Constitution of India · Part II: Citizenship

Article 12: Definition

Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the article 12

• Divyangnakumari Harisinh Parmar (Dead) and Others v. Union of India and Others
  2025 INSC 114524 September 2025Dismissed

  The following issues arise for determination in the instant appeals: (i) What is the true nature of the rights in the land granted to the Appellants; (ii) Whether the High Court was justified in interfering with and…

• The State of Haryana v. Jai Singh and Others
  2025 INSC 112216 September 2025Dismissed

  The issue pertains to assail the correctness of the Judgment and Order passed by the Full Bench of High Court wherein the writ petition preferred by the proprietors/landowners, (Respondents herein), challenging the…

• Anjuman Ishaat-E-Taleem Trust v. The State of Maharashtra and Others
  2025 INSC 10631 September 2025Directions issued

  1) Whether the State can insist that a teacher seeking appointment in a minority educational institution must qualify the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET); If so, whether providing such a qualification would affect any of…

• Odisha State Financial Corporation v. Vigyan Chemical Industries and Others
  2025 INSC 9285 August 2025Appeal(s) allowed

  The High Court dismissed the writ petition filed by the appellant u/Art.227 of the Constitution of India, challenging the civil proceedings and the orders passed by the Courts below regarding the computation of interest…

• Development Authority v. L.G. Chaudhary Engineers
  2025 INSC 90730 July 2025Disposed of

  The core issue in the present matter revolves around determining the appropriate forum for the adjudication of disputes arising out of the Concession Agreement dated 05.01.2012 entered into between the appellant and…

• Vibhor Garg v. Neha
  2025 INSC 82914 July 2025Allowed

  Issue arose whether the conversation between spouses secretly recorded by one of them could be permitted to be made admissible in evidence; whether in light of the Evidence Act and the Family Courts Act, 1984, a…

• Harinagar Sugar Mills Ltd. (Biscuit Division) & Anr. v. State of Maharashtra & Ors.
  2025 INSC 8014 June 2025Appeal(s) allowed

  (i) Whether letter dated 25.09.2019 sent by the Deputy Secretary of State Government can be construed to be an order - Connectedly, whether the appellants would be entitled to the relief of deemed closure, as on…

• Dileep Kumar Pandey v. Union of India & Ors.
  2025 INSC 74921 May 2025Dismissed

  Whether the Air Force School, Bamrauli, in District Allahabad, is a ‘state or authority’ within the meaning of Art.12 of the Constitution of India; whether it would be amenable to writ jurisdiction u/Art.226 of the…

• The State of Jharkhand & Ors. v. Rukma Kesh Mishra
  2025 INSC 41228 March 2025Appeal(s) allowed

  Whether the order by which the respondent-civil servant was dismissed from service, following disciplinary proceedings, should have been interdicted by the High Court on the ground that the charge-sheet had not been…

• Imran Pratapgadhi v. State Of Gujarat and Anr.
  2025 INSC 41028 March 2025Appeal(s) allowed

  Whether on facts, the offences punishable under Sections 196, 197, 299 and 302 of the BNS as alleged, were made out against the appellant, a Member of Rajya Sabha; whether the High Court erred in rejecting the petition…

• Inder Singh v. The State of Madhya Pradesh
  2025 INSC 38221 March 2025Dismissed

  Whether the High Court was justified in condoning the delay in filing the Second Appeal.

• Indian Council of Social Science Research (Icssr) v. Neetu Gaur & Ors.
  2025 INSC 37420 March 2025

  In view of detection of anomalies in the functioning of the beneficiary research institution-Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), whether the appellant-Indian Council of Social Science…

• Dr. Sunil Kumar Singh v. Bihar Legislative Council (Through Secretary) and Ors.
  2025 INSC 26425 February 2025Allowed

  (1) Whether the instant writ petition is maintainable in view of Article 212 (1) of the Constitution of India and whether the proceedings of the ethics committee are amenable to judicial review? (2) Whether this court…

• Gulshan Kumar v. Institute of Banking Personnel Selection & Ors.
  2025 INSC 1422 February 2025Disposed of

  Matter pertains to extending the benefits for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities-PwBD candidates to all persons with disabilities-PwD candidates in writing their examinations.

• S Shobha v. Muthoot Finance Ltd.
  2025 INSC 11724 January 2025Dismissed

  Whether the respondent-Muthoot Finance Ltd. is a “State” within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution and therefore amenable to writ jurisdiction of the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution.

• Om Prakash @ Israel @ Raju @ Raju Das v. Union of India and Another
  2025 INSC 437 January 2025Appeal(s) allowed

  Issue arose as regards plea of juvenility raised u/s.9(2) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

• involved and in I.R. Coelho v. State of T.N. [(1999) 7
  2024 INSC 8355 November 2024Reference answered

  (1) Whether Article 31C (as upheld in Kesavananda Bharati case) survives in the Constitution after amendment to the provision by the forty-second amendment was struck down by the Supreme Court in Minerva Mills case; and…

• IN RE : SECTION 6A OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT 1955 versus
  2024 INSC 78917 October 2024Reference answered

  Issue arose as regards the constitutional validity of s.6A of the Citizenship Act; does s.6A offend preambular values like fraternity; s.6A, if ultra vires Part II of the Constitution; does s.6A create an unreasonable…

• Rajkaran Singh & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.
  2024 INSC 62122 August 2024Appeal(s) allowed

  Whether the appellants despite being classified as temporary employees of a scheme managed by contributory pooling of funds, can claim entitlement to pensionary benefits in accordance with the 6th Central Pay Commission…

• The State of West Bengal v. Union of India
  2024 INSC 50210 July 2024Directions issued

  Instant suit has been filed by the State of West Bengal against Union of India seeking declaration that registration of cases by the defendant-UOI after withdrawal of Notification u/s. 6 of the DSPE Act by the…

• Army Welfare Education Society New Delhi v. Sunil Kumar Sharma & Ors. Etc.
  2024 INSC 5019 July 2024Appeal(s) allowed

  a. Whether the appellant Army Welfare Education Society is a “State” within Article 12 of the Constitution of India so as to make a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution maintainable against it. In other…

• Subodh Kumar Singh Rathour v. The Chief Executive Officer & Ors.
  2024 INSC 4869 July 2024Allowed

  Scope of judicial review of the actions of the State in the matters relating to contract/tender disputes under writ jurisdiction; whether the action on the part of the respondent in cancelling the tender was amenable to…

• Mr. R.S. Madireddy and Anr. etc. v. Union of India & Ors. etc.
  2024 INSC 42516 May 2024Dismissed

  (i) Whether respondent No.3(AIL) after having been taken over by a private corporate entity could have been subjected to writ jurisdiction of the High Court; (ii) Whether the appellants herein could have been non-suited…

• Karnail Singh v. State of Haryana & Ors.
  2024 INSC 42416 May 2024Allowed

  Judgment and order under review ignored the law laid down by the Constitution Bench in Bhagat Ram & others vs. State of Punjab & others which had a direct bearing on the issue in question and took a view totally…

• Association for Democratic Reforms v. Election Commission of India and Another
  2024 INSC 34126 April 2024Disposed of

  Petitioners sought directions for re-introduction of the paper ballot system; or that the printed slip from the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine be given to the voter to verify, and put in the ballot…

• Level 9 Biz Pvt. Ltd. v. Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban
  2024 INSC 2572 April 2024Appeal(s) allowed

  Matter pertains to the correctness of the order passed by the High Court disposing the writ petition by accepting the statements of the respondent no. 1-tenderee and respondent no. 2-successful bidder, permitting the…

• Union Ltd. Etc. v. Nithu & Ors. Etc.
  2024 INSC 23031 January 2024Appeal(s) allowed

  The appellant, a Cooperative Society, had issued a notification dated 29.01.2011 inviting applications for regular recruitment to, inter alia, the post of Plant Attender, Grade-III. The Respondents challenged the…

• Union of India v. Uzair Imran & Ors.
  2023 INSC 90111 October 2023Disposed of
• Btl Epc Ltd. v. Macawber Beekay Pvt Ltd and Others
  2023 INSC 86418 September 2023Appeal(s) allowed
• Sciences v. Bikartan Das
  2023 INSC 73316 August 2023Appeal(s) allowed

  High Court, if erred in setting aside the order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal and holding that respondent No.1 was entitled to the benefit of enhancement of retirement age from 60 to 65 years as…

• A. Sreenivasa Reddy v. Rakesh Sharma and Anr.
  2023 INSC 6828 August 2023Dismissed

  Whether the appellant, an Assistant General Manager of a Nationalised Bank is removable from his office save by or with the sanction of the Government so as to make s.197, CrPC applicable; and if he can be proceeded…

• Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. v. Raman
  2023 INSC 62517 July 2023Dismissed
• Coal India Limited v. Competition Commission
  2023 INSC 58015 June 2023
• Tata Motors Ltd. v. The Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply
  2023 INSC 57419 May 2023Disposed of
• Aureliano Fernandes v. State of Goa and Others
  2023 INSC 52712 May 2023Appeal(s) allowed
• M. K. Rajagopalan v. Dr. Periasamy Palani
  2023 INSC 4863 May 2023Disposed of
• Gmr Warora Energy Ltd. v. Central Electricity
  2023 INSC 39820 April 2023Dismissed
• Gwalior Development Authority and Another v. Bhanu Pratap Singh
  2023 INSC 39319 April 2023Appeal(s) allowed
• M/S South Indian Bank Ltd. & Ors. v. Naveen
  2023 INSC 37917 April 2023Disposed of
• State of Orissa v. Orissa Khadi and Village Industries
  2023 INSC 24717 March 2023Appeal(s) allowed
• M/S. Gail (India) Ltd. v. M/S. Indian Petrochemicals
  2023 INSC 1038 February 2023Partly allowed
• Kaushal Kishor v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors.
  2023 INSC 43 January 2023Reference answered
• M. P. Power Management Company Limited, Jabalpur v. M/S. Sky Power Southeast Solar India Private Limited & Others
  2022 INSC 120816 November 2022Dismissed
• M/S. Ocl India Ltd v. State of Orrisa and Ors.
  2022 INSC 11634 November 2022Dismissed
• Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax (Exemptions) v. Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority
  2022 INSC 111219 October 2022Disposed of
• Sundaresh Bhatt, Liquidator of Abg Shipyard v. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
  2022 INSC 87226 August 2022Appeal(s) allowed
• St. Mary’S Education Society & Anr. v. Rajendra Prasad Bhargava & Ors.
  2022 INSC 85624 August 2022Appeal(s) allowed
• The Municipal Committee, Barwala, District Hisar, Haryana Through Its Secretary/President v. Jai Narayan and Company & Anr
  2022 INSC 36129 March 2022Appeal(s) allowed
• Gowramma C (Dead) by Lrs v. Manager (Personnel) Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd. & Anr.
  2022 INSC 22623 February 2022Partly allowed
• Ms. X v. Registrar General, High Court of Madhya Pradesh and Another
  2022 INSC 17110 February 2022Partly allowed
• State of Andhra Pradesh (Now State of Telangana) v. A. P. State Wakf Board & Ors.
  2022 INSC 1557 February 2022Appeal(s) allowed
• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. v. The President, Oil Field Employees Association & Ors.
  2022 INSC 1454 February 2022Dismissed
• Southern Power Distribution Power Company Limited of Andhra Pradesh (Apspdcl) & Anr. v. M/S Hinduja National Power Corporation Limited & Anr
  2022 INSC 1362 February 2022Dismissed
• The State of Punjab and Another v. Anshika Goyal and Others
  2022 INSC 9425 January 2022Appeal(s) allowed
• The State of Maharashtra & Anr. v. Bhagwan & Ors.
  2022 INSC 2910 January 2022Appeal(s) allowed
• Pradeep S/O Rajkumar Jain v. Manganese Ore (India) Limited & Ors.
  2021 INSC 86410 December 2021Partly allowed
• The Vice Chairman & Managing Director, City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd.& Anr. v. Shishir Realty Private Limited & Ors. Etc
  2021 INSC 79729 November 2021Dismissed
• National Company, Represented by Its Managing Partner v. The Territory Manager, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. & Anr.
  2021 INSC 71411 November 2021Disposed of
• Modified Voluntary Retirement Scheme of 2002 of Azam Jahi Mill Workers Associationnational Textile Corporation Limited & Ors. v. National Textile Corporation Limited & Ors.
  2021 INSC 67726 October 2021Appeal(s) allowed
• Union of India & Ors. v. M/S Puna Hinda
  2021 INSC 4486 September 2021Appeal(s) allowed
• The Project Director, National Highways No. 45 E and 220 National Highways Authority of India v. M. Hakeem & Anr.
  2021 INSC 34420 July 2021Dismissed
• Punjab State Co-Operative Milk Producers Federation Ltd. & Anr. v. Balbir Kumar Walia & Ors.
  2021 INSC 3269 July 2021Appeal(s) allowed
• Abhishek Kumar Singh v. G. Pattanaik & Ors.
  2021 INSC 3053 June 2021Disposed of
• Jigya Yadav (Minor) (Through Guardian/Father Hari Singh) v. C.B.S.E. (Central Board of Secondary Education) & Ors
  2021 INSC 3033 June 2021Directions issued
• Dr. Jaishri Laxmanrao Patil v. The Chief Minister & Ors.
  2021 INSC 2845 May 2021Disposed of
• University of Delhi v. Delhi University Contract Employees Union & Ors.
  2021 INSC 20925 March 2021Disposed of
• Kalpraj Dharamshi & Anr. v. Kotak Investment Advisors Ltd. & Anr.
  2021 INSC 17310 March 2021Disposed of
• P. Mohanraj & Ors. v. M/S. Shah Brothers Ispat Pvt. Ltd.
  2021 INSC 1331 March 2021Disposed of
• Punalur Paper Mills Ltd. v. West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd. & Ors.
  2021 INSC 1261 March 2021Disposed of
• The Chairman, Board of Trustees, Cochin Port Trust v. M/S Arebee Star Maritime Agencies Pvt. Ltd. & Ors.
  2018 INSC 2165 August 2020Reference answered
• Chairman-Cum-Managing Director, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited v. Sri Rabindranath Choubey
  2020 INSC 40727 May 2020Disposed of
• Benedict Denis Kinny v. Tulip Brian Miranda & Ors.
  2020 INSC 32019 March 2020Dismissed
• Assistant General Manager, State Bank of India & Ors. v. Radhey Shyam Pandey
  2020 INSC 2382 March 2020Disposed of
• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation v. Krishan Gopal & Ors.
  2020 INSC 1477 February 2020Directions issued
• Siraj Ahmad v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Anr.
  2019 INSC 136713 December 2019Appeal(s) allowed
• Kantaru Rajeevaru v. Indian Young Lawyers Association Thr. Its General Secretary and Ors.
  2019 INSC 124814 November 2019Directions issued
• M Siddiq (D) Thr Lrs v. V. Mahant Suresh Das & Ors
  2019 INSC 12319 November 2019Disposed of
• Union of India v. Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India Etc.Etc.
  2019 INSC 118724 October 2019Disposed of
• Union of India & Anr. v. Balwant Singh & Ors.
  2019 INSC 9963 September 2019Appeal(s) allowed
• Steel Authority of India Ltd. & Anr. v. Jaggu & Ors. Etc.
  2019 INSC 7275 July 2019Disposed of
• The Director Steel Authority of India Ltd.V. Ispat Khadan Janta Mazdoor Union v. Ispat Khadan Janta Mazdoor Union
  2019 INSC 7285 July 2019Disposed of
• Silppi Constructions Contractors v. Union of India and Anr. Etc. Etc.
  2019 INSC 69621 June 2019Dismissed
• Lal Bahadur Gautam v. State of U.P. and Others
  2019 INSC 6488 May 2019Disposed of
• National Lawyers Campaign for Judicial Transparency and Reforms & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.
  2019 INSC 35312 March 2019Dismissed
• Sudhakar Baburao Nangnure v. Noreshwar Raghunathrao Shende & Ors.
  2019 INSC 3125 March 2019Dismissed
• Ramakrishna Mission & Anr. v. Kago Kunya & Ors.
  2019 INSC 29528 February 2019Appeal(s) allowed
• Mishra and Navin Sinha, Jj.] v. Asha Srivastava & Ors.
  2019 INSC 19814 February 2019Dismissed
• International Spirits and Wines Association of India v. State of Haryana and Others
  2019 INSC 17812 February 2019Appeal(s) allowed
• The State of Bihar & Anr. v. Dr. Sachindra Narayan & Ors.
  2019 INSC 11530 January 2019Appeal(s) allowed
• U.P. Jal Nigam & Ors. v. Ajit Singh Patel & Ors.
  2018 INSC 106115 November 2018Leave Granted & Disposed off
• S. Mahesh v. The Chairman Cum Managing Director, Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd. Neyveli Tamil Nadu & Ors.
  2018 INSC 101529 October 2018Leave Granted & Allowed
• Powai Panchsheel Co-Op Hsg. Society & Anr. v. Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (Mhada) & Ors.
  2018 INSC 96212 October 2018Appeal(s) allowed
• Indian Young Lawyers Assn. v. State of Kerala 561 Indian Young Lawyers Association & Ors.V. the State of Kerala & Ors.
  2017 INSC 104028 September 2018Appeal(s) allowed
• Kailash Singh v. The Managing Committee, Mayo College, Ajmer & Ors.
  2018 INSC 77431 August 2018Appeal(s) allowed
• Board of Control for Cricket in India and Ors. v. Cricket Association of Bihar & Ors.
  2018 INSC 6869 August 2018Directions issued
• Commissioner of Income Tax(Tds) Kanpur and Anr. v. Canara Bank
  2018 INSC 5632 July 2018Dismissed
• Municipal Corporation, Ujjain & Anr. v. Bvg India Limited and Ors.
  2018 INSC 26828 March 2018Disposed of
• Indian Oil Corporation Limited & Anr. v. Kerala State Road Transport Corpgration & Ors.
  2017 INSC 10867 November 2017Disposed of
• Independent Thought v. Union of India & Anr.
  2017 INSC 103011 October 2017Directions issued
• K. S. Varghese & Ors. v. St. Peters & Pauls Syrian Orth. & Ors.
  2017 INSC 5803 July 2017Dismissed