Bombay High Court Strikes Down Illegal Transfer Fee Charged By Bar Council

Echoes Supreme Court's concern on Bar Councils' breach of public duty in Gaurav Kumar caseIn a significant judgment reinforcing the rights of advocates and curbing arbitrary practices of State Bar Councils, the Bombay High Court has ruled that the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa acted illegally in charging transfer fees for shifting the enrolment of an advocate from one State Bar Council to another.Delivering the verdict in Devendra Nath Tripathi v. Union of India & Ors (Writ Petition No....

What About Us?: India's New Penal Code Abandons Animals To Sexual Violence

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” This biting Orwellian satire was intended to expose the duality of power in the book, but now seems to unsettlingly resonate in reality for many strays in India.

International Justice At Crossroads

Born out of the ashes of war, international criminal justice began at Nuremberg with a bold vow: no one would be above the law. Seasons changed to decades, and the ICC and the Ad Hoc Tribunals have become the landmark examples of global accountability. But whether International Criminal Justice in producing justice, or selectively enforcing law based on geopolitics is still a question. From arrests of an indictment of leaders of weaker states receiving the lion's share of the attention of the...

Institutional Appointments After Radiance And Era: When Is Arbitral Tribunal Constituted By Consent?

A recent (July 2025) judgment by the Bombay High Court raised concerns for financial institutions and other entities using Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platforms to resolve disputes. In Radiance Galore v Yes Bank Ltd (Radiance Galore), the Bombay High Court set aside the arbitral award in favour of Yes Bank on the ground that the arbitrator was unilaterally appointed, even though the appointment was made by the ODR Platform using an algorithm.However, Radiance Galore does not prevent...

Shelter Without Rights: Constitutional Crisis Of Forced Evictions In Urban India

“India is two countries in one: an India of Light and an India of Darkness” - This line from The White Tiger captions more than a fictional divide. As the India of Light flaunts its 19.6 billion dollar Smart Cities Mission, the other India is living a more difficult reality: over 7,38,000 individuals were evicted and more than 1,50,000 homes were demolished in 2022-2023 alone averaging to approximately 294 homes destroyed daily and 58 people rendered homeless hourly. Nearly 44% of those...

Kolhapuri Chappal Walks Into Court Room

The Cotton Plaid lungi, dried under the blazing South Indian Sun, once wrapped around the laborer's, toddy tappers and farmers had found its way into Houte Coutre in 1960s The dupatta becomes a Scandinavian Scarf, the Lehenga Morphs into a bohemian skirt,When Global Fashion borrows from traditional identity, the line between the appreciation and appropriation blur, they are embodiment of community, geography and memory. Indian designs are often stripped of context, meaning and recognition,...

Liberty Vs Hierarchy: The Debate On Direct Anticipatory Bail Pleas Before High Courts

The Supreme Court has recently criticized the High Court of Kerala for entertaining applications for anticipatory bail which are directly moved before it, without approaching the Sessions Court first.The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed that though the concurrent jurisdiction is conferred upon the Sessions Court and the High Court to entertain a prayer for pre-arrest bail (Anticipatory Bail) under Section 482 of the BNSS (formerly, Section 438...

When Fashion Meets Tradition: IP Gaps In Protecting India's Kolhapuri Craftsmanship

The true prosperity of art and its creators rests upon ensuring that passionate and innovative inventors and artists receive fair recognition and protection for their work. A striking example lies in the story of Kolhapuri chappals.These handcrafted leather chappals have been an integral part of Indian culture and are typically sold in Indian markets for no more than a 1000 rupees. Yet recently the Italian luxury brand Prada, has listed the same for 1-1.2 Lakh rupees with no consideration,...

Breaking Silence On Marital Rape, Women Are Sparking A Movement And Breaking Taboos

Society. Such a small and simple word; yet its weight holds more complexity than most that exist. How can one word condemn and loom over us constantly? Regardless of our actions, we continuously think about one factor in India - Society. This writer doesn't understand how a mere term is affecting us so severely. It only takes one wrong action in society's largely unwritten rules and regulations to be judged and face shame and stigma. Society has woven a web of implicit rules that even the freest...

Substitution of Parties in Partition Suits: When Heirs Are Untraceable

Partition suits are filed to divide property among co-owners or heirs, and they often involve many parties whose rights need to be carefully protected. A common difficulty arises when one of the parties to such a suit dies during the proceedings. In the normal course, their legal heirs or representatives are brought on record so that the case can move forward. This substitution is done under Order XXII Rule 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.[1] But situations become complex when the legal...

Investments Are Subject To Deficiency In Service? Analysis Of Jyoti Khemka Ruling For Web3 Industry

Recently, in the landmark case of Jyoti Khemka vs Catalyst Trusteeship Limited and Ors[1] (the “Ruling”), the Chandigarh State Consumer Disputes Commission held that market intermediaries such as a credit rating agency, trustees, and security issuers can be made liable for investor losses due to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (“Act”). This article analyses the implications of this Ruling for the financial sector, particularly Virtual...

Article 22(1) Of The Constitution Of India And Section 47 Of The BNSS: “Sri Darshan” Reflects A Balanced Approach

Article 22(1) of the Constitution of India states that, no person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds for such arrest. Section 47(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short 'the BNSS'), corresponding to Section 50(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short 'the Code'), provides that, every police officer or other person arresting any person without warrant shall forthwith communicate to...