Study Guide · Chapter 14
L. Recent High-Profile Constitutional Cases (2019–2024)
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| Case | Year | Bench | Holding |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. Siddiq v. Mahant Suresh Das (Ayodhya title dispute) | 2019 | 5-judge, unanimous | Awarded the disputed site to Hindu parties for a temple (via a Centre-run trust); allotted an alternate 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board; held both the 1949 idol placement/desecration and the 1992 mosque demolition were illegal acts. |
| In Re: Article 370 of the Constitution | 2023 | 5-judge, unanimous | Upheld the abrogation of Jammu & Kashmir's special status and its reorganisation into two Union Territories; held Art. 370 was always intended as a "temporary" provision; directed statehood be restored "at the earliest." |
| Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India (Electoral Bonds case) | 2024 | 5-judge, unanimous | Struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018 as unconstitutional — held it violated voters' right to information under Art. 19(1)(a) by concealing political donors, and created a real risk of quid-pro-quo influence over policy. |
| Govt. of NCT of Delhi v. Union of India (Services case) | 2023 | 5-judge | (see Section D) |
Mnemonic. "Ayodhya's Services got 370 Bonds broken" — Ayodhya (Nov 2019) → NCT Delhi Services case (May 2023) → Article 370 case (Dec 2023) → Electoral Bonds case (Feb 2024). Note the order: Services (2023) actually precedes Article 370 (2023) within the same year — both fall in 2023, but Services came first chronologically.
Practice Recall. Before reading on: put these four recent cases in correct chronological order — Electoral Bonds, Article 370, Ayodhya, NCT Delhi Services.
Answer: Ayodhya (2019) → NCT Delhi Services case (2023, earlier in the year) → Article 370 (2023, later in the year) → Electoral Bonds (2024).
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