Reviewed case brief

E.P. Royappa v State of Tamil Nadu

AIR 1974 SC 555

AIR 1974 SC 555 · Supreme Court of India

article-14arbitrarinessnew-doctrine-of-equalityreasonable-classification
Court
Supreme Court of India
Year
1974
Subjects
Constitutional Law I
Reviewed
2026-08-02

Rule established

Article 14 is not confined to the classical 'reasonable classification' test; equality is antithetic to arbitrariness, and any state action that is arbitrary must necessarily involve a negation of equality.

Facts

    Issues

      Held

        Ratio decidendi

        How to use it in an exam

        Editorial source

        AIR 1974 SC 555; landmark decision introducing the arbitrariness test

        Educational summary only. Read the reported judgment or an authorised law report before relying on the case professionally.