MP Police Treat Reading Political Ideology as Evidence of Crime
Madhya Pradesh Police have cited books on fascism and communism as evidence in a chargesheet against a youth collective founder accused of hurting religious sentiments. If political literature can be treated as criminal evidence, then any citizen engaging with dissenting ideas risks being branded a threat to public order.
Judge With Civil Rights Record Shifted to Lower Rank After Govt Request
The Supreme Court collegium has reportedly altered its earlier recommendation on the transfer of Justice Atul Sreedharan, a senior High Court judge known for pro-civil rights rulings, following a request from the Union government. This suggests that the judiciary’s internal decisions remain vulnerable to executive pressure, and the collegium has willingly accommodated that pressure rather than defending its own independence.
Ladakh Protest Curbed by Internet Ban and Police Deployment
A planned silent march by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Oct. 18 was blocked in Leh, Ladakh, by police deployment and a mobile internet shutdown. In a democracy, a demand for statehood and constitutional safeguards must be heard, not silenced.
Is Uttar Pradesh’s Crackdown on ‘I Love Muhammad’ Just and Wise?
Uttar Pradesh has launched a series of criminal and administrative actions after banners reading “I Love Muhammad” appeared during a Milad-un-Nabi procession in Kanpur. Following complaints that the banners had been placed in new locations and that some other posters were allegedly removed, police registered FIRs, made arrests and moved to demolish properties linked to those accused. The government’s response raises serious concerns about proportionality, neutrality and wisdom in governance.
Punjab’s Anti-Sacrilege Bill Could Trigger Repression, Violence: Former Civil Servants
A group of 79 retired civil servants has raised alarm over a draft law in Punjab that seeks to criminalise sacrilege, warning that it could open the door to repression, religious strife, and misuse of power. In a joint letter, they urged the state’s legislature to scrap the proposed Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Act, 2025 entirely.
Supreme Court to Review UAPA Bail Denials in Delhi Riots Case
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine whether several individuals accused in the 2020 Delhi riots “conspiracy” case, including Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, who have been in jail for over three years, should be granted bail. The Court will examine how the right to liberty should be upheld in the face of serious criminal allegations, especially under laws like the UAPA that impose strict limits on bail.
Uttar Pradesh’s Ban on Caste-Based Gatherings Could Silence the Marginalised
The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a directive banning caste-based political rallies, describing it as a step to preserve national unity and public order. However, the measure restricts democratic rights for communities that depend on public assembly to resist caste discrimination. It also represents a significant expansion of state power in ways that appear aligned with political interests.
New Rajasthan Bill Creates Unequal Rules for Religious Conversion
The Rajasthan Assembly passed the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025, on Sept. 9. One of its most troubling features is how it redefines religious conversion, saying that returning to one’s “ancestral religion” is not considered a conversion at all. This definition, also found in similar laws in other states, creates an uneven legal standard that protects some religious identities while exposing others to state scrutiny, criminal charges and harsh punishment.
New Maharashtra Law May Allow State to Declare Any Group ‘Unlawful’
Maharashtra has passed a new law that grants sweeping powers to the state to outlaw organisations and criminalise various forms of dissent. While presented as a response to Left-wing extremism, the law signals a deeper shift in how the state defines threat, power, and democratic opposition.
Uttarakhand Targets ‘Fake Sadhus,’ Risking State Overreach into Religious Identity
The Uttarakhand government has launched Operation Kalanemi, a state-wide police campaign to identify individuals posing as saints and Kanwariyas. The stated aim is to preserve the religious and cultural sanctity of the state. This raises a serious constitutional concern, because it suggests the government is stepping into the role of deciding who counts as a legitimate religious figure, a function it has no authority to perform in a secular democracy.
ED Summons Lawyers for Giving Legal Advice to Accused
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently summoned two senior advocates over legal opinions given to a client under investigation, then withdrew the summons following widespread criticism from legal bodies across India for violating attorney-client privilege and undermining the independence of the legal profession. The move also suggests that once the ED opens an investigation, legal advice given to the accused itself becomes grounds for suspicion.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, 120 Others Detained After Walking 1,000 KM from Ladakh
“I am being detained... along with 150 padyatris (marchers),” tweeted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sept. 30. Wangchuk also posted a video showing hundreds of police officers blocking their path at the Delhi’s border as they proceeded towards the capital. Police claim the detainees, who had peacefully walked 1,000 kilometres from Ladakh to advocate for Ladakh’s autonomy, violated “prohibitory orders” amid a sensitive climate.
India After 78 Years of Independence
India’s fight for independence from British colonial rule is celebrated as a victory that replaced foreign dominion with native governance. However, this traditional narrative overlooks the broader vision for India—a vision centred on establishing a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” In this context, gaining independence from the British was just a step in a longer journey that continues today, as evidenced by historical events like the Emergency and current issues such as authoritarian laws and the suppression of dissent.
Supreme Court Tells Lower Courts Not to Deny Bail As Punishment
In a judgment regarding a bail appeal filed by a man charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Supreme Court of India has pointed out that bail should not be used as a punishment and clearly articulated the constitutional right to a speedy trial. The Court has reasserted a foundational principle of criminal jurisprudence: the presumption of innocence, as enshrined in the Constitution of India.
Could New Criminal Laws Raise the Risk of Wrongful Arrests?
The provision for preventive arrest under Section 172 of the new criminal code, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), raises significant jurisprudential concerns, especially when compared to existing legal standards and principles of justice and fairness as established in landmark cases and constitutional doctrines.
How New Criminal Laws Could Impact Citizens
As India prepares to replace long-standing British-era criminal laws with the newly introduced penal code, criminal procedure code and the law on evidence, which will take effect on July 1, concerns are growing about the potential consequences for ordinary citizens.
Do Prisoners Retain Their Right to Human Dignity?
Political activist Umar Khalid, incarcerated in Delhi’s Tihar Jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) since 2020 due to allegations of involvement in the Delhi riots, offers a harrowing description of the living conditions during North India’s intense heat wave. Khalid’s account sheds light on the widespread suffering of numerous prisoners, particularly undertrials such as himself, who are legally presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Senior Advocate Raises Alarm Over New Criminal Laws
As India gears up to enact three sweeping new criminal laws effective July 1, 2024, civil liberties advocate and Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising has sounded a significant alarm. Urging a delay in the implementation of these laws, Jaising points out not only potential constitutional infringements but also the risk of increasing the already considerable pressures on the judiciary.
Delhi LG Approves Arundhati Roy’s and Prof. Sheikh Showkat Hussain’s Prosecution Under UAPA
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has authorised the prosecution of Indian author and activist Arundhati Roy and Prof. Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with a 14-year-old police complaint. This marks the first major enforcement of the controversial law under the third term of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This comes 10 days after the national election results which were widely regarded as a mandate for good governance and a verdict against the government’s alleged heavy-handedness.
NewsClick Editor Released: Supreme Court Says Arrest by Delhi Police Illegal
On May 15, the Supreme Court of India declared the arrest and subsequent remand of NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha by the Delhi police as illegal, ordering his immediate release unless further conditions are met by the trial court. The Court criticised the handling of the remand process for Purkayastha, who has been in custody since October 3, 2023, under charges stemming from the controversial Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).