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  

Students of the law move Bombay High Court challenging declaration of holiday on Ram Mandir inauguration day

According to the petition, the State government decision is nothing but expending from government exchequer for religious purpose which is prohibited under the Constitution. 

Bilkis Bano Case: Applications for extension to surrender to jail authorities by eleven convicted dismissed by SC

After having their remission quashed, two weeks were granted before surrender, applications were move by 11 convicted to SC citing marriage, harvesting winter produce, ill health

Muslim women need not move court to register divorce by talaq: Kerala High Court

The Court noticed and addressed a gap in the Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules, 2008 which did not provide for the registration of divorces that are obtained under personal law.

Bilkis Bano vindicated!

Persisting when anyone else would have dithered, Bilkis Bano and husband, Yakub Rasool kept their faith in the law and the Constitution

Chhattisgarh & Maharashtra: SC directs police to ensure no hate speech by BJP MLA Raja Singh & Hindu Jan Jagruti Samiti rallies

Even after the bench accepted that some of the speeches delivered by Singh previously were “certainly objectionable”, they refused to decline to stop the rallies, take pre-emptive action

Should the State Government intervene in cases of arbitrary orders by the Foreigners’ Tribunal?

In a recent decision of the Gauhati High Court that noted discrepancies and ignorance of procedure established by law in orders of the Foreigners’ Tribunal, has directed reviews by state government to the orders of the FT wherein “suspected illegal migrants/foreigners” are declared citizens

Justice once more for Bilkis Bano, but what now lies ahead?

Bilkis Bano has fought a hard, challenging battle. As one of the 1,958 women Muslim survivors of the targeted violence in Gujarat in 2002, she can now breathe some sighs of relief, if the convicts are “found” by the Gujarat police and report to prison by January 22 (the deadline set by the Supreme Court). There is also a possibility that these convicts now approach the Maharashtra government for remission under section 432 of the CrPC

Plea to NHRC: Fairly investigate into ‘enforced disappearance’ of youth off Bangla border

In a representation to the National Human Rights Commission...

Delhi HC: Foreigners cannot claim right to reside and settle in India, protections limited to Article 21

In a habeas corpus plea moved against restriction of movement of an alleged foreigner, the bench noted that foreign national cannot claim that he has right to reside and settle in India in terms of Article 19 (1) (e)

Bilkis Bano speaks: First person account, Godhra Relief Camp, March 2002

Twenty-two years ago, almost to the day, Bilkis Bano gave an oral statement recounting the horrors of what she had been through, to Communalism Combat magazine. Given the rather glaring trajectory of the case, where despite Bilkis’ Complaint, FIR with detailed facts, recounting the incident and naming accused, the Godhra police filed a ‘closure’ report (A Summary) which was even accepted by the local court, it is crucial that we re-visit, and read, in Bilkis’ words, her tale. Following the failures of the local administration, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) provided her the legal aid to ensure she finally does find justice, and peace.

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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