Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
EPPiSM Baner

No. 1/2025/73 (2025)

Artykuły

Judicial Activism in India: Some remarks from Polish perspective

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52097/eppism.9657  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2025-04-02

Abstract

Judicial activism in India has been a transformative force in the country’s legal and social landscape. From its origins in the post-Emergency era to its current manifestations, it has significantly expanded access to justice, protected fundamental rights, and ad-
dressed critical socio-economic issues. The Indian experience of judicial activism demonstrates the potential of an activist judiciary to check executive and legislative excesses, protect marginalized groups and advance constitutional values. However, it also highlights the challenges of balancing judicial activism with the principles of separation of powers and democratic governance.
The perceived lack of contribution of Polish judges to the realization of social justice significantly affects public trust in the judiciary. A combination of political, institutional and social factors has undermined confidence in the judicial system. The politicization
of part of the judiciary has led a significant segment of Polish society to believe that this part of the judiciary is no longer an independent arbiter of justice, but rather a tool of the ruling party.

References

  1. Abdul Mujeef M., Mamtha R., Judicial Activism in India: A Critical study, ‘International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews’ 2024, vol. 5, 4. [Google Scholar]
  2. Arnold R., Martinez- Estay J.I., Rule of Law, Human Rights and Judicial Control of Power: Some reflections from national and international law, Springer 2017, vol. 61. [Google Scholar]
  3. Baxi U., The Indian Supreme Court and Politics, 1980. [Google Scholar]
  4. Baxi U., Taking Suffering Seriously: Social action litigation in the Supreme Court of India, ‘Third World Legal Studies’ 1985, 4. [Google Scholar]
  5. Baxi U., Law, Struggle and Change: An agendum for activists, ‘Social Action’ 1985, 35. [Google Scholar]
  6. Bhuwania A., Courting the People: Public interest litigation in post-emergency India, ‘Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East’ 2014, 34, 2. [Google Scholar]
  7. Bojarski Ł., Judicial Resistance: Missing Part of Judicial Independence? The case of Poland and beyond, Oñati Socio-Legal Series 20.09.2024,. doi: 10.35295/osls.iisl.1893. [Google Scholar]
  8. Chintala A., Introduction to Judicial Activism and Judicial Reforms 2020, Oct. 30, https://blog.ipleaders.in/introduction-to-judicial-activism-and-judicial-reforms/. [Google Scholar]
  9. Deva S., Public Interest Litigation in India: A Critical Review, ‘Civil Justice Quarterly’ 2009, 28, 1. [Google Scholar]
  10. Garlicki L., Constitutional Courts vs Supreme Courts, ‘International Journal of Constitutional Law’ 2007, 5, 1. [Google Scholar]
  11. Gauri V., Public Interest Litigation in India: Overreaching or underachieving?, ‘The World Bank Policy Research Working Paper’ 2009, 5109. [Google Scholar]
  12. Jaswal N., Singh L., Judicial Activism in India, ‘Bharati Law Review’ 2017, Jan.–March. [Google Scholar]
  13. Khosla M., Addressing Judicial Activism in the Indian Supreme Court: Towards an evolved debate, 32 Hastings Int’l & Comp. L. Rev. 2009, 55. [Google Scholar]
  14. Mate M., The Rise of Judicial Governance in the Supreme Court of India, ‘Boston University International Law Journal’ 2015, 33, https://www.bu.edu/ilj/files/2015/01/Mate-Rise-of-Judicial-Governance.pdf [accessed: 06.01.2025]. [Google Scholar]
  15. Matthes C. Y., Judges As Activists: How Polish judges mobilise to defend the rule of law, ‘East European Politics’ 2022, vol. 38, 3. [Google Scholar]
  16. Mittal N., Aggarwal T., Judicial Activism in India, ‘The Indian Journal of Law & Public Policy’ (IJLPP) 2014–2015, Vol.1.1. [Google Scholar]
  17. Nussberger A., Landau D. (eds), The Justiciability of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2023. [Google Scholar]
  18. Osiatyński W., Paradoxes of Constitutional Borrowing, ‘International Journal of Constitutional Law’ 2003, 1, 2. [Google Scholar]
  19. Rajamani L., Public Interest Environmental Litigation in India: Exploring issues of access, participation, equity, effectiveness and sustainability, ‘Journal of Environmental Law’ 2007, 19, 3. [Google Scholar]
  20. Rao M., Public Interest Litigation, Lucknow: Eastern Book Company 2002. [Google Scholar]
  21. Robinson N., Expanding Judiciaries: India and the rise of the good governance court, ‘Washington University Global Studies Law Review’ 2009, 8, 1. [Google Scholar]
  22. Robinson N., Structure Matters: The impact of court structure on the Indian and U.S. Supreme Courts, ‘American Journal of Comparative Law’ 2013, 61, 1. [Google Scholar]
  23. Sathe S. P., Judicial Activism: The Indian experience, ‘Washington University Journal of Law & Policy’ 2001, 6. [Google Scholar]
  24. Sathe S. P., Judicial Activism in India: Transgressing borders and enforcing limits, New Delhi: Oxford University Press 2002. [Google Scholar]
  25. Talwar N., Judicial activism, IPleaders August 5, 2022. [Google Scholar]

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.