Invisible Deaths: The Case for a National Disability Mortality Registry in India
In July 2024, Delhi witnessed the death of 14 residents at Asha Kiran Shelter, a state-run residential institution for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These deaths, linked to anaemia,...
When “Honour” Goes Viral: Social Media, Masculinity and the Hidden Male Victims of Honour-Based Abuse
Refuge’s recent report focuses upon technology-facilitated perpetration of Honour Based Abuse (HBA). However, many of its policy responses still exclusively concern the female victims. The report discusses the use of...
Deprivation of Access to Shadow Libraries: Why the Delhi High Court’s Recent Order Dilutes Human Rights
On 19th August, 2025, the Delhi High Court passed an order in Elsevier v Alexandra Elbakyan (‘Elsevier case’) granting a dynamic injunction to block access to Sci Hub, Sci Net,...
The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025: A Critique from a Human Rights-Based Approach.
The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025, is a landmark legislation designed to enhance the capacity of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) to manage...
AI, Surveillance and Privacy in India: Human Rights in the Age of Technology
In recent years, India has increasingly adopted artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance tools. This includes facial recognition cameras at railway stations and predictive policing software in city police departments. The country’s...
The Right to (Queer) Family in Indian Constitutional Law
Courts in India welcomed Pride Month this year with two landmark judgments relating to the rights of individuals in queer (non-heteronormative) relationships: the Kerala High Court’s Zahhad and Others v....
Defining ‘Woman’ in Law? Contextualising the Indian High Court Judgment That Affirms Trans Women Are Women
“To deny a trans woman the status of a ‘woman’ for the purpose of legal protection … is to perpetuate discrimination and to violate … the Constitution.” On 16 June,...
Manual Scavenging in India: A Constitutional and Human Rights Crisis
Manual scavenging in India is not merely a vestige of colonial or pre-modern sanitation, it remains a continuing human rights atrocity, entrenched in caste hierarchies and social complicity. Globally recognized...
Weaponizing Vagueness: The Chilling Effect of Karnataka’s Fake News Bill on Free Speech and Democratic Pluralism
In March 2025, the Government of Karnataka introduced the draft Misinformation and Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, currently under cabinet review. At first glance, the Bill seems to respond to a...
Teenage Love Caught between Consent and Criminality under POCSO
In a country where the age of consent is fixed at 18 years, what happens to a 17-year-old in a consensual relationship? This has become a pressing legal concern after...
Legislation Meets Compassion: Frontline Workers Fighting Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse (CSA) leaves a profound scar, with physical, psychological, and social impacts. CSA survivors face stigmatization, often leading to emotional withdrawal and behavioural changes. Globally, the UNCRC sets...
Narco-Analysis and Procedural Abuse in Bail Proceedings in India
Recently, in Amlesh Kumar v. State of Bihar (2025), the Supreme Court of India set aside a bail order passed by the Patna High Court. The order accepted the proposal...
