HIDAYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

B.A.LL.B. (Hons.) Semester III

Constitutional Governance I

The Fundamental law of the land is its constitution; consequently Constitutional law is a subject
of paramount importance. Constitutional law as a subject deals with the framework of
governance of a country. The governance framework lays down structure of government,
functions of institutions such as legislative, executive and judicial. The study of Constitutional
law includes provisions, interpretation and changes desired based on experience. The
nomenclature suggests the breadth and width to be covered in the subject. The discussion and
lecture travels beyond the reading and understanding of bare provisions of the Indian
Constitution.
The most detailed Constitution of the world, Constitution cannot be comprehensively dealt as a
single subject. Therefore, the study of Constitution of India is divided into two parts,
Constitutional Governance I and II. Constitutional Governance I deals with salient features of
the Constitution, fundamental rights, directive principles and fundamental duties.

Objective:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

To understand and realize the nature, scope and importance of supreme law of the land.
Need of a constitution to make a fresh start of governance.
To tune with constant growth of the Constitution.
To study, analyze and appreciate the role of state in Constitutional Governance.
To study, analyze and appreciate the recent development in all four areas above and their
international ramifications.
Methodology:
Lecture Method, Moot Court Exercise, Case Law Analysis, Group Discussion.
Evaluation Criteria:
Moot Court Exercise: 20 Marks
Mid Term:

20 Marks

End Term:

60 Marks

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Module- 1: Introduction (10 CHS)

Constitution, Constitutional Law, Constitutionalism (a general introduction with
definitions,importance and kinds of Constitution)
Salient Features of the Constitution of India
Preamble
Nature of the Indian Constitution Federal, Unitary, Quasi-federal
Cases:1. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, AIR 1973 SC 1461
2. S. R. Bommai v. Union of India, AIR 1994 SC 1918
3. State of West Bengal v. Union of India, AIR 1963 SC 1241
4. Ram Jawaya Kapur v. State of Punjab, AIR 1955 SC 549
5. Kuldip Nayar v. Union of India, AIR 2006 SC 3127
6. State of Haryana v. State of Punjab, AIR 2002 SC 685
Module - 2. The Union and its Territory (5 CHS)
Power to cede Indian Territory to a Foreign Nation
Power to create/extinguish a State
Alteration of name, area and boundary of existing states Procedure (Articles 1 4)
Cases:7. In re Berubari Union and Exchange of Enclaves, AIR 1960 SC 845
8. Ram Kishore Sen v. Union of India, AIR 1966 SC 644
9. Union of India v. Sukumar Sengupta, AIR 1990 SC 1692
10. N. Masthan Sahib v. Chief Commissioner, Pondicherry AIR 1962 SC 797
11. R. C. Poudyal v. Union of India, AIR 1993 SC 1804
12. Babulal Parate v. State of Bombay, AIR 1960 SC 51
Module- 3 Fundamental Rights (8 CHS)
State under Article 12
Cases:-

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13. Som Prakash v. Union of India, AIR 1981 SC 212

14. Pradeep Kumar Biswas v. Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (2002) 5 SCC 111
15. G. Basi Reddy v. International Crops Research Institute, JT 2003 (2) SC 180
16. Zee Telefilms Ltd. v. Union of India (2005) 4 SCC 649
Law under Article 13
Doctrine of Eclipse
Cases:17. State of U.P. v. Radhey Shyam Rai, 2009 (3) SCALE 754
18. Keshavan Madhava Menon v. State of Bombay, AIR 1955 SC 128
19. State of Gujarat v. Sri Ambika Mills, AIR 1974 SC 1300
20. Bhikaji Narain Dhakras v. State of M. P., AIR 1955 SC 781
Waiver of Fundamental Rights
Bashesher Nath v. CIT, AIR 1959 SC 149
Doctrine of Severability
22. State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara, AIR 1951 SC 318
23. RMDC v. Union of India, AIR 1957 SC 628
Module- 4: Right to Equality (Articles 14 18)

(8CHS)

Equality before Law

Non Discrimination
Reasonable Classification
Non- Arbitrariness
Protective Discrimination
Reservations in Appointments and Promotions
Abolition of Untouchability
Abolition of Titles

Cases:24. Chiranjit Lal Chaudhary v. Union of India, AIR 1951 SC 41

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25. State of W. B. v. Anwar Ali Sarkar, AIR 1952 SC 75

26. Kathi Raning Rawat v. State of Saurashtra, AIR 1952 SC 123
27. State of Kerala v. N. M. Thomas (1976) 2 SCC 310
28. Indra Sawhney v. Union of India, AIR 1993 SC 477
29. Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India (2008) 6 SCC 1
30. Indra Sawhney v. Union of India, AIR 2000 SC 498
31. Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. State of Bihar (1995) 5 SCC 403
32. Dr. Gulshan Prakash v. State of Haryana, 2009 (14) SCALE 290
33. Avinash Singh Bagri v. Registrar, IIT, Delhi (2009) 8 SCC 220
34. M. Nagraj v. Union of India (2006) 8 SCC 212
35. Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India, AIR 1996 SC 770

Module- 5: Right to Freedom-I (Articles 19)

(12CHS)

Freedom of speech and expression and reasonable restrictions.

Cases:36. Bennett Coleman & Co. v. Union of India, AIR 1973 SC 106
37. Secretary, Ministry of I & B, State of W. B v. Cricket Association (1995) 2 SCC 161
38. Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) v. Union of India (2003) 4 SCC 399
39. Bharat Kumar K. Paticha v. State of Kerala, AIR 1997 Ker. 291 (FB)
40. Communist Party of India (M) v. Bharat Kumar (1998) 1 SCC 201
41. AIADMK v. Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu (2007) 1 SCALE 607
42. Chindamanrao v. State of M.P., AIR 1951 SC 118
43. Narendra Kumar v. Union of India, AIR 1960 SC 430
44 State of Gujarat v. Mirzapur Moti Qureshi Kasab Jamat, AIR 2006 SC 212

Module-6: Right to Freedom-II (Articles 20-22) (6CHS)

Protection in respect of conviction for offences (Article 20)
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Protection of life and personal liberty (Article 21)

Protection against arrest and detention (Article 22)
Cases:45. Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, AIR 1978 SC 597
46. A. K. Roy v. Union of India, AIR 1982 SC 710
47. D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997) 1 SCC 416
48. Peoples Union for Civil Rights v. Union of India, 2003 (10) SCALE 967
Module-7: Right against Exploitation (Articles 23- 24) (2CHS)
Prohibition of Traffic in Human Beings and Forced Labour
Abolition of Child Labour
49.Peoples Union for Democratic Rights v. Union of India, AIR 1982 SC 1473
Module-8: Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25 28) (6CHS)
Freedom of Conscience
Freedom to Profess or Practice Religion
Freedom to Manage Religious Affairs
Restriction on Religious Instruction in Educational Institutions
Cases:50 Seshammal v. State of Tamil Nadu (1972) 2 SCC 11
51. N. Adithayan v. Travancore Devaswom Board (2002) 8 SCC 106
52.Commissioner of Police v. Acharya Jagadishwarananda Avadhuta (2004) 12 SCC 770
53. Bijoe Emmanuel v. State of Kerala (1986) 3 SCC 615
54. Rev. Stainislaus v. State of M.P., AIR 1977 SC 908
55. Brahmo Samaj Education Society v. State of West Bengal (2004) 6 SCC 224
56. Bal Patil v. Union of India (2005) 6 SCC 690.
57. Akhil Bharat Goseva Sangh v. State of Andhra Pradesh (2006) 4 SCC 162
Module- 9: Educational and Cultural Rights (Articles 29, 30) (6CHS)
Right to establish and administer educational institutions- rights of minorities and non minorities;
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Cases:58. Frank Anthony Public School Employees Assn. v. Union of India (1986) 4 SCC 707
59. Islamic Academy of Education v. State of Karnataka, JT 2003 (7) SC 1
60. T.M.A. Pai Foundation v. State of Karnataka, AIR 2003 SC 355
61. P.A. Inamdar v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 2005 SC 3236
Module-10: Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32)

(6CHS)

Writs
Locus Standi and Public Interest Litigation
Module 11: Directive Principles of State Policy (Articles 36 - 51) (6CHS)
Rights and legislations aimed at implementing the Directive Principles of State Policy.
Module-12: Fundamental Duties (Article 51A)

(2CHS)

Prescribed Text: The Constitution of India 1950

Prescribed Books:
1. Mahendra P. Singh, V. N. Shuklas Constitution of India
2. H.M. Seervai, Constitutional Law of India
3. M.P. Jain, Indian Constitutional Law
4. D.D.Basu, Constitution of India (shorter version)
Reference books:1. A.Lakshminath :- Basic Structure and Constitutional Amendments( Limitation and
justiciability)
2. Granville Austin:- The Indian Constitution Corner Stone of a Nation
3. Justice R.C.Lahoti :- The spirit and backbone of Constitution of India
4. P.Ishwer Bhatt :- Fundamental Rights
5. Uday Raj Rai Fundamental Rights and their enforcement in India
Report:1. Report of National commission to review the working of the constitution
P.S. (for students) The list of cases is not exhaustive. It is advisable that apart from the
textbooks the students read the case laws prescribed.
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