Correct Option
The correct option is The basic structure of the Constitution.
Explanation
The Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) judgment is the most significant landmark in Indian Constitutional history regarding the scope of Parliament's amending power under Article 368. It resolved the conflict between the legislature's power to amend the Constitution and the judiciary's power to review such amendments.
Detailed Analysis
- Establishment of the Doctrine: In this case, a 13-judge bench of the Supreme Court overruled the earlier Golaknath judgment (1967). It held that while Parliament has the power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, this power is not absolute.
- The Limitation: The Court laid down the "Basic Structure Doctrine". It ruled that the constituent power of Parliament cannot be exercised to alter, damage, or destroy the essential features or the "basic structure" of the Constitution.
- Significance: This judgment ensures that the core identity of the Constitution-such as supremacy of the Constitution, republican and democratic form of government, secular character, separation of powers, and federal character-remains intact.
Key Takeaway: The Kesavananda Bharati case is primarily associated with the propounding of the Basic Structure Doctrine, which acts as a judicial check on the amending power of Parliament.