Article 31B was introduced to protect which type of laws from court challenges?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) Land reform laws

Explanation:

• Article 31B was inserted into the Constitution of India by the First Constitutional Amendment Act of 1951.
• It was introduced to protect laws related to land reforms and agrarian policies from being challenged in courts on the grounds of violating Fundamental Rights.
• This article works in conjunction with the Ninth Schedule, which was created to list such protected laws.
• Even if any law inserted in the Ninth Schedule violated Fundamental Rights, Article 31B ensured its immunity from judicial review (as per its original intent).

Information Booster:

• The main aim was to abolish the zamindari system and implement equitable land distribution without being struck down by courts.
• Landmark land reform laws passed by various states were included in the Ninth Schedule to shield them from constitutional challenges.
• This provision allowed Parliament and state legislatures to carry out social and economic reforms critical to achieving Directive Principles.

Additional Information:

• In I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu (2007), the Supreme Court ruled that laws placed in the Ninth Schedule after 1973 (post Kesavananda Bharati case) are still subject to judicial review if they violate the basic structure of the Constitution.