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In 2024, several landmark Supreme Court judgements significantly impacted India’s legal, social, and constitutional structure. These judgements have set important precedents for years, abolishing caste discrimination, protecting minority rights, and ensuring state accountability.

1. Case of Bilkis Bano

One of the Supreme Court’s most anticipated decisions of 2024 is overruling the decision by the Gujarat government to release 11 prisoners in the Bilkis Bano case. This decision will go into the annals of history for being the court’s reiterated commitment to delivering justice in inter-communal violence and standing up for victims’ rights. The decision would establish clear-cut boundaries to the powers of the state on judgements related to remission, thereby reaffirming criminal justice.

2. Eradication of Caste Discrimination in Prisons

On October 3, 2024, the Supreme Court made history by declaring discrimination in prisons on the basis of caste as unlawful. This is among historic Supreme Court judgements that mandated all states to make changes in prison manuals so that inmates of every caste receive equal treatment and respect. The judgment upholds the equality and human dignity the constitution promises while resolving a long-standing problem in India’s penal system.

3. The AMU Judgment on the Protection of Minority Institutions

A landmark decision of the Supreme Court in Aligarh Muslim University case kept the minority status of the university intact. Thus, the court judgment protected minority educational institutions through constitutional safeguards while ensuring the university’s autonomy was not compromised. The judgment vigorously stressed the maintenance of minority rights and the secular essence of India.

4. Persecution Against Political Corruption

In a historic ruling, a 7-judge Supreme Court panel overturned its earlier stance on parliamentary privilege in bribery cases. This Supreme Court decision reinforced anti-corruption legislation and promoted transparency in government by eliminating immunity for Members of Parliament who accept payments in return for votes.

5. Balancing of Public Interest and Property Rights

It laid down the limits of private property rights and state authority by deciding on purchasing real estate for redistribution. One of these Supreme Court judgements protected citizens from the arbitrary acts of the state through a template that involved property acquisition for redistribution to specifically meet certain requirements of public benefit.

6. Fine-tuning Affirmative Action

India’s affirmative action policy saw a big change with the Supreme Court ruling on sub-classification inside SC/ST reservations. The court cleared reserve laws to be implemented more precisely and successfully by allowing states to create subcategories within these groupings, ensuring that the most disadvantaged populations would benefit.

7. Regulation of Industrial Alcohol

The Supreme Court held in industrial alcohol regulation that state jurisdiction over the matter is preserved with a focus on public health issues. This decision strengthened regulatory frameworks by explaining jurisdictional concerns and enhancing state authority over potentially dangerous drugs.

8. Citizenship Rights in Assam

The court’s decision to leave Section 6A of the Citizenship Act intact gave legal clarity to the migrants having ancestry of Bangla, who came to Assam prior to 25th March 1971. This Supreme Court decision provided protection to the longtime residents of a particular place by balancing humanitarian concerns with national security issues.

9. Protection from Arbitrary Demolitions of Citizens

The Supreme Court established broad protections that protected citizens from arbitrary demolitions in response to growing concerns about “bulldozer justice.” A landmark decision in the protection of property rights and human dignity, this set of procedures safeguarded and emphasized the importance of due process.

10. Empowerment of Women’s Rights

The judiciary’s commitment to gender justice was best portrayed through the Supreme Court judgment that maintained the rights of divorced Muslim women under Section 125 of CrPC. Through this judgment, such vulnerable women enjoyed substantial safeguards at the cost of a compromise between the constitutional equality of dignity standards and personal law concerns.

11. Strengthening the Financial Independence of States

One of the landmark Supreme Court judgements on federal relations was the taxation of the mineral sector, which was decided by a 9-judge bench. The court enhanced state financial autonomy and promoted harmonious federal relations by upholding the rights of states to impose taxes on mineral-bearing areas and extraction operations.

12. Dealing with Religious Conflicts

This cautiousness of the Supreme Court regarding delicate religious matters is reflected by the December 12 interim order about the mosque surveys. This verdict was aimed at ensuring public order and religious freedom without augmenting religious conflicts.

Significance and Impact

These judgements of 2024 show that the judiciary is playing an indispensable role in the social, political, and economic lives of society by solving these complicated issues with fairness. The impacts are:

• The defense of constitutional principles and fundamental rights
• The advancement of equity and social justice
• An improvement in the accountability of the government
• The improvement of federal ties
• The defense of the rights of minorities
• The promotion of gender equality

Looking Forward

These Supreme Court decisions will be effective in India’s judicial system for several decades. They provide essential precedents for subordinate courts and guidelines for government activities. In addition, these judgments illustrate the judiciary’s commitment to enforcing constitutional values and addressing contemporary problems. As we move forward, these historic Supreme Court decisions of 2024 will be critical milestones for future legislative moves, policy-making, and social reform initiatives. They will reinforce the role of the Supreme Court as the protector of fundamental principles and rights, thus ensuring equality and justice for all.

The wide scope of the rulings of the Supreme Court in dealing with several aspects of India’s legal and social framework is well illustrated by the diversity of these judgments, which range from criminal justice to minority rights, property law, and governmental authority. These decisions settle specific disputes and provide general guidelines for judicial decision-making and future governance.

Also Read: A Step-by-Step Guide to Filing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in India