1^ST KAUTILYA SOCIETY NLUO ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION, 2025 [REGISTRATION EXTENDED]

Brochure

 OVERVIEW OF THE INSTITUTION

National Law University Odisha, Cuttack was established by Act 4 of 2008 by the Odisha State Legislature keeping in mind an enunciated vision of advancement of learning, teaching, research, diffusion of knowledge in the field of law and catering to the needs of society by developing the professional skills of those intending to take up the professions of Advocacy, Judicial Services, Legal services, and so on. National Law University, Odisha is committed to providing an atmosphere in which academic excellence is the foremost priority for students. Along the lines of this vision, NLUO has significantly catered to the needs of the research in various legal fields by paving way for various dedicated research centers and societies. Such endeavors enable students to pursue individual interests and take part in various literary and recreational activities throughout the academic year.

The Kautilya Society is one of such initiatives of NLUO which aims at promoting study, research, and informed deliberation in the field of public policy, and its allied subjects with a policy and application-oriented purpose.

ABOUT KAUTILYA SOCIETY NLUO

Kautilya Societies are student initiatives in universities across the country set up by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy (“Vidhi”) with the aim to widen access to legislative drafting and analysis, and to empower young minds to explore public policy as a career path. The Kautilya Society, NLUO Chapter has been set up at National Law University Odisha, in association with Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

The Kautilya Society initiative envisions providing opportunities to their students for successful careers in public policy and other related fields such as development, advocacy, consultancy, campaigning, financial analysis, economics and research. The vision of the society is to provide awareness and opportunities for students to nurture their interest in public service and policy as career options with a view to becoming good citizens of India.

EVENT DETAILS
THEME: Arbitration and Public Policy in India

Introduction

Arbitration has been constantly posited as a totally private dispute resolution mechanism for parties to resolve any contractual breaches or disagreements privately, without having to resort to the courts. Arbitration is seen as providing a ‘double solution’, it firstly, helps to unburden the Court’s caseload and secondly, it ensures confidentiality between parties, helping to forego any unnecessary public scrutiny. However, it has been observed, and even, lamented upon, that the present arbitral system in India has not helped with any of the following. In fact, enforcement petitions have posed to be a major roadblock to the ‘speedy’ nature of arbitrations, with enforcement petitions being delayed as much as 5 years. Such has been the case of arbitration in India, that as recent as in 2023, the Ministry of Finance even rolled out a Circular, discouraging the inclusion of arbitration in public procurement contracts.

In light of this scenario, literature on Indian arbitration does not fulfil the discussion it begets. Public policy is the biggest challenge posed during enforcement proceedings, so that the award is not converted into a binding judgment. Hence, an Essay Writing Competition on the theme of “Arbitration and Public Policy in India” will not only help add literature to this ever-contentious issue, but also allow the authors make themselves aware with how public policy and arbitration constantly clash, collide and sometimes, be harmonious to each other in high stakes arbitrations.

Sub-Themes

• Arbitrability of Workplace Sexual Harassment Claims.
• The ‘Ghost in the Machine’: AI-Assisted Arbitral Awards and the Public Policy Challenge.
• Green Arbitration: Reconciling Investor Protection with Climate Change Public Policy.
• Data Sovereignty vs. Arbitral Confidentiality: A New Public Policy Frontier.
• Third-Party Funding and Public Policy: A Necessary Evil or a Modern Tool for Justice?
• Inclusion of Civil Procedures in Ad-hoc Arbitrations: Necessary for Proper Disposal or Infringement on Autonomy?

The above themes are suggestive and the authors are free to submit pieces on any other subject which falls within the broad theme of the intersection of arbitration and public policy.

Eligibility

• Students pursuing Five-Year/Three-Year LLB Discipline
• Students pursuing One-Year/Two-Year LLM Discipline
• Students who are not pursuing law but are interested in the subject-area are also allowed to participate.

Submission Guidelines

• Submissions shall be made in .doc/.docx format (Word 2007 or 2010 or 2013).
• All submissions are to be made via a google form. (Note: write your submission’s title as the filename. Example: the arbitrability of tenancy matters.docx).
• The google form that will be used for submission will ask for the following name:

1. Name
2. Email
3. Contact Number(s)

• The name of the file or the file in no place shall indicate the identity of the author(s).
• Manuscript word limit: 1500-2000 (excluding endnotes)
• Hyperlinking shall be preferred mode of referencing. If hyperlinking is not possible, then end-noting may be resorted to.
• Font: Times New Roman. Font size: 12. Line spacing: 1.5. All text should be justified.
• Each manuscript must contain an Abstract of 50-100 words (not inclusive within the total word count)
• The competition shall follow a strict plagiarism and AI policy. All articles must have a similarity index of less than 10% and 0% Articles with false positives shall be duly read to ensure whether the piece is originally written or it has been written by an AI model.
• Your essay should be error-free; grammar, spelling, punctuation etc.
• It is recommended that the authors visit the Vidhi website to get a better understanding on the type of submissions that the Editorial Board looks forward to receiving.

Please Note: 

Manuscripts not in conformity with these guidelines may be rejected at the sole discretion of the Editorial Board. The Editorial Board reserves the right to send the manuscripts back to the authors for any modification(s) at any stage, in the event of non-conformity with any of the submission guidelines. The Editorial Board may, in its absolute discretion, waive any of the above rules or amend the process. In case of any dispute or ambiguity, the decision of the Editorial Board shall be final and binding.

Process of Evaluation

All articles to go through a three-tiered editorial process. They are as follows

1. First Stage: This stage shall entail a preliminary check of the article, whether it follows the prescribed formatting guidelines such as being within the word count, not breaching the plagiarism limit, is not AI-written, etc. This stage is to clerically check the article for the basics.
2. Second Stage: This stage shall entail the editors to read through the articles, to assess whether the ideas are novel and original, to assess structure of the article and whether proper citations have been provided along with a grammar check. This stage shall also decide which articles are being considered for the prizes and would be forwarded to the external board of editors.
3. Third Stage (or the External Panel): This shall be the final stage, where selected articles from the second stage will be forwarded to an External Panel of 3-4 members to decide the articles which shall be selected for publication on the Vidhi Blog as well as the Winners of the Competition. Publication on the Vidhi Blog is at the discretion of the External Panel.

SCHEDULE

The provisional schedule is as follows:

FEES

REGISTRATION PROCESS

• All participants are requested to pay the registration fee in the following way:
• Visit https://eazypay.icicibank.com
• Enter Institution Name as ‘National Law University’ and click on ‘Go’
• Fill the details.
  • Email id
  • Mobile No.
  • Amount
  • Student Name (Enter your name)
  • Roll or Enrolment No. (Enter your Roll / Enrolment number for NLUO students and enter 131 for others)
  • Semester (Enter your Semester number for NLUO students, and enter 11 for others)
  • Year
  • Payment Date
  • Purpose (Mention KS Essay Writing Competition)
• Once required data is filled in click on ‘Submit’ after enter the captcha and OTP.
• After the payment you will get the auto generated payment receipt.

The registration form must be filled by 11:59 P.M., 7^th December, 2025

via: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdb68yibhXHJ4Pt5rQwYKgm-LJXh18142HLUpDZ_AvroVP3Bg/viewform

SUBMISSION PROCESS

• Team codes will be allotted after registration.
• Submission must be done by 11:59 P.M., 22^nd December 2025
• via this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVc1YhjGHkEmqSbdDEMf3OV5JWM4kbbGZyOKCWehh1gEF6-A/viewform
• Please ensure that details provided in the registration form is same as in the submission form.

PRIZES FOR THE TOP-3 PARTICIPANTS (PRIZE POOL – 9.5K)

1. Winners: 5,000/-
2. Runners-up: 3,000/-
3. Second Runners-up: 1,500/-

The top submissions will also be published on the Vidhi Blog subject to the discretion of the External Panel.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For any queries you can mail the Society at ksociety@nluo.ac.in

Further, you can contact the persons below:

Convenor: Mridula Singh Bhatti (+91 9315900895)

Co-Convenor: Vibha Vaikuntanath (+91 9113841237)

Editor-in-Chief: Aryan Chowdhury (+91 8318262740)

National Law University Odisha 14th and 15th November 2025

The two-day national consultation-cum-workshop was organised by the National Law University Odisha as a part of its Project on Tobacco Control Initiative, in collaboration with Centre for Public Health Law of NLUO, National Law University Tripura and Vital Strategies, New Delhi, on 14^th and 15^th of November 2025 at NLUO’s campus in Cuttack. The themes of the workshop included – health burden of tobacco use in India; Legislative Framework on Tobacco Control; Advancing Policies and Regulations; Countering Tobacco Industry Interference; Protection of Vulnerable Population; and Accountability in Tobacco Control.

The workshop on both days started with Plenary sessions, wherein the Keynote addresses were delivered covering various themes of the workshop. The keynote speakers included Prof. Yogesh Pratap Singh, Vice Chancellor, NLU Tripura; Dr. Nilakantha Mishra, Director of Health Services, Government of Odisha; Dr. Harish Meena, Associate Professor, NCERT, Ministry of Education; Dr. Ramya Pinnamaneni, Director, KIIT School of Public Health; and Dr. Prajna Paramita Giri, Associate Professor, Community Medicine & Family Medicine, AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

The second session of the programme focused on the consultation on the MPOWER policy, split into 6 sessions across two days on Monitoring tobacco use, Protecting People from Tobacco Smoke, Offering Help to Quit Tobacco Use, Warning about the dangers of Tobacco, Enforcing TAPS ban and Raising Taxes on Tobacco. The consultation largely saw the discussion on the challenges in achieving the six components of the policy and the corresponding improvements and developments that are needed for the policy implementation.

The third sessions on both days of the conference consisted of 17 paper presentations and 3 poster presentations across 5 sessions on the themes relating inter alia to ToFEI Compliance, TAPS Ban, Countering Tobacco Industry Interference, transition from tobacco to non-tobacco livelihoods, etc.

The two-day programme saw participation of 58 participants from across the country and the State of Odisha from the fields of academia, civil society, government officials, legal and public health experts, etc. The discourse undertaken at the workshop significantly contributed towards the study of tobacco control and has immense potential to contribute towards strengthening the tobacco control regime in India. The workshop was organised by Dr. Rishika Khare, Project leader of the Project on Tobacco Control Initiatives, under the guidance of Project Technical Advisor, Dr. Amit Yadav, Deputy Director – Tobacco Control, Vital Strategies, New Delhi.

Event Gallery

ABOUT NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA

National Law University Odisha, Cuttack was established by Act 4 of 2008 by the Odisha State Legislature keeping in mind an enunciated vision of advancement of learning, teaching, research, diffusion of knowledge in the field of law and catering to the needs of society by developing the professional skills of those intending to take up the professions of Advocacy, Judicial Services, Legal services, and so on. National Law University, Odisha is committed to providing an atmosphere in which academic excellence is the foremost priority for students. Along the lines of this vision, NLUO has significantly catered to the needs of the research in various legal fields by paving way for various dedicated research centres and societies. Such endeavours enable students to pursue individual interests and take part in various literary and recreational activities throughout the academic year. 

ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW SOCIETY

The Constitutional Law Society (CLS) is one of NLUO’s initiatives to promote study, research, and informed deliberation in constitutional law and allied subjects with a policy and application-oriented purpose. It was founded in 2018. Its mission is to facilitate discussions and research in constitutional law and related areas, focusing on practical applications. CLS NLUO provides a platform for intellectual discourse through rigorous scholarship, public lectures, seminars, independent research projects, conferences, and collaboration with like-minded individuals and institutions dedicated to constitutional studies.

COMPETITION THEME: Constitutional Rights: Citizenship Assurances and the Rights Beyond

SUB THEMES:

a.     Legal Citizenship v. Lived Belongingness

b.     Digital Citizenship and Data Privacy

c.     Birthright Privilege and Statelessness

d.     Electoral Roll Revision: An exercise in exclusion?

e.     OCI & POI Status and the National Sports Policy 2025

f.      Non-refoulment v. Deportation

g.     Basic Needs Approach: The Reach of Welfare Schemes

h.     Sovereignty v. Due Process: Expulsion of Immigrants

i.      Public Security and the Deprivation of Liberties

j.      Ethnic Cleansing: Within and Beyond Borders

For the other details, kindly refer to the Competition Brochure.

ELIGIBILITY:

We welcome participation from all undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing a degree in law.

IMPORTANT DATES:

1.     Call for Submissions: October 2, 2025

2.     Extended deadline for Registration: November 12, 2025

3.     Extended deadline for Submission: November 15, 2025

4.     Declaration of Results: December 10, 2025

REGISTRATION FEES AND PROCESS:

The registration fee is as follows for all participants:

·       Single Authorship: ₹ 200

·       Co-Authorship: ₹ 300

After payment, you are requested to register your participation here.

PRIZES:

The competition offers attractive prizes for the winners, runners-up, and second runners-up, including:

1.     Winners: ₹ 5,000 Cash Prize

2.     Runners Up: ₹ 3,000 Cash Prize

3.     Second Runners Up: ₹ 1,500 Cash Prize

The top three winning entries will also be eligible for publication in the NLUO-CLS Blog. Further, all participants will be given certificates.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Should you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact us:

·       Email: editorial.cls@nluo.ac.in

·       Phone: +91 85828 02714

About the course

The Double Credit Course on Sports Law & Practice is designed to equip learners with a practical and conceptual understanding of the legal frameworks governing sports at national and international levels. It delves into the intricate relationship between law, governance, and the sporting industry, offering insights into contracts, dispute resolution, anti-doping regulations, athlete rights, and the commercial aspects of sports. Through a blend of theory, case studies, and real-world applications, participants will develop the legal acumen required to navigate the fast-evolving sports ecosystem. The course is in collaboration with Doctrina Ludus.

About Doctrina Ludus

Doctrina Ludus is a movement aimed at promoting sports and sports law education. By recognizing the immense significance of sports in society and the legal framework governing it, Doctrina Ludus strives to bridge the gap between sports enthusiasts, legal professionals, and aspiring students through comprehensive educational programs and engaging activities. This ground-breaking initiative serves as a catalyst for fostering a deeper understanding of the multifaceted world of sports and its legal complexities.

About Resource Persons

• Mr. Tarun, Assistant Professor (Research), GNLU & Co-Founder, Doctrina Ludus
• Mr. Shubham Jain, Researcher, Centre for Sports & Human Rights (CSHR), United Kingdom
• Mr. Deep Ray, Managing Partner, Sensato Legal & Co-Founder, Doctrina Ludus
• Mr. Tarsh Khanna, Partner, Sensato Legal
• Mr. Saksham Samarth, Senior Associate, Uno|One Legal Partners, Spain
• Ms. Hetvi Trivedi, Independent Consultant (IPR) & Former Consultant, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
• Dr. Niyati Pandey, Assistant Professor of Law & Head, GNLU Centre for Sports and Entertainment Law (GCSEL), GNLU
• Mr. Nachiket Yagnik, Managing Associate, Krida Legal.

Overview of the course

• Dates– 22^nd November – 18^th Classes will be conducted on weekends only.
• Number of Hours– 32 Hours (30 Teaching + 2 Evaluation)
• Method of Instruction– Online through Zoom.
• Attendance– Minimum 75% to be eligible for evaluation. Attendance shall be recorded after the completion of each session.
• Last Date of Registration– 19^th November 2025, 11:59 PM
• Mode of Assessment – 100 marks MCQs will be conducted at the end of the course. The mode of assessment shall be online.

Payment & Registration

Fees

• 1499/- for Students enrolled in any University.
• 2499/- for Professionals.

Procedure

• Visit https://eazypay.icicibank.com
• Enter Institution Name as ‘National Law University’ and click on ‘Go’
• Fill the details – Email id, Mobile No., Amount, Student Name (Enter your name), Roll or Enrolment No. (Enter your Roll / Enrolment number for NLUO student and enter 131 for others), Semester (Enter your Semester number for NLUO student and enter 11 for others), Year and Payment Date.
• Purpose – “Double Credit Course on Sports Law and Practice” or “Course on Sports Law & Practice”
• Once required data is filled in click on ‘Submit’ after enter the captcha and OTP.
• After the payment you will get the auto generated payment receipt.
• Fill the google form attached to confirm your registration – https://forms.gle/weSWP2axEfKaVaHo8

For more details on the course please refer to the attached brochure or contact us at sports@nluo.ac.in or any of the undersigned.
Brochure

Vansh Kanchan (Convenor)- +91 6393271940

Parikshit Panigrahi (Co-Convenor)- +91 7853971547

The present single credit course is a skill-based course designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices (RP). It blends theoretical concepts with practical applications, enabling participants to learn by engaging in interactive modules, discussions, and experiential activities such as restorative circles, storytelling, and nonviolent communication exercises.

This course aims to help participants explore how restorative approaches can transform conflicts, promote healing, and build compassionate communities. It focuses on understanding harms and needs, fostering accountability, and enhancing empathy in various settings such as schools, families, and workplaces. The course outline is divided into four modules covering the fundamentals of restorative practices, self-care and community care, restorative justice in contrast to the criminal justice system, and applications of restorative principles in real-life contexts.

Through role-plays, simulations, and reflection-based activities, the participants will develop essential facilitation, communication, and conflict transformation skills. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to integrate restorative principles in their professional and personal lives, contributing to more empathetic and inclusive environments.

Course offered by: NLUO Centre for Mediation and Negotiation in collaboration with Accords International

 Open for:

• Students from any discipline (UG and PG level)
• Academicians
• Advocates
• Social Workers
• Community Leaders
• Any other ADR and RJ Enthusiasts

Mode: Online (via Google Meet/ Zoom)

Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday between 15 November and 30 November, 2025, from 07:00 PM to approximately 10:30 PM.

Course Fee:

1. For participants outside NLUO: ₹1,400/- (Rupees One Thousand Four Hundred Only)
2. For participants from NLUO: ₹1,100/- (Rupees One Thousand One Hundred Only)
3. For Professionals: ₹ 1600 (Rupees One Thousand Six Hundred Only)

Maximum number of participants: 45 (forty-five)

Note: Since the course is limited to 45 participants, registration shall close automatically after the 45th registration.

Registration ends: 12^th November, 2025

For Information Brochure, Information Bulletin and Payment Guidelines:
Brochure
Bulletin
Payment Guidelines

Registration Link:

SINGLE CREDIT COURSE ON “RESTORATIVE PRACTICE AND JUSTICE: THEORY AND TOOLS FOR BUILDING COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES”

Cuttack, 18 October 2025 — The Centre for Child Rights (CCR) at National Law University Odisha (NLUO) released the latest issue of its flagship publication, the Journal on the Rights of the Child earlier in the week on the 15th October 2025. The journal was unveiled by Hon’ble Justice Savitri Ratho, Chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Committee (JJC) of the Hon’ble Orissa High Court. Marking a significant milestone, this is the first ever edition of the journal to be internationally indexed and assigned an e-ISSN number 3107-4030, underscoring the CCR and the journal’s commitment to global standards of academic excellence.

Delivering the Presidential address, Hon’ble Justice Ratho emphasized the integral role of academic contributions in building robust child rights frameworks. She opened with quoting JFK quote, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. She shed light on the constitutional provisions on child rights, the series of legislations but also reminded everyone that child rights, child protection and welfare is not just a law and order or judicial issue, it is a shared responsibility and everyone needs to step up. She shared the relaunch of the Orissa HC’s JJC’s digital newsletter Sishu Suraksha and invited everyone to read it too. She concluded with the Nelson Mandale quote, exhorting everyone present to make it their talisman, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats it children.”

The unveiling event was graced by Prof Ved Kumari, Vice Chancellor NLUO cum Patron-in-Chief of the CCR, Prof Enakshi Ganguly, Honorary Professor at NLUO and Executive Director of the Housing and Land Rights Network, Prof Biraj Swain, Chief Minister’s Chair Professor cum Director of CCR and Mr M Vijay Bhaskar, Assistant Professor of Law and Co-Director of CCR, Centre for Tribal Studies & Pro Bono Club along with faculty, staff, and students of NLUO.

Ms. Pooja Marwaha, Chief Executive Officer of Child Rights and You (CRY) and her team member Mr Subhendu Bhattacharjee, Director-Policy, Research, Advocacy and Documentation joined digitally alongwith other colleagues. Among the attendees were NLUO Dean of Research and Internationalization Centre, Prof Sheela Rai, and over 150 students studying the Child Rights course or working in the student committee of CCR.

This first ISSNed edition of the journal has 11 original submissions in the categories of papers, case commentaries, infographics and Conference Proceedings written by practicing academics, researchers, advocates and students covering issues of public finance, education, nutrition, consent, role of social work in rehabilitation and reintegration of children in conflict with law, decriminalizing young love, digital safety of children and advancing child–centred justice. All the articles can be accessed freely from the university website. The journal welcomes submissions year-around and manuscripts can be submitted via email to ccr@nluo.ac.in. This edition of the journal is published with generous support from the CRY, marking their continuous collaboration with CCR-NLUO and reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing child rights through academic discourse.

Prof Biraj Swain while delivering her opening remarks emphasized on the rigorous academic processes including high-level blind peer review, fact-checking, plagirism checking and AI verification that has been followed to ensure the quality and ethical standards of the journal. A multi-member team of Associate Editors—Dr Swagatika Samal, Dr Pradipta Kumar Sarangi, Mr Ankit Kumar Keshri, Dr Rashmi Rakha Baug, Dr Shubhanginee Singh and student editor Ms Madhulika Tripathy—has worked intensely to ensure all the checks and compliances before selecting the final list of the submissions for publication.

The journal has a list of Who’s Who as editorial advisory board consisting Hon’ble Justice Madan B Lokur, Chairperson, United Nations Internal Justice Council & Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, Hon’ble Justice Gita Mittal, Former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court,  Prof. Bernd-Deiter Meier, Director, Criminal Justice Institute, University of Hannover, Germany, Prof. Christopher Birbeck, Professor of Criminology, Salford University, Manchester, UK and Prof. Bhabani P Panda, Director, School of Law, KIIT & Former Vice Chancellor, Maharashtra National Law University.

The Editorial Board is headlined by Prof Ved Kumari who is also the Editor-in-Chief. Other members constitute Prof Biraj Swain, the Editor, Prof Ravinder Barn, Professor of Social Policy and Head of Law and Criminology Department, Royal Holloway, University of London, Dr Frederick de Moll, Professor of Educational Science, Faculty of Education Science, Bielefeld University, Germany, Dr Damanjit Sandhu, Professor and Head, Department of Psychology, Punjabi University Patiala, Dr Asha Bajpai, (Former) Founder Dean and Professor, School of Law, Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Dr Kalpana Purushothaman, Adjunct Faculty, Indian Institute of Psychology and Research Bangalore.

Both the editorial advisory board and editorial board have together ensured that the  journal adheres to the highest academic standards and inter-disciplinary lens of child rights.

The journal is committed to expand the remit of child rights beyond juvenile justice and POCSO and welcomes scholars, academics, practitioners, policy makers and members of the judiciary to engage with contemporary issues that impact children’s rights and wellbeing. Emphasizing this, Prof Kumari emphasized the need to bridge gaps between research, policy, and practice to build an inclusive framework that understands and addresses the needs and rights of children.

Prof Ganguly highlighted the strategic advantage of CCR being housed within an university. She noted that this setting provides an ideal environment to generate innovative research outputs, contribute to governmental efforts, influence policy development concerning children, and engage as a knowledge partner with the State and the Hon’ble HC’s Juvenile Justice Committee (JJC).

Ms Marwaha highlighted the urgent need to put child rights at the center of every policy and public conversation. She reiterated that the journal will not only showcase rigorous research but also bring to the forefront lived realities of real children and real people—both of which are essential for driving effective policy, programme and advocacy.

The other core members of CCR contributing the achievements of CCR and the journal are, Ms Akanksha Yadav, Co-Director of CCR, Mr Amulya Kumar Swain, Admin Assistant at CCR and research scholar Mr T S Swaraj.  CCR has one of the most vibrant and engaged student committees and the student members constitute Abhinandan, Amit Samal, Sushant, Akshat Prakash, Raginee Panda, Ashwani Rai, Subhadra Satpathy, Tanisha Som, and Prayas Das, headlined by Kashish Rathore and Jyotirmay Choudhary. The student members also curate and create a bi-monthly newsletter which is a global and local scan of key developments in child rights. They also curate and run the social media handles of CCR on LinkedIn and Instagram where they make everyday explainers on UNCRC articles and other rights and provisions of children for everyday people. The 6^th edition of the Newsletter for the months of October-November 2025 was also launched at the event by Hon’ble Justice Ratho, the dignitaries, the faculty and student members of CCR.

For more information:

Vijay M Bhaskar, Co-Director, CCR-NLUO and Asst Prof of Law and NLUO, Mob: 9439081767 email: vijaybhaskar@nluo.ac.in

News Articles

INTRODUCTION

The case of Supriyo v. Union of India is a landmark legal proceeding central to the discourse on equality in India. It is fundamentally concerned with the future of LGBTQIA+ rights within the nation. The case was initiated by members of the queer community who brought a writ petition before the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights. They sought not only the legal recognition of marriage for same-sex couples by challenging existing statutes; but also a range of directions to the government and police to protect them from discrimination, harassment, and violence, and to secure benefits associated with unions, such as adoption, financial entitlements, and healthcare decisions. This legal battle represents a critical juncture in the ongoing journey towards securing comprehensive rights and recognition of the LGBTQIA+ community.

AIM OF THE EVENT

The primary aim of the guest lecture, “Queering the law: looking beyond Supriyo,” is to facilitate a nuanced discussion on the future of LGBTQIA+ rights in India following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Supriyo v. Union of India. While the verdict disappointed many, by unanimously holding that there is no fundamental right to marry under the Constitution, and ruling against a right to civil unions via a 3:2 majority, the judgment is not the end of the conversation.

This event seeks to move beyond the headline verdict to critically analyse the significant acknowledgements and directives within the ruling. The lecture will explore the court’s recognition of systemic discrimination against the queer community and the possibility of a entering into a “union,” distinct from marriage. Furthermore, it will delve into the concrete, positive directions issued by the court, such as those for police sensitisation, the creation of safe houses, and a ban on conversion therapy.

A key focus will be the path forward. The discussion will scrutinise the role of the high-powered committee proposed by the government to examine entitlements for queer couples and consider whether this is an adequate substitute for full legal recognition. Ultimately, the event aims to foster a strategic dialogue on the future of this movement, looking towards legislative reform and further advocacy in the wake of the Supriyo decision.

ABOUT OUR GUEST LECTURER

The lecture will be delivered by Ms. Jwalika Balaji, a Research Fellow in the Research Director’s Office at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Delhi. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (LLM-equivalent) degree from the University of Oxford and a BA. LL.B. (Hons) from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. Her areas of interest include family law, equality and anti-discrimination law, and human rights, with a special emphasis on gender and sexuality. She is on the Board of Directors at OutLawed India, a not-for-profit organisation working to improve access to law and justice. At Vidhi, she has been providing legislative drafting assistance to various Ministries, Departments, and Authorities of the Central Government and various State Governments. She has worked closely on Vidhi’s brief on the subject of the guest lecture and helped in the release of the final consultation papers and chapters, collaborating with the Keshav Suri Foundation.

OVERVIEW OF THE INSTITUTION

National Law University Odisha, Cuttack was established by Act 4 of 2008 by the Odisha State Legislature keeping in mind an enunciated vision of advancement of learning, teaching, research, diffusion of knowledge in the field of law and catering to the needs of society by developing the professional skills of those intending to take up the professions of Advocacy, Judicial Services, Legal services, and so on. National Law University, Odisha is committed to providing an atmosphere in which academic excellence is the foremost priority for students. Along the lines of this vision, NLUO has significantly catered to the needs of the research in various legal fields by paving way for various dedicated research centres and societies.

The NLUO NSS Bureau under the guidance of Dr. Itishree Mishra, Mr. M. Vijay Bhaskar, Ms. Athena Solomon, Ms. Ayushi Srivastava and Mr. Jyotisikha Guha in collaboration with Centre for Research and Management of Natural Resources (CRAMON) Directors Dr. Nikita Pattajoshi and Dr. Divya Singh Rathor on 17^th September conducted a plantation drive as part of EK PED MAA KE NAAM campaign.

The Campaign kick started by plantation of tree by Prof. (Dr.) Ved Kumari, VC NLUO and was marked by plantation of saplings of several fruit and flower bearing tress by Faculties, Staffs and students of NLUO.

The Campaign honoured the role and importance of mothers in nurturing life and contributing to the health and wellbeing of the planet by planting trees in the campus.

The Centre for Tribal Studies, National Law University Odisha (NLUO), in collaboration with the Jal Shakti Board, NLUO and the Right to Food Campaign, is organising a Two-Day National Workshop on “12 Years of NFSA: Reflecting on Implementation, Exclusion and the Future of Food Rights” on 20th and 21st September 2025 (Saturday and Sunday). The event will be conducted in hybrid mode, with participants joining both at the NLUO campus in Cuttack and online via digital platforms.

The enactment of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 was a watershed moment in India’s social welfare history. It legally recognised food as an entitlement, extending subsidised food grains to nearly 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population. Over the past twelve years, the NFSA has shaped the country’s food security landscape, impacting millions of lives through schemes such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM), and maternity entitlements. Yet, persistent challenges remain – issues of exclusion, digital barriers due to Aadhaar-linked welfare systems, gaps in grievance redress, and inequities in local food systems.

This workshop seeks to critically examine these challenges, reflect on the progress achieved, and chart a path forward. It will feature leading voices from academia, civil society, the legal community, and grassroots activism. Eminent speakers include Dr. Jean Drèze, Harsh Mander, Kavita Srivastava, Dr. Reetika Khera, Dr. Dipa Sinha, Dr. Vandana Prasad, Biraj Patnaik, Anjali Bharadwaj, and several others who have played pivotal roles in shaping the discourse on food rights in India.

The workshop is structured into a series of plenary sessions, panel discussions, community testimonies, film screenings, and open dialogues. The themes to be covered include:

• NFSA at 12: A legal and policy overview.
• Gaps in implementation of core schemes like PDS, ICDS, MDM, and maternity entitlements.
• Digital exclusion in food systems, with a focus on Aadhaar and technology-driven barriers.
• Community testimonies highlighting tribal and disability perspectives on access to food rights.
• Accountability and grievance redress mechanisms under the NFSA.
• Schedule III and WASH-Nutrition convergence– the linkage between food, water, sanitation, and health.
• Food sovereignty versus food security, with a focus on indigenous and sustainable food systems.
• Justiciability of the Right to Food in Courts, exploring the legal enforcement of food rights.

By fostering dialogue between policymakers, lawyers, activists, academics, and students, the workshop aims to create a holistic understanding of food justice in India. It aspires to not only highlight gaps but also collectively imagine a stronger, more accountable, and people-centered implementation of NFSA and related welfare schemes.

The workshop is open to all interested participants, with free registration. However, participants joining online are required to attend all sessions across both days in order to receive their e-certificates. Attendance will be strictly monitored to ensure meaningful engagement.

Event Details:

• Dates:20th–21st September 2025 (Saturday & Sunday)
• Time:From 10:00 AM onwards each day
• Mode:Hybrid (Offline at NLUO Campus, Cuttack & Online via Google Meet/Zoom)
• Registration:Free of cost
• Register here:https://forms.gle/omUae71jnwfrt9qj8
• Certificate Policy:Certificates will only be awarded to participants who attend the entire workshop.

This National Workshop will serve as a meaningful platform for re-imagining India’s food rights regime and strengthening accountability frameworks for the future.

For more information, please contact: cts@nluo.ac.in

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