News & Media
Bar and bench reported on Karnataka High Court’s notice to the State government on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking separate hostels and accommodation for transgender students in higher educational institutions in the State of Karnataka.
News & Media
Bar & Bench reported on the Madras Court’s order where the court recommended the State government to provide a specific percentage of separate reservation for the Third Gender (TG) or transgender persons in matters of future public employment.
Blog
Dr. Aqsa Shaikh, a transgender woman and doctor, spoke on the “Sexual and Reproductive Health of Queer Persons”. She began by stating that both medical professionals and the law reduce transgender persons to their body parts and stigmatise them. Medical professionals completely ignore reproduction in discussions around transgender persons’ bodies, believing them to be asexual or hypersexual perverts incapable of having children.
Blog
Kunal Ambasta, Assistant Professor of Law at NLSIU, discussed the gatekeeping role played by law for democratic rights. Law regulates everything from access to ART (antiretroviral medication) to reproductive rights. It decides who is included and who is excluded, regulates what the body can do and which bodies can do it. He used the concept of rape as an example to elaborate the simultaneous invisibility and hypervisibility of transgender persons
Blog
On 11th and 12th December, CLPR organised Transform 2021, the 5th National Conference on Transgender Rights and the Law. It brought together transgender rights activists, academics and lawyers from across the country to discuss pressing issues that affect the transgender community.
Blog
When a transgender person leaves their parent’s house to be with a partner of their choice, they are immediately met with resistance. Families inflict violence, issue threats, and force their children into heterosexual unions. In this context, it is the duty of the State to intervene and ensure that non-heterosexual couples are protected from their families.
Litigation
The Petitioners, an organization working for the upliftment of sexual minorities, sex workers and people…
Litigation
This Petition is filed in public interest on behalf of the transgender community in Assam and in India to protect their right to adequate representation in the National Council for Transgender Persons as provided under Section 16 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 (‘The Act’).
Publications
In this article published by news9live.com, Jayna Kothari and Mihir Rajamane discuss the recent order by the Karnataka Government for providing 1% horizontal reservation for transgender persons.
Blog
The Karnataka State Government has become the first state to provide 1% reservation for…
Publications
Jayna Kothari has contributed a chapter titled “Is the Supreme Court cherry-picking its gender battles? ” in Tanja Herklotz and Siddharth Peter de Souza, ” Mutinies for Equality: Contemporary Developments in Law & Gender in India” published by Cambridge University Press.
News & Media
Bar & Bench reported on the Madras Court’s order where the court sought a response from the Tamil Nadu government on a plea seeking COVID-19 cash relief to Transgender persons who do not possess ration cards.
News & Media
Live Law reported on the Supreme Court’s order where the apex court issued a notice in a plea challenging the Union Ministry of Health blood donor guidelines that prohibit transgender persons and gay men from donating blood.
News & Media
Bar & Bench reported on the Supreme Court’s order where the apex court issued a notice in a plea challenging the Union Ministry of Health blood donor guidelines that prohibit transgender persons and gay men from donating blood.
Blog
On 21st February 2021, the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) set up a ‘Social Justice Café,’ with equal rights on the menu, at Church Street, Bengaluru from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. The Sunday Church Street frolickers were treated to two parts of the event: Activities designed to raise awareness on transgender rights, right to Equality, and prohibition of discrimination based on race, caste, sex, and religion; and discussion with an esteemed panel of Jayna Kothari, Arvind Narayan, and Sanjay Kabir Bavikatte.
Blog
Even though these laws and precedents recognise women’s right to a fair share of the property, in reality, this right is being denied due to various social, cultural, and institutional reasons
News & Media
Bar & Bench reported on the High Court of Karnataka’s order asking the State government to examine whether Transgender persons can be given horizontal reservation in public employment. The court made these comments while hearing the petition, filed by Sangama, which challenged a State government notification on police constable recruitment on the grounds that it excluded a separate category for Transgender persons.
News & Media
Live Law carried out the press release issued by the Center for Law and Policy Research on the Transform Conference 2020.
News & Media
Bar & Bench carried out the press release issued by the Center for Law and Policy Research on the Transform Conference 2020.
Events
Blog
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has been in a hurry to implement the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 (the Act). Despite widespread protests, the Act was passed on 5th December 2019. Several petitions have been filed challenging the constitutional validity of the on the Act. Since then the Ministry has tried to operationalize the Act through the publication of the Rules. After releasing the draft rules in April 2020 and in August 2020; finally, on 25th September 2020, the Ministry notified the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules 2020 (the Rules). The Rules seem to have tried to bridge the vast gap between the Act and the directions of the Supreme Court in NALSA v. Union of India.
News & Media
Live Law reported on the High Court of Karnataka’s order where the Court sought a response from the State government on an application filed for providing horizontal reservation to Transgender Persons in Public Employment. The applicant submitted that reservation should not be provided under the OBC category but should be provided as a horizontal reservation as a separate special category like the reservation provided for women and persons with disabilities, that can be interlocked with other social categories of vertical reservation of SC/ST/OBC category. The Court gave the direction while hearing the petition filed by Jeeva, represented by Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari and assisted by Almas Shaikh, a Research Associate at CLPR.
Publications
In this article published by the Thinking Republic, Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate & Executive Director at Center for Law and Policy Research talks about the intersection of caste and gender highlighting the discrimination faced by Dalit and Adivasi trans persons. She also argues that the urgent for all activists, lawyers, researchers and civil society members to be intersectional in its approach to be able to understand the multidimensional discrimination faced by the persons at the intersections of race, caste, and gender identity.
Publications
In this paper published by NUJS Law Review, Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate & Executive Director argues that the verdicts in NALSA and Navtej had the negligible impact on preventing deprivation of basic rights and legal recognition for the transgender community. She examines how the right to life also includes the right to bodily integrity which precludes the reliance of a medical model to decide gender identity, as is required in Indian law at present, and examines Indian and comparative jurisprudence on this issue.
Blog
The State legally documents the gender of an individual from birth. For trans persons, the ability to have their gender recognized in official documents is an integral part of their right to life and dignity. Recent developments in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka relating to the legal recognition of the trans community’s right to gender recognition have been hailed as progressive; but do they go far enough? On January 26 2014, the Bangladeshi cabinet formulated a policy creating a distinct third-gender category – ‘hijra’- for trans persons. While this indicates that the State views ‘hijra’ as an umbrella term for all trans people, the term is considered to exclude other communities
News & Media
Times of India reported on High Court of Telangana’s direction to the State government where it asked the State government to inform whether it would supply free rice to transgenders and other sections of people who do not have ration cards under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana which promises food grains to even those who do not posses ration cards. The bench gave the order while hearing a PIL filed by Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, represented by Sr. Advocate Jayna Kothari.
News & Media
The New Indian Express reported on High Court of Telangana’s direction to the State government where it asked State government to earmark separate isolation wards for the transgender persons during the ongoing pandemic. The bench was hearing a PIL filed by Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, represented by Sr. Advocate Jayna Kothari.
Litigation
CLPR has filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court of India on behalf of Grace Banu, and others, who are members of the transgender community, and well-known transgender rights activists who have been working for the promotion of the rights and entitlements of transgender, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons in India for the last several years.
News & Media
Bar & Bench reported the petition challenging the Transgender Persons Act, 2019 that violates the fundamental right filed by Advocate Anandita Pujari and represented by Senior Counsel Jayna Kothari.
News & Media
Bar & Bench reported the Karnataka High Court Judgement where CLPR has filed an intervention application on behalf of Ondede and The Center for Study of Social Exclusion at NLSIU to seek relief for the transgender community and SC/ST vulnerable groups during the lock down.
Blog
Transgender rights are at the forefront of gender inclusivity in India since the landmark decision of the Supreme Court in NALSA v. Union of India. These dialogues gained significant momentum when the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 was enacted. Taking into consideration the vehement opposition to the legislation, CLPR held a community meeting “Conversations on Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019” to discuss the legal issues and challenges to the law. The meeting saw participation from the transgender community, lawyers, and human rights activists alike. Strong voices of Anindya Hajra, Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, Grace Banu and Akkai Padmashali guided the conversation through the various issues that are constitutionally and procedurally problematic.
Blog
On 17 February, the Supreme Court guaranteed women in the Armed Forces (AF) the right to permanent commission (PC) in ‘The Secretary, Ministry of Defence v. Babita Puniya’. Upholding a 2010 Delhi High Court judgment, the Court held that the State should provide equal opportunities to both women and men for lifelong service in the Armed Forces. Does the judgment carry any significance beyond the sphere of the Armed Forces?
Blog
The Transgender (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 passed recently by the Parliament, precisely undoes the capacity of the trans subject to be a citizen by revoking their ability to consent. This post highlights some of the key issues in the Act and why the trans community does not support it.
Publications
CLPR’s policy brief on the Devadasi practice in States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra investigates the prevalence of the practice and reviews the implementation of legislations prohibiting the practice. The policy brief pays close attention to the intersectional discrimination faced by Devadasi women due to their caste, class, and gender and suggests a range of recommendations from statutory amendments to regular empirical studies and training programmes to strengthen the working of the legislations.
Blog
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019 was strategically introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 20th November 2019, being the Transgender Day of Remembrance, by the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Mr. Thawarchand Gehlot. The Bill had previously lapsed after the dissolution of the Lok Sabha on account of the general elections and was reintroduced and duly passed by the Lok Sabha on 5th August 2019. This post captures the key debates held in the Rajya Sabha on the Bill.
Events
On 13th and 14th September 2019, CLPR will organise Transform, the 3rd International Conference on Transgender Rights.
Publications
CLPR’s report collates the life experiences of intersectional discrimination in the four South Indian States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu to understand the relationship between different intersecting identities and various sites of discrimination. The report finds that individuals who fall at the intersection of multiple identities face aggravated forms of discrimination in their daily lives. These gaps in the legal landscape are best addressed by a single and comprehensive equality legislation that adopts a broad approach and imposes positive equality duties on the State and private actors.
Publications
Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari shares her perspective on the progress of transgender rights and equality in India. Beginning with the history of legal battles of the LGBTI and the campaign against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, she moves on to review the Supreme Court’s recent “trans-formation”by recognizing transgender identity. She concludes that criminal law and sexual assault in India is, “still gender specific. It only recognizes rape and sexual assault where the victim in defined as a ‘woman’. Thus, transgender persons facing sexual violence have no criminal remedy”.
News & Media
The Deccan Chronicle reports on a recent judgement by the Madras High Court regarding transgender inclusion in the police force. Addressing three writ petitions represented by CLPR, the case dealt with strict upper-age limits for transgender persons applying for the post of grade II police constable.
News & Media
The Deccan Chronicle’s Yamuna R. speaks to transgender activist Grace Banu and senior advocate Jayna Kothari regarding transgender rights in India and reservation policies in public employment.
Blog
The fundamental right of transgender persons to marry individuals of their choice was recently affirmed by the Madras High Court in Arunkumar and Another. v The Inspector General of Registration and Ors. The High Court upheld a Hindu marriage between Arunkumar and Sreeja (a transwoman) which the Registrar of Marriages, Tuticorin had previously refused to register.… The Court looked beyond the facts of the case to address issues of self-determination, personal autonomy and freedom of self-expression, culminating in the recognition of transgender persons’ right to marry.
News & Media
The Deccan Chronicle reports on an ongoing case represented by CLPR, regarding relaxation of age for transgender persons applying for the post of Grade II Police Constable. Quoting Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari who is appearing on behalf of the petitioner Deepika, they note that no reason has been provided for such a strict upper age limit.
News & Media
Al Jazeera’s Chandni Doulatramani provides a detailed profile of Jeeva M., whose case against Karnataka State regarding name change in educational records was represented by CLPR’s senior advocate Jayna Kothari.
News & Media
Reporting for the Bangalore Mirror, Shyam Prasad S covers Justice S. Sujatha’s judgement in the Jeeva M. vs State of Karnataka & Anr. case. Describing it as a “significant trendsetter”, he quotes Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari on similar circumstances in 2013.
Blog
We analyse the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 in Andhra Pradesh. We perform both a quantitative and qualitative analysis. It is the first post in a three-part series on legislation addressing gender injustices in the State.
Blog
We analyse the implementation of the POSH Act in Tamil Nadu. The Act aims to prevent the sexual harassment of women in the workplace. The Social Welfare Department of Tamil Nadu reports that only 1317 of the several lakh workplaces have established mandatory Internal Complaints Committees.
Blog
Is the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA) being successfully implemented in Tamil Nadu? In 2009, the State framed rules regarding the monitoring and reporting of instances of child marriage by detailing the responsibilities of CMPOs and appointing ‘Panchayat Level Core Committees’ to assist CMPOs.
Blog
We analyse the implementation of the POCSO Act in the State of Tamil Nadu. There appear to be various issues with its implementation in Tamil Nadu, such as the frequent use of the two-finger test by doctors examining the victims of sexual offences. The Supreme Court has established that the test violates the right to privacy, nevertheless it is frequently used in Tamil Nadu.
Blog
The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014 [“2014 Bill”] was passed as the first private member Bill in four decades in April 2015. Subsequently, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018 [“2018 Bill”] was passed on 17 December 2018 despite fervent objections from the transgender community regarding its problematic provisions. The 2018 Bill, which is currently before the Rajya Sabha, is a volte face on the rights that were guaranteed in the 2014 Bill.
News & Media
Erwin Fernandes interviews Jayna Kothari for Bloomberg Quint on The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill in December 2018. In reaction, the trans community led nation-wide protests, criticising the Bill for failing to protect their interests.
Publications
Jayna Kothari criticizes the Transgender Persons Bill 2018, stating that it is “a law that defeats its purpose”. She emphasizes that it does not provide transgender and intersex persons with positive rights and ignores the protections provided by the Supreme Court in NALSA, 2014.
Blog
On 21 December 2018, CLPR released its policy brief ‘Making Rights Real: Implementing Reservations for Transgender and Intersex Persons’ at the Bangalore International Centre. The policy brief was released by Hon’ble Mr. Justice L Narayana Swamy of the Karnataka High Court.
News & Media
About 50 per cent of the members of the State Gender Welfare Board should be our community. If we have it, we will help the government get the issues we are experiencing. Society should not look at us badly.
Events
CLPR’s policy brief on reservations for transgender and intersex persons proposes the manner of implementation of reservations for the community. The policy brief suggests the way forward in implementing horizontal reservations.
News & Media
Friedrich Neumann Foundation for Freedom shares its views on CLPR’s work on transgender rights. This includes a transgender rights course taught at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, as well as the Trans Law cell headed by CLPR.
Events
CLPR is holding a consultation with community members about reservation for transgender persons in public employment and education according to the mandates in NALSA, as well as presenting its preliminary findings on an intersectionality research on gender, caste, gender identity and disability
Events
Jayna Kothari participated in the Interdisciplinary Workshop held on 11 – 13 October 2018 at Humboldt University of Berlin. She was one of the panelists in ‘Systems of Inequality’ and presented her paper titled ‘Is the Supreme Court Cherry Picking its Gender Battles?’
Events
Chitra Balakrishnan has been working with Gender and Law issues for about 20 years now, both as trainer, litigator and researcher. She was a part of the founding member group of ALF.
News & Media
This post records initial response of the community to the Section 377 verdict. It carried Jayna Kothari’s views on what the judgment holds for the transgender community.
News & Media
This is a video response of Jayna Kothari on the Section 377 verdict.
While the transgender community is fighting their own separate legal battle in recognition of their rights, the decriminalisation of homosexuality by the Supreme Court today will aid the fight for transgender rights, says Jayna Kothari.
Events
On 14th and 15th April 2018, CLPR is organizing 2nd International Conference on Transgender
Publications
In an article i n Orinam, Jayna Kothari examines the unexpected and far-reaching impact of the Right to Privacy verdict by the Supreme Court in the Aadhaar case, on gender identity, transgender rights and women’s rights.
Pages
COURSE OUTLINE The Centre for Law and Policy Research recently taught an elective course on…
Blog
The Parliament of Pakistan passed The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act on May 8th 2018 marking a historic victory for the trans community in Pakistan. The Act, which protects the rights of gender non-conforming persons and outlaws discrimination both by the State as well as private entities and persons, grants an individual the right to self identity their gender.
Blog
The effects of caste-based discrimination in India have been documented extensively. However, studies on the role caste plays for women, sexual minorities, and persons with disabilities have not found any voice.
Blog
On 14th and 15th April 2018, Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) is organizing Transform – 2nd International Conference on Transgender Rights and the Law. On 4th April 2018, CLPR had called for Student Journalists for the Conference.
In a short span of 2 days the CLPR team received over 30 applications from students across the nation. We carefully assessed the applications and are happy to announce the following students who we have selected to as Student Journalists for the upcoming Conference.
Blog
On 14th and 15th April 2018, CLPR is organizing 2nd International Conference on Transgender Rights and the Law. We are looking for candidates who are deeply interested in transgender rights and law and have excellent journalistic capabilities.
Blog
On October 27, 2017, the Karnataka Government introduced a State Policy for Transgender Persons, a…
Blog
IFIM Law College hosted panel discussions on Uniform Civil Code in India. Satya Prasoon, an associate at CLPR was a panelist at the IFIM law school where he presented a paper titled ‘Of Constitutional Mythos and Nervous Nationalism: The Pathologies of UCC.’ The discussion was spilt into two panels, the first discussing the topic: “Constitutional Perspectives of the Uniform Civil Code” and the second, “The conflict of the UCC and personal laws in India”.
Blog
CLPR has launched a number transgender rights initiatives this year. In this podcast, Aashima Panikar…
News & Media
The Deccan Herald’s issue dated 12.10.2017 offered an in-depth coverage of the efforts undertaken by the Centre for Law & Policy Research towards empowering the Transgender community by setting up a free weekly legal aid cell for their assistance.
Events
Jessica Lynn will speak on Transgender rights and family law, through her personal journey. She is the president of Your True Gender, a non-profit organisation dedicated to informing the public on transgender issues
News & Media
The Times of India covered CLPR’s course on transgender Identity & the Law. The course consisting of seven sessions was designed by Jayna Kothari, Executive Director of CLPR and introduced at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore on 30.08.2017.
Blog
The Centre for Law and Policy Research is offering an elective course this…
Blog
Three years down the line however, the Board seems to be languishing in bureaucratic lethargy. This is not because of the lack of initiative on the part of its members. The Board comprises of well-known and respected members of the trans community. Rather, the disenchantment with the Board stems from the lack of transparency in its creation, non-inclusiveness, internal divisions within the community and lack of a steady funding supply
Blog
On December 14-15, 2016, the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) organised ‘Transform: A…
Publications
In an article published in the Oxford Human Rights Hub, Jayna Kothari and Diksha Sanyal discussed the legal landscape of transgender rights in India, referring in particular to the recent amendment of Section 36A of the Karnataka Police Act.
Events
On the 14th and 15th of December 2016, the Centre for Law and Policy Research,…
Blog
CLPR invites students to submit an essay on the topic “Taking Transgender Rights Seriously: Making Authentic Lives Possible”.
Blog
With utmost respect to the Supreme Court, it is absolutely incorrect to state that domestic violence is gender-neutral. It is not. The world over, a vast majority of domestic violence is experienced by women at the hands of men. It is not a random event of violence but is a consequence and a cause of women’s inequality and is linked to the discrimination and devaluing of women. As per the National Crime Records Bureau, reported cases of domestic violence in India went up from 50,703 in 2003 to 1,18,866 in 2013. These are all cases of domestic violence against men. The U.K. Violent Crime and Sexual Offences study of 2011-2012 reported that 80 per cent of offenders in domestic or sexual violence were male.
Blog
Introduction The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016 was drafted by the Ministry of…
Publications
In this article in the Deccan Herald, Thulasi K. Raj explains the issues of gender justice and religious freedom revolving around the Sabarimala case.
Blog
The National Legal Services Authority v Union of India has the potential to play a…
Blog
On the 8th of November 2013, CLPR hosted Chitra Balakrishnan who presented her research paper titled “Understanding gender and judging through residence orders in Karnataka Trial Courts – A discourse analysis”.
Blog
Her research seeks to answer three main questions: Are judges in the lower courts in India making reasoned feminists judgments? Can the Hunter framework apply to trial court orders? What are the additional criteria one needs to look at to call a judgment feminist?
Blog
A brief of the most important international rules in the matter of male/female equality.
Publications
In this article, published by the Oxford Human Rights Hub, Mansi Singh, and Mihir Rajamane explore the need to accommodate welfare in judicial analysis of LGBTQ+ rights, by acknowledging close intersections between queer identities and identities of caste, disability and class.
Litigation
The Petitioner has filed the public interest litigation (PIL)- W.P No. 19706 of 2021 to address the lack of inclusive and safe accommodation for transgender students in higher educational institutions.
Blog
In India, the idea of marriage is associated with several patriarchal rituals/norms which act as an institution to strengthen existing norms. Upholding a traditional family structure and therefore, the perpetuation of heterosexual normativity is still prevalent. The existence of ‘honor killing’ shows that any deviance is met with dire consequences.
Blog
Centre for Law and Policy Research engaged with Bangaloreans at the BIC Hub’ba 2022 on 26-27th February from 12 pm to 6 pm. BIC Hub’ba was an event hosted by the Bangalore International Centre to bring together and showcase the work of local NGOs.
Blog
We are looking to recruit a Litigation Associate for the TransLaw Cell at CLPR. The Cell provides legal aid and litigation services for transgender persons and sexual minorities. As a Litigator, you will also work on impact litigation relating to transgender rights and cases of intersectional discrimination. This is a part time opportunity based out of Bangalore.
Blog
Nangeli, a woman from a lower caste in the princely state of Travancore cut off her own breasts when she was asked to pay something called a ‘breast tax’. She was one of the many rebellious women of Travancore who fought for the right to cover their breasts.
Blog
Kishu Bhati, a young trans-man and law student spoke on “Transgender Experiences with State Agencies.” He recounted his difficulties before finally leaving home with his girlfriend. His parents did not accept his gender identity, and both of their parents tried to separate them. Kishu and his girlfriend then took the decision to run away from their homes.
Blog
This is a brief summary of the panel on Equality in Education at Transform…
Blog
Centre for Law and Policy Research (‘CLPR’) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the Constitution work…
Blog
Centre for Law and Policy Research (‘CLPR’) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the Constitution work…
Blog
Source: Pratik Chorge/HT Photo; Image only for representational purpose Owing to incidents of non-acceptance,…
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (October 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Litigation
This is a public interest litigation filed by the Petitioners before the High Court of…
Litigation
Santa Khurai, a well-known transgender activist from the State of Manipur has filed this Public…
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (September 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Blog
On 31st July 2021, CLPR conducted a workshop for civil society organisations in Telangana…
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (August 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Blog
The monsoon session of parliament is likely to witness the tabling of the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021 which proposes a common statute that would bring into its ambit all forms of human trafficking including sexual exploitation, indentured labour, slavery, sexual servitude and organ trade. Despite the new Bill expanding the scope and territorial jurisdiction of offences, provisions of the new Bill remain worrisome especially to sex workers in India.
Blog
It has been a year since the first Lockdown in March 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Yet things seem far from over, not just with this virus but that we still continue to suffer the effects of those months we were isolated and distanced – not just in our well being but in our capacities to gather, to protest, to create the world we need to live in.
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (July 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Blog
In a workshop in May, Kamla Bhasin, poet, and social activist offered her take on feminist activism, which she defined in rather narrow, perhaps stifling ways. Feminism, according to her, was not about race, or caste, or trans issues, or the ecology, “and so on”; it is only and exclusively about the struggle against patriarchy, misogyny, and the control of men and/over women.
Blog
Unlike many other Indians, LGBTIQ+ Indians don’t yet have equal rights. They, in reality, are still sub-legal citizens. This reflects abundantly in our laws spanning across anti-discrimination, education, sexual crimes and harassment, civil and criminal law, healthcare, housing, the labour code, and much more. Our laws exclude LGBTIQ+ communities and that leaves a huge legislative vacuum. Despite NALSA and Navtej judgments and the contentious Transgender Rights Act, many states remain non-starters.
Litigation
This is a Public Interest Litigation filed by a transgender activist, Grace Banu before the…
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (June 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Blog
India has enacted several legislations due to its international commitments. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 was enacted to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities. The Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 refers to human rights as outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Publications
In this article published by The Hindu, Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate & Executive Director at Center for Law and Policy Research argues that how the recent Supreme Court judgment in Patan Jamal v. State of Andhra Pradesh missed an opportunity to use the concept of intersectionality to uphold the conviction under the Prevention of Atrocities Act (PoA) 1989. Despite highlighting the need for an intersectional approach that takes into account the multiple marginalities faced by the victim, the apex court failed to set a larger precedent recognising caste-based violence against women.
Blog
On April 27, 2021, a two-judge bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, rendered a judgement in a criminal appeal against the judgment of Andhra Pradesh HC. The case was about the rape of a visually challenged girl belonging to the Scheduled Caste. The High Court had confirmed the conviction of the appellant under Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Atrocities Act, 1989 “the Act” as well as Section 376(1) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
Blog
With the current bull-run in financial markets, the low-interest rate for two-wheeler/housing loans, rally in stock prices, plenty of funds to entrepreneurship thru PLI scheme, RBI, and banks’ support via “no interest on loans” are well known and occupy the mind-space of everyone in these post-pandemic times of economic recovery.
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (April 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Blog
The Prevention of Atrocities (Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes) Act 1989 (“Act”) is aimed at countering the multifarious ways in which caste discrimination is played out. The Act is a criminal law that punishes caste-based atrocities against the members of SC/ST by non-SC/ST persons. Despite a stringent law, the conviction rates under the Act are tremendously low and there is a great delay in the investigation of the cases.
Blog
The Supreme Court has consistently held that the State has an obligation towards acid attack survivors and given elaborate judgements for compensation to be provided. However, the principles of equality and dignity are rarely realised for them in practice. This post focuses on their right to seek monetary compensation and also recognized as persons with disabilities.
Litigation
Santa Khurai, a well-known and prominent transgender rights activist from Manipur filed this Public Interest…
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (March 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Blog
On 11th January, while hearing a case related to the controversial farm laws, the Chief Justice of India said ‘At some time, we might say in the order that old people and women need not be there in the protests… tell them that the Chief Justice of India wants them (old people and women) to go back.’ The farm laws had triggered a wave of protests across the country, especially in Punjab and Haryana. A large number of women are participants in this protest. As per the Agriculture Census, 73.2% of rural women workers are farmers, and they would be directly impacted by the farm laws.
Blog
We are excited to announce the joining of two Equality Fellows: Shahenaz Begum and Priyanka S Bhat.
Publications
CLPR’s draft Equality Bill 2021 takes a new step in addressing discrimination experienced by people on the basis of caste, gender, religion, transgender and intersex identity, disability and other grounds. It aims to promote equality, prohibit different types of discriminatory conduct, provide adequate civil remedies and set up fora for redressal that are accessible and effective in addressing discrimination.
Blog
The CLPR Broadcast (January 2021): Covering all important developments from CLPR and ConstitutionofIndia.net.
Blog
TransForm is CLPR’s flagship annual conference to discuss debates on emerging issues on transgender rights and this year it was held on 5th and 6th December 2020.
Blog
The Centre for Law and Policy Research is happy to announce the winners of…
Blog
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (“PoA Act”) passed…
Blog
Centre for Law & Policy Research invites you to the TRANSFORM 2020 Art Exhibition …
Blog
Centre for Law & Policy Research announces the TRANSFORM 2020 Essay Competition …
Blog
At CLPR we focus on addressing discrimination at the intersections of caste, gender, sexuality,…
Blog
In May 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted the Committee for Reform of Criminal Laws. The purpose of this first-of-its-kind Committee is to reform substantive and procedural criminal laws because the current laws “…reflect State paternalism and…Victorian morality of the colonial states…[and] the socio-political beliefs and legal discourse of that era”.
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Centre for Law and Policy Research (‘CLPR’) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the Constitution work…
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Centre for Law and Policy Research (‘CLPR’) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the Constitution work…
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Centre for Law and Policy Research (‘CLPR’) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the Constitution work…
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The Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to…
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Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe persons (SC/STs), who comprise 28% of India’s population, have faced discrimination in Indian society, socially and economically, for hundreds of years. Due to their weak social and economic background, they often lack the resources to navigate India’s legal system and fight for their constitutional rights.
Publications
In this opinion piece published by Huff Post, Vikramaditya Sahai argues that how trans politics and their demands challenge the logic of representative democracy that holds the formation of the National Council for Transgender Persons as signs of development and progress itself.
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E D I T O R I A L We are still in…
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The Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to…
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There are two competing, often overlapping, movements regarding persons with disabilities – disability rights and disability justice. The former focuses on securing equal opportunities and equal rights for all people with disabilities, while the latter is a framework that examines disability and ableism as it relates to other forms of oppression and identity. “Disability justice” is a term coined by the black, brown, queer, and trans members of the original Disability Justice Collective, founded in 2005 by Patty Berne, Mia Mingus, Stacey Milbern, Leroy Moore, Eli Clare, and Sebastian Margaret.
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Online harassment has become remarkably routine, particularly for communities based on gender, caste, sexual orientation…
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The right to equality and non-discrimination involves not only formal equality in law but obligations on the State to provide substantive non-discrimination for those persons and groups who suffer differential impacts. In the context of healthcare, this means recognizing stigma, discrimination, and exclusion as a result of disability, health status, gender and gender identity, and other social, economic, and cultural categories. Positive obligations, in that case, should extend beyond the prohibition of discrimination, to inclusive policies, reasonable accommodation, and affirmative action’s accounting for special needs and acknowledging existing barriers in the access to healthcare. As the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted, healthcare as an occupation is also in need of protection with multiple reports of attacks on healthcare workers stigmatized as carriers of the virus.
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The Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated…
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In the last post, we examined the Government of India’s Draft Report on Non-Personal Data, and its justifications for regulating NPD for ‘economic benefit’. This post examines the concept of ‘group privacy’, which has been presented as a justification for the regulation of NPD.
Publications
This Report is an attempt at presenting the needs and rights of the trans community as enshrined in our constitution to enable a just and dignified life during the Covid pandemic. It documents the specific vulnerabilities of the trans community in India and also suggests ways to address them.
Publications
This Policy Brief proposes the need for legal recognition of intersex persons and intersex…
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The political and legal development of LGBTQ+ rights in Nepal has been the result…
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The Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to…
Litigation
A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Kerala High Court by Aneera Kabeer, a transgender person involved in mobilising persons in the transgender community for the purpose of achieving equal opportunities for the community. The Petition seeks various reliefs relating to transgender people during period of COVID-19 threat. The writ petition sought for measures by the state government for “the distribution of food ration, medicines, access to medical treatment, etc. to the transgender community in Kerala.”
Publications
Bangalore International Centre recorded a podcast with Senior Advocate and Executive Director, CLPR Jayna Kothari where she spoke to Tejus AP about trans rights, important legal judgments in India, the US, and elsewhere in recent years, and the path towards gender equity and inclusion.
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Putting this newsletter together became a practice of accounting how we gather together, of holding to our greatest capacity as we shrink in the onslaught of terrible abandonment and destruction. We hope that whenever you find the time to peruse through this, it will remind you that we are in this together.
Posts
The fact is there is always a lot going on. And…
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The CLPR Broadcast (June 2020): Covering all important developments from CLPR, CAD India and SCObserver.
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We are excited to announce the joining of a new Equality Fellow: Thulasi K Raj
She will engage in litigation and advocacy in the State of Kerala to work with communities facing discrimination based on caste, gender, sexuality, gender identity, and minority status.
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The CLPR Broadcast (May 2020): Covering all important developments from CLPR, CAD India and SCObserver.
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Amid the coronavirus pandemic and countrywide lockdown, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had asked for comments from all stakeholders on the Draft Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules 2020 on April 18, 2020. Initially, the deadline to submit the comments was April 30, 2020. It meant that only 12 days were given to file the comments – which violated the Pre-Legislative Consultative Policy (PLCP hereafter) 2014. A range of civil society activists working in the fields of transgender persons’ rights cried foul and this appeared to have an effect. On April 30, 2020, the government extended the deadline till May 18th, 2020 which exactly met the PLCP guidelines.
Litigation
Over the last two weeks, CLPR filed public interest litigation in the Telangana High Court…
Publications
As part of our work on transgender rights and also to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the NALSA judgment, we created this foldable poster with important insights from the judgement.
Publications
Article 14 website published an opinion piece on Karnataka High Court Judgement recognising the need…
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A cursory look at the development of trans rights indicates that the world has made significant progress in addressing the recognition of gender identity rights. These regional and domestic developments do not, however, recompense the reality that transgender persons still suffer some of the most pervasive forms of violence and discrimination. In the absence of concrete universal standards, States are free to formulate laws that grant limited or arbitrary rights to transgender persons.
Litigation
The Karnataka High Court has taken up a public interest litigation on relief measures during the COVID lockdown, ranging from access to food and essential items, access to medicines, animal welfare and parole for prisoners. In these ongoing PILs, CLPR has filed an Intervention Application on behalf of Ondede, an organisation working for the rights of transgender persons, and the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, which works closely with SC/ST communities especially manual scavenging groups, tribal and forest-dwelling communities, slum dweller and other vulnerable groups.
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The CLPR Broadcast (April 2020): Covering all important developments from CLPR, CAD India and SCObserver.
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The NALSA Judgment (2014) and the Navtej Johar Judgment (2018) both produced a subject of gender and sexuality in a present-in-history. Both judgments presumably did not announce the recognition of new identities but traced histories of identities built on sexual and gendered differences from ancient India onwards.
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India has witnessed a rise in intolerance over the past few months. From intolerance towards dissent, housing decisions taken based on political leanings to violence towards minorities (religious or socio-economic), show a growing unease and divide in the citizens of India. These acts of violence, discrimination or unequal treatment can be divided into two categories.
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As of 2020, constitutional democracy in India has taken a less recounted journey, one towards a more imperial Centre and less autonomous states. Democratically elected state governments have been dismissed, States have been demoted to Union Territories, independent constitutional bodies have been subjugated and now the most existential test of all that faces the peoples of India is one of citizenship!
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On 28th February 2020, CLPR organized a workshop for civil society organisations on ‘Tackling Caste Discrimination through Law’ in Ernakulam in association with the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN). The day was divided into two sessions, – (i) An introduction to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (PoA Act) and the Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 (PCRA) and (ii) group activity.
Events
Deekshita Ganesan, Senior Research Associate at CLPR is speaking on ‘socio-economic rights’ for transgender persons at the Conference on Human Rights of LGBTQI: Challenges and Way Forward. She is one panelist which is talking on the topic of “Socio-Economic and Cultural Rights”.
Events
The National Constitution Society Christ (Deemed to be University) Chapter will organise a film screening and discussion on Ruth Bader Ginsburg for their college students from diverse disciplines. The event will focus on Justice Ginsburg’s contribution in shaping gender equality jurisprudence in the United States.
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The course uses academic writing, legal texts, commentaries, personal narratives, fiction and cultural texts to understand how intersectionality affects our study of the law, advocacy, and activism; how the law, legal studies and legal practice is transformed by intersectionality; and how intersectionality challenges, resists, and reimagines legal normativity.
Litigation
The Centre for Law and Policy Research recently filed an intervening application on behalf of Swati Bidhan Baruah, lawyer and transgender activist, in a case titled Bhavika Pore v. Union of India. The Petitioner through this Petition is invoking the writ jurisdiction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India to direct the concerned authorities to fulfil their statutory obligations with regard to setting up/specifying special Human Right Courts in each district for the better protection of Human Rights and also to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor for the same, vis-à-vis section 30 and 31 of the Human Rights Act, 1993.
Litigation
The Petition was filed challenging the Notification No. E(2) 7271/2018-19/PSC dated 11.02.2019 (hereinafter the Impugned Notification) calling for applications from eligible candidates to fill up posts of First Division Assistant (FDA) and posts of Second Division Assistant (SDA) of the Bangalore City Civil Court and the different District and Sessions Courts across the State, issued by the Respondent No. 1, seeking that separate reservations be provided for transgender persons.
News & Media
Deccan Chronicle reported Transform, the 3rd International Conference on Transgender Rights and the Law.
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ConQuest: India’s premiere national quiz on the Indian Constitution, History and Politics is CLPR’s annual flagship event. It is aims to have students engage with India’s rich constitutional and political history in a fun yet rigorous way. This post provides a brief overview of all ConQuest editions since 2016.
Litigation
The Hon’ble Madras High Court held, with respect to a petition for change of name and gender of a transgender person in educational documents, that on receipt of the application along with the fee of Rs.500, the Respondent No. 1 University should carry out the necessary change within a period of three weeks.
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As part of its work on equality and non-discrimination, CLPR conducted a study on experiences of intersectional discrimination in South India between May – November, 2018. The objective of the study was to understand the relationship between different intersecting identities and various sites of discrimination such as educational institutions, workplaces, police stations, and public transport.
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– Aadhirai S, Deekshitha Ganesan and Jayna Kothari India has a robust Constitution and…
Litigation
CLPR represented three transgender persons in appealing to the Madras High Court for the relaxation of the age bar for the post of grade II police constable.
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The Centre for Law and Policy Research, Bangalore (CLPR) is a not-for-profit organisation, dedicated to…
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The Draft National Education Policy, 2019 (DNEP) released by the government on May 31, 2019 has been described as a much needed attempt to overhaul the prevailing education system in India. Despite the initial uproar about the alleged imposition of Hindi in the curriculum, the policy appears to have found a good balance between retaining the old and ushering in new changes. In this post, we only respond to two crucial issues.
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Five years after the NALSA judgement, how have courts and government bodies fared in complying with the right to self-identify? This piece presents an analysis of cases in the High Courts which have dealt with self-identification of gender in employment, inclusion in the police force, and identification changes in educational certificates.
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On 15th May, we organised a consultation on our Equality Bill 2019 (“Bill”) in Hyderabad. The CLPR team presented the provisions of the Bill and sought suggestions, inputs and feedback from the participants, which included various academics and members of civil society organisations working with marginalised groups. This blog post presents the key points of the consultation.
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On April 14th and 15th, we hosted the ‘Sexual and Reproductive Rights: Social Movements and Legal Battles’ conference, in collaboration with the University of Bergen, Norway and the University of Sussex at the Bangalore International Centre (see the full agenda here). The conference aimed to bring together prominent activists, academics and lawyers to discuss important issues and approaches that have developed in sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) advocacy in India. One of the key objectives of the conference was to shed light on issues and marginalised communities that are at the margins of SRR discourse and action.This blog post presents the key points raised on day 2 of the conference.
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On April 14th and 15th, we hosted the ‘Sexual and Reproductive Rights: Social Movements and Legal Battles’ conference, in collaboration with the University of Bergen, Norway and the University of Sussex at the Bangalore International Centre (see the full agenda here). The conference aimed to bring together prominent activists, academics and lawyers to discuss important issues and approaches that have developed in sexual and reproductive rights (SRR) advocacy in India. One of the key objectives of the conference was to shed light on issues and marginalised communities that are at the margins of SRR discourse and action.This blog post presents the key points raised on day 1 of the conference.
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In the run up to the 17th Lok Sabha Elections 2019, India’s major political parties have released their manifestos to woo the Indian electorates. In this blog post, Avinash Shahi critically explores the pledges committed by national political parties for the upliftment of marginalized groups, which routinely confronts deprivations and indignities.
Litigation
CLPR represented a transgender person seeking change of name and gender in school certificates and pre-university records before the Karnataka High Court.
Litigation
This Public Interest Litigation filed by Grace Banu, a transgender rights activist, seeks the implementation of horizontal reservations for transgender and intersex persons in admission into educational institutions and public appointment in the State of Tamil Nadu.
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On 9th March, 2019, Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) organised a one-day consultation with Centre for Reproductive Rights (CRR), to discuss the implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA) and the 2016 Karnataka Amendment to the PCMA.
Litigation
In 2018, CLPR filed a Public Interest Litigation before the High Court of Telangana on behalf of transgender rights activists seeking implementation of the Supreme Court’s directions in NALSA v. Union of India.
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From 18th February to 2nd March, we are conducting a two-week ‘Induction Programme’ for…
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The South Asian Translaw Database is a database to collate and present case laws, legislation, policies, and reports pertaining to transgender rights in the South Asian region. The beta version of our database is ready and we are very keen to receive comments and feedback!
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On 8th February 2019, the Indian Institute of Human Settlements held a panel on major 2018 Supreme Court judgments, titled “Dignity and Law: Judgments as Public Texts”. CLPR Managing Trustee, Professor Sudhir Krishnaswamy, moderated the panel. The panel comprised advocates Aarti Mundkur and Arvind Narrain, and feminist activist Madhu Bhushan.
News & Media
In celebrating Kala Ghoda turning 20 this year, Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari describes some of the highlights of this year’s festival, including the panel on the Supreme Court’s Section 377 judgment. The Section 377 panel will feature Honourable Justice DY Chandrachud in conversation with Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari.
Events
At the Kala Ghoda Festival 2019, Honourable Justice Dr. D Y Chandrachud will be in conversation with Senior Advocate and CLPR Executive Director Jayna Kothari. They will discuss the recent Section 377 judgment, where the Supreme Court decriminalised sexual relations between same-sex and between transgender consenting adults.
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On the occasion of the 70th Republic Day celebrations, elementary school students at Mallya Aditi International School gathered together for a session on the Indian Constitution by Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate in the Karnataka High Court, and Priya Rao, a lawyer turned academician.
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CLPR has selected the following five Equality Fellows: Krithika Balu, Itla Ragiri Jayalakshmi, Anima Muyarath, C Prabhu.
Equality Fellows will will dedicate the next 2 years to the better implementation of equality and non-discrimination law in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
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On 12th and 13th January 2019 we will conduct interviews to select up to 6 Equality Fellows who will dedicate the next 2 years to the better implementation of equality and non-discrimination law in India. 13 talented candidates will appear before a 4 member panel of prominent activists and human rights advocates: Mihir Desai, Martin Macwan, Anindya Hajra and Jayna Kothari.
News & Media
Nikita Puri describes how the trans community is furious with the new Transgender Persons Bill 2018. She interviews CLPR Executive Director and Senior Counsel, Jayna Kothari for a closer analysis of how the Bill fails the community.
Publications
CLPR’s policy brief develops a comprehensive and functional strategy for the implementation of reservations for transgender and intersex persons in educational institutions and public employment. In order to implement reservations, we must address three principal issues: identification of beneficiaries of reservations, legal basis for reservations and the appropriate form of reservations.
News & Media
In order to take the first step to address the problem of implementing reservation for transgender and intersex persons in education and public employment, the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR released a policy brief. The event, organised by CLPR, held a panel discussion by Senior Advocate and Executive Director of CLPR Jayna Kothari; Director of the Trans Rights Now Collective Grace Banu; and Assistant Professor of Law at National Law University, Delhi, Dr Anup Surendranath.
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On 23rd November 2018, the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) organised the National Constitution Society (NCS) Convention 2018. The one-day Convention took place at the Indian Institute of Human Settlements, Bangalore.
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Centre for Law and Policy Research organised a consultation to discuss policy brief on reservation for transgender persons in employment and education, as directed by NALSA. It also discussed preliminary findings of a research on caste discrimination CLPR worked on.
Publications
CLPR has conducted qualitative and quantitative research on discrimination faced by persons at the intersection of caste with gender, gender identity and disability. We presented the preliminary findings of the study on 21 November 2018 at a consultation organised with community members and other stakeholders. CLPR intends to prepare and publish a detailed report on the methodology and results of the study shortly.
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The Centre for Law and Policy Research has selected 32 students to be Student Delegates at the NCS Convention 2018. Thank you to all those who applied.
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Agenda for the National Constitution Society Convention 2018. The National Constitution Society is a network of Constitution societies in colleges/universities across India, initiated by the Centre for Law and Policy Research.
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We invite applications for The CLPR Equality Fellowship. The CLPR Equality Fellowship is a paid, two-year opportunity which will be awarded to 6 young lawyers keen to pursue the practice of public interest law on a full-time basis. Application Deadline: December 30, 2018, 5PM IST
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The recent gruesome report of the beheading of a minor SC girl in Tamil Nadu for rejecting the advances of an upper caste male once again throws the issue of caste discrimination into sharp focus. Women from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and violence due to the intersection caste and gender. Despite this, we note that crimes against SC and ST women are viewed as either caste based crimes or sex based crimes. Further, while data on caste based crimes is readily available in the NCRB reports, which we have analysed in our previous posts I, II and III, disaggregated data on crimes against women is not presented.
News & Media
The beheading of a 13 year old girl in Tamil Nadu is another example of caste based violence perpetuated against women. In this article CNN quotes Jayna Kothari who argues for looking at these crimes in an intersectional way: as caste and gender based violence.
News & Media
This article looks at the judgments of the Supreme Court in Section 377, adultery, and Sabarimala cases. It quotes Jayna Kothari on Akkai Padmashali, transgender rights activist, who was one of the Petitioners in Section 377 case. Jayna says ““Akkai insisted on telling her story”.
Litigation
CLPR represented the intervenor Vimochana in the Supreme Court and challenged the constitutionality of the offence of adultery under Section 497 of the IPC. We argued against adultery as an offence by invoking the fundamental right to privacy and argued that the right to intimate association is a facet of privacy which is protected under the Constitution. The Supreme Court unanimously struck down Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code as being violative of Articles 14. 15 & 21 of the Constitution.
Blog
The Convention will be an opportunity to critically engage with the Indian constitution and develop a plan to preserve, protect and promote constitutional values in the 21st century. The Convention will facilitate collaboration and engagement between student members of the NCS along with eminent lawyers, civil society leaders and retired Judges who will be patrons and will be the first step towards the establishing the NCS as an independent Society.
Posts
Jayna Kothari, Executive Director at CLPR and Advocate, Supreme Court of India, writes in The…
Litigation
On behalf of three transgender activists, CLPR, represented by Jayna Kothari and Disha Chaudhari, filed a Public Interest Litigation challenging the constitutional validity of the Telangana Eunuchs Act, 1919 in the Andhra Pradesh High Court at Hyderabad.
Publications
Jayna Kothari, Executive Director at CLPR and Advocate, Supreme Court of India, writes in The Hindu. In this article, she examines Navtej Johar judgment’s special relevance for transgender rights: the contributions of the trans community to this outcome and how the judgment takes transgender rights forward.
Publications
Jayna Kothari, Executive Director of CLPR and Advocate, Supreme Court, had represented transgender rights activists, Dr. Akkai Padmashali, Sanaa and Umi Umesh, in the Supreme Court on Section 377 challenge case. Deccan Herald carried Jayna’s piece today where she analyses the key themes the Court relied on to read down Section 377
Blog
Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the…
Litigation
CLPR represented Dr. Akkai Padmashali, Uma Umesh, and Suma M in the Supreme Court to challenge Section 377 of the IPC. The Supreme Court held Section 377 as unconstitutional to the extent that it criminalised consensual sexual activity of any kind between adults. It was further held that the provision was manifestly arbitrary and violative of an individuals right to autonomy.
News & Media
“TRANSformation of courts” throws light on the drastic conditions of the transgender community. Jayna feels that it is important that stories of the daily lives and experiences of trans people must be told in the court.In a world full of muffled silences, she made sure their voices were heard. By fighting these cases, she hopes that the courts, the State, public authorities, and society see trans persons not as criminals, but as citizens, with equal constitutional rights. Watch this video to understand the burning need to make our society inclusive of all the marginalised communities.
Blog
The media rarely portrays a transgender woman accurately. In fact, they are consistently shown in a negative light. However, “Njan Marykutty” released in June 2018 is a Malayalam movie which delivered a pleasant surprise during Pride month.
News & Media
Ms. Jayna Kothari, Executive Director of CLPR, represented Dr. Akkai Padmashali, a trans-rights activist, in Section 377 challenge. Ms. Kothari argued for scrapping Section 377 and cited several state laws which target transgender community and classify them as ‘criminals’. Her arguments were covered by The Hindu.
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CLPR hosted Dr. Usha Ramanathan for a talk on “Identity, Privacy, Data and our lives” on 27th June. She spoke about the genesis of the Aadhaar scheme and the casual brazenness with which Aadhaar was made mandatory without statutory backing and despite numerous court orders.
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On 21 May 2018, The Wire reported the death of a Dalit man in Gujarat who was allegedly beaten to death when he protested the fact that his wife was asked to clean filth, free of charge. This reporting comes only two months after the decision of Subhash Kashinath Mahajan, where the Supreme Court diluted some of the protections under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (‘Act’). The incident is a striking example of the pervasiveness of caste bias and the prevalence of atrocities in India.
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CLPR: The Centre for Law and Policy Research has recently taken up a new project…
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Marking the fourth anniversary of the NALSA judgment recognizing the right to self-identify one’s gender,…
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As a debater, I’ve been exposed to stories of transgender people, and have spoken on…
Blog
Here is a summary of last week, 8th-14th April 2018, at the Centre for Law & Policy Research, including work done by the Supreme Court Observer and CADIndia
Blog
Expanding on TransForm 2016, we hosted TransForm 2018 on 14th and 15th of April 2018, at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bangalore. It marked the fourth anniversary of the National Legal Services Authority v Union of India judgment, as well as the 127th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. At a time when transgender rights had been gaining attention globally, this conference involved international speakers such as Prof. Stephen Whittle (United Kingdom), Prof. Carlos Zelada (Peru), Busisiwe Deyi (South Africa), and Audrey Mbugua (Kenya). Together, they broadened our understanding on the trans-law movements in other parts of the world.
Publications
In this article published in The Hindu on the 4th anniversary of NALSA judgment , Jayna Kothari argues that it is time to push for reforms to give transgender persons their rights.
Blog
CLPR: Students from St.Joseph’s College of Law attended a workshop on Religion and Personal Lawsthat delved…
Posts
CLPR: Students from St.Joseph’s College of Law attended a workshop on Religion and Personal Lawsthat delved…
Blog
Two days before the International Women’s Day, UNICEF reported on 6th March 2018 that there had been a downward trend in child marriages globally and in the past decade the number of underage marriages in India had nearly halved.
Litigation
The Petitioner, a transgender person, has challenged the inaction of the Respondent authorities in issuing to her new, rectified education certificates bearing her changed name and gender identity.
Events
Prof Maya Unnithan is a Professor Of Social And Medical Anthropology (Anthropology, Sussex Centre for Migration Research, International Development). Maya is a Member of Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth and Director of the Centre for Cultures of Reproduction, Technologies and Health. Her research expertise and interests include: caste and kinship, childbirth and infertility, gender and development, health and migration, human rights and reproductive health, maternal health inequalities, reproductive technologies, social anthropology.
Blog
The CLPR team celebrated Republic Day on 26th January 2018 with the students and staff of Mallya Aditi International School, Bengaluru. We created an immersive experience for students from the 1st to the 12th grade, educating them on the Indian Constitutition and the significance of Republic Day through quizzes, debates and puzzles.
Litigation
The Petitioner in the instant case has challenged Section 15 of the Registration of Births…
Blog
Weekly roundup of the last week at CLPR. The Supreme Court verdict in the Child Marriage and Marital Rape case, Karnataka State Policy for Transgender Persons, Children’s Day and hearings in the Special Status for Delhi case were discussed this past week.
Blog
In the last week, CLPR continued it’s efforts to introduce students to the Indian Constitution and traveled to Meghalaya and Assam to conduct workshops.
Blog
Last week at CLPR – a round-up of the analyses, research and reporting in the week 29th Oct-4th Nov.
Blog
The last week at CLPR was a busy one with Courts resuming work post the Diwali Break and a variety of events being scheduled in the past week.
Blog
The term intersex refers to a variety of anatomical conditions where a person is born…
Blog
The festive season made the last week at CLPR a short week. The Supreme Court was also closed for the whole week.
Blog
The Centre for Law and Policy Research encourages and facilitates civic engagement with India’s Constitution through the CADIndia project and Supreme Court Observer. CADIndia promotes an understanding of the Indian Constitution by enabling easy and intelligent access to the Constituent Assembly Debates and the Indian Constitution at the centre of discussions on contemporary political and economic issues. The SCObserver website endeavors to make the workings of the Supreme Court accessible and understandable to the citizenry by translating the hearings and judgments of a few constitutionally relevant cases into everyday language.
Publications
Jayna Kothari wrote in the Oxford Human Rights Hub about the recent unanimous decision by the Supreme Court to declare the Right to Privacy as a Constitutional Right. She details how the Right to Dignity formed the core of the reasoning that led to the definition of the Right to Privacy. The acknowledgment by the Court of the importance of the principles of autonomy, the individual’s right to choose, the right to move freely, right to self-identify one’s gender, right to bodily integrity and reproductive makes this one of the most progressive verdicts passed by the Supreme Court of India.
Blog
The transgender community remains one of the most marginalized communities, discriminated against on a daily…
Blog
As a part of CLPR Occassional Talks, CLPR hosted TransRights Activist Jessica Lynn on 27th September…
Blog
hile the NALSA judgment recognises the ancillary rights to vote, marriage, adoption, hold property etc., transphobia and the limited perceptions of society prevents equal access to education and employment. Prejudiced societal norms that manifest in biased behaviours have forced the transgender community to take up begging and enter the sex trade to make a livelihood. While the judgment is progressive and promising, there is much work pending at the ground level.
Publications
A government hospital in West Bengal almost refused admission to a trans woman injured in an accident because there were no protocols in place to handle admission of such patients.
Blog
The Centre for Law and Policy Research is pleased to announce the winners of…
Publications
In this Article published in the Kannada Daily, Prajaavaani, Jayna Kothari critiques the decision of the Supreme Court holding Section 2(q) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, to be unconstitutional. The impugned section defines “respondents” under the Act to only include “adult males”, thus allowing aggrieved persons under the Act to file a case only against adult male relatives.
Jayna Kothari argues that provisions of the Domestic Violence Act are not meant to be construed as gender neutral. She elaborates how it is necessary and intentional that legal provisions on violence against women should apply only to males as perpetrators of such violence.
Litigation
This petition was filed by the Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum challenging the constitutional validity of…
Blog
This post is authored by Aishwarya Suresh Nair, IIIrd Year Student of the National Law Institute University, Bhopal. She is currently interning with CLPR.
Blog
The gruesome gang rape in Delhi in December 2012 re-ignited popular demands for fast-track courts to be established to conduct speedy trials in cases of sexual violence against women and on August 13, 2013, the Government of Karnataka passed an order (G.O. No.74 LCE 2013, dated 13.08. 2013) directing 10 fast track courts to be set up in Karnataka solely to try cases of rape and sexual assault against women. CLPR conducted a detailed study of the setup and working of these fast track courts.
Publications
The Centre for Law and Policy Research presents its working paper on “Recasting the Judicial Appointments Debate: The Constitutional (120th Amendment) Bill, 2013 and Judicial Appointments Commissioner Bill, 2013”
Litigation
The right to seek a divorce by mutual consent is provided under the Hindu Marriage…
Publications
This article is a review of the book ‘Disability Studies in India: Global Discourses, Local Realities’ , edited by Renu Addlakha, Routledge, New Delhi, 2013. Vol., 38 No. 1, January 2014
Publications
SINCE 1996, when the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 (PWD Act), came into force, by far the majority of cases taken to court have been about equal opportunity in public employment, that is, reservation of jobs for persons with disabilities and related matters such as promotions, identification of posts and eligibility. This struggle is in many ways not that different from the caste and gender battles for affirmative action in government employment.
Blog
In the Vishakha Judgment the petitioner sought to enforce the fundamental rights of working women. The said…
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The Justice Verma Committee has attempted to explain how different sexual orientations have been historically…
Blog
On 23rd, January 2013 the Justice Verma Committee on amendments to Criminal Law, was constituted to look into possible amendments of the Criminal Law to provide for quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals committing sexual assault of extreme nature against women. It was constituted a few days after the brutal gang rape in Dehli on December 16, 2012. The urgency of the matter impelled the Committee to undertake the performance of the assigned task within the short span of 30 days, so the Committee has been facilitated in the task by an overwhelming response to the Public Notice, an oral consultation with the women’s social action groups and experts in the field.
Events
ainmaker has recently released a report on the challenges faced by women lawyers in India. The report looks into the presence of women in law firms, litigation practice, and the legal departments of companies contains data on work-life balance, gender bias in the legal workspace, parental leave policies, transition from maternity leave to work, and the rating of employers on their policies and practices. The report also offers solutions to aid employers in retaining talent and making the workspace conducive for working mothers.
