Landmark Supreme Court case · 1994

S.R. Bommai v. Union of India

Citation: [1994] 2 SCR 644

Why this case matters

President’s Rule is justiciable; majority is tested on the House floor, not in Raj Bhavan.

Connected constitutional articles

Article 356 — Provisions in case of failure of constitutional machinery in States
If a State’s constitutional machinery fails, the President may assume its government — “President’s Rule”. It is meant to be temporary and is politically the most controversial emergency power.
Read the official Supreme Court record