Sri Srinivasa Theatre vs Government of Tamil Nadu - Leading Case

Sri Srinivasa Theatre vs Government of Tamil Nadu Leading Case Law on Article 14 of Indian Constitution

In Sri Srinivasa Theatre vs Government of Tamil Nadu which is an important judgment of Supreme Court of India delivered in 1992 in respect of Article 14 of Indian Constitution. Justice Jeevan Reddy in this case held that the two expressions 'equality before law' and 'equal protection of law' do not mean the same thing and suggest a more fundamental difference. Justice Reddy observed that the word 'law'  in the expression 'equality before law'  meant law in the general sense whereas the same word in the expression 'equal protection of law'  denoted specific laws. He further observed that 'equality before the law' is a dynamic concept having facets: one facet denoting the absence of any privileged class or person who was above the law and the other denoting the obligation of the state to bring about a more equal society as envisaged in the Preamble and part IV  of the Constitution.

Thus finally it can be said that aim of both the concepts, "equality before law"  and "equal protection of law" is the equal justice. Actually "equal protection of law" is corollary of the "equality before law". It is difficult to imagine that equality before law can be maintained without maintaining the equal protection of law. 

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