Supreme Court Rescues Arbitration Limitation Clock From Maintainability Trap

A Procedural Nightmare Finally Laid to RestAsk any arbitration practitioner who has managed a post-award correction under Section 33 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and they will describe the same dilemma. A Section 33 application has been filed. The tribunal is considering it. Limitation under Section 34(3) is ticking. Does the party wait for the tribunal to dispose of...

Dancing Girl's Disappearing Torso: NCERT's Self-Censorship

In June 2026, something unusual turned up in Madhurima, the new Class 9 Arts Education textbook that NCERT introduced under the National Education Policy. The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro, a bronze figurine roughly 4,500 years old and among the most recognisable artefacts to survive the Indus Valley Civilisation, appeared in the book with her torso shaded over, giving her the appearance of being clothed. The original carries no such covering and sits, unaltered, in the National Museum in New...

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LiveLaw publishes original, timely and rigorous legal analysis that offers clear value to practitioners, academics, students and litigants. Owing to the volume of submissions, articles are assessed against the following editorial standards.I. Submission Categoriesa) General ArticlesLegal developments, legislation, policy and other areas of law.b) Law Firm ArticlesContributions by law firm partners, associates, general counsel and other legal professionals.c) Law School ArticlesContributions by...

Words Are Not Enough: Every Clause Containing 'Arbitration' Is Not An Arbitration Agreement

Commercial Contracts are the reflection of the trust parties place in a legal framework to protect their interests. When this trust of parties breaks down, among the many clauses of the commercial agreement ('agreement'), the dispute resolution clause occupies a position of singular importance. In recent times, Arbitration has emerged as one of the most preferred mechanisms owing to its flexibility, confidentiality, procedural efficiency, and party-driven nature. The result has been the...

From Anurudh's Postscript: Why Proposed POCSO Romeo-Juliet Exception Needs Grooming Test

The recent Supreme Court's necessitated postscript in State of Uttar Pradesh v. Anurudh, advocated for a "Romeo-Juliet" exception for genuine peer relationship. It was in response of the critical problem in India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. This is reflected by a 93.8% acquittal rate in cases categorized as "romantic". This suggests that the law often punishes adolescent “autonomy” rather than addressing actual victimization. However, there exists a critical...

Regulating Gatekeepers Across Borders: Apple-Meta Dispute And Limits Of International Competition Law

In April 2025, the European Commission (“EU”) issued its first ever fines under the Digital Markets Act (“DMA”) against Apple for violating app store obligations and €200 million against Meta over its 'pay or consent' advertising model, which required European users to either accept personalised advertising or pay for ad-free access to Facebook and Instagram. The fines followed yearlong investigations into conduct of the companies on European markets. Apple condemned the measures as coercive and...

Who Counts As A “Member”?

The Supreme Court Reads Substance into the Oppression RemedyIn a significant reaffirmation of the equitable foundations of company law, the Supreme Court has held that an investor whose name does not appear in the register of members may still maintain a petition alleging oppression and mismanagement, so long as the company's own conduct recognises him as a stakeholder. On 4 May 2026, a Division Bench comprising Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, who authored the opinion, and Justice Alok...

Blocking Telegram Won't Fix Leak

On 3rd May 2026, 22 lakh medical aspirants sat for the NEET examination, not knowing that a storm testing their patience and dedication lay ahead. For thousands of aspirants, stepping out of the examination hall marked the end of months of relentless preparation. It was a moment of relief, with many believing they could finally take a break before beginning college. What came next was something the aspirants could not have even thought of in their wildest dreams: news of a 'paper leak' over...

Advisories, Safe Harbour And Executive Power: Rethinking Draft 2026 IT Rules

A number of modifications has been proposed by the draft[1] to the amendment of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 on the regulation of digital platforms. Among them, Rule 3(4) is particularly significant. The provision requires intermediaries to comply with advisories, guidelines, clarifications and other communications issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). While such communications have long been used...

Analysing Bank Guarantee And Special Equities - Murky Line Between Pre-2019 And Post-2019 Ruling

Section 126 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 talks about the invocation of guarantee in India. In commercial contracts, parties usually prefer to have a contract of bank guarantee to further assure payment of money. It is an independent contract, free from any dispute between the beneficiary and the applicant of the bank guarantee. While the grounds of fraud and irretrievable injustice against invocation of bank guarantee have been recognised through catena of judgements, the “special equities”...

Marriage Does Not End Daughterhood: SC Rewrites Definition of Family

There is a long-standing assumption in the Indian society that a married daughter belongs to her husband's family. This patriarchal belief leads to severance of emotional and economic ties with her natal family upon marriage. Women face these unfair beliefs even when they continue to discharge obligations towards their natal family. Many married women in rural and urban areas continue to support their parents, share resources and even head households. The presumption that she now 'resides...

CCI's Draft Amendments Clock, Not Architecture

The Competition Commission of India (CCI)'s recent proposed amendments (Draft Amendments) to the Competition Commission of India (Commitment) Regulations, 2024 are administrative housekeeping in nature. The Draft Amendments extend the window to file from 45 days to 60 days, allow for curing defects for 10 days, clarify fees, and increase the overall timeline from 130 to 180 working days. Each of those changes is commonsensical. But every one is a change to time, and none touches the three...