{"id":8160,"date":"2025-09-06T12:11:05","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T12:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/?p=8160"},"modified":"2025-09-06T12:28:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T12:28:11","slug":"basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/","title":{"rendered":"Basic Doctrine and Its Limitation"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"container\" role=\"main\">\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Doctrine_of_Basic_Feature_or_Structure\"><\/span>Doctrine of Basic Feature or Structure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec1\">\n<h3 id=\"sec1\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Possibility_of_invoking_Spirit_of_Constitution_as_Limitation_on_Legislature\"><\/span>Possibility of invoking Spirit of Constitution as Limitation on Legislature<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"small\">Works in two ways:<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Doctrine_of_Basic_Feature_or_Structure\" >Doctrine of Basic Feature or Structure<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Possibility_of_invoking_Spirit_of_Constitution_as_Limitation_on_Legislature\" >Possibility of invoking Spirit of Constitution as Limitation on Legislature<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Basic_Doctrine_Constitutes\" >Basic Doctrine Constitutes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Note_A_K_Gopalan_case\" >Note (A. K. Gopalan case)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Justice_Ray_J_%E2%80%93_Principle_of_Constitutional_Interpretation\" >Justice Ray J. \u2013 Principle of Constitutional Interpretation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Golden_Rule_of_Construction\" >Golden Rule of Construction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Nature_of_Fundamental_Rights\" >Nature of Fundamental Rights<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Criticism_to_the_Basic_Doctrine_Principle_Kesavananda_Bharati_case\" >Criticism to the Basic Doctrine Principle (Kesavananda Bharati case)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Foreign_Inspiration_West_Germany_precedent\" >Foreign Inspiration (West Germany precedent)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/basic-doctrine-and-its-limitation\/#Indian_Context\" >Indian Context<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>First<\/strong>It has not constituted any limitation at legislature while enacting an ordinary law.\n<p>Means, while determining validity of an ordinary law, the court can only look into express provisions or necessary implications.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Second<\/strong>It would only operate as limitation on the constituent body.\n<p>Means, when looking into validity of constitutional amendment, court may travel behind and beyond express provision to find whether imposed amendments are in tune with such constitutional principles so invoked.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec2\">\n<h3 id=\"sec2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Basic_Doctrine_Constitutes\"><\/span>Basic Doctrine Constitutes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>First<\/strong>Written constitution which is needed to prevent absolutism and arbitrary government.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Second<\/strong>Constitution must constitute the higher law which impose legal limitation upon lawmaking power of legislature.\n<p>If law transgresses such limitation, it would be null and void.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Third<\/strong>Attributes of supremacy belong to constitution as well as its amendments, provided such amendments are in accordance with procedure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fourth<\/strong>Constitution is not merely higher power or law but the highest power or law adopted by people to limit organs of government.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fifth<\/strong>To assume constituent power to make and amend constitution need to be under greater limitation than power to make and amend ordinary law,\n<p>As such constitution was made by the people of India, the ultimate sovereigns of the nation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec3\">\n<h3 id=\"sec3\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Note_A_K_Gopalan_case\"><\/span>Note (A. K. Gopalan case)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Any legislative or constituent power, any constitutional limitation upon either must be derived from words of constitution alone,<\/p>\n<p>And not from any supposed spirit of constitution outside constitution held in A. K. Gopalan case.<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec4\">\n<h3 id=\"sec4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Justice_Ray_J_%E2%80%93_Principle_of_Constitutional_Interpretation\"><\/span>Justice Ray J. \u2013 Principle of Constitutional Interpretation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Golden_Rule_of_Construction\"><\/span>Golden Rule of Construction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Justice Ray J. held:<\/p>\n<p>A well-settled principle of constitution precludes limiting the language of constitution by political, juristic, and social concept independently of the language of constitution to be interpreted.<\/p>\n<p>If the text is explicit and the text is conclusive, alike in what it directs and what it forbids, it cannot be limited by external concepts.<br \/>\nThis is the golden rule of construction of a written constitution.<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nature_of_Fundamental_Rights\"><\/span>Nature of Fundamental Rights<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Fundamental rights are social rights conferred by constitution.<\/p>\n<p>There is no law of constitution.<\/p>\n<p>The constitution does not recognize any type of law as natural law.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec1\"><\/section>\n<div class=\"divider\" role=\"presentation\"><\/div>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec3\"><\/section>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec5\">\n<h2 id=\"sec5\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Criticism_to_the_Basic_Doctrine_Principle_Kesavananda_Bharati_case\"><\/span>Criticism to the Basic Doctrine Principle (Kesavananda Bharati case)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The basic doctrine principle was seen as appealing to a higher preferred power, much like natural law.<\/p>\n<p><b>This idea\/doctrine was criticized as:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A Pandora\u2019s box, due to its lack of non-ambiguity.<\/li>\n<li>One could appeal to anything as \u201cspirit of constitution,\u201d which was not defined in explicit text.<\/li>\n<li>Rather, it resembled reliance on natural law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"divider\" role=\"presentation\"><\/div>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec6\">\n<h2 id=\"sec6\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Foreign_Inspiration_West_Germany_precedent\"><\/span>Foreign Inspiration (West Germany precedent)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The judgment was inspired from a West Germany precedent.<\/p>\n<p>Germany had no constitution of its own, so the basic feature as an appeal to natural law made sense for such a nation.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"divider\" role=\"presentation\"><\/div>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"sec7\">\n<h2 id=\"sec7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Indian_Context\"><\/span>Indian Context<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It was held in west German precedent &#8220;Certain principles are so fundamental that law precedes even constitution.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><b>But in India:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India had a constitution.<\/li>\n<li>Any law superior to constitution, even if natural justice, would amount to anarchism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Doctrine of Basic Feature or Structure Possibility of invoking Spirit of Constitution as Limitation on Legislature Works in two ways: FirstIt has not constituted any limitation at legislature while enacting an ordinary law. Means, while determining validity of an ordinary law, the court can only look into express provisions or necessary implications. SecondIt would only<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":369,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8160","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-constitutional-law"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/369"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8160\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}