Supreme Court's recent decision to uphold the abrogation of Article 370 draws heavily on its landmark 1994 judgment in the SR Bommai v Union of India case
SR Bommai case, a cornerstone in Indian constitutional law, dealt with Article 356 and the contours of proclaiming President’s rule in states
In the 1989 political turmoil, the Congress-led central government dismissed Karnataka's Janata Dal government, sparking a legal and constitutional debate
The dismissal, based on controversial decisions by the Karnataka Governor, led SR Bommai to challenge the imposition of President’s rule in court
Supreme Court’s verdict in Bommai's case set a precedent, allowing judicial review of the President’s rule on grounds of illegality or malafide actions
This ruling also emphasized the necessity of Parliamentary approval for imposing President’s rule, safeguarding democratic processes
Bommai verdict underlined the importance of balanced centre-state relations, asserting that states aren't mere appendages of the Centre
This landmark ruling reduced the frequency of President’s rule impositions, shaping a new era in the Indian political landscape
In the context of Jammu & Kashmir, the Supreme Court applied the Bommai standards to validate the President's actions regarding Article 370
The Court's reliance on the Bommai ruling in the Article 370 case reaffirms its significance in shaping India's constitutional jurisprudence