एस.पी. गुप्ता बनाम भारत संघ (न्यायाधीश तबादला मामला)
| Citation | AIR 1982 SC 149 |
| Court | Supreme Court of India (7-Judge Bench) |
| Date | 30 December 1981 |
| Year | 1982 |
| Bench | P.N. Bhagwati, A.C. Gupta, S.M. Fazl Ali, V.D. Tulzapurkar, D.A. Desai, R.S. Pathak, E.S. Venkataramiah JJ. |
| Acts/Articles | Article 124, Article 217, Article 222, Article 32 |
| Category | Constitutional Law, Public Interest Litigation (PIL) |
Key Principle Established
Any member of the public can file PIL for enforcement of fundamental rights. Concept of locus standi broadened. Judicial independence and appointment process examined.
This landmark case challenged the transfer of High Court judges and the non-appointment of certain judges. It raised fundamental questions about judicial independence and the scope of PIL.
Justice Bhagwati expanded the concept of locus standi:
Known as the First Judges Case, it revolutionized access to justice through PIL. While its holding on judicial appointments was overruled, its expansion of PIL locus standi remains the law.
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Read AnalysisThis judgment summary is for educational and research purposes. While care has been taken to accurately represent the ratio and findings, for authoritative reference always consult the original judgment text from official sources (SCC Online, AIR, Manupatra, or court websites).
22+ years of practice before Punjab & Haryana High Court and Supreme Court of India.