Rule of Law

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

In a strongly worded judgment, the Court holds that the 1986 law prescribes punishment without creating a distinct offence and criticises the gang-chart mechanism, but stops short of deciding whether the legislation itself passes constitutional muster  

Anti-CAA protest: Delhi High Court quashes trial court’s order taking cognizance of FIR against Shabnam Hashmi for holding banner

The bench of Justice Navin Chawla held that the trial court did not take cognizance of the case following the procedure of law, permits respondents to file fresh case if required

“Environmental Interest Converted Into Communal Tension”: Madras High Court Refuses To Quash Criminal Case Against BJP State Head Annamalai

The Madras High Court on Thursday refused to quash the criminal proceedings initiated against BJP State Head K Annamalai for his remarks against a Christian Missionary organisation, reported LiveLaw. (K Annamalai v V Piyush Case No: Criminal Original Petition No.27142 of 2023)

Supreme Court on abortion rights, one step forward – two steps back

A mother of two seeks termination of pregnancy after 26 weeks; drama unfolds as two separate benches of the Supreme Court, go forward and then back on the woman’s abortion rights—CJP looks at the October 2023 case in-depth and also offers insights in how High Courts –also constitutional courts –have expressed decidedly differing views

UP court awards land with Muslim shrine and graveyard to petitioners claiming it to be a Mahabharata site

A fifty year old dispute over a shrine of a Muslim saint and a Muslim graveyard was recently resolved after the court ruled that the land held Lakshagriha, a site that was featured in the Mahabharata. This comes even as the UP government is promoting a land some 20 kilometres away to be Lakshagriha.

“Mockery of democracy”: Supreme Court on Chandigarh Mayoral Election misconduct

The Bench orders for the presence of the Presiding Officer at next hearing for defacing ballot papers during the said elections to explain his behaviour; states an appropriate interim order by Punjab and Haryana HC was warranted in the matter

Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari arrested by Gujarat ATS for delivering provocative speech

After being detained for almost 12 hours, Azhari was taken to Gujarat; hundreds protested the detention outside the police station; Suresh Chavhanke of the notorious Sudarshan News TV indulged in communal diatribe while reporting on the case against Azhari

When the Supreme Court directed protection for the Gyan Vapi Mosque, upheld the Places of Worship Act, 1991 (1994, 1995, 1997)

In back to back orders passed by different benches of the Supreme Court (SC), in the wake of the violent mobilization that led to the catastrophic demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, the SC directed the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government, district administration and state and law enforcement agencies to protect the historic Gyan Vapi Masjid, Varanasi, Shahi Idgah Mosque, Mathura and moreover observed that the Places of Worship Act (PWA), 1991 must be implanted.

Conduct Fair Inquiry, take action against MLAs Geeta Jain and Nitesh Rane: Citizens of Mira Road-Bhayandar

Citizens of Mira-Road Bhayandar from different walks of life have met the Senior Police Inspector (PI) Naya Nagar Police Station, Vilas Supe and, in strongly worded and detailed written complaint to him demanded a full-fledged inquiry and strict legal action into elected members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Geeta Jain and Nitesh Rane over their inciteful behaviour on January 22 and 24

Who is afraid of the writings of Babasaheb Ambedkar?

First Published on: January 16, 2016Collected Works sell sans...

Puja in Gyanvapi: Mosque Committee announces bandh, Shahr Mufti Batin Nomani appeals for peace

Late night puja facilitated by the district administration on February 1 resulted in a call for a bandh in minority areas of Varanasi (Banaras) on Friday even as the Shahar Mufti Abdul Batin Nomani called for peace and calm

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

In a strongly worded judgment, the Court holds that the 1986 law prescribes punishment without creating a distinct offence and criticises the gang-chart mechanism, but stops short of deciding whether the legislation itself passes constitutional muster  

“SIR is a Nazi-Fascist Project:” M.G. Devasahayam

Alleging that a staggering one crore persons will be finally excluded from the Karnataka state electoral rolls, MG Devasahayam, a former IAS officer, who was recently interviewed by the Kannada daily Vartabharati stated that opposition political parties had failed the voter while citizens groups had posed a robust challenge to the SIR process

When Suspicion Becomes Deportation: The case of Sahida Fakir and the dangerous criminalisation of Bengali identity

A woman who left home to buy dinner was detained, taken across state lines and allegedly pushed into Bangladesh despite her family producing a birth certificate, voter ID, school records and land documents

The women India continues to ignore

It is 76 years into the adoption of the Indian Constitution. However, the fundamental promises of equality and dignity remain elusive for many communities - none more so than Dalit women. What is even starker is the sheer indifference of institutions towards their plight. This piece aims to highlight how the understanding of “women” does not mechanically encompass Dalit women and accentuate the underlying forces that precludes the empowerment of women from the most downtrodden sections of Indian society.

The State Wants the Delete Button: India’s new architecture of digital censorship

Nearly 1.95 lakh blocking directions in five months raise urgent questions about transparency, due process and the constitutional limits of government control over online speech

Punjab SIR draft roll published; 20 lakh electors marked ASDD, claims open till September 12

Nearly 1.94 crore (19.4 million) enumeration forms digitised during SIR; over 20 lakh electors categorised as absent, shifted, dead or duplicate (ASDD), Voters whose names are missing from the draft can file claims for inclusion till September 12, even as complaints on social media during the enumeration phase highlighted difficulties faced by electors

When Faith Becomes a Licence for Control: The 2026 Kanwar yatra, violence, vigilantism and the politics of meat

From attacks on vehicles and commuters to the targeting of Muslim-owned businesses and meat shops, the 2026 pilgrimage raises urgent questions about vigilantism, selective policing and the State's accommodation of majoritarian demands

Maharashtra SIR: 2.08 crore (20.8 million) voter forms “uncollected” hence may not be listed in August 24 draft electoral roll

More than 1 in 5 voter enumeration forms have remained “uncollected” on the final day of Maharashtra’s SIR exercise, with urban districts accounting for a large share of those  bureaucratically “excluded”-- nearly 95 lakh forms were uncollected in Thane, Mumbai and Pune, though voters left out of the draft will get a month to seek inclusion or correction