The Jurisprudence Of Command And The Constitutional Impasse

The Indian constitutional project currently faces a defining moment of friction, a precipice where the destiny of thirteen thousand Group-A cadre officers and the institutional integrity of the Supreme Court of India stand in the balance. At the heart of this storm lies the decision in Sanjay Prakash & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors. (2025 INSC 779), a judgment that did not merely settle a service dispute but sought to restore a foundational compact between the State and those...

Hostilities At Sea: Violations Of International Naval Warfare Norms

On 4 March 2026, the US submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian ship (IRIS Dena) when it was returning home after participating in the Milan multilateral naval exercise hosted by India. The incident occurred about 40 nautical miles off the coast of Sri Lanka, killing around 87 Iranian sailors.Classification of Maritime Zones:The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) governs control of the seas. The UNCLOS divides the maritime spaces into distinct zones with varying...

India's Foreign Policy Falters When It Abandons Its Own Goalposts

From Non-Alignment to Selective Silence - India's 'wishy-washy' stance is neither a 'careful restraint' nor a 'responsible silence' in the US - Israel intervention in Iran.A strategy adopted by a nation-state on any international issue must have a practical aspect, one that seeks to maximize benefits, while sustaining the gains of long-standing trade relationships and international agreements. These very strategies form a precedential pattern when it comes to assessing a sovereign State, in...

Remembering Professor M.P. Singh: When I Visited His Village

Professor M.P. Singh passed away on 7 March 2026. For many of us who studied constitutional law, his presence was felt long before we ever encountered him in person. Most often, it was through his work on VN Shukla's Constitution of India. For a student, his name carried a certain authority.I consider myself fortunate that I was able to meet him.My first interaction with him was in 2019, when he visited Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow, to deliver a lecture on...

The New Transgender Bill Pushes India Back In Its Fight For Transgender Rights

Last week a bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 [the 2019 Act]. From a bare reading of the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Amendment Bill it appears that there are two primary reasons for introducing the amendment. Firstly, to tighten the definition of “transgender persons” under the Act. And secondly, to scrap the scheme of penalising offences against transgender persons under the 2019 Act, and introduce in its place...

An Analysis Of The Transgender Persons Act And The 2026 Amendment Bill

Legislative changes and constitutional protections are crucial in the context of the Transgender Persons Act and the 2026 Amendment Bill. The struggle for transgender rights in India has been long, marked by systemic discrimination and exclusion. Historically, the legal system criminalised transgender identities, a stance that has only recently, and with some hesitation, shifted towards recognition. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, was largely seen as a way to put...

Why Judges Differ And How Far They Should

The primary question for consideration before the Apex Court in Centre for Public Interest Litigation v. Union of India1 was whether Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, was constitutionally valid. The Bench delivered a split verdict, with two divergent but carefully reasoned opinions, leading to a reference to the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India for the constitution of a larger Bench. Justice B.V. Nagarathna held Section 17A to be constitutionally infirm in its very...

What If I Never Was Me: A lesser Mortal's Tearful Thanks

In the hush of an early morning, as the first light pierced the veil of dawn, I sat in silence, eyes closed, breath steady. Meditation clears my mind's noise. But on this day, something extraordinary happened. A sudden gush of thoughts flooded in, unbidden and vivid, each was a “what if” that shook me. They were not mere hypotheticals; They felt real, like lives I almost lived. By the time I opened my eyes, tears poured down my face. I was sobbing not from sorrow, but from an overwhelming...

Legislative Gaps, Judicial Grafts: The IRC Transition

The transition to the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (“IRC” or “Code”) was far from straightforward. The Code came into force[1] on 21 November 2025, but the subsumed enactments were not immediately repealed. This created uncertainty about the functioning of existing adjudicatory bodies. When the repeal was later declared retrospectively, further questions arose regarding the validity of actions taken under the subsumed laws during the transitional phase between 21 November 2025 and 2 February...

Can Courts Strike Down Personal Law?

A Constitutional Journey from Narasu to SabarimalaOn 10-03-2026, a familiar constitutional question returned. A recent petition challenging Muslim Inheritance Law has prompted the Supreme Court to ask a deceptively simple yet deeply consequential question: Can courts review personal law at all?The issue arises in the context of claims that certain inheritance rules discriminate against Muslim women. Yet, beneath the immediate controversy lies a much older constitutional dilemma. The Indian...

The 'No Return' Trap: Why Online Sellers Can't Escape The Law

The problem rarely begins with a defective product; it begins with information. A consumer orders an online product based on how it is presented. The description promises a particular quality and on the basis of that representation the consumer proceeds. Only to discover, after delivery, that the product doesn't correspond to the depiction provided. The problem doesn't end there. Consumers...

Post-Retirement Harassment: Illegal Withholding Of Retiral Benefits

A lawyer frequently encounters service matters filed by retired government employees seeking release of their pensionary benefits. These cases reveal a recurring and troubling pattern—retired employees are compelled to approach the court because their pension, gratuity, or other retirement benefits are either withheld or unnecessarily delayed by administrative authorities.Pension and gratuity are not merely financial benefits; they constitute the primary source of livelihood for a retired...