Important Legal Definitions
Explore legal terms, clear definitions and practical examples.
Separation of Powers
Constitutional & Public Law Doctrines
Definition
The constitutional principle dividing state power among the Legislature (enacting laws), the Executive (implementing laws), and the Judiciary (interpreting laws), preventing any single branch from usurping the essential functions of another.
Example
In Ram Jawaya Kapur v. State of Punjab, the Supreme Court held that while the Indian Constitution does not observe a rigid American-style separation, one organ cannot exercise functions essentially assigned to another.