Vol. 2 No. Volume 2, issue 9, November,pg 1819-1832 (2025): Evolving Judicial Precedent in Constitutional Adjudication: A Critical Study of Judicial Activism and Constitutional Interpretation in India

Abstract

The evolution of the judicial precedent under the constitutional adjudication across India is a most significant topic. The current research paper critically reviews the delicate equilibrium between the conventional doctrine of stare decisis, transformative constitutionalism, and judicial activism. The Supreme Court of India has effectively outlined the interpretive power according to the legal paradigms of Article 141 in protecting the advanced fundamental rights and human dignity. In this context, the historical revolution from a text-bound literalism within the post-independence phase to a value-driven Living Constitution Model is highlighted to understand the transformation style and pattern of the Indian Constitution. The frequent transition of this proactive paradigm develops a constitutional barrier. Henceforth, the overruling, innovative variations of precedents, and frequent modification unintentionally exposed the legal assurance. It has a direct influence on developing an institutional discrepancy, along with abandoning the lower courts, due to the absence of a steady interpretive standardisation. Reviewing all the secondary qualitative data and thematic demonstrations, the study outlined landmark jurisprudence with a range from the structural transition in Article 21 to the petition of constitutional morality and examined the systemic impact of judicial innovation.

Keywords: Judicial Precedent, Judicial Activism, Constitutional Adjudication, Constitutional Interpretation, Supreme Court of India