Abstract

The Indian judiciary has played a monumental role in preserving interpreting and expanding the scope of human rights in the world’s largest democracy. From its early years of conservative constitutional interpretation to a progressively activist approach the judiciary has evolved into a powerful institution that safeguards the rights of individuals against state and private encroachments. This paper reviews the dynamic role of the Indian judiciary in protecting human rights through landmark judgments constitutional interpretation and procedural innovations such as public interest litigation (PIL). It critically examines the evolution of judicial activism the balance between fundamental rights and directive principles and the expanding interpretation of the right to life liberty and dignity. The study also analyzes contemporary challenges such as judicial overreach institutional accountability and the need for harmonizing individual rights with collective justice. The paper concludes th