National Law University Odisha
The author explores the state specificity doctrine with respect to reservations and argues that the reading of Article 341 of the Constitution to bar citizens from claiming benefit of reservation in states other than their states of origin as a misreading of the provision.
The Judiciary is frequently criticised for keeping judicial appointments an opaque affair. However, the process is facing a silent crisis of executive delay. Recently, the Supreme Court released a list of candidates who were recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium, but were not appointed as High Court Judges by the Ministry of Law and Justice since 2022. This systemic issue was further underscored by research conducted by the Supreme Court Observer, which found that the Central Government did not accept 24% of all recommendations by Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s Collegium. This piece aims to argue that this unnecessary practice of the Central Government not only exacerbates the predicament of vacancies in the High Courts, but also constitutes a grave violation of the principle of Separation of Powers.
Shivani Tripathi Introduction The year of 2025 witnessed a fierce debate on the issue of post-retirement appointment of judges. The debate was highlighted by contrasting views of two former Chief Justices of India. On 2nd August 2025, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, while speaking at an event in Mumbai, expressed his thoughts on the appointment of judges... Continue Reading →
This blog piece discusses the development of court fees in India and the implications it has on access to justice as a fundamental right of people, especially given the socioeconomic reality of the country.
This essay examines how states use citizenship as a tool of mass exclusion, as seen in Myanmar and Assam, for political and material gain. The humanitarian consequences of these scenarios are governed by the international order, which neutralizes the humanitarian crisis, but does not supervise the sovereign entity. The essay proposes a thought experiment "Sovereign Human Rights Risk Rating"(SHRR) to analyze the state of accountability. It poses the question as to whether a purely technical, monetary system could achieve such accountability. The essay posits that SHRR would fail. The act of exclusion in this instance is not merely a political choice; rather it is a fundamental act of political sovereignty. The absence of accountability is what this global arrangement is built upon.
The authors explore the usage of disenfranchisement as a tool for political exclusion, particularly of groups likely to vote against political order belonging to minority or historically discriminated groups. The piece questions the legitimacy of the Election Commission's discretionary powers to refuse electoral right on the basis of citizenship, being a body not expressly authorised to determine citizenship, in the face of the constitutionally guaranteed mandate of electoral rights.
Ethnic cleansing is a term that holds a multiplicity of meanings. It reflects humanity's recurring impulse to delete the distinctions. As children we fear that the crayons may colour beyond the lines, and as adults we fear that ethnicities may venture beyond borders. This essay explores the origins, psychological motives, and evolving legal interpretations of ethnic cleansing, analysing the impact of borders and territories on civilisations. It argues that borders are a deceptive justification for ethnic cleansing. Through comparative analysis, this essay evaluates how ethnic cleansing, continues to challenge notions of justice, identity, and belonging.
This blog analyses the characterizstion of arbitrariness as an enemy to equality, contending that while the Classification Doctrine and the older Non-Arbitrariness Doctrine both operate primarily as formal, process-based rationality requirements, focused on the means-end connection, the Manifest Arbitrariness Doctrine introduces a more normative, effects-based evaluation of both ends and means.
This blog analyses the characterizstion of arbitrariness as an enemy to equality, contending that while the Classification Doctrine and the older Non-Arbitrariness Doctrine both operate primarily as formal, process-based rationality requirements, focused on the means-end connection, the Manifest Arbitrariness Doctrine introduces a more normative, effects-based evaluation of both ends and means.
The blog analyzes the inefficiencies arising from frivolous Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) in India's Supreme Court, proposing a two-tier system featuring a quasi-judicial panel to assess SLPs, thereby enhancing efficiency while preserving the Court's power.
Judicial activism can be broadly perceived as judicial interpretation and review of statutes or other state action. Judicial legislation, on the other hand, lays down new in case of a legislative insufficiency. The relation and conflict between the two can be studied in the context of the call for a liberal interpretation of the Special Marriage Act, applicability of judicial review in money bills or even in the electoral practice of freebies and whether it is akin to a corrupt practice.
This article analyses the proliferation of misinformation in light of growth in technology and its implications on the erosion of the democratic process. It highlights the constitutional aspects involved and the vacuum in the current regulatory framework. The article proposes reforms to counter the challenges posed by the digital era.
Constitutional Law Society 