Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Dissent
The act of holding or expressing opinions that are at variance with officially held or majority views; in law, a judge's formal disagreement with the ruling of the majority on a bench
Latin dissentire — from dis- (apart) + sentire (to feel, to think). Entered English via Old French in the 15th century; the legal sense of a minority judicial opinion developed in English common law by the 17th century.
"Justice D.Y. Chandrachud's dissent in the Sabarimala review bench underscored that principled judicial disagreement strengthens constitutional jurisprudence rather than undermining institutional authority."
Critically important for GS-2 (Polity) and GS-4 (Ethics) answers. In GS-2, use when discussing the role of dissenting judgments in Indian constitutional law — landmark dissents (such as in ADM Jabalpur 1976 and Puttaswamy privacy case 2017) often become the law of the future. In GS-4, dissent is central to questions on moral courage, intellectual integrity, and the ethics of speaking truth to power. Distinguish from 'sedition' — dissent is constitutionally protected expression of disagreement; sedition is incitement to violence against the state. In 2026 editorial discourse, judicial dissent is frequently invoked in debates over collegium transparency and fundamental rights adjudication.
