by Mara Malagodi Nepali legislators are currently striving to promulgate the country’s seventh constitution and conclude the peace process that began in 2006 after the ten-year long Maoist People’s War. By 2001 a new constitution drafted ‘by the people’s elected representatives’ had become the Maoists’ key demand and the precondition to bring the insurgents to … Continue reading Nepal’s Constitutional Crisis
Category: Human Rights
Conversation with Prof. Nandini Sundar, Professor of Sociology at DU
Prof. Nandini Sundar is a Professor of Sociology at the Delhi University. She was one of the lead petitioners in the well-known case of Nandini Sundar v. State of Chattisgarh (WP (C) 250 of 2007). She won the prestigious Infosys Prize in 2010 for her contributions to social sciences. She has several publications to her credit and … Continue reading Conversation with Prof. Nandini Sundar, Professor of Sociology at DU
The Racism Quandary
by Avani Chokshi The release of the movie ‘Mary Kom’, which traces the life of the Indian boxing champion of the same name, has led to huge controversies with people questioning the decision of the creators of the film to cast Priyanka Chopra- an actor apparently without the distinctive North- Eastern physical features- as Mary … Continue reading The Racism Quandary
The Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Regulation) Bill, 2010: A Case of Misplaced Priorities?
by Priyattama Bhanj As surrogacy in India continues to grow by the day, the proposed law to regulate it continues to remain in incipient stages. The present guidelines are a consequence of those originally framed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). However, these do not have any legal sanctity and are not binding. … Continue reading The Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Regulation) Bill, 2010: A Case of Misplaced Priorities?
Supreme Court Judgement Striving to Fully Eradicate Manual Scavenging in India: Another Attempt in Vain?
by Saasha Malpani Campaigns, protests and laws have done little to end the perpetuating practice of manual scavenging in India. After more than two decades of enactment of legislations, the Supreme Court finally took notice of the issue and passed a landmark judgement in what may be a respite for human right activists all over the country. … Continue reading Supreme Court Judgement Striving to Fully Eradicate Manual Scavenging in India: Another Attempt in Vain?
Prisons and ‘Discipline’ in India
by Shishir Bail In 1977 French Philosopher Michel Foucault authored what is widely considered to be a seminal work in the study of incarceration and imprisonment; the book titled ‘Surveille et Punir’ in French which was later translated to English as ‘Discipline and Punish’. In it, he traced the evolution of the ‘the prison’ as … Continue reading Prisons and ‘Discipline’ in India
A Level Playing Field: Myth or Reality?
by Yogini Oke Introduction The year 2012 brought a lot of welcome changes for the class of disabled people in India. The year witnessed the culmination of a decade long fight of disability-rights activists, academicians, lawyers etc for the people with disabilities as reflected in the amendments made in the Copyright Act. The Ministry of … Continue reading A Level Playing Field: Myth or Reality?
The Sentinel Who Will Not Protect
by Raju Ramachandran For students of constitutional law, the “gay rights” judgment is deeply disappointing. For a judgment that was in the making for over twenty months, it leaves one with a feeling that it has been “hurried through.” For all its length, there is no detailed reasoning for overturning the High Court judgment. Let … Continue reading The Sentinel Who Will Not Protect
Through my Looking Glass
by Stella James Sometimes the most difficult things to write about are also the most essential. I feel this is especially true when many people, much more scholarly than oneself, have already said and written a lot around the issue, and yet your own experience does not seem to fit into the wide net that … Continue reading Through my Looking Glass
Should Valjean have been Punished for Stealing Bread? A Reflection on Poverty and Criminal Responsibility
by Saurabh Bhattacharjee “...The appellant had in fact intended to wipe out the whole family including himself on account of abject poverty...this aspect of the matter has not been properly appreciated by both the Sessions Court and the High Court…”- Kurian J, in Sunil Damodar Gaikwad v State of Maharashtra [1] Should poverty be considered … Continue reading Should Valjean have been Punished for Stealing Bread? A Reflection on Poverty and Criminal Responsibility
The Journal of Indian Law and Society 