Plain-English Legal Glossary

"Guilty mind" — the criminal intent or mental awareness required to make an act a crime.

"Guilty act" — the physical action or omission constituting the crime itself.

A defense where an honest, mistaken belief about real circumstances negates criminal intention.

In good faith — done with genuine honesty and without deceptive or fraudulent intent.

An unexpected shock that temporarily deprives a reasonable person of self-control, reducing murder to manslaughter.

Causing the death of a person by an act with intention or knowledge, categorized as murder or manslaughter.

No-fault enterprise liability with zero exceptions: an industry engaging in hazardous activity is strictly liable for all resulting damage.

The principle that Parliament cannot use constitutional amendments to destroy the foundational pillars of the Indian Constitution.

The core legal principle and essential legal rationale upon which the court's ultimate judgment is founded.

Incidental remarks or opinions expressed by a judge in a ruling that are not essential to the core holding.

The requirement that a law depriving a person of life or liberty must itself be just, fair, and reasonable — not arbitrary.

The interconnected constitutional protection of Articles 14 (Equality), 19 (Freedom), and 21 (Life & Liberty).

When vague or overbroad laws discourage or intimidate citizens from exercising their lawful free speech rights.

Any fault, imperfection, or shortcoming in quality and standard required to be maintained by a service provider.

When courts lay down binding guidelines and standards to fill a legislative vacuum until Parliament passes a statutory law.

A law or state action enacted without determining principle, excessive, capricious, or irrational is struck down under Article 14.