Before the Obergfell v. Hodges judgment finally declared homosexual marriage as an individual’s fundamental right across the United States, various state and circuit courts ruled in favor of this right. A similar ray of hope seems to be rising for the LGBTQ community in India when Justice Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court gave [...]
The resignation of academic stalwart PB Mehta in March this year stirred an extremely crucial and relevant debate on the state of Academic Freedom in India. When an eminent professor and VC of a leading liberal arts university resigns by mentioning that his writings have become a political liability for the institution, it certainly is [...]
The 21st century has witnessed significant and progressive changes with regard to the rights and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community, with various legislations and policies being enacted/repealed for the protection of queer persons, and the increasing acceptance of sexualities and sexual orientations, other than those that have been indoctrinated as ‘normal’. This has also helped [...]
Inspired by landmark judgments like Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) and NALSA v. Union of India (2014), India’s Madras High Court in S. Sushama v. Commissioner of Police (2021) has prohibited ‘conversion therapy’. Conversion therapy, also called “reparative therapy”, is the process of medically “curing” or changing the sexual orientation of LGBTQIA+ [...]
On 22nd April 2022, Earth Day, the Escazu Agreement enters into operation, marking a significant moment for transparent and participatory decision-making in environmental governance. The Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean 2018 (Escazu Agreement) was adopted in 2018 to “promote environmental democracy, [...]
The second phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in India has highlighted the coronavirus’s unpredictability. It spares no one, from the rural to the urban, Hindu to Muslim. Although the virus is identity-blind, the central government’s plan of action engenders economic and social discrimination. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare declared in a press release that beginning from May [...]
Recently, the High Court of Kerala, India, in Treasa Josfine vs. State of Kerala invalidated an employment notification that invited only male candidates to apply for the permanent post of Safety Officer. The judgement, which determined that women cannot be denied employment on account of the appointment involving work during night hours, is a significant [...]
As technology continues to advance, will Indian regulators take user privacy more seriously? From internet activists to lawmakers, this is a question that is in the vanguard of regulating technologies. This space is also very dynamic; new technologies are so pervasive and capture the public imagination much before the regulator plays catch-up. Can the core [...]
Heinous crimes against women like rape and acid attacks are on the rise in India. A new law-enforcement measure in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) purportedly meant to safeguard women, however, raises several human rights concerns. Police forces in Uttar Pradesh are preparing to install smart cameras in over 200 ‘hotspots’ frequented by women to capture their [...]
The Supreme Court of India on 12th January 2021 stayed the three controversial farm laws and ordered the constitution of an expert committee to deliberate and facilitate dialogue between the farmers and Government. The stay order of the apex court comes at a time when petitions challenging the constitutionality of the laws are already before [...]
