New Delhi, Dec 30 (Representative) The year 2024 stands out for significant activity by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India, which delivered 12 landmark judgments involving five-, seven-, and nine-judge benches. The key judgments delivered by the Constitutional Benches in 2024:1. Constitutionality of the Electoral Bonds Scheme, in the case of Association for Democratic Reforms versus Union of India, a five-judge bench on February 15, 2024, struck down the 2018 Electoral Bonds Scheme, holding that donor anonymity in political funding violates the voter’s right to information. The Court emphasized the need to prevent “quid pro quo” arrangements between donors and political parties.2. Automatic Vacation of Stay Orders in the case involving High Court Bar Association Allahabad vs The State of Uttar Pradesh. A bench, comprising five judges, on February 29, 2024 held that stay orders should not lapse automatically after six months.Judicial discretion is necessary to vacate stay orders, overruling the precedent set in Asian Resurfacing of Road Agency vs Central Bureau of Investigation.3. Legislative Immunity for Bribery in Sita Soren vs Union of India. A bench, comprising seven judges, in March of 2024 overruled the 1998 judgment in P V Narasimha Rao vs State, holding that legislators accepting bribes in connection with speeches or votes are not immune from prosecution. The decision reinforced the principle that bribery undermines democracy. 4. States’ power over mines and minerals, in a case involving Mineral Area Development Authority vs Steel Authority of India, a nine-judge bench, in an 8:1 decision on July 25, 2024, ruled that “royalty” under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, is not a tax.
States can impose taxes on mines and minerals, overruling India Cements vs State of Tamil Nadu (1989).5. Sub-classification within reserved categories, in the case of State of Punjab vs Davinder Singh, a bench, comprising seven judges, on August one, 2024 upheld states’ power to create sub-classifications within Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) categories, noting varying degrees of discrimination among these groups.6. Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, a five-judge bench on October 17, 2024 held that the provisiongranting citizenship to migrants who entered Assam before March 1971 was upheld. However, the Court mandated hearings to identify and deport post-1971 migrants.7. States’ power to regulate industrial alcohol. In a case of State of Uttar Pradesh vs Lalta Prasad Vaish, a bench, comprising nine judges, in an 8:1 decision on October 23, 2024, ruled that states can regulate industrial alcohol, overturning Synthetics & Chemicals Ltd vs State of Uttar Pradesh (1989).8. Nature of private property, in the case of Property Owners Association vs State of Maharashtra, a bench, comprising nine judges, on November five, 2024 held that not all private property qualifies as a “material resource of the community” under Article 39(b) of the Constitution. Article 31C was also reaffirmed as part of the Constitution.9. Validity of Light Motor Vehicle Licence for Transport Vehicles.
In the case of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance vs Rambha Devi, a five-judge bench on November six, 2024, ruled that a Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) licence allows driving transport vehicles under 7,500 kg without a separate licence.10. Rules for public sector appointments in the case of Tej Prakash Pathak vs Rajasthan High Court. A bench of five judges on November seven, 2024, said, “Recruitment rules cannot be modified after the process has commenced. Benchmarks for evaluation must be established beforehand.11. Aligarh Muslim University’s Minority Status, in the case of Aligarh Muslim University through its Registrar Faizan Mustafa vs Naresh Agarwal, a bench, comprising seven judges, on November eight, 2024, overturned the 1967 Azeez Basha ruling, granting minority status to Aligarh Muslim University under Article 30.12. Appointment of Arbitrators, in the case of Central Organization for Railway Electrification vs ECL-SPIC-SMO-MCML (JV), a bench of five judges on November eight, 2024, invalidated arbitration clauses, allowing unilateral appointments, citing a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.2024 marked the conclusion of Justice D Y Chandrachud’s tenure as the 50th Chief Justice of India. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2016, he served as CJI from November 2022 to November 2024. Notable contributions of CJI Chandrachud in 2024 are that he recognized the right to be free from the adverse effects of climate change as part of fundamental rights.CJI Chandrachud issued guidance on the portrayal of persons with disabilities in visual media to promote inclusivity. Chief Justice Chandrachud’s leadership in the Constitution Benches has left a lasting impact on Indian jurisprudence, particularly through his emphasis on equality, democracy, and fundamental rights.