Law & Justice

SC: Article 142, Mass Amnesties, and the Panchayatisation of the Rule of Law

Within a month of youth-led protests in Delhi and at least half a dozen other locations, the Supreme Court’s September 1 Order invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 to quash criminal cases registered across at least five states. This examines the limitations of this ad hoc jurisprudence, arguing that while protection from abusive state prosecution is welcome, linking it to the cancellation of the September 5 march sets a troubling precedent. Constitutional scrutiny demanded a rigorous examination of alleged executive and police overreach, including blanket prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS and the shutdown of metro stations and internet services. Instead, the alleged excesses of Delhi and other police forces remain unadjudicated.

Allahabad HC quashes NSA detention of Aakriti Chaudhary, questions ‘concocted’ State narrative in Noida workers’ protest case

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Inside the SSP’s Office: Allegations of beatings, torture & police impunity against farmer leaders in Meerut, UP

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Supreme Court: UP Gangsters Act ‘stillborn’ for prescribing punishment without creating an offence

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When Family Becomes Custody: Allahabad HC holds adult women’s faith, residence and liberty cannot be placed under parental control

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Kerala court grants bail to T.G. Mohandas in Jantar Mantar remarks case, cites arrest procedure irregularity

The Thiruvananthapuram court granted regular bail to right-wing activist T.G. Mohandas, a former head of the BJP’s State intellectual cell, a day after his arrest over alleged remarks about women and student protesters at Jantar Mantar; the court cited non-issuance of notice under Section 35(3) BNSS, recovery of electronic devices, cooperation with investigators, and his age and health.

Two FIRs, Four Days In: Pune sees first use of Maharashtra’s controversial anti-conversion law

Pune police invoke the new law against a man accused of targeting a minor and an OCI cardholder accused of religious inducement

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In an affidavit filed in the Rajubala Das case, the Union reaffirms that deportation requires nationality verification, travel documents and acceptance by the receiving State, while setting out the legal framework governing detention pending deportation

Brij Bhushan Acquittal: The system vs the wrestlers

Three years after their protest shook Indian sport, Vinesh Phogat and other wrestlers prepare for another legal battle over a verdict they reject

Bombay High Court clarifies distinct externment tests under Maharashtra Police Act

Holds Section 55 requires satisfaction on the activities of a gang as a whole, while Section 56 mandates an independent assessment of the individual

The Citizenship Proof Paradox: Calcutta HC holds Aadhaar, Voter ID and PAN cannot prove citizenship, burden on detainee

The Court’s refusal to treat voter IDs, PAN cards, bank records and ancestral documents as proof of nationality highlights the widening gap between documentary recognition by the State and legal recognition of citizenship

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SC: Article 142, Mass Amnesties, and the Panchayatisation of the Rule of Law

Within a month of youth-led protests in Delhi and at least half a dozen other locations, the Supreme Court’s September 1 Order invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 to quash criminal cases registered across at least five states. This examines the limitations of this ad hoc jurisprudence, arguing that while protection from abusive state prosecution is welcome, linking it to the cancellation of the September 5 march sets a troubling precedent. Constitutional scrutiny demanded a rigorous examination of alleged executive and police overreach, including blanket prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS and the shutdown of metro stations and internet services. Instead, the alleged excesses of Delhi and other police forces remain unadjudicated.

Need for Clarity on the SIR: An Open Letter to the Congress Leaders of Karnataka

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From Arunachal to Delhi, anti-dam protesters face state crackdown; detained allege sexual assault

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