
lay
...
down
...
various
...
rights,
...
their
...
limitations
...
and
...
remedies
...
for
...
their
...
enforcement.
...
The
...
rights
...
range
...
from
...
the
...
equality
...
before
...
the
...
law
...
to
...
the
...
freedom
...
of
...
speech
...
and
...
expression,
...
the
...
protection
...
against
...
double
...
jeopardy,
...
the
...
right
...
to
...
life
...
and
...
personal
...
liberty,
...
the
...
freedom
...
of
...
religion,
...
prohibition
...
of
...
discrimination,
...
and
...
the
...
protection
...
against
...
arrest
...
and
...
unlawful
...
detention.
...
It
...
will
...
be
...
useful
...
analyse
...
to
...
a
...
few
...
rights
...
in
...
some
...
detail
...
in
...
order
...
to
...
appreciate
...
the
...
rule
...
of
...
law
...
in
...
operation.
...
Article
...
14
...
prohibits
...
the
...
state
...
from
...
denying
...
'to
...
any
...
person
...
equality
...
before
...
the
...
law
...
or
...
the
...
equal
...
protection
...
of
...
the
...
laws'.
...
The
...
guiding
...
principle
...
of
...
equality
...
being
...
that
...
like
...
should
...
be
...
treated
...
alike
...
and
...
that
...
unlike
...
should
...
be
...
treated
...
differently,
...
Article
...
14
...
permits
...
reasonable
...
classification.
...
The
...
court
...
has
...
invalidated
...
several
...
laws
...
under
...
Article
...
14
...
because
...
the
...
classification
...
was
...
without
...
a
...
difference
...
(K
...
Kunhikoman
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Kerala
...
AIR
...
1962
...
SC
...
723)
...
,
...
or
...
the
...
basis
...
of
...
classification
...
had
...
no
...
nexus
...
to
...
the
...
object
...
of
...
the
...
law
...
(
...
P
...
Rajendram
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Madras
...
AIR
...
1968
...
SC
...
1012),
...
or
...
the
...
law
...
established
...
special
...
courts
...
for
...
trial
...
of
...
certain
...
cases
...
or
...
types
...
of
...
cases
...
without
...
any
...
reasonable
...
classification
...
or
...
guidelines
...
(State
...
of
...
West
...
Bengal
...
v
...
Anwar
...
Ali
...
Sarkar
...
AIR
...
1952
...
SC
...
75;
...
Northern
...
India
...
Caterers
...
Ltd.
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Punjab
...
AIR
...
1967
...
SC
...
1581)
...
,
...
or
...
the
...
law
...
singled
...
out
...
a
...
person
...
for
...
giving
...
a
...
special
...
or
...
discriminatory
...
treatment
...
(Ameernnisa
...
Begum
...
v
...
Mehboob
...
Begum
...
AIR
...
1952
...
SC
...
91;
...
Ram
...
Prasad
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Bihar
...
AIR
...
1953
...
SC
...
215)
...
.
...
More
...
important,
...
however,
...
has
...
been
...
the
...
judicial
...
employment
...
of
...
Article
...
14
...
to
...
develop
...
a
...
broad
...
principle
...
of
...
reasonableness.
...
In
...
E
...
P
...
Royappa
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Tamil
...
Nadu
...
the
...
Court
...
said
...
that
...
'Equality
...
is
...
a
...
dynamic
...
concept
...
with
...
many
...
aspects
...
and
...
dimensions
...
and
...
it
...
cannot
...
be
...
"cribbed,
...
cabined
...
and
...
confined"
...
within
...
traditional
...
and
...
doctrinaire
...
limits.
...
From
...
a
...
positivistic
...
point
...
of
...
view,
...
equality
...
is
...
antithetic
...
to
...
arbitrariness'
...
((1974)
...
4
...
SCC
...
3,
...
38)
...
.
...
Later
...
on,
...
the
...
Supreme
...
Court
...
in
...
Maneka
...
Gandhi
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
observed
...
that
...
'Article
...
14
...
strikes
...
at
...
arbitrariness
...
in
...
state
...
action
...
and
...
ensures
...
fairness
...
and
...
equality
...
of
...
treatment.
...
The
...
principle
...
of
...
reasonableness,
...
which
...
logically
...
as
...
well
...
as
...
philosophically,
...
is
...
an
...
essential
...
element
...
of
...
equality
...
or
...
non-arbitrariness
...
pervades
...
Article
...
14
...
like
...
a
...
brooding
...
omnipresence'
...
((1978)
...
1
...
SCC
...
248,
...
284.
...
See
...
also
...
R
...
D
...
Shetty
...
v
...
International
...
Airport
...
Authority
...
AIR
...
1979
...
SC
...
1628;
...
Ajay
...
Hasia
...
v
...
Khalid
...
Mujib
...
AIR
...
1981
...
SC
...
487)
...
.
...
Therefore,
...
allegation
...
of
...
discrimination
...
vis-à-vis
...
others
...
is
...
no
...
longer
...
sine
...
qua
...
non
...
for
...
attracting
...
Article
...
14
...
(
...
A
...
L
...
Kalra
...
v
...
Project
...
&Equipment
...
Corporation
...
(1984)
...
3
...
SCC
...
316,
...
328)
...
and
...
the
...
Court
...
would
...
strike
...
down
...
any
...
arbitrary
...
executive
...
or
...
legislative
...
action
...
unconstitutional
...
as
...
ipso
...
facto
...
violating
...
Article
...
14
...
(Mithu
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Punjab
...
AIR
...
1983
...
SC
...
473;
...
Central
...
Inland
...
Water
...
Corporation
...
v
...
B
...
N
...
Ganguly
...
(1986)
...
3
...
SCC
...
156;
...
DTC
...
v
...
DTC
...
Mazdoor
...
Congress
...
AIR
...
1991
...
SC
...
101;
...
Common
...
Cause
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1996)
...
6
...
SCC
...
530;
...
Shivsagar
...
Tiwari
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1996)
...
6
...
SCC
...
558.)
...
.
...
Another
...
interesting
...
fundamental
...
right
...
has
...
been
...
Article
...
21,
...
which
...
lays
...
down
...
that
...
'no
...
person
...
shall
...
be
...
deprived
...
of
...
his
...
life
...
or
...
personal
...
liberty
...
except
...
according
...
to
...
the
...
procedure
...
established
...
by
...
law.'
...
This
...
provision
...
has
...
proved
...
to
...
be
...
a
...
residuary
...
repository
...
of
...
many
...
fundamental
...
rights.
...
'Life'
...
in
...
this
...
article
...
has
...
been
...
interpreted
...
by
...
the
...
courts
...
to
...
mean
...
more
...
than
...
mere
...
physical
...
existence
...
(see,
...
for
...
the
...
evolution
...
of
...
such
...
an
...
interpretation,
...
Kharak
...
Singh
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
UP
...
AIR
...
1963
...
SC
...
1295;
...
Sunil
...
Batra
...
v
...
Delhi
...
Administration
...
(1978)
...
4
...
SCC
...
494;
...
Olga
...
Tellis
...
v
...
Bombay
...
Municipal
...
Corporation
...
AIR
...
1986
...
SC
...
180;
...
Francis
...
Coralie
...
v
...
Union
...
Territory
...
of
...
Delhi
...
AIR
...
1981
...
SC
...
746;
...
Bandhua
...
Mukti
...
Morcha
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
AIR
...
1984
...
SC
...
802;
...
Consumer
...
Education
...
&
...
Research
...
Centre
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1995)
...
3
...
SCC
...
42;
...
Bodhisattwa
...
Gautam
...
v
...
Subhra
...
Chakraborty
...
(1996)
...
1
...
SCC
...
490;
...
Visakha
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Rajasthan
...
AIR
...
1997
...
SC
...
3011.
...
In
...
some
...
of
...
these
...
cases
...
the
...
Court
...
has
...
relied
...
upon
...
the
...
observation
...
of
...
Justice
...
Field
...
in
...
Munn
...
v
...
Illinois
...
94
...
US
...
113)
...
;
...
it
...
'includes
...
right
...
to
...
live
...
with
...
human
...
dignity
...
and
...
all
...
that
...
goes
...
along
...
with
...
it'
...
(Francis
...
Coralie
...
v
...
Union
...
Territory
...
of
...
Delhi,
...
AIR
...
1981
...
SC
...
746,
...
753
...
(per
...
Justice
...
Bhagwati))
...
.
...
Ever-widening
...
horizon
...
of
...
Article
...
21
...
is
...
illustrated
...
by
...
the
...
fact
...
that
...
the
...
Court
...
has,
...
inter
...
alia,
...
read
...
into
...
it
...
the
...
right
...
to
...
health
...
(Parmanand
...
Kataria
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
AIR
...
1989
...
SC
...
2039;
...
Paschim
...
Banga
...
Khet
...
Mazdoor
...
Samity
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
West
...
Bengal
...
(1996)
...
4
...
SCC
...
37)
...
,
...
livelihood
...
(Olga
...
Tellis
...
v
...
Bombay
...
Municipal
...
Corporation
...
AIR
...
1986
...
SC
...
180;
...
DTC
...
Corporation
...
v
...
DTC
...
Mazdoor
...
Congress
...
AIR
...
1991
...
SC
...
101)
...
,
...
free
...
and
...
compulsory
...
education
...
up
...
to
...
the
...
age
...
of
...
14
...
years
...
(Unni
...
Krishnan
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
AP
...
(1993)
...
1
...
SCC
...
645)
...
,
...
unpolluted
...
environment
...
(Indian
...
Council
...
for
...
Enviro
...
Legal
...
Action
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1996)
...
3
...
SCC
...
212;
...
M
...
C
...
Mehta
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1996)
...
6
...
SCC
...
750;
...
Vellore
...
Citizens
...
Welfare
...
Forum
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1996)
...
5
...
SCC
...
647;
...
Narmada
...
Bachao
...
Andolan
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(2000)
...
10
...
SCC
...
664)
...
,
...
shelter
...
(Gauri
...
Shankar
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1994)
...
6
...
SCC
...
349)
...
,
...
clean
...
drinking
...
water
...
(A
...
P
...
Pollution
...
Control
...
Board
...
II
...
v
...
M
...
V
...
Nayudu
...
(2001)
...
2
...
SCC
...
62)
...
,
...
privacy
...
(Kharak
...
Singh
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
UP
...
AIR
...
1963
...
SC
...
1295;
...
Govind
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
MP
...
AIR
...
1975
...
SC
...
1378;
...
R
...
Raj
...
Gopal
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Tamil
...
Nadu
...
(1994)
...
6
...
SCC
...
632;
...
PUCL
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
AIR
...
1997
...
SC
...
568;
...
'X'
...
v
...
Hospital
...
Z
...
(1998)
...
8
...
SCC
...
296)
...
,
...
legal
...
aid
...
(M
...
H
...
Hoskot
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Maharashtra
...
AIR
...
1978
...
SC
...
1548;
...
Hussainara
...
Khatoon
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Bihar
...
AIR
...
1979
...
SC
...
1369;
...
Khatri
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Bihar
...
AIR
...
1981
...
SC
...
928;
...
Suk
...
Das
...
v
...
Union
...
Territory
...
of
...
Arunachal
...
Pradesh
...
AIR
...
1986
...
SC
...
991)
...
,
...
speedy
...
trial
...
(Hussainara
...
Khatoon
...
(I)
...
to
...
(VI)
...
v
...
Home
...
Secretary,
...
Bihar
...
(1980)
...
1
...
SCC
...
81,
...
91,
...
93,
...
98,
...
108
...
and
...
115;
...
Kadra
...
Pahadiya
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Bihar
...
AIR
...
1982
...
SC
...
1167;
...
Common
...
Cause
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1996)
...
4
...
SCC
...
33
...
and
...
(1996)
...
6
...
SCC
...
775;
...
Rajdeo
...
Sharma
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Bihar
...
(1998)
...
7
...
SCC
...
507
...
and
...
(1999)
...
7
...
SCC
...
604)
...
,
...
and
...
various
...
rights
...
of
...
under-trials,
...
convicts
...
and
...
prisoners
...
(Sunil
...
Batra
...
v
...
Delhi
...
Administration
...
AIR
...
1978
...
SC
...
1675;
...
Prem
...
Shankar
...
v
...
Delhi
...
Administration
...
AIR
...
1980
...
SC
...
1535;
...
Munna
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
UP
...
AIR
...
1982
...
SC
...
806;
...
Sheela
...
Barse
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
AIR
...
1986
...
SC
...
1773)
...
.
...
Another
...
innovative
...
use
...
of
...
this
...
provision
...
has
...
been
...
in
...
reaching
...
violation
...
of
...
right
...
to
...
life
...
and
...
personal
...
liberty
...
by
...
even
...
private
...
persons
...
(see,
...
for
...
example,
...
M
...
C
...
Mehta
...
v
...
Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1987)
...
1
...
SCC
...
395;
...
Consumer
...
Education
...
&
...
Research
...
Centre
...
v.Union
...
of
...
India
...
(1995)
...
3
...
SCC
...
42;
...
Kirloskar
...
Brothers
...
Ltd.
...
v
...
ESIC
...
(1996)
...
2
...
SCC
...
682;
...
Bodhisattwa
...
Gautam
...
v
...
Subra
...
Chakraborty
...
AIR
...
1996
...
SC
...
922;
...
Vishaka
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Rajasthan
...
AIR
...
1997
...
SC
...
3011;
...
'X'
...
v
...
Hospital
...
'Z'
...
(1998)
...
8
...
SCC
...
296;
...
M
...
C
...
Mehta
...
v
...
Kamal
...
Nath
...
AIR
...
2000
...
SC
...
1997.)
...
,
...
and
...
to
...
grant
...
compensation
...
for
...
violation
...
of
...
fundamental
...
rights
...
(Rudul
...
Sah
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Bihar
...
(1983)
...
4
...
SCC
...
141;
...
Bhim
...
Singh
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
J
...
&
...
K
...
(1985)
...
4
...
SCC
...
677;
...
Nilabati
...
Behra
...
v
...
State
...
of
...
Orissa
...
(1993)
...
2
...
SCC
...
746)
...
.
It should also be noted that although the constitution framers had expressly rejected the due process requirement in Article 21, the Supreme Court introduced this guarantee by judicial interpretation (Maneka Gandhi v Union of India, AIR 1978 SC 97). Furthermore, by a joint reading of Articles 14 and 21, the courts have basically developed a substantive model of rule of law - any law or executive action which is not 'just, fair and reasonable' could be declared unconstitutional (Singh 2008: 201-04). The Courts, for example, invalidated a penal provision prescribing the mandatory death sentence for murder committed by a life convict (Mithu v State Punjab, AIR 1983 SC 473). More recently, the Delhi High Court ruled that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code 'insofar it criminalises consensual sexual acts of adults in private, is violative of Articles 21, 14 and 15 of the Constitution' (Naz Foundation v Government of Delhi, WP(C) No.7455/2001 (2 July 2009), para 132).
IV. Judicial Review by an Independent Judiciary
The power of an independent judiciary to review the decisions of the other two organs of the government is considered an integral aspect of the rule of law and the Indian Constitution does everything possible to put in place this mechanism. Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are appointed by the President in 'consultation' with relevant judges of these courts (Arts 124(2) and 217). Subsequent to the decision in Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association v Union of India (4 SCC 441 (1993). See also In re, Presidential Reference, AIR 1999 SC 1), judges of the higher judiciary are in essence appointed by the judiciary itself (Singh/ Deva 2005: 673-74.). Detailed provisions have also been made to provide judges security of tenure (Arts 124 and 218), and protect their salaries, allowances and privileges. (Arts 125 and 221) Legislative bodies are barred from debating the conduct of judges unless dealing with impeachment motions (Arts 121 and 211). In fact, on a closer look, it seems that the Indian judiciary has become over-independent in that there are not many checks on its powers and the functioning/conduct of judges. The judiciary, for instance, resists any attempt to introduce accountability measures and impeaching judges so far has proved to be an almost impossible even in suitable cases.
Although the power of judicial review does not require an express recognition in a constitutional text, Article 13(2) of the Indian Constitution provides such recognition by laying down that the state 'shall not make any law which takes away or abridges' the fundamental rights. The remedy to approach the Supreme Court for violation of fundamental rights under Article 32 is in itself a fundamental right. (A similar - in fact wider - power is vested with the High Courts under Article 226.) The Court has widened the scope of this power over the years by 
implying many new rights within the ambit of Article 21; (ii) chartering the course of public interest litigation as a tool of deepening justice to the masses; (iii) declaring judicial review a 'basic feature' of the Constitution and thus putting this beyond the Parliament's amendment power; and (iv) conferring on itself the power to review the validity of even constitutional amendments.
V. Conclusion
On a brief overview of the constitutional provisions and judicial decisions, it can be safely concluded that the Indian Constitution enshrines the rule of law as a fundamental governance principle, though the term is not mentioned expressly in the text of the Constitution. Having said this, there are several challenges that pose threat to building a society based on robust rule of law framework. Continued socio-economic inequalities (despite affirmative active provisions and programmes), large population, pervasive corruption (including in judiciary), judicial delays, law and order problems in view of regionalism and Naxalism, and the general apathy of people towards the rule of law are matters of serious concern. Despite these challenges, there is no doubt about the constitutional mandate or government's commitment to establishing a rule of law society.
Further Reading
Granville Austin, The Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966).
Granville Austin, Working a Democratic Constitution - The Indian Experience (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1999).
Upendra Baxi, 'The Rule of Law in India', (2007) 6 Sur - Revista Internacional de Derechos Humanos 7, <socialsciences.scielo.org/pdf/s_sur/v3nse/scs_a01.pdf
...
>.
...
Surya
...
Deva,
...
'Public
...
Interest
...
Litigation
...
in
...
India:
...
A
...
Critical
...
Review'
...
(2009)
...
28
...
Civil
...
Justice
...
Quarterly
...
19.
...
B
...
N
...
Kirpal
...
et
...
al
...
(eds.),
...
Supreme
...
but
...
not
...
Infallible
...
-
...
Essays
...
in
...
Honour
...
of
...
the
...
Supreme
...
Court
...
of
...
India
...
(New
...
Delhi:
...
Oxford
...
University
...
Press,
...
2000).
...
Randall
...
Peerenboom
...
(ed.),
...
Asian
...
Discourses
...
of
...
Rule
...
of
...
Law:
...
Theories
...
and
...
Implementation
...
of
...
Rule
...
of
...
Law
...
in
...
Twelve
...
Asian
...
Countries,
...
France
...
and
...
the
...
US
...
(London:
...
RoutledgeCurzon,
...
2004).
...
Victor
...
V
...
Ramraj
...
&
...
Arun
...
K
...
Thiruvengadam
...
(ed.),
...
Emergency
...
Powers
...
in
...
Asia:
...
Exploring
...
the
...
Limits
...
of
...
Legality
...
*(
...
Cambridge:
...
Cambridge
...
University
...
Press,
...
2010
...
).*
...
S
...
P
...
Sathe,
...
Judicial
...
Activism
...
in
...
India
...
-
...
Transgressing
...
Borders
...
and
...
Enforcing
...
Limits
...
(New
...
Delhi:
...
Oxford
...
University
...
Press,
...
2002).
...
Mahendra
...
P
...
Singh,
...
'The
...
Constitutional
...
Principle
...
of
...
Reasonableness'
...
(1987)
...
3
...
Supreme
...
Court
...
Cases
...
(Journal)
...
31.
...
Mahendra P Singh,
...
'Securing
...
the
...
Independence
...
of
...
the
...
Judiciary
...
-
...
The
...
Indian
...
Experience'
...
(2000)
...
10
...
Indiana
...
International
...
&
...
Comparative
...
Law
...
Review
...
245.
...
Mahendra
...
P
...
Singh
...
2008:
...
'
...
Shukla's
...
Constitution
...
of
...
India
...
',
...
11
...
th
...
edn.,
...
(Lucknow:
...
Eastern
...
Book
...
Co.)
...
| Wiki-Markup |
|---|
Mahendra P Singh & Surya Deva, 'The Constitution of India: Symbol of Unity in Diversity' (2005) 53 _Jahrbuch des Offentlichen Rechts der Gegenwart_ \[Yearbook of Public Law, Germany\] 649. |
...
Vijayashri
...
Sripati,
...
'Toward
...
Fifty
...
Years
...
of
...
Constitutionalism
...
and
...
Fundamental
...
Rights
...
in
...
India:
...
Looking
...
Back
...
to
...
See
...
Ahead
...
(1950-2000)'
...
(1998)
...
14
...
American
...
University
...
International
...
Law
...
Review
...
413.
...
S
...
K
...
Verma
...
and
...
Kusum
...
(eds.),
...
Fifty
...
Years
...
of
...
the
...
Supreme
...
Court
...
of
...
India
...
-
...
Its
...
Grasp
...
and
...
Reach
...
(New
...
Delhi:
...
Oxford
...
University
...
Press,
...
2000).
