Constitutional Law Crash‑Course for CLAT: From Kesavananda to the Right to Privacy
A brisk, student‑friendly tour of India’s constitutional milestones, statutes, and landmark cases you’ll ace in CLAT.
constitutional clat_ug1. The Skeleton of the Constitution
The Constitution of India (1950) is the supreme law, codified in 395 articles and 12 schedules. It blends a parliamentary republic with a federal structure, enshrining a Bill of Rights, Directive Principles, and a powerful judiciary. Remember the basic structure doctrine: certain features cannot be altered, no matter how many amendments pass.
2. Fundamental Rights vs. Directive Principles
Fundamental Rights (Art. 12‑35) are justiciable; Directive Principles (Art. 36‑51) guide governance but are not enforceable by courts. Key clashes: Article 14 (Equality), Article 19 (Freedom of Speech), Article 21 (Right to Life). The Supreme Court often balances these with the “reasonable restrictions” test.
- Article 14 – Equality before law; landmark case Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) expanded its scope.
- Article 19(1)(d) – Freedom of speech; Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) tightened restrictions on online content.
Bro, Kesavananda = Basic Structure (no amending core), Right to Privacy = Article 21 (Puttaswamy). Simple yari? Don’t memorize dates, samjho the why. If Court says "this is law", it’s usually because it’s in Basic Structure. CLAT mein PYQs hi best teacher hai. Just read Kesavananda batch and Puttaswamy batch summary, bas itna kaafi hai. Stop overcomplicating. All the best!