M.C. MEHTA V. UNION OF INDIA (OLEUM GAS LEAK CASE)

The Oleum Gas Leak case, M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, is a landmark judgment in Indian environmental and constitutional law. Decided in 1986–87 by the Supreme Court of India, the case arose from the leakage of oleum gas from Shriram Foods and Fertilizers Industries in Delhi. The incident occurred in the aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy litigation in Union Carbide Corporation v. Union of India, intensifying concerns about industrial hazards and corporate accountability. In this case, the Court evolved the doctrine of absolute liability, departing from the English rule of strict liability established in Rylands v. Fletcher. The judgment represents a major doctrinal shift and a constitutionalization of environmental protection under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.