Articles

A. Freedom of Speech, Censorship

1. “Apex court muzzles a media silencing tool“, The Hindustan Times (April 15, 2024).
2. “A restatement on the basic law of obscenity,” The Hindustan Times (April 1, 2024)
3. “Will Big Brother be Watching?“, The Hindustan Times (November 28, 2023).
4. “Top Court must strike down the sedition law“, The Hindustan Times (June 6, 2023).
5. “The real bite of the SC’s MediaOne ruling“, The Hindustan Times (April 9, 2023).
6. “India’s laws on hate speech need change“, The Hindustan Times (June 22, 2022).
7. “Fuzzy law, unclear jurisprudence, trampled rights“, The Hindu (February 15, 2021).
8. “On Gandhi’s 150th, its time to review the sedition law“, The Hindustan Times (October 2, 2019).
9. “Gag orders on the media have to go“, The Hindustan Times (May 1, 2019).
10. “Dealing with the thought police“, The Hindu (February 14, 2019).
11. “SC must not stifle commentary on sub-judice cases“, The Hindustan Times (February 11, 2019).
12. “In the Age of #MeToo, why Criminal Defamation must go“, The Hindustan Times (November 1, 2018).
13. “The Judiciary’s #MeToo Moment“, The Hindu (October 23, 2018).
14. “How the blasphemy law could transform Punjab into a theocratic state“, The Hindustan Times (September 20, 2018).
15. “Taking on the gatekeepers: on the censor board“, The Hindu (December 30, 2017).
16. “The gag on free speech“, The Hindu (December 4, 2017)
17. “Making the internet disappear“, The Hindu (October 18, 2017).
18. “The architecture of censorship“, The Hindu (August 17, 2017).
19. “Upsetting a very fine balance“, The Hindu (February 20, 2017).
20. “Two takes on democracy“, The Hindu (January 4, 2017).
21. “A blow against free speech“, The Hindu (May 16, 2016).
22. “A case for cutting out the censor“, The Hindu (June 13, 2016).
23. “The fault in our speech“, The Hindu (July 7, 2016).
24. “It’s not about just national security“, The Hindu (November 8, 2016).
25. “At the heart of the landmark 66A ruling: the crucial distinction between advocacy and incitement“, Scroll.in (March 25, 2015).

B. Equality and Non-Discrimination

1. “Uniform Civil Code: Reframe the debate“, The Hindustan Times (27 December 2022).
2. “Extend the 24-week limit on abortion to all“, The Hindustan Times, (24 July, 2022).
3. “The marital rape exception must go“, The Hindustan Times, (19 January, 2022).
4. “HIV Act: When a law fails to change social attitudes“, The Hindustan Times, (18 October, 2021).
5. “Domestic Violence Act: the Supreme Court took a progressive turn“, The Hindustan Times, (October 26, 2020).
6. “The Lockdown must not Undermine Citizen Rights“, The Hindustan Times (April 10, 2020).
7. “The Supreme Court’s jurisprudence on reservation has gaps“, The Hindustan Times (March 3, 2020).
8. “The warp and the weft of religious liberty“, The Hindu (January 13, 2020).
9. “Proposed citizenship law is immoral, will unleash a legally sanctioned regime of discrimination“, The Indian Express (December 9, 2019).
10. “A Bill that undercuts key constitutional values“, The Hindu, (October 7, 2019).
11. “Bills of Rights for the vulnerable“, The Hindu, (May 31, 2019).
12. “Don’t dilute the RTI and the Forest Rights Acts“, The Hindustan Times (May 28, 2019).
13. “Challenge the NDA’S Citizenship Bill“, The Hindustan Times (January 15, 2019).
14. “The Rajya Sabha must amend the Transgender Persons Bill“, The Hindustan Times (January 5, 2019).
15. “Maternity leave is not a question of charity“, The Hindustan Times (December 6, 2018).
16. “Decriminalisation of adultery is the first of many steps“, The Hindustan Times (September 29, 2018).
17. “Sec 377 judgment: An atonement for a grievous error, but a gateway towards greater freedom“, The Hindustan Times (September 10, 2018).
18. “Sabrimala case: It’s not a struggle to defeat religious faith“, The Hindustan Times (July 23, 2018).
19. “The law on adultery is asymmetric“, The Hindustan Times (May 17, 2018).
20. “The arguments against making marital rape a criminal offence are not valid“, The Hindustan Times (April 1, 2018).
21. “Indirect discrimination: rules and laws are never really ‘neutral’“, The Hindustan Times (February 23, 2018).
22. “Why does a woman’s religious identity in India still depend on who she’s married to?“, The Hindustan Times (January 18, 2018).
23. “The Transgender Persons Bill sends out a message of subordination and exclusion“, The Hindustan Times (December 22, 2017).
24. “Two cheers for the Supreme Court“, The Hindu (August 24, 2017).
25. “Triple talaq and the Constitution“, The Hindu (May 11, 2017).
26. “The case against customary exclusion“, The Hindu (January 15, 2016).
27. “Azaadi from a colonial rulebook“, The Hindu (March 11, 2016).
28. “Laws that make us human“, The Hindu (April 25, 2016).
29. “The equality of entry“, The Hindu (September 8, 2016).
30. “Why those challenging the Haji Ali Dargah Trust’s ban on women have a good legal case“, Scroll.in (March 22, 2015).

C. Personal Autonomy and Freedom

1. “The SC’s final ruling in the hijab case will have broader implications“, The Hindustan Times (September 21, 2022).
2. “Eliminate State and social interference in matters of conscience“, The Hindustan Times, (January 5, 2021).
3. “Why the Supreme Court ruling on bar dancers is unsatisfactory“, The Hindustan Times (February 3, 2019).
4. “Undoing a legacy of injustice: the Delhi High Court order striking down the Begging Act heeds the Constitution’s transformative nature“, The Hindu (August 13, 2018).
5. “Under a humane Constitution“, The Hindu (March 23, 2018).
6. “Hadiya has the constitutional right to make her own choices“, The Hindustan Times (November 28, 2017).
7. “Cow slaughter and the Constitution“, The Hindu (June 1, 2017).
8. “My way on the highway“, The Hindu (April 5, 2017).

D. Civil rights and national security

1. “Bhima Koregaon bail curbs State impunity“, The Hindustan Times, (2 August, 2023).
2. “Bail hearings in Delhi riots cases can be a test case for liberty under the UAPA“, The Hindustan Times, (11 July, 2023).
3. “Andhra HC’s model for shielding citizens’ rights”, The Hindustan Times, (28 May, 2023).
4. “Trial courts need to act as first line of defence“, The Hindustan Times, (7 February, 2023).
5. “Haldwani case: SC ruling is laudable”, The Hindustan Times, (9 January, 2023).
6. “Preventive detention cannot be normalised“, The Hindustan Times, (12 December, 2022).
7. “SC’s Saibaba order raises doubts about safeguards in UAPA, authority of HCs”, The Hindustan Times, (18 Oct 2022).
8. “It is crucial to reform the Foreigners’ Tribunals“, The Hindustan Times, (20 May 2022).
9. “How the UAPA is wrecking lives“, The Hindu, (7 April, 2022).
10. “Rethink the criminal identification bill“, The Hindustan Times, (3 April 2022).
11. “Reforming the Foreigners’ Tribunals“, Hindustan Times, (2 January, 2022).
12. “Path to striking down sedition law has many hurdles“, Times of India, (18 July, 2021).
13. “UAPA’s inherently flawed architecture, and the role of Courts“, The Hindustan Times, (July 12, 2021).
14. “A judicial pushback to a draconian legal regime“, The Hindu, (June 18, 2021).
15. “Why a Gauhati HC order on a citizenship case is important“, The Hindustan Times, (April 20, 2021).
16. “How UAPA curtails personal liberty, undermines fair trial“, The Hindustan Times, (February 16, 2021).
17. “A plaintive lament on liberty that rings hollow”, The Hindu, (January 20, 2021).
18. “India needs a law to compensate the wrongly imprisoned”, The Hindustan Times, (September 1, 2020).
19. “Are people in J&K citizens or subjects?“, The Hindu, (July 23, 2020).
20. “Supreme Court has not lived up to its own principles in Jammu & Kashmir“, The Hindustan Times, (June 8, 2020).
21. “SC order on Kashmir curbs rejected govt’s attempt to gain judicial sanction of Emergency-style powers“, The Indian Express (January 24. 2020).
22. “The value of the SC’s Kashmir order“, The Hindustan Times, (January 12, 2020).
23. “NPR, NRC: Two sides of the same coin“, Mumbai Mirror, (December 27, 2019).
24. “How Section 144 and internet shutdowns shrink democratic rights“, Hindustan Times, (December 21, 2019).
25. “The widening fissure in India’s rule of of law“, The Hindu,
26. ‘Conditions apply’: the SC’s RTI ruling, The Mumbai Mirror, (November 15, 2019).
27. “The Absentee Constitutional Court“, The Hindu, (September 12, 2019).
28. “Jurisprudence of the judicial rubber stamp“, The Hindu (September 5, 2019).
29. “Amendments to the RTI must be Rejected“, The Mumbai Mirror (July 24, 2019).
30. “The Presumption of Non-Citizenship“, The Hindu (July 23, 2019).
31. “Inhumane, and utterly undemocratic“, The Hindu (June 10, 2019).
32. “Guilt by association and insinuation“, The Hindu (September 20, 2018).
33. “Preventive Detention must be used judiciously“, The Hindustan Times (July 3, 2018).
34. “Bhima-Koregaon and the fault in our laws“, The Hindu (July 2, 2018).
35. “Supreme Court cannot take a janus-faced view towards personal liberty“, The Hindustan Times (April 25, 2018).

E. Privacy

1. “SC’s decision on Pegasus raises troubling questions“, The Hindustan Times (30 August, 2022).
2. “The ‘yes or a no’ that the court must ask about Pegasus“, The Hindu (October 12, 2021).
3. “Privacy Concerns during a Pandemic“, The Hindu (April 29, 2020).
4. “India’s Growing Surveillance State“, Foreign Affairs, (February 19, 2020).
5. “Don’t link Aadhaar with social media accounts“, The Hindustan Times, (October 25, 2019)
6. “Facial surveillance is a threat to privacy“, The Hindustan Times, (July 17, 2019).
7. “The Aadhaar ordinance raises serious constitutional concerns“, The Hindustan Times (March 2, 2019).
8. “The case against surveillance“, The Hindu (December 25, 2018).
9. “India needs to acknowledge the gaps in data protection and the rights of children“, The Hindustan Times (August 10, 2018).
10. “The fabric of a plural culture“, Business Standard (August 28, 2017).

F. Voting rights

1. “New bill casts a cloud over EC appointments“, The Hindustan Times (December 23, 2023).
2. “Drop the bad idea of simultaneous elections“, The Hindu (September 13, 2023).
3. “SC order on ECI will bolster democracy“, The Hindustan Times (March 6, 2023).
4. “An Ineffectual Angel“, The Hindu (April 29, 2019).
5. “The Supreme Court’s Interim Order on Electoral Bonds is Disappointing“, The Hindustan Times (April 13, 2019).
6. “The Election Commission must come clean on the deletion of voters“, The Hindustan Times (April 2, 2019).
7. The electoral bonds scheme is a threat to democracy“, The Hindustan Times (March 18, 2019).

G. Labour Rights

1. “A new deal to protect India’s gig workers?”, The Hindustan Times, (March 18, 2023).
2. “Delivery workers need justice, not charity“, The Hindustan Times, (September 10, 2021)
3. “By elevating labour rights to human rights, the SC opens a door”, The Hindustan Times, (October 5, 2020).
4. “Devise a new labour law regime for gig economy workers“, The Hindustan Times, (September 22, 2020).
5. “How the Supreme Court let down poor workers during the pandemic”, The Hindustan Times, (August 17, 2020).
6. “Equal Freedom and Forced Labour”, The Hindu, (May 12, 2020).
7. “Needed: A Law to Protect Domestic Workers“, The Hindustan Times, (May 9, 2020).

H. The Death Penalty

1. “Why the Supreme Court must rethink capital punishment“, The Hindustan Times (October 19, 2019).
2. “Why Bombay High Court order on death penalty for repeat rape offenders is unsatisfactory“, The Hindustan Times (July 3, 2019).
3. “It is time to rethink the death penalty“, The Hindustan Times (December 22, 2018).

I. Constitutional Structure and Governance

1. “Courts and law enforcement must combat hate together“, The Hindustan Times (June 27, 2023).
2. “A Parliamentary democracy or an executive democracy“, The Hindu (June 1, 2023).
3. “A case that scans the working of the anti-defection law”, The Hindu (February 24, 2023).
4. “Upholding the autonomy of the Election Commission“, The Hindu (December 21, 2022).
5. “The crisis of India’s Parliament“, The Hindustan Times, (October 3, 2021).
6. “Why the anti-defection law has failed to deliver“, The Hindustan Times, (July 30, 2020).
7. “The imperial cabinet and an acquiescent Court“, The Hindu (March 7, 2019).
8. “Why the Supreme Court’s verdict after the Karnataka polls is critical for India“, The Hindustan Times (May 29, 2018).
9. “Do we need the office of the governor?“, The Hindu (May 24, 2018).

J. The Supreme Court and the Judiciary

1. “A disturbing example of the normalisation of lawfare“, The Hindu (29 March, 2023).
2. “A Desolation called Peace: Finality of Bhopal gas leak case is another tragedy“, The Hindustan Times (24 March, 2023).
3. “The lesson from a court appointment drama“, The Hindu (9 February, 2023).
4. “Criticism of judiciary needs more nuance“, The Hindustan Times (16 November, 2022).
5. “SC move to live-stream proceedings is good, but more needs to be done”, The Hindustan Times (5 Oct 2022).
6. “Decoding the problem with the ‘freebie’ debate“, The Hindustan Times (17 August, 2022).
7. “A docket full of unresolved constitutional cases“, The Hindu (7 December, 2021).
8. “A tale of evasion, deference and inconsistency“, The Hindustan Times, (10 December, 2020).
9. “Decoding Ranjan Gogoi’s legacy“, The Hindustan Times (17 November 2019).
10. “Peace bought by an unequal compromise“, The Hindu (15 November, 2019).
11. “Imbalances of power and due processes don’t matter“, The Hindustan Times (7 May, 2019) (co-authored with Suhirth Parthasarathy)
12. “Spectacle fit for a Kangaroo Court“, The Mumbai Mirror (21 April, 2019).
13. “Opening up the Supreme Court“, The Hindu, (9 April, 2019).
14. “The Supreme Court must avoid turning into the executive“, The Hindustan Times (26 February, 2019).
15. “Judicial evasion and the status quo“, The Hindu (January 10, 2019).
16. “The fear of executive courts“, The Hindu (December 14, 2018).
17. “Matters of public interest must follow due process“, The Hindustan Times (November 22, 2018).
18. “Justice must be open, not opaque“, The Hindustan Times (October 19, 2018).
19. “In the Court of Last Resort“, The Hindu (October 2, 2018).
20. “Master and the roster“, The Indian Express (January 15, 2018).

K. Transformative constitutionalism

1. “Chile Marks a Notch in Global Constitutionalism”, The Hindu (July 20, 2022).
2. “Rights, Duties and the Constitution“, The Hindu (February 25, 2020).
3. “Republic at 70: the Importance of Fundamental Rights“, The Hindustan Times (January 26, 2020).
4. “The Case for a Progressive International“, The Hindu (November 30, 2018).
5. “The Narrow and the Transformative“, The Hindu (July 31, 2018)
6. “Dissenting judgments ensure that the Constitution is a living, breathing document“, The Hindustan Times (November 20, 2017).
7. “The 1947 singularity“, The Hindu (February 28, 2018).

I. International law

1. “The issue of genocide and the world court,” The Hindu (January 25, 2024).