The ten essays in 10 Judgements That Changed India, explores several themes such as environmental jurisprudence, reservations, and custodial deaths, within the Indian legal system. This book explains key legal concepts, provides a review of the judgements, and maps the impact of those judgements. It also provides a vital snapshot into India’s legal system and its foundations of democracy.

This anthology of legal cases contains some of the most memorable court proceedings, which have had a direct impact on the Indian democracy. Some of the cases explored in this book are Union Carbide Corporation versus Union of India (1989), Maneka Gandhi versus Union of India (1978), Olga Tellis versus Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985), and Mohammed Ahmed Khan versus Shah Bano Begum (1985).

The author’s purpose in writing such a book was threefold. First, her aim was to demolish the myth that the Indian judiciary system was weak, powerless, and purposeless. Second, through the selection and discussion of specific cases, the author attempts to demonstrate the resounding impact that the Supreme Court’s rulings had and continue to have on the Indian society. Lastly, through a detailed discussion of the court’s proceedings, Mody attempted to demonstrate the inner workings of the judicial process and the law, which is usually regarded as the domain of lawyers.

After reading this book, readers will not only learn about some of the landmark decisions that have affected India, but also the social and cultural contexts in which they occurred.

About Zia Mody

Zia Mody is an author, and acclaimed legal consultant, who specializes in acquisition law and corporate mergers.

Mody studied law at Cambridge University. She then went on to complete her Master’s degree in Law from Harvard Law School. After passing the New York State Bar exam, she worked as an attorney for five years with Baker & McKenzie. She returned to Mumbai and in 1984, and started her own practice. Over time, she formed two mergers and became the managing partner of AZB & Partners, one of the largest law firms in India. Zia Mody is married to business tycoon, Jaydev Mody, and they have three daughters. Mody is the daughter of the acclaimed jurist Soli Sorabjee. Mody resides with her family in Mumbai.