UPSC Mains 2016 GS2 Q6 — Judicial Review

• The legal significance of the April 24, 1973 cutoff date regarding the Ninth Schedule.
• The evolution from 'blanket immunity' to 'judicial scrutiny' for laws added to the Ninth Schedule.
• The interplay between Article 31B and the Basic Structure Doctrine.
• Justification of why Judicial Review acts as the 'safety valve' or 'check' that preserves the essence of other basic features like Rule of Law.

• Spending 150 words explaining the history of the Ninth Schedule without focusing on the specific IR Coelho verdict.
• Failing to mention the 'Dual Test' (Direct Impact and Rights Test) established by the case.
• Generic discussion on Basic Structure without linking it back to how judicial review specifically protects the fundamental rights of citizens.
• Forgetting to mention that post-1973 laws are now open to challenge if they violate the basic structure.

Allocate approximately 60-70 words to define the IR Coelho judgment and its specific ruling on the Ninth Schedule. Spend the remaining 130-140 words arguing why Judicial Review is the cornerstone of the Basic Structure, emphasizing that without it, the Constitution would be subject to legislative supremacy, rendering other features like Fundamental Rights unenforceable.