Which of the following pairs is incorrect? (Case), (Decided in Supreme Court)

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:

The question asks to identify the *incorrect* pair, meaning the case name and its Supreme Court decision date provided do not match. Option 4, the pair *Maneka Gandhi Vs. Union of India : 25th January, 1976*, is the incorrect match. The landmark judgment in the *Maneka Gandhi vs. Union of India* case, which dramatically expanded the scope of Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty), was pronounced by the Supreme Court on **25th January, 1978**, not 1976. This case established the principle of 'procedure established by law' under Article 21 must be 'just, fair, and reasonable' (due process of law), fundamentally altering the Indian legal landscape regarding fundamental rights and judicial review. The incorrect year provided in the option makes this pair factually wrong, and thus the correct choice for the MCQ.

The incorrect option is 1:

The pair *Indra Sahney & others Vs. Union of India : 16th November, 1992* is a correct pairing. This case, popularly known as the Mandal Commission case, was indeed decided on November 16, 1992. It is an extremely significant judgment in Indian constitutional law, particularly dealing with reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Court upheld the constitutional validity of the 27% reservation for OBCs in central government jobs and services but famously laid down the 'creamy layer' exclusion principle, ensuring that the benefits reach the most disadvantaged sections. Since the date is correct, this option is a *correct pair* and therefore *incorrect* as the answer to the MCQ.

The incorrect option is 2:

The pair *Keshavanand Bharti Vs. State of Kerala & Others : 24th April, 1973* is factually correct. This is arguably the most monumental judgment in Indian constitutional history, delivered by a narrow 7:6 majority of the largest-ever bench of the Supreme Court on April 24, 1973. This case established the 'Basic Structure Doctrine' of the Constitution, holding that while Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution, it cannot alter or destroy the foundational features (the basic structure) of the Constitution. Because the date is accurate, this pair is correct and should not be chosen as the answer to the MCQ.

The incorrect option is 3:

The pair *S. R. Bommai Vs. Union of India : 11th March, 1994* is also a correct pairing. The Supreme Court delivered its landmark verdict in the *S. R. Bommai case* on March 11, 1994. This judgment is crucial for its interpretation of Article 356, which deals with the imposition of President's Rule in a state. The Court stipulated strict restrictions on the arbitrary use of Article 356, making judicial review over the proclamation of President's Rule mandatory, especially requiring the central government to prove that the state government had lost the confidence of the legislative assembly. Since the case and its decision date are correctly paired, this option is incorrect as the answer to the MCQ.