Rejecting Religious Identity under Law: A Comparative Study of India and Other Constitutional Democracies
This paper critically examines the gap between India’s constitutional promise of freedom of conscience and the reality of compulsory religious and caste identification in state practices. It traces the evolution of religious and secular thought in India, from ancient heterodox traditions and colonial enumeration to the constitutional debates, and analyses key judicial developments affirming the […]
Witness Protection Scheme 2018: A Critical Appraisal within India’s Criminal Justice System
Witnesses constitute the backbone of the criminal justice system. Their testimony forms the basis of investigation, prosecution, and adjudication. However, the Indian criminal justice system has historically failed to provide adequate protection to witnesses, resulting in intimidation, coercion, and the alarming rise of hostile witnesses. The Witness Protection Scheme, 2018—approved by the Supreme Court in […]
Presumed Innocent, Digitally Excluded: Undertrial Prisoners, Internet Access, and India’s Obligations Under the ICCPR and the Nelson Mandela Rules
Over 5,30,000 inmates are housed in the prison system of India, of whom approximately 73.5 per cent are undertrial prisoners not convicted of any offence. These individuals endure blanket denial of internet access under prison regulations of the colonial era, positioning India rather incongruously with the evolving architecture of human rights law. This paper argues […]