News Archives - Page 3 of 34 - National Law School of India University

Call for Applications | Graphic Designer

About the National Law School of India University

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) was established in 1987 to be a pioneer in legal education. Over the last three decades, the University has evolved as an innovative leader in law, social sciences, humanities, and public policy education and research in India. It has also been ranked first among the law universities in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the last eight years.

The Communications Office plays a key role in strengthening the University’s visibility, digital presence, stakeholder outreach, and internal communication.

About the Role

The Graphic Designer (1 vacancy) will support the planning, creation, and execution of communication design across digital, print, and on-ground channels. The role involves collaboration with internal teams, coverage of campus activities, and ensuring consistent, high-quality communication outputs.

This is a full-time, campus-based contractual role for one-year (extendable) role suited for candidates with strong writing, visual communication, and coordination skills.

Responsibilities

Design & Visual Communication

Design and layout multi-page publications such as brochures, reports, and other learning materials using Adobe InDesign
Social Media and website creatives for internal stakeholders, external audience and campaigns
Manage styles, grids, master pages, and document consistency
Incorporate editorial feedback accurately and efficiently
Prepare print-ready and digital-ready files within tight timelines

Social Media & Digital Communication

Support digital campaigns, student engagement activities, and event-based social assets
Maintain content calendars and track deliverables
Create basic design assets such as posters, social media creatives, brochures, banners, and presentations
Work with templates to maintain brand identity and visual consistency
Coordinate with external designers/agencies when required
Support photography, short-form video shooting, and basic editing

Design & Visual Communication

Create basic design assets such as posters, social media creatives, brochures, banners, and presentations
Work with templates to maintain brand identity and visual consistency
Coordinate with external designers/agencies when required
Support photography, short-form video shooting, and basic editing

Event Support & Coverage

Provide on-ground support for University events, seminars, conferences, and student activities
Capture event updates, gather content, and create web/social media coverage
Coordinate with organisers for communication requirements

Internal Coordination & Operations

Liaise with academic and administrative teams to gather inputs
Maintain documentation, repositories, and content archives
Support web updates
Track requests, deadlines, and workflows to ensure timely delivery

Who Should Apply?

Required Qualifications & Skills

Bachelor’s degree in communications, Journalism, English, Media Studies, Design, or related fields
1-3 years of experience in communications, content creation, design, or related roles
Strong design skills using Canva/Adobe tools (for design-leaning candidates)
Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro)
Basic video editing or photography skills
Familiarity with social media platforms and digital communication trends
Ability to multitask, meet quick deadlines, and work in a fast-paced environment
Strong interpersonal and coordination abilities
Attention to detail and commitment to high-quality output

Desired Skills

Prior experience in an academic or nonprofit environment Familiarity with print production workflows
Web content management familiarity (WordPress or similar)

Work Mode & Expectations

Full-time, on-campus role at NLSIU Bengaluru
May require occasional work outside regular hours for events or urgent communication needs
Collaborative mindset and willingness to contribute to a growing communications team

How to Apply?

Please use the Google form available here, and include the following documents:

CV
A short writing sample
Design portfolio or sample work
Statement of Purpose

Compensation

Salary will be commensurate with qualification and experience and will be in the range of Rs. 50,000 to 70,000 per month.

Deadline

The last date for submission of applications has been extended till March 20, 2026, at 5 pm (IST)

Note: Candidates shortlisted for interview will be intimated through email.

For any queries, please write to

Call for Applications | Communications Associate | 02 positions

About the National Law School of India University

The Communications Office plays a key role in strengthening the University’s visibility, digital presence, stakeholder outreach, and internal communication.

About the Role

The Communications Associate (2 vacancies) will support the planning, creation, and execution of communication materials across digital, print, and on-ground channels. The role involves collaboration with internal teams, coverage of campus activities, and ensuring consistent, high- quality communication outputs.

This is a full-time, campus-based contractual role for one-year (extendable) suited for candidates with strong writing, visual communication, and coordination skills.

Responsibilities

Content Creation

Draft articles, newsletters, web content, social media posts, event reports, and announcements
Develop communication materials for academic programmes, events, research centres, and administrative units
Conduct basic interviews with faculty, students, or guests to generate stories and updates Assist with scriptwriting or copywriting for campaigns and short videos

Social Media & Digital Communication

Create and schedule posts across University social media platforms
Monitor engagement and identify opportunities for improving reach
Support digital campaigns, student engagement activities, and event-based social assets Maintain content calendars and track deliverables

Design & Visual Communication

Create basic design assets such as posters, social media creatives, brochures, banners, and presentations
Work with templates to maintain brand identity and visual consistency
Coordinate with external designers/agencies when required
Support photography, short-form video shooting, and basic editing

Event Support & Coverage

Provide on-ground support for University events, seminars, conferences, and student activities
Capture event updates, gather content, and create web/social media coverage
Coordinate with organisers for communication requirements

Internal Coordination & Operations

Liaise with academic and administrative teams to gather inputs
Maintain documentation, repositories, and content archives
Support web updates
Track requests, deadlines, and workflows to ensure timely delivery

Who Should Apply?

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, English, media studies, design, or related fields
1-3 years of experience in communications, content creation, design, or related roles
Strong writing and editing skills
Basic design skills using Canva/Adobe tools (for design-leaning candidates)
Familiarity with social media platforms and digital communication trends
Ability to multitask, meet quick deadlines, and work in a fast-paced environment
Strong interpersonal and coordination abilities
Attention to detail and commitment to high-quality output

Desired Skills

Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro)
Basic video editing or photography skills
Prior experience in an academic or nonprofit environment
Web content management familiarity (WordPress or similar)

Work Mode & Expectations

Full-time, on-campus role at NLSIU Bengaluru
May require occasional work outside regular hours for events or urgent communication needs
Collaborative mindset and willingness to contribute to a growing communications team

How to Apply?

Please use the Google form available here, and include the following documents:

CV
A short writing sample
Design portfolio or sample work (if applicable)
Statement of Purpose

Compensation

Salary will be commensurate with qualification and experience and will be in the range of Rs. 50,000 to 70,000 per month.

Deadline

The last date for submission of applications has been extended till March 20, 2026, at 5 pm (IST).

Note: Candidates shortlisted for interview will be intimated through email.

For any queries, please write to

Faculty Seminar | Remembering and Forgetting the Last Nawab’s Bharuch

We began our faculty seminar series this trimester with a guest lecture by Prof. Samira Sheikh, historian of South Asia at Vanderbilt, and the Obaid Siddiqi Chair in the History and Culture of Science, 2025-26 at the NCBS in Bengaluru. The seminar was held on March 4, 2026, at 3.30 pm, in the Ground Floor Conference Hall at NLSIU’s Training Centre.

Prof. Sheikh presented the sixth chapter of her book manuscript on the city of Bharuch in western India in the eighteenth century, which examines how, as the East India Company’s power expanded and the Mughal Empire grew ever more remote, the people of Bharuch adapted to new realities. The book brings to life the travails of individuals caught in a rapidly transforming world, while showing how the traces of those who experienced early colonialism have been obscured by subsequent political developments.

Abstract

Remembering and Forgetting the Last Nawab’s Bharuch

In the decades after the British conquest of Bharuch, Persian and Urdu chroniclers composed elegiac accounts of Nawab Mu‘azzaz Khan’s defeat, some blaming Lallubhai Dayaldas, his Hindu Vaishnava land-revenue accountant’s “loose talk” for its fall. On the other side, British documentation offered a cooler, more dismissive portrait of the nawab and denied collusion with Lallubhai. By the twentieth century, nationalist intellectuals such as K. M. Munshi — himself descended from a scribe who had served both Mu‘azzaz and Lallubhai — recast the eighteenth century in moralized terms. For Munshi, the period’s pragmatic alliance politics and fiscal opportunism were inconvenient reminders of a decentralised, plural past. For Munshi and other nationalists, loyalty was rewritten as allegiance to the nation and betrayal became a national sin rather than a breach of patronage.

The stakes of the book lie in this shift. Colonial and nationalist epistemologies have narrowed the field of vision through which eighteenth-century India can be seen. Small polities such as Bharuch, which thrived through multilingualism and alliance, did not fit comfortably within imperial teleologies or nationalist narratives. The Muslim nawab who fled into exile did not resemble the heroic figures later nationalism preferred. The revenue capitalist who speculated and collaborated became an emblem of moral failure. Over time, Mu‘azzaz’s Bharuch faded from view; Lallubhai’s reputation as a self-serving traitor endured.

Chapter 6 also follows the material afterlives of the sources themselves. On the one hand, manuscripts preserved in a Persianate Muslim family archive entered the National Archives of India as dispersed “Oriental Records,” catalogued by genre rather than by provenance. On the other, a Persian letter collection preserved by K.M. Munshi’s family was edited and printed under the auspices of a nationalist institution. The differential visibility of these archives reflects shifts in language regimes, communal politics, and state formation. Archives, in my account, do not merely preserve the past; they structure what later historians can recover and, indeed, the official record itself.

About the Speaker

Samira Sheikh is a historian of South Asia and an Associate Professor of History at Vanderbilt University, where she specialises in the political and religious history of the Indian subcontinent from c. 1200–1950. Her research interests encompass politics and religion in South Asia, early modern trade networks, pre-colonial and early Indian cartography, and the social and economic history of regions such as Gujarat. She has also received fellowships, including support from the American Council of Learned Societies, for projects exploring early modern Gujarati maps and other historical themes. She is the author of Forging a Region: Sultans, Traders and Pilgrims in Gujarat, 1200-1500 (Oxford India, 2010), and co-editor of After Timur Left (Oxford India, 2014), and An Anthology of Ismaili Literature: A Shi’i Vision of Islam (I.B. Tauris and the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2008).

Meet Our New Faculty | February 2026

We are pleased to welcome the following faculty members to the NLS community. Our new joinees include Ms. Faiza Rahman (Assistant Professor-Law), Ms. Mihika Poddar (Assistant Professor-Law) and Mr. John Sebastian (Assistant Professor-Law). We wish them the very best for their professional journeys at NLSIU.

Faculty

Ms Faiza Rahman
Assistant Professor – Law

Faiza Rahman’s teaching and research interests include constitutional law and theory, administrative and regulatory laws, and media and technology law and policy.

Prior to joining NLSIU, Faiza served as a teaching fellow in the free speech and media law course at Melbourne Law School. In India, she has worked for over six years across research, public policy and practice. She was a research fellow at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi, where she worked on areas of technology law and regulatory governance. She has also worked as a research fellow with the public law and judicial reforms verticals at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, New Delhi. Before venturing into research and academia, Faiza worked as an associate in the capital markets practice at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, Mumbai.

Faiza was awarded a full scholarship by the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies to pursue the BCL at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

She can be reached at .

Mr. John Sebastian
Assistant Professor – Law

John Sebastian’s general research and teaching interests cover the areas of legal and political theory, constitutional law, criminal law and administrative law. He has published on a range of issues in these areas.

His PhD research at Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, focusses on the special rights of linguistic and religious minorities in the Indian Constitution, and analyses the manner in which the Constitution engages with the many conflicting interests and values underlying the legal recognition of these identities.

Prior to joining NLSIU, John taught legal theory in the Juris Doctor programme at Melbourne Law School for three years. Before this, he was at OP Jindal University for over four years, where he taught constitutional law, criminal law and administrative law courses. Earlier, he worked as a law clerk and research assistant to Justice Madan B Lokur in the Supreme Court of India for a year. While doing his BCL from the University of Oxford, John was awarded the Tobias Law Prize.

He can be reached at .

Ms. Mihika Poddar
Assistant Professor – Law

Mihika’s research interests include, Human Rights Law and Policy, Discrimination Law, Queer and Feminist Legal Theory, Law and Society, Constitutional law, Criminal Law.

She is a DPhil candidate in law at the University of Oxford, where she is undertaking research on legal recognition of personal identities, including race, sex/gender and caste.

Mihika obtained the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) with Distinction on a Rhodes Scholarship. She is also a qualified lawyer and university medallist from the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), India, where she completed her B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) in 2019.

She has been a tutor and lecturer in English Criminal Law and Feminist Perspectives in Law at the University of Oxford, University College London, and Catholic University of Lille, Paris.

She can be reached at .

29ᵗʰ Annual H.M. Seervai Essay Competition in Constitutional Law

The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, invites entries for the 29ᵗʰ Annual H.M. Seervai Essay Competition in Constitutional Law. Participants in this pan-India essay competition stand a chance to win the prestigious H.M. Seervai Gold Medal from NLSIU. The winning essay will be published in the National Law School Journal.

About the competition

In 1997, Senior Advocate Navroz Seervai instituted a Gold Medal in the name of the distinguished jurist, the late H.M. Seervai, for the best original essay written on the themes specified in Indian Constitutional Law. Over the years, this essay writing competition has become a prestigious event for law students all over India. The significant rise every year in the number of contributions from the student community shows their mark of respect and tribute to one of the greatest legal luminaries of our country, Hormasji Maneckji Seervai.

The last gold medal was awarded to Niharika Mukherjee, National Law School of India University, for her essay on ‘The Right to Contest Elections and Internal-Party Democracy: A Constitutional Proposal.’ Read the winning essay here.

Essay topic

‘A Decade in the Making of the GST (Goods and Services Tax): Gateway to a Single National Market or a Challenge to Federalism?’

Eligibility

Students currently enrolled in an LLB/ BA LLB/ BBA LLB/ BCom LLB regular mode programme in any recognised Law School/College/University in India may make a submission.

Submission guidelines

Each entry should be an original, unpublished, single-authored essay in English.
Every essay must clear anti-plagiarism checks & be supported by a bonafide certificate, duly signed by the Registrar/Vice-Chancellor or other Appropriate Authority.
Entries should be formatted in Times New Roman, size 12 font, double-spaced on an A4 sheet, & carefully referenced using the OSCOLA citation style.
Word limit: 7,000-10,000 words (inclusive of footnotes).
Submission Deadline: May 30, 2026
Submit your essay here

For any queries, please write to

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I am unable to get a bona fide certificate. What should I do?

We ask for a bona fide certificate as proof of your enrolment in a college/university. It can be a digitally signed document too. But in case you are unable to procure it, you may submit your college ID card as proof.

Can law students from countries other than India participate?

Unfortunately, no. Only undergraduate students, either foreign or Indian, currently enrolled in a recognised law school/college/university in India for an LLB or BA LLB or BBA LLB or BCom LLB regular mode programme can participate. Indian or foreign students enrolled in universities outside of India are not eligible.

Can 2024 graduates also participate in this year’s competition as I was unable to take part in 2024?

No. At the time of submission, students must be enrolled in LLB or BA LLB or BBA LLB or BCom LLB regular mode programme in any recognised law school/college/university in India.

Can an incoming student for an undergraduate law course in an Indian law university participate?

You are eligible to participate if you can provide a bona fide certificate from your institution as proof of enrolment.

Are students pursuing LLM eligible to participate in the contest?

The competition is only for undergraduate students.

Can final-year BA LLB students awaiting results participate?

As long as you are still enrolled in your college at the time of submission, you are eligible to participate.

Will I receive an acknowledgment for the submission?

We are unable to provide individual acknowledgments for submissions.

What is the acceptable file format for submission?

The essay can be submitted either in MS Word or PDF format. Please also remember to mention the total word count in your submission.

Can I include speaking/substantiative footnotes in the essay?

The use of speaking footnotes is permitted, though we encourage you to keep them to a minimum.

Is co-authorship permitted?

Co-authored essays will not be accepted. A submission must have a single author to be considered for the competition.

Should the submission be made on behalf of the college or as an individual submission?

The essay competition requires individual submissions. Entries cannot be submitted on behalf of the college.

Is there a registration fee?

No, there is no registration fee.

Should the references in the essay be in the form of footnotes or endnotes?

OSCOLA, the recommended citation style guide for the essay contest, follows only a footnote citation system.

Should I maintain double space in the footnotes or is it only for the main text?

The double spacing is only for the main text. Footnotes can be single-spaced.

Are there any specific guidelines for formatting the headings in the manuscript?

There are no specific guidelines for formatting headings. However, if your essay contains multiple levels of headings, we recommend numbering them clearly, for example, 1 for section heading, 1.1 for sub-section heading, and so on. But, please add a title for the essay.

Do I have to add an abstract for the essay. If yes, what are the guidelines for this?

There is no explicit requirement for an abstract. However, since abstracts can make long essays easier to navigate, you may consider including a summary of 150 words maximum. Please note that the abstract will not be counted towards your total word count.

When will the results be declared?

The results of the competition are generally announced during the month of August/September on the NLSIU website. Only the winning candidate will receive communication over email.

Are there second and third prizes? Will participation certificates be given?

Only one winning essay will be selected, which will be awarded the gold medal. We don’t provide participation certificates.

What is the process of publishing the winning essay in the National Law School Journal?

We will reach out to the winning candidate detailing all the processes.

Do I have to send in a plagiarism report?

Not required. We will conduct our own plagiarism checks.

If my essay is not selected as the winner, can I publish the submitted essay elsewhere?

All essays apart from the winning essay may be published elsewhere after the results are announced.

Dr. Sony Pellissery Participates At Delhi Development Authority’s Green Expo | Feb 2026

Dr Sony Pellissery was a speaker at the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) Green Expo, held on February 14–15, 2026. The theme of the two-day Expo was “Beyond Growth: Reimagining Urban Futures.”

Session on Development vs. Conservation: Finding a Middle Path

During the Expo, Professor Sony participated in a panel discussion titled “Development vs. Conservation: Finding a Middle Path.”

For the panel, Prof Sony was joined by:

Mr. Davinder Sandhu, Chairperson of Primus Partners (the Knowledge Partner for DDA Green Expo 2026)
Ms. Shubhi Kesarwani, CEO of Gurujal Foundation
Mr. Nikhil Dhar of IES College of Architecture, Mumbai

Professor Sony’s intervention was focussed on how development doctrine evolved from conceptualising cities as vehicles of growth to cities as spaces to realise justice. The latter focus is what is called New Urbanism. In other words, New Urbanism recognises the failures of traditional city-focussed growth models. Urban Planning as a profession has to prioritise whether the exercise is to build cities for growth or to build cities of spatial justice. Traditionally, planning as an instrument borrowed colonial models and focused on making aesthetic cities (to attract capital), to make cities look modern (contrasted to traditional countryside), and functional differentiation (as business areas, residential areas and industrial locations) within city. These three functions primarily served the interests of markets. Within intensified markets exchanges through globalisation, cities across the world began to look alike. This led to loss of ecological character of cities. Ecological crisis is an invitation to restore the ecological character of cities.

Professor Sony in his intervention pointed at requirements of such transformation as a typical example of obsession with infrastructure. Focus on urban infrastructure (at the expense of environment), has the logic of financial markets. He said: “Neglecting urban economy and focussing on infrastructure is like spending on a shiny front door of a leaking and disorderly house”.

His inputs were drawn from his book chapter “A Grammar for Transformative Urbanism.”

About the Summit

The first-ever “DDA Green Expo 2026” was organised at Baansera, Birsa Munda Chowk, New Delhi which was transformed into public park from a mountain looking heap of debris of Delhi Metro construction on the Yamuna Floodplains.

Anchored in the theme “Beyond Growth – Reimagining Urban Futures,” the expo aimed to promote sustainable and climate-resilient urban development. It highlighted how ecological restoration, green infrastructure, and nature-based solutions can transform cities into healthier, more liveable spaces. The event brought together policymakers, urban planners, environmental experts, academic institutions, industry leaders, and citizens to showcase innovative practices in urban greening, biodiversity conservation, and climate-adaptive planning. Through exhibitions, expert sessions, and interactive activities, the expo fostered collaboration, public awareness, and action toward a greener future. It reflected Delhi’s commitment to creating resilient, inclusive, and environmentally conscious urban spaces for generations to come.

The participants showcased innovations and shared knowledge on topics like:

Landscape restoration
Water-sensitive planning
Agri-tech and biodiversity initiatives
Waste-to-green technologies
Broader themes around sustainable city planning and infrastructure.

Call for Applications | Certificate Course on Understanding and Advancing Food and Nutrition Security | By Centre for Child and the Law at NLS | April 2026

The Centre for Child and the Law (CCL) at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru is inviting applications for a Certificate Course on ‘Understanding and Advancing Food and Nutrition Security,’ designed for CSO and NGO representatives, right to food practitioners, and individuals working to advance food and nutrition security in India.

This course combines academic rigor with a deep conceptual understanding of real-world challenges integrating research, teaching and field action to advance food and nutrition security, legal empowerment and social justice for children from marginalised communities.

The course will cover:

▪️ Conceptual and normative approaches to the Right to Food
▪️International normative frameworks
▪️Evolution of the Right to Food discourse in India
▪️Situational analysis of food and nutrition security
▪️Domestic legal and policy frameworks
▪️Nutrition Governance and public accountability mechanisms
▪️Approaches to advocacy for food and nutrition security

Learning outcomes:

It equips participants with the knowledge to operationalise laws in food-insecure societies, bridging theory with practical application through interactive and immersive learning, hands-on legal and policy insights and exclusive access to NLSIU’s expertise.

Course format:

This is a 3-month hybrid course beginning in April 2026. Participants will attend an in-person induction session and a three-day in-person session at NLSIU, Bengaluru, in addition to the scheduled weekly online sessions (Thursdays 4 to 6 pm).

Applications are now open. Apply through the google form link here: https://forms.gle/2d9vTgojqyUCsh2T9.

There is no course fee. Travel and accommodation sponsorship is available on request.

Please note that the language of instruction will primarily be in English with Hindi support. All resource materials for the course will be in English.

Apply by: March 7, 2026

In case of any queries please write to .

NLSIU Participates at the India AI Impact Summit 2026

A team from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru comprising Prof. (Dr.) Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Vice-Chancellor; Dr. Devyani Pande, Assistant Professor, Public Policy; Mr. Amlan Mohanty, Non-Resident Fellow at Niti Aayog and Visiting Faculty at NLS and Mr Rahul Matthan, Visiting Faculty at NLS is participating at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 beginning in Delhi today.

Prof Krishnaswamy spoke at a panel discussion on Monday, February 16, 2026, titled ‘The Governance Gap: Designing Global Standards for AI Advisory Boards,’ which was hosted by the Oversight Board. His co-panellists were Saurabh Karn, Founding Member, Saravm AI and Julie Owono, Executive Director, Internet Sans Frontières. The panel explored minimum requirements for AI governance bodies and how ethical decision-making structures can function across companies of all sizes. The session explored lessons on structural independence, transparency, and human rights frameworks.

📹Watch the session video here. (via @IndiaAI)

Pre-Summit Official Events Hosted by NLSIU

NLSIU has been actively shaping conversations on AI governance in the lead-up to the Summit. It hosted two official pre-Summit events held at the University campus in Bengaluru in January.

The events were organised by the JSW Centre for the Future of Law at NLSIU with the support of the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET).

The first event, held on January 17, featured a Keynote Address by Dr. Akash Kapur, Visiting Research Scholar and Lecturer, Princeton University. In his lecture titled “AI in the Global South: DPI as an AI Governance Approach,” he examined AI governance in the Global South, with a focus on India and how a DPI-led approach aligns with broader global regulatory models.

The second event, held on January 24, was a panel discussion on AI Governance in the Global South. The session reflected on India’s newly released AI guidelines and explored emerging governance patterns across the Global South, bringing together experts from industry, policy, and academia.

The programme also featured discussions on the transformation of the regulatory landscape, emergent use cases for generative AI tools in automation, and the ethical and professional responsibilities surrounding access and bias.

Panellists included Mr. Amlan Mohanty, Non-Resident Fellow at Niti Aayog and Visiting Faculty at NLS; Mr. Prakash Narayanan, Global General Counsel, L&T Technology Services (LTTS); Ms. Eunice Huang, Head of AI and Emerging Tech Policy, Asia Pacific, Google; Mr. Jaideep Reddy, Partner, Trilegal; Prof. Rahul De’, Independent Consultant and Researcher; Retired Professor & Former Dean at IIM-Bangalore; Prof. (Dr.) Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Vice-Chancellor, NLSIU and Dr. Rahul Hemrajani, Assistant Professor of Law (Moderator).

Here’s a glimpse of the two events.

Recent Publications by NLS faculty on AI

NLSIU Faculty At The India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026

The Election Commission of India (ECI) invited the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, to participate in the India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026, organised by the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (a global knowledge and capacity-building centre established by the ECI) between January 21 and 23 , 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. A team comprising Jasmine Joseph, Manish, and Isha Ahlawat (Assistant Professors of Law) represented NLSIU at the Conference.

The NLSIU team participated in several discussions, including on ‘Purity of Electoral Rolls,’ ‘Technology-driven Voter Registration,’ ‘Artificial Intelligence and Elections,’ ‘Counting and Tabulating Results,’ and ‘Tackling Misinformation and Disinformation in Elections,’ and engaged with a range of stakeholders from the Election Commission of India and other institutions. Jasmine Joseph also made a presentation titled ‘Technology-driven Voter Registration: A Legal and Constitutional Perspective.’

About the Conference

IICDEM 2026 was the largest global conference of its kind hosted by India in the field of election management and democracy, attended by nearly 1,000 participants including 60 international delegates representing 42 Election Management Bodies (EMBs), Ambassadors/High Commissioners of 27 countries, senior officers of the ECI, and 36 Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) from across India representing all 28 States and 8 Union Territories. The Conference was held to mark India’s assumption of the Chairship of the Council of Member States of International IDEA for the year 2026, anchored in the theme ‘Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient and sustainable world.’ Shri Gyanesh Kumar, Hon’ble Chief Election Commissioner, India presided over the gathering.

During IICDEM, 36 thematic groups, led by CEOs of States/UTs, supported by leading academic institutions, national and international academic experts, contributed to in-depth deliberations on cross-cutting global electoral themes, model international electoral standards, and best practices and innovations in electoral processes.

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Two-Day State-Level Training Workshop on ‘Social Justice Leadership’ | By CSSI, NLSIU & Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation Social Welfare Department, Karnataka

The Bhovi community in Karnataka continues to experience historical social exclusion, educational backwardness, economic vulnerability, and limited access to legal and constitutional awareness. Despite constitutional safeguards and multiple welfare legislations, the benefits of social justice laws and government schemes often fail to reach the community due to lack of awareness, legal literacy, and leadership capacity at the grassroots level.

Recognising this critical gap, the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion, National Law School of India University, conceived and implemented a state-level leadership training programme aimed at empowering Bhovi youth and community leaders with constitutional knowledge, legal awareness, and leadership skills. The workshop was held on January 17 and 18, 2026, at the NLSIU campus.

It is significant to note that even after 75 years of Independence, this was the first structured and comprehensive training programme focussed exclusively on the Constitution and social justice laws for the Bhovi community, marking it as a landmark and historic initiative.

Objectives of the Programme

The key objectives of the training programme were:

To create awareness among Bhovi community youth regarding constitutional values, fundamental rights, and social justice legislations.
To enhance understanding of education, health, economic and social development from a constitutional and rights-based perspective.
To disseminate information on government welfare schemes and development programmes relevant to Scheduled Castes.
To explain implementation challenges of social justice laws and identify practical remedies at the local level.
To develop community-level social justice leadership capable of guiding and supporting vulnerable groups.
To promote grassroots dissemination of legal awareness through trained youth leaders.

Participants:

Total Participants: 180 Bhovi community youth, community leaders, social workers and advocates.
Geographical Coverage: Participants represented multiple districts across Karnataka, ensuring statewide representation.

Training Sessions and Resource Persons

The training programme comprised structured, theme-based sessions delivered by eminent subject experts drawn from the judiciary, academia, civil society, and legal practice. Each session combined conceptual grounding, statutory interpretation, and practical guidance, enabling participants to understand both the intent and implementation of social justice legislations.

Reservation Policy and Milestones of Social Justice

This session provided a historical and constitutional overview of reservation policy in India, tracing its evolution from pre-Independence social reform movements to post-Constitutional jurisprudence. The focus was on the role of reservation as an instrument of substantive equality, social inclusion, and redistribution of opportunity, rather than as a welfare concession.

Dr. Banjagere Jayaprakash, Cultural Thinker, elaborated on the philosophical foundations of social justice, the contributions of social reformers, and the ethical imperatives underlying affirmative action.
Mr. Dinesh Amin Mattu, Senior Journalist, examined contemporary debates on reservation, media narratives, and the importance of safeguarding constitutional guarantees for historically marginalised communities.

The session enabled participants to critically understand reservation as a constitutional right linked to dignity and social transformation.

Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978

This session addressed one of the most critical issues affecting Scheduled Caste communities—alienation of granted lands and the legal remedies available for restoration.

Sri Mohan Kumar, Advocate, High Court of Karnataka, explained the objectives, key provisions, and judicial interpretations of the Act, including procedures for filing applications, limitation issues, and common implementation challenges.
Sri Venkatesh Varse, District Judge and Arbitrator, provided insights into adjudicatory processes, evidentiary requirements, and the role of revenue and judicial authorities in ensuring effective enforcement.

Participants gained practical clarity on land rights protection and legal recourse mechanisms under the Act.

Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and Child Labour Laws

This session focused on the intersection of social customs, poverty, and child rights violations, with specific reference to child marriage and child labour.

Mr. Venkatesh T., Director, Spandana Women and Child Development Organisation, outlined the statutory framework, preventive and punitive provisions, and the roles of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers, labour departments, and local administration.

The session sensitised participants to early identification, reporting mechanisms, and community-based prevention strategies, emphasising the role of trained youth leaders in safeguarding children’s rights.

Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) Act, 2013

This session addressed the policy and fiscal dimensions of social justice through an in-depth discussion on targeted planning and resource allocation.

Dr. Pradeep Ramavath J., Associate Professor, Centre for Livelihood and Social Entrepreneurship, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Guwahati, explained the objectives of the SCSP/TSP framework, statutory obligations of departments, budgeting processes, and monitoring mechanisms.

Participants were trained to understand how public resources are planned, allocated, and utilised, enabling them to engage with district and departmental authorities for effective implementation.

Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 and Human Trafficking

This session focused on forced labour, debt bondage, and human trafficking, which continue to affect vulnerable sections despite legal prohibitions.

Mr. William Christopher, Member, State High-Power Committee on Bonded Labour and Human Trafficking, explained the legal definitions, identification processes, rescue and rehabilitation protocols, and inter-departmental coordination mechanisms.

The session equipped participants with knowledge to identify cases of bonded labour and trafficking, facilitate reporting, and support rehabilitation measures at the grassroots level.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

This session dealt with one of the most significant protective legislations for Scheduled Castes, focussing on prevention, prosecution, and victim rehabilitation.

Mr. Shivamani, Advocate, elaborated on the scope of offences, procedural safeguards, and the importance of timely registration of cases.
Mr. Sriram, Advocate, discussed recent judicial interpretations, victim compensation schemes, and the responsibilities of police and district administrations.

Participants were sensitised to rights-based enforcement, legal remedies, and the importance of collective action in addressing caste-based violence and discrimination.

Labour Laws and Workers’ Rights

This session addressed the rights of workers in both organised and unorganised sectors, with particular relevance to migrant and informal labourers.

Prof. Babu Mathew, Director, Centre for Labour Studies, NLSIU, provided an overview of key labour legislations, wage protection, social security entitlements, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

The session enhanced participants’ understanding of labour rights as social justice issues, linking employment, dignity, and constitutional protections.

Overall Training Approach

Across all sessions, emphasis was placed on:

Translating law into practice
Encouraging community-level leadership and intervention
Strengthening the role of trained youth as local social justice facilitators
The comprehensive and interdisciplinary nature of the sessions significantly contributed to the capacity building and empowerment objectives of the programme.

Programme Coordination

The programme was coordinated by Dr. R. V. Chandrashekar, Centre for the Study of Inclusion Policy National Law School of India University, Bengaluru

Outcomes of the Programme

The following outcomes were achieved:

Enhanced legal and constitutional awareness among participants.
Improved understanding of social justice laws and welfare schemes.
Development of a cadre of trained youth leaders capable of community-level intervention.
Strengthened collaboration between government, academia, and community

Resolutions and Way Forward

Participants resolved to:

Conduct local-level awareness programmes in their villages and districts.
Assist community members in accessing legal remedies and government schemes.
Promote constitutional values and social justice principles at the grassroots.
Support victims of injustice through collective, organised action.

The Two-Day State-Level Social Justice Leadership Training Workshop stands as a model capacity-building initiative that effectively combined government support, academic expertise, and community participation. The programme has laid a strong foundation for grassroots leadership, legal empowerment, and social justice advocacy within the Bhovi community across Karnataka.