Course Content
Unit I- Introduction to Comparative Public Law
1. Meaning & Classification of Comparative Public Law
2. The need, importance and scope of the study of Comparative Constitutional Law
3. Concept of Constitutionalism-Essential features and distinction between Constitution
and Constitutionalism
4. Classification/Kinds of Constitution: traditional classification Written and Unwritten
Unit II-Federalism in India and USA
1. Introduction of federalism
2. Essential features of federalism
3. Difference between Unitary, federal and confederation system
4. Comparative analysis of federalism in India & US
Unit III-Separation of power in USA and India-
1. Separation of power: Meaning & Origin
2. Separation of powers in India
3. Judicial opinion of the doctrine of separation of power
4. Separation of power in USA, principle of check & balance
5. Separation of power in England and the doctrine of separation of power in France
Unit IV-Judicial Review in UK & USA
1. Judicial Review: Origin and relevance
2. Comparison of Judicial Review in UK & USA
3. Constitutional Status of Judicial Review in India
4. Exceptions to Judicial Review
Learning Resources
Required Resources:
1. Christopher Forsyth, Mark Elliott, Swati Jhaveri, Effective Judicial Review: A
Cornerstone of Good Governance (Oxford University Press, 2010).
2. D.D. Basu, Comparative Constitutional Law (2nd ed., Wadhwa Nagpur).
3. David Strauss, The Living Constitution (Oxford University Press, 2010)
4. Dr. Subhash C Kashyap, Framing of Indian Constitution (Universal Law, 2004)
5. Elizabeth Giussani, Constitutional and Administrative Law (Sweet and Maxwell,
2008).
6. Erwin Chemerinsky, Constitutional Law, Principles and Policies (3rd ed., Aspen,
2006)
7. M.V. Pylee, Constitution of the World (Universal, 2006)
Suggested Books:
1. Mahendra P. Singh, Comparative Constitutional Law (Eastern Book Company, 1989).
2. Neal Devins and Louis Fisher, The Democratic Constitution (Oxford University
Press, 2010)
3. S.N Ray, Judicial Review and Fundamental Rights (Eastern Law House, 1974).
4. Sudhir Krishna Swamy, Democracy and constitutionalism in India - A Study of the
Basic Structure Doctrine (Oxford University Press, 2009)
5. Sunil Khilnani,Vikram Raghavan, Arun Thiruvengadam, Comparative
Constitutionalism in South Asia (Oxford University Press, 2013).
6. Vikram David Amar, Mark Tushnet, Global Perspectives on Constitutional Law
(Oxford University Press, 2009).
7. Zachery Elkins, Tom Ginsburg, James Melton, The Endurance of National
Constitutions (Cambridge University Press, 2009).
Articles:
1. Anne Smith, "Internationalisation and Constitutional Borrowing in Drafting Bills of
Rights", 60(4) International and Comparative Law Quarterly 867-894 (2011
October).
2. Bruce Ackerman, "The New Separation of Powers" 113 (3) Harv. L. Rev. 634-729
(2000)
3. Bryan Clark and Amanda Leiter, "Regulatory hide and seek: What agencies can (and
can't) do to limit judicial review" 52(5) Boston College Law Review 1687-1732
(2011 November)
4. Chhavi Agarwal, " Rule of Law: Reflection upon we the People and Beyond" 252 (1)
Madras Law Journal 8-16 (2010)
5. Daniel B. Rodriguez, "Change that matters: Essay on State Constitutional
Development", 115(4) Penn State Law Review 1073-1098 (Spring 2011).
6. Daryl Levinson and Richard H. Pildes "Separation of Parties, Not Powers" 119(8)
Harvard Law Review 2311-2386 (2006).
7. David King, "Formalizing Local Constitutional Standards of Review and the
Implications for Federalism" 97 (7) Virginia Law Review 1685-1726 (November
2011).
8. David Staruss, "Do we Have a Living Constitution" 59 (4) Drake Law Review 973-
984 (2011 Summer)
9. Devi Prasad Singh, "Sovereignty, Judicial Review and Separation of Power", 7(5)
Supreme Court Cases 1-13 (2012 September)
10. Glen Staszewski, "Political Reasons, Deliberative Democracy and Administrative
Law", 97(3) Iowa Law Review 849-912 (2012 March):
11. Ishwara Bhat, "Why and how Federalism matters in Elimination of Disparities and
Promotion of Equal Opportunities for Positive Rights", 54(3) Journal of the Indian
Law Institute 324-363 (July-Sept 2012).
12. Jessica Bulman, "Federalism as a safeguard of the Separation of Powers", 112(3)
Columbia Law Review 459-506 (2012 April)
13. Jonathan Siegel, "Institutional case for Judicial Review" 97(4) Iowa Law Review
1147-1200 (2012 May).
14. K.K. Venugopal, "Separation of Power and the Supreme Court of India", Vol. 2 No.
2 Journal of Law and Social Policy 64-82 (July 2008).
15. Linda Bosniak, "Persons and Citizens in Constitutional
