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Citizens for Justice and Peace

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To empower citizens with knowledge of the law, in both simplified and detailed formats, helps fights injustice in all forms.

CJP’s vast archive and resource base gives all Indians, regardless of caste, gender, class or community factsheets, ready reckoners and more elaborate judgement primers to understand how our judiciary and legislature, both, are furthering fundamental freedoms and rights.

The best of Indian courts in 2020 CJP takes a look at various court orders that positively shaped human rights’ jurisprudence

As the year 2020 draws to a close, here is an annual round up of orders and judgements of India’s constitutional courts — High Courts and the Supreme Court of India. In a month by month look, CJP brings you a calendar of the year gone by: through judgements and orders that paved new paths…

The 10 worst laws of 2020 CJP brings to you 2020's laws that take no notice of human rights

While the law, in any democratic republic is meant to protect individual and collective rights the year of the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic was misused in India to pass a slew of laws, even through the emergency power of the Ordinance, by both the Union (Central) and state legislatures that showed an utter disregard for human…

Love Jihad: The Ordinance and Constitutionality A detailed analysis of a deeply communal and sexist law

Tracing the history of anti-conversion laws from the 1960s to the enactments to ‘prevent love jihad’ legislation, Senior Advocate and Human Rights Defender Desai argues how these laws, seen historically, are a transformation from a hesitant Hindu right wing nationalism to a highly bellicose- no holds barred avatar evidenced at present; all in all, a litmus…

Does the law allow “temple restoration” suits? A look at how the Places of Worship Act has never really been implemented

The suit filed for restoration of temples in the Qutub Minar complex in Delhi is the latest in a line of similar suits invoking land disputes at temple sites in Mathura as well as Varanasi. After the Babri mosque demolition, the central government passed a law to save and protect the religious character of all…

Do the three 2020 farm laws meet the constitutionality test? Do these legislations actually limit farmers’ chance to legal recourse?

The aggrieved agricultural sector of India has been agitating, with a spectacular display of unity across India, against the enactment of three legislations that received President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent late September, 2020. The three Acts are: The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on…

UP’s Anti-Love Jihad law: Is it Constitutional? Ordinance contravenes freedom of liberty, autonomy, privacy and choice

The new Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance 2020, that received the Governor’s assent late November, has already led to two people being booked under it. After Uttar Pradesh, States like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Assam are planning to come up with similar ‘anti-Love Jihad’ laws to criminalise religious conversions by marriage. An…

SC order on CCTVs in Police Stations: Firm stand against Custodial Torture Detailed directions on position of CCTVs, storage of recorded data, accessibility to the victim

The Supreme Court has passed a detailed and specific order directing states and the centre to take concrete steps towards ensuring that every police station in the country and all investigating agencies have CCTV cameras in their premises. The bench comprising Justices RF Nariman, KM Joseph and Aniruddha Bose have ordered setting up of state…

TN custodial death report establishes complicity of police, hospital staff and jail authorities Well executed inquiry without losing evidentiary value

The horrifying incident of the custodial death of a father and son due to torture in custody, is still fresh in people’s minds. In June, Jeyaraj (60) and Benicks (31) two shop owners in Sathankulam were taken in custody and were brutally assaulted by police personnel which eventually led to their death within 4 days.…

Is the Right to Protest in India a protected Fundamental Right? By using prohibitory tools on its people, the Government is limiting democratic practices and irrevocably diluting Article 19

The seeds of protest were sown deep during our independence struggle, making protest an important and indelible chapter in India’s history. Today, our country is witnessing an extraordinary wave of protests- by farmers, minorities, students, activists against the current regime. It must be unequivocally emphasised that the Constitution of India gives its citizens the right…

High Court striking down Central law: Impact on Jurisprudence Ramifications of recent SC direction in petition challenging Epidemic Act

The Supreme Court recently refused to entertain a plea challenging validity of a central law questioning why the petitioner had not approached the High Court where the cause of action had arisen. The petitioner was challenging the Epidemic Diseases Act and the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee were hearing  the petition. Justice Chandrachud…

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