Nothing like best here. Seervai is the opinionated text of a jurist which is widely respected by the apex court. Basu is an all exhaustive commentary, if there is a constitution, you will find it in DD Basu's comprehensive commentary (talking about 12-13 volume edition and not the handbook).
At student level though Shukla or MP Jain makes for a good read and can check out Gautam Bhatia's blog or Livelaw to keep yourself updated with latest judgments.
UR Rai, Fundamental Rights and their Enforcement is a personal favourite.
But really depends on what type of scholarship you are looking for: there’s a case for reading good doctrinal scholarship to begin with (Seervai, though parts are extremely trenchant); but that is not the ‘be all and end all’ of constitutional law. At the same time, it is also very tricky to ensure that you don’t move from constitutional law to political science to faffing: it can be a very slippery slope.
This. Anyone who has the good fortune of sitting in Prof Rai's classes at the law school around the turn of the century will swear by it being an amazing basic book.
Pleasantly surprised to see sir is still teaching! He is at NLU Odisha of all places. Great coup for them in my humble fan boy (twenty year removed) opinion.
Back this with following Bhatia stay up to date. Then find your own path.
Gautam Bhatia seems to be more interested in giving his versions only. He is more like stepping into the shoes of Seervai. A student needs to know both the sides. Are there no books other than those of Seervai, Shukla, Jain? These were the old books written around two decades ago though now being edited by other scholars. Is nobody writing nowadays a full fledged book on Constitutional Law any more?
True about Bhatia. He has been criticized for being too idealistic, polemical and opinionated- those exact words about his Transformative Constitution book.
Considering that most of Bhatia's posts are critiquing the judgements, if you want "to know both the sides", you can simply read the judgement (literally the 'other side'). 🤷♂
At student level though Shukla or MP Jain makes for a good read and can check out Gautam Bhatia's blog or Livelaw to keep yourself updated with latest judgments.
But really depends on what type of scholarship you are looking for: there’s a case for reading good doctrinal scholarship to begin with (Seervai, though parts are extremely trenchant); but that is not the ‘be all and end all’ of constitutional law. At the same time, it is also very tricky to ensure that you don’t move from constitutional law to political science to faffing: it can be a very slippery slope.
Pleasantly surprised to see sir is still teaching! He is at NLU Odisha of all places. Great coup for them in my humble fan boy (twenty year removed) opinion.
Back this with following Bhatia stay up to date. Then find your own path.