Articles
Patents & Pandemics: Assessing The Compulsory Licensing Regime In India
The Covid-19 pandemic has, among other things, brought into focus the role of patent law in innovation and in ensuring affordable access to medicines and healthcare. The patent system has often been accused of, inter-alia, reducing access to affordable drugs, of giving monopolistic power of controlling prices to big pharma, and of incentivizing profiteering instead of...
Emerging Shadow Pandemic During COVID-19: Domestic Violence
"Significant numbers of the world's population are routinely subject to torture, starvation, terrorism, humiliation, mutilation, and even murder simply because they are female. Crimes such as these against any group other than women would be recognized as a civil and political emergency as well as a gross violation of the victim's humanity." – Charlotte Bunch 1-...
Doctors On The Phone - Navigating The Regulatory Waters Of Teleconsultation
Consultation with a doctor over the phone is not novel for most of us. Many of us have, at some time or the other, interacted with doctors over phone, WhatsApp and through other such means of communication. The importance of using information and communication technology to provide healthcare services in a country with a population of over 1.3 billion is not lost on policy makers, who...
A Target Beyond Range
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world with unprecedented consequences. People all around the globe are suffering, and yet at the same time are battling against it with equanimity. All professions are playing a role of a servitor to help the world escape this perilous situation. Lawyers have among all occupations (with the exception of the doctors and the police officers) endeavored...
Digitalisation Of Indian Courts, Mitigating The Hurdles Amid Outbreak Of Covid 19 With Post Lockdown Approach
The outbreak of Covid 19 from the Chinese City of Wuhan to more than 200 countries till date, hardly needs any discussion. Noval Coronavirus which appears to be deadlier than any other seasonal influenza, seems to be over for China, but the rest of the World is still grappling with the virus outbreak and so is India. The outbreak and its spread have shuttered many countries, paralyzed...
The Impending Judicial Crisis: The Judiciary Needs To Prepare For An Avalanche Of Covid-19 Litigation
The repercussions of COVID-19 are here to stay. Even after the lockdown is lifted and life returns to a semblance of normalcy, its aftermath will be felt for a long time by individuals, businesses and institutions alike. This especially holds true for the judiciary in the country. The massive disruption in trade and commerce is likely to manifest itself in a host of disputes specifically...
Suspension Of MPLADS : Wrong Move For The Right Cause ?
" Every problem is an opportunity in disguise" - John Adams,Former US President With COVID19 playing havoc across the world, the Indian democratic polity seems to have been naturally presented with an opportunity to circumvent provisions of the Constitution. It appears as if the Union government is beginning to embrace the pandemic situation with an overwhelming impulsiveness...
Releasing Prisoners During The Covid 19 Crisis
Prisoners are vested with numerous human and fundamental rights. With this thought let's examine the recent policies adopted by several States to enable the temporary release of certain categories of prisoners from jails for a specified period of time due to COVID pandemic. On 28th March this year, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance in a matter that was titled 'Contagion of COVID...
India's Manual Scavengers Have Been Forgotten In The Covid 19 Narrative
In India's fight against COVID 19, analysts and healthcare workers have identified groups who might be vulnerable to the infectious disease. The broad categories which have been identified include, people in old age, economically weak individuals, new born children, and those suffering from terminal illnesses. One such group which falls in the economically weak category and is...
Child Trafficking After Covid-19: Govt Must Move To Bolster Laws
For most of us, the crisis during the lockdown will have an expiry date. We are all waiting with bated breath that impending date when the lockdown is lifted and it is safe to resume our lives. But spare a moment's thought for those whose predicament will worsen once the lockdown is lifted – those who would be pushed into unemployment, hunger, poverty and despair due, already made worse...
An Abject Suit With 128 Issues And Its Peacemaking Decision
A civil suit for the main relief of declaration and its consequential reliefs was instituted by a non-descript woman claimed to be a right bearing 'justice seeker'[1] on the Original Side jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court, in the British India. The dominus litus had presented her plaint with an annexure of pedigree and with the grand narratives of facts and poignantly clear...