The process required for the initiation of impeachment proceedings against Justice S.N. Shukla stood complete in January, 2018. Yet, the Central government failed to act. In the higher judicial system, very rarely has an occasion come when two Chief Justices of India have had to remind the prime minister of something. Alas, two consecutive CJIs […]
Equity and NPR Data – Published in Frontline
From the time of Independence until 2019, India’s citizenship law was region- and religion-neutral. The Constituent Assembly debated issues relating to citizenship before giving final shape to the provisions in the Constitution, which came into force in 1950. Later, the Citizenship Act 1955 (Act of 1955) was enacted and also amended several times, incorporating additional […]
Cases of Multiple FIRs–Goswami Facts Needs A Re-Look In Future It Is Hate Crime, A Social Disorder! – Published in LiveLaw
The Arnab Goswami case in the Supreme Court resulted in quashing various similar FIRs which had been registered in different parts of the country relating to his TV programme broadcasted on 21.04.2020, viewed nationwide. Allegations in FIRs were communal in nature, instigating Hindus against Muslims and Christian . Very often, multiple FIRs are challenged in courts. On […]
Justice Gogoi in Rajya Sabha: Beware, ‘Anti-nationals’? – Published in NewsClick
At the very outset, I feel compelled to state that I am a first-generation advocate, practising with little support from the ‘system’. I cannot boast of the kind of resources that give the legal profession its reputation of being an elite pursuit. We legal practitioners understand that the system reserves many of its ‘favours’ for […]
Why India is not capable of carrying out NPR – Published in Mumbai Mirror
The Centre introduced the National Register of Citizens (NRC) by placing Section 14A in the existing Citizenship Act of 1955, through an amendment in 2003. This added provision gives discretion to the government to either go ahead with the exercise of NRC or not. It is not an obligatory exercise. To give effect to this […]
Why Unsigned Addenda to Ayodhya Verdict Must Go – Published in NewsClick.in
One notable and never-seen-before feature of the recent verdict of the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmbhoomi dispute is the separate and anonymous “addenda” affixed to the unanimous ruling of the five-judge bench. Running into 116 pages, this addenda marks a completely new beginning; that of a judge making his opinion public through a […]
Ayodhya Judgement, Far From Right – Published in India Tomorrow
In 1857, the US Supreme Court decided in Dred Scott v. Sandford, that the Constitution of the United States was not meant to include American citizenship for black people, and therefore the rights and privileges it confers upon American citizens could not apply to them. It was wrong proposition but binding on the US citizens […]
Ayodhya verdict: A case closed, wound open – Published in The Mumbai Mirror
The Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title case was a long pending legal dispute between two communities who are the residents of Ayodhya. In 1949 about 100 Hindus placed idols inside the Mosque at a time when Namaz used to be offered by Muslims. Pursuant to this, a dispute arose over time and it became a matter […]
Every final judgment may not necessarily be right and just – Published in the Hindustan Times
The judgment delivered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid civil dispute in Ayodhya has given finality to the dispute over 1480 sq yds of land. This small tract of land where the Babri mosque once stood came to be believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. This finality […]
Courts Must Censure Wrongful Behaviour of the State – Published in the Indian Express
It is duty of the constitutional courts to make appropriate observations about inappropriate functioning of the state and its administration. The Supreme Court order awarding compensation and rehabilitation to Bilkis Bano is certainly a step forward in strengthening the faith of the common citizen in the judicial process while fighting the failure of the state […]