Kesavananda Bharati, key petitioner in case that led to ‘basic structure’ of Constitution doctrine


Team Udayavani, Sep 6, 2020, 12:08 PM IST

Kasaragod: Shri Kesavananda Bharati, or officially Srimad Jagadguru Sri Sri Sankaracharya Thotakacharya Keshavananda Bharathi Sripadangalavaru pontiff of Edneer mutt who passed away today (Sunday, September 6) was a petitioner in a case that led to the Supreme Court evolving the celebrated doctrine of basic structure of the Constitution.

Kesavananda Bharati born to Manchthaya Sreedhara Bhatt and Padmavathi Amma. In 1961 he was appointed as the head and chief Pontiff of Sri Edneer Mutt, in Kasaragod that belonged to the Parampara of Sri Thotakacharya.

Kesavananda Bharati was one of the first four disciples of Sri Adi Shankaracharya and he followed the Smartha Bhagawatha tradition of Advaitha Pantha which has more than 1200 years of history of religion, culture, art, music and social service.He was the only Shankaracharya in the whole state of Kerala. He who took Sanyasa at the age of 19 headed the Edneer Mutt as the Peetadhipathi until his death in 2020.

Kesavananda Bharati spread the religion and culture in equal earnest. He also rendered all possible support to literature, culture and art. A patron of education, Kannada culture and arts, including Yakshagana, music and dramas he had contributed immensely for Kannada in the border district of Kasaragod. Under his guidance, the mutt has instituted a Kannada Medium School, a Junior college and also Vidyamandira English Medium School at Edneer.

The swamiji was known for a landmark case that helped establish the basic structure doctrine of the Indian Constitution which guarantees that the fundamental or ‘basic structure’ of the Indian Constitution can not be altered by parliamentary amendment. He was a follower of Smartha Bhagawatha tradition and Advaita Vedanta.

The case in which Bharati had challenged a Kerala Land Reform Act nearly four decades ago set the principle that the Supreme Court is the guardian of the basic structure of the Constitution and the verdict involved 13 judges the largest bench ever to sit in the apex court.

The case of Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala was heard for 68 days and continues to hold the top spot for the longest proceedings ever to have taken place in the top court. The hearing in the case commenced on October 31, 1972, and concluded on March 23, 1973 and it”s the most referred to case name in Indian Constitutional law.

He was the only Shankaracharya who had publicly issued a statement saying that it was a mistake on the part of the government to open the vaults of the Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple and he publicly asserted that all the assets found in the vault of Shri Padnabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Maharashtra Polls: Eknath Shinde targets Uddhav for `giving up’ Bal Thackeray’s principles for power

Will appear before Lokayukta for questioning in MUDA case, says CM Siddaramaiah

Lies have short life, Cong’s ‘fake’ narrative smashed: Fadnavis

Temple idols found desecrated in Hyderabad, case registered

SC junks plea against quashing of LOC issued to ex-house help of Sushant Singh Rajput

JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal to visit K’taka on Nov 7 to meet farmers protesting Waqf notices

Indian boxer Mandeep Jangra wins WBF’s world title

Related Articles More

Davanagere: Man murdered by relative for insurance money; 4 arrested within 24 hours

Govt clerk found dead in Tahsildar’s chamber, FIR filed against minister’s PA, 2 others

MP Brijesh Chowta urges Kerala CM for strict action against attack on Edneer Swamiji’s vehicle

Mangaluru: Asiatic male lion arrives at Pilikula Zoo

Waqf Notice Issue: Not an accident, but state government’s conspiracy, claims V. Sunil Kumar

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

Davanagere: Man murdered by relative for insurance money; 4 arrested within 24 hours

Heroin worth Rs 3.5 crore recovered in police raid in Delhi, 2 arrested

Govt clerk found dead in Tahsildar’s chamber, FIR filed against minister’s PA, 2 others

Treated Muslims like fuel for ‘lantern’: Prashant Kishor targets Lalu, asks upper castes to stay away from Nitish

MP Brijesh Chowta urges Kerala CM for strict action against attack on Edneer Swamiji’s vehicle

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.