Rule of Law

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.

Ex-TISS student gets bail as Mumbai Court rejects Maoist link based on ‘suspicion’

Court rejects the prosecution’s attempt to link Abhirup Ashim Paul to Maoist activities, holding that books, slogans and association with a student group could not by themselves establish such a connection

Palestine solidarity kite event followed by nine-hour police search in Mumbai

Activist Harshada Borade alleges phones were seized, books examined and friends handcuffed during Bandra operation

After some dithering, Odisha government rejects premature release of Graham Staines murder convict Dara Singh

Odisha Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, had in 2022, when he was a BJP legislator supported demands for Dara Singh’s early release, a demand vocalised by Sudarshan TV’s editor, Suresh Chavhanke

Six Years Behind Bars, Still No Trial: Umar Khalid’s long wait for justice

Six years after his arrest, Umar Khalid remains in custody without trial, while successive bail pleas continue to be contested

‘Subjective Satisfaction’ Cannot Be Built On Conjecture: Allahabad HC quashes NSA detention of Akriti Chaudhary

The Court finds no material linking Chaudhary to the violence that erupted after her arrest, finds the Section 130 BNSS notice prima facie prepared retrospectively, warns that unchecked bureaucratic power could turn Uttar Pradesh into an “Orwellian Dystopia”

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What are a citizen's rights when dealing with the...

Press bodies condemn alleged assault on women journalists at Saket Police Station, seek inquiry and action

Press Club of India, NWMI, Editors Guild of India and other journalists' organisations demand an independent and impartial investigation after Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan alleged assault during and after their detention by Delhi Police

Declared ‘Foreigner’, denied a hearing, pushed across the border: Gauhati HC pulls up Assam

Court finds “malice in law” holds State machinery acted “in tandem” to defeat Mumtaz Begum’s right to judicial review, and orders ₹2 lakh compensation

Two women journalists allege police assault after questioning Delhi CM, say attack intensified after police heard they were Muslim

Shaheen and Nafisa Khan say they were detained while covering a CM event and assaulted at Saket police station

NEET Protests: Supreme Court ends criminal proceedings against students across India

Invoking Article 142, the Court closes cases linked to the July 20–25 student protests, bars fresh FIRs over the same incidents and directs a nationwide compensation policy for families of students who died by suicide

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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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From treating Adivasi communities to being branded an instigator: Odisha jails doctor Randall Sequeira

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