Article 13 declares that laws inconsistent with or in derogation of Fundamental Rights shall be void, establishing the Supreme Court's power of ______ to examine constitutionality of legislation and executive action.
- legislative review
- judicial review
- executive oversight
- parliamentary scrutiny
Answer: judicial review
Judicial review foundation: (a) Article 13(2): State shall not make any law that takes away or abridges Fundamental Rights; any law made in contravention shall be void, (b) Judicial review power: Courts examine whether legislation/executive action violates FRs; if yes, declare it void/inoperative, (c) Evolution: (i) Early cases: Narrow review of legislative competence, (ii) Post-Maneka Gandhi: Expanded to procedural fairness, proportionality, (iii) Basic structure doctrine (Kesavananda): Review of constitutional amendments themselves, (d) Balance: Courts don't substitute policy wisdom; check for constitutional compliance, rationality, non-arbitrariness. Illustrates constitutional supremacy: Fundamental Rights protected against legislative/executive excess through independent judicial review. Foundation of rights enforcement architecture.