On January 8, when the Supreme Court quashed the release order that set 11 convicts charged with the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family during the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat free, it was a watershed moment in India’s political landscape. It struck down the order of an authoritarian state … Read more
On November 3, a five-judge Constitution bench on India’s Supreme Court reserved its judgment on the validity of the controversial electoral bond scheme. The electoral bonds scheme was introduced by the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 2017. It facilitates anonymous donations to political parties. Describing it as the “most opaque form of … Read more
Advertisement India’s top court on Tuesday refused to legalize same-sex marriages, passing the responsibility back to Parliament in a ruling that disappointed campaigners for LGBTQ+ rights in the world’s most populous country. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud also urged the government to uphold the rights of the queer community and end discrimination against them. Earlier this … Read more
Advertisement India’s Supreme Court recently took a step toward ensuring that court rulings are rid of patriarchal stereotypes and that judges deliver gender-just judgments. On August 16, Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud released a “Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes” compiled by the apex court. The handbook is a 30-page document that details instances of misogynistic language … Read more
India’s opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister and party leader Priyanka Vadra, left, greet media personnel as they arrive at party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Aug. 4, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Dinesh Joshi Advertisement India’s top court on Friday temporarily halted the criminal defamation conviction of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi for mocking … Read more
An Indian paramilitary soldier guards at a busy market in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Aug 1, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan Advertisement India’s top court Wednesday began hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the constitutionality of the legislation passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in 2019 that stripped disputed Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, scrapped … Read more