With reference to the doctrine of basic structure of the Indian Constitution, consider the following assertions: 1. The Supreme Court first propounded the basic structure doctrine in the Golaknath case of 1967. 2. Judicial review and the federal character of the Constitution form part of the unamendable core recognized under this doctrine. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect because the basic structure doctrine was formally propounded by the Supreme Court in the Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala case in 1973, not in the Golaknath case, which had merely ruled that Fundamental Rights could not be abridged by constitutional amendments. Statement 2 is correct as the Supreme Court has explicitly included judicial review, federalism, secularism, and the separation of powers as unalterable components of the basic structure.