Articles
Responsible Integration Of Artificial Intelligence In Kerala's District Judiciary: A Policy Analysis
Artificial Intelligence has become the part of every field today and it includes judiciary as well. To make sure that the evolving technology doesn't compromise fairness, privacy and public trust , the Kerala High Court has taken a significant step in this regard . It has introduced a policy titled “Policy Regarding The Use Of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools In District Judiciary.” This is the one of the first time when an Indian Court have taken efforts to clearly define the how AI &...
The Speaker's Dilemma In Telangana: Defections, Partisanship, And The Erosion Of Constitutional Integrity
I have been following Indian legislative politics for long enough to know that the story of defections is not new. It is as old as the very idea of party democracy in India. Yet, what continues to surprise me is not the act of defection itself—but how routinely the Speaker of a legislative house becomes a partisan actor in what ought to be a strictly constitutional function. The recent Supreme Court judgment directing the Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker to decide within three months on...
Cooling‑Off And Committees: New Path For Section 85 BNS Reform
Section 85 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (corresponding to the earlier section 498A of IPC) deals with instances of cruelty committed against married women in their matrimonial house by the husband or his relatives. However, over the years, it has become one of the most litigated and debated provisions in criminal law, with courts grappling to curb its widespread misuse without undermining its protective purpose. As per RTI data from five Delhi district courts, of 9,950 section 85 of BNS...
Consent At Crossroads: Sexual Autonomy, Minor Girls And Age Of Consent In Indian Criminal Law
In recent years the High Courts in India have witnessed a growing conflict between the law and the lived realities of adolescents, particularly the minor girls who find themselves caught at the intersection of state protection and personal autonomy. Criminal laws in India classify any sexual activity with a girl below the age of 18 years as rape, irrespective of consent. The Indian Penal Code, 1860 defined the age of consent as 16 years but it was increased to 18 years after the enactment of the...
Digital Turn In Land Law: Federalism, Privacy, And Registration Bill, 2025
In an effort to modernise land governance through digitisation, the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, has released the draft Registration Bill, 2025. With the objective of replacing the old Registration Act of 1908 with a contemporary, technologically advanced framework that permits end-to-end digital registration of property documents. The bill claims efficiency, accountability, transparency and a decline in property fraud by implementing online procedures,...
Why Decision To Discontinue Registered Post Service A Cause For Concern For All Of Us ?
In a surprising move, the Department of Posts, issued a directive on 2nd July 2025 merging Registered Post with Speed Post services thereby discontinuing the infamous “Registered Post Service” for good from 1st September 2025. Reports seem to suggest that the reason for taking this executive action was due to decline in the use of Registered Post Services, which had dropped by 25% in registered mail volume from 244.4 million in 2011-2012 to 184.6 million from 2019-2020 due to the increased use...
Everyday Questions – And An Inhouse Counsel's Automated Chatbot Responses
When any “Advocate” (from independent litigation practice or law firm practice) transitions to become a “lawyer” (i.e. an in-house counsel), and stop being an “Advocate” as per the Advocates Act, 1961, they encounter a wide range of experiences. Suddenly, they find themselves surrounded not by fellow Advocates (who often think alike due to shared training and mindset), but by non-lawyers with very different perspectives and ways of working. They start hearing things like – “it is just a few...
Humane Judicial Approach To Revenge Porn In India
Sharing non-consensual intimate images as a form to take revenge on one's ex-partner colloquially called “revenge porn” has become an ugly and unsettling truth of the Indian society. While no official data exists for revenge porn, the extent of prevalence of this cybercrime can be gauged from the fact that as per the latest available report of National Crime Records Bureau titled “Crime in India 2022”, a total of 6896 cases were registered for publication/transmission of obscene/sexually...
Judicial Supervision Vs. Constitutional Autonomy of High Courts
India's federal judicial structure balances the Supreme Court's role as the apex interpreter of the Constitution with the High Courts' constitutional autonomy. On 04.08.2025, the Supreme Court, in M/s. Shikhar Chemicals v. The State of Uttar Pradesh & Anr. (Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No. 11445/2025), issued administrative directives to the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, raising concerns about judicial overreach. This article examines the facts of the case, the Supreme Court's...
World Court's Advisory On Climate Change And Its Implications For India
On 23rd July 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered its advisory opinion on climate change, discussing the obligations of the State in the context of climate change, and legal consequences linked with such obligations. While the ICJ clearly enunciated that climate change is “an existential threat” and climate obligations of States are progressive, there are also limitations to what the ICJ can do through its advisory as there are limitations to the role of the Court as an...
Due Process Can't Be Denied: Bombay High Court Reinforces Rights of Accused Under Article 21
Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court emphasized that even those suspected in a criminal case deserve the complete protection of “Article 21 of the Indian Constitution”. This includes the right to dignity, fair procedures, and safeguards against arbitrary arrests. This decision arose from a case involving a female CEO who was arrested after dark and without complying with other compulsory procedures. This discussion also ignites a broader discussion about procedural abuses and the gradual...