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

Brochure

INTRODUCTION:

The One Nation, One Election Bill (ONOE), formally introduced as the 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2024, represents a watershed moment in India’s electoral history. It seeks to synchronise the elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, thereby reviving a practice followed in the early years from 1951 to 1967. The initiative, endorsed by a High-Level Committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind, is projected by the government to enhance administrative efficiency, reduce fiscal and environmental costs, and minimise governance disruptions caused by frequent elections. It is also expected to foster a unified national vision by aligning the country’s democratic cycles.

 

AIM OF THE EVENT:

The proposal has generated intense debate within legal, political, and academic circles. Former Chief Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and J.S. Khehar have affirmed its constitutional viability but has also emphasised the necessity of safeguards to prevent the concentration of “unbridled powers” in the Election Commission. While advocates highlight its potential to save billions of rupees, administrative resources, and promote stable policy cycles, critics caution that such a sweeping change may dilute regional representation, centralised political authority, and overshadow local governance issues, thereby altering the balance of India’s federal structure.

Against this backdrop, the Constitutional Law Society, NLUO, is organising a panel discussion on the theme “Synchronizing Democracy Through One Nation One Election: Reform for Efficiency or Engineered Consensus?”. The session aims to bring together eminent jurists, policymakers, and scholars to critically examine the constitutional underpinnings, logistical feasibility, and democratic safeguards surrounding ONOE. The discussion will not only consider the reform’s efficiency claims but also its potential impact on political pluralism and the voter’s democratic experience. By engaging with both the promises and perils of this electoral restructuring, the panel aims to contribute to an informed and balanced discourse on one of the most consequential constitutional reforms of our time.

 

ABOUT OUR PANELISTS:

Ms. Yamini Aiyar is currently a Senior Visiting Fellow, Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia and Watson Institute, Brown University. She was the President and Chief Executive of the Centre for Policy Research, a leading multidisciplinary think tank in New Delhi from 2017-2024. Ms Aiyar’s work sits at the intersection of research and policy practice. During her tenure she spearheaded the establishment of two important new research initiatives within CPR on State capacity and Politics. Prior to becoming President, she set up the Accountability Initiative at CPR known for its work on governance, social accountability and expenditure tracking in social Policy. Her research interests span the fields of contemporary politics, state capacity, welfare policy, federalism and India’s political economy. She is also a part of a number of boards and advisory committees of research centers and non-profits such as Advisory Committee, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, Member, United Nations Committee of the Experts on Public Administration and Member, Chief Minister’s Rajasthan Economic Transformation Advisory Council (2022-2023) to name a few. She has been widely published across national and international journals and is a regular columnist in the Hindustan Times and Deccan Herald.

Dr Asha Sarangi is a Professor of Political Science at the Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She did her PhD from University of Chicago, USA, where she was awarded the COSAS Fellowship for her work. She is also the recipient of the Social Scientist Award under the Indo-French Cultural Exchange Programme given by the University Grant Commission. Her areas of interest include political and cultural economy of development in modern India, identity and politics in South Asia and more specifically linguistic nationalism in modern India. She has written for several academic journals such as Taylor & Francis, EPW and the India Review. She has also authored several books on language and identity politics in India as well.

Mr Yashwant Deshmukh is a senior Journalist and Psephologist. For more than 25 years he has been inseparable part of Political and Elections coverage in Indian Media and has appeared extensively on almost all the leading News Channels including Aaj Tak, ABP, Times Now, Zee, Republic, India Today, BBC, CNN18, TV9, News24 and number of vernacular networks. He is the founder-director of C-Voter, one of the leading international Public Opinion and Stakeholder research agencies with expertise in working on assignments related to democratization, disaster mitigation and conflict resolution. A first-generation entrepreneur, he has travelled in more than 40 countries working in a number of transitional states and societies across Asia, America, Europe and Africa. Yashwant Deshmukh is an accomplished speaker, mentor, coach and trainer for media and communications students. His regular research workshops are attended by hundreds of students in many International as well as Indian universities.

The Panel Discussion shall take place on 12th September 2025, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. It shall take place virtually and shall witness participation from students all over the nation.

Venue: Conference Hall, NLUO | Date: 18th July 2025 |Time:   1:30 PM onwards

The Centre for Child Rights (CCR), National Law University Odisha, in collaboration with UNICEF, is launching the Child Protection Mentorship Program through a hybrid inaugural event on 18th July 2025. This unique mentorship initiative is designed for early and mid-career professionals across Odisha working in the development and child protection sector.

The program seeks to strengthen the skills, knowledge, and leadership potential of participants to contribute effectively to safeguarding children’s rights. The event will feature thought-provoking discussions with senior dignitaries including Hon’ble Justice Murahari Sri Raman, Orissa High Court, along with experts from UNICEF, Bakul Foundation and others.

Brochure

Poster

The Centre for Public Health Law (CPHL), National Law University Odisha, in collaboration with National Law University Tripura and
Vital Strategies, New Delhi, is organising a Two-Day National Workshop-Cum-Consultation on Strengthening Tobacco Control Laws in
India as a part of its Project on Tobacco Control Initiatives on 14th & 15th November 2025.

The Workshop seeks to critically examine India’s tobacco control regime amidst rising public health concerns, novel tobacco products,
and growing industry interference. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions, and paper presentations, the event will explore pressing
issues such as surrogate advertising, legal age of sale, vendor licensing, and cross-sectoral enforcement mechanisms. It aims to
strengthen India’s compliance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and support the national goal of a tobacco-freesociety under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.

Please check the brochure for further details. (Click Here for Brochure)

Centre for Child Rights (CCR), National Law University Odisha (NLUO) and Child Rights and You (CRY) are deliberating on Child-Centred Justice in the official satellite event of the 5^th World Congress on Justice with Children

Cuttack, 28th May 2025, The Centre for Child Rights (CCR), National Law University Odisha (NLUO) in partnership with Child Rights and You (CRY) is organising one of the official satellite events of the 5th World Congress on Justice With Children. This is scheduled on 3rd June 2025 in the NLUO campus at 2.00pm IST, and will be live-streamed across the world via 5th World Congress platform.

The World Congress on Justice With Children is a global platform that convenes every five years to further the policy, practice and discourse on child-centred justice. It comprises of organizations and individuals championing children’s right to access justice around the world. Notably, the members are institutions and individuals championing the cause of children’s access to justice and child rights, i.e. the United Nations’ nodal agencies like UNICEF, UNODC etc, global, regional and national civil society organisations like Terre Des Hommes, Penal Reforms International etc, academics, members of the judiciary around the world and national governments and most importantly the children and youth, who are at the centre of this global conversation.

The theme of the 2025 Congress is: “Advancing Child-Centred Justice: Preventing and Responding to Violence Affecting Children in Justice Systems.” This year’s Congress aims to highlight both entrenched and systemic issues and solutions that can enable and create an inclusive, rehabilitative and compassionate justice system for children.

The Global Initiative on Justice With Children was first launched in 2019 at the United Nations’ Head Quarters’ Geneva during the 30th anniversary of passing of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It was born out of the recognition of the ongoing plight of millions of children who were detained and experienced violence, neglect and trauma within the justice systems worldwide.

The satellite event at National Law University Odisha (NLUO) is dedicated to pushing the discourse on child-centred justice at a very crucial moment. Children’s access to justice is not only a key part of the legal and court proceedings in India and the world, but the very definition of justice is being expanded as this report is being written, so that the life chances, determinants are also given due importance and made justiciable. Universal accessibility of justice to every child everywhere is being foregrounded over just penning justice as a concept. This is the shared position of the NLUO, CCR and CRY.

In spotlight, is the General Comment 27 of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. In the UN human rights’ treaty system, a general comment (GC) is a non-binding interpretation of guidance provided by a treaty body on the obligations of the state parties. It is essentially comprising of expert opinions that help clarify the meaning and guide the states in implementing their commitments as signatories to a treaty, in this case, the UNCRC. General Comment 27 is a key provision that guides states’ and their instruments on implementing the rights of children in the context of access to justice, and the CCR-NLUO’s contribution will further unpack and interpret on why and how to make children’s access to justice a reality. The institutional position will be presented by Prof. Ved Kumari, Vice Chancellor of NLUO and Patron-in-Chief of the Centre for Child Rights. Prof Kumari is a credentialed global legal educator and one of the foremost names in juvenile justice in the world.

The satellite event will be graced by a distinguished panel of eminent practitioners with credentialed work in child rights, justice systems, and public administration. Hon’ble Justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur, Chairperson of the United Nations’ Internal Justice Council and former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, Hon’ble Justice Savitri Ratho, Judge of Orissa High Court and also the Chair of the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Orissa High Court, Hon’ble Justice K Chandru, a retired Judge of the Madras High Court, public intellectual and life-long advocate for making justice accessible to everyone, Smt. Shubha Sarma, IAS, the Principal Secretary of Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Odisha and Ms Sonal Kapoor, founder-CEO of Protsahan India Foundation, will be deliberating on various aspects of children’s access to justice in the legal systems and in their everyday lives.

The CCR, since its inception in 2015, has played a significant role in shaping discourse, policy and practice around child rights in India. It is the oldest research, teaching and advocacy centre of its kind at the National Law University Odisha (NLUO), and the second oldest child rights’ centre across all National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. Additionally CCR also holds the distinction of being home to the only Chair Professorship on Child Rights in India. This establishes the Centre not only as a hub for rigorous scholarship but also as a leader in thought, practice and innovation in the field of child rights. CCR is now working to ensure that economic, social, and cultural rights—such as access to quality education, healthcare, adequate nutrition, and a safe environment—are recognized as enforceable, justiciable rights for every child, rather than aspirational goals. By doing so, the Centre seeks to influence both policy and legal frameworks, ensuring that every child, regardless of socio-economic background, enjoys the full spectrum of rights that contribute to their dignity, development and better life opportunities.

The co-host, CRY is one of the most credentialed non-profit organisations, in the “child rights” space in India with a legacy of almost five decades. Founded in 1979, CRY has consistently worked to ensure that every child enjoys their right to survival, protection, development and participation. With more than 144 active projects across 20 Indian states, CRY has impacted the lives of over 4.7 million children through strategic interventions in education, health care, child protection and community mobilization. CRY’s collaboration in this event aligns with its longstanding mission to build a just and equitable society where all children can achieve their full potential. Its current presence is in 20 states in India with direct intervention projects, research, public engagement and knowledge exchange work. It was instrumental in making child rights an everyday conversation in Indian households and institutions through its iconic CRY cards for every occasion, the proceeds of which went to child welfare.

The satellite event organized by CCR-NLUO in partnership with CRY is more than just a formal gathering (on the world-wide-web and in the NLUO campus)—it is a call to action for every stakeholder in the child justice system. It represents a collective acknowledgment that justice systems, as they stand today, often fall short of protecting the best interests of the child. It calls upon every actor—from judiciary to executive, from NGOs to academia—to pause, introspect, innovate, and implement child-centred justice. In the spirit of the 5th World Congress on Justice With Children, the event aims to generate actionable dialogue, inspire collaborative partnerships and ultimately contribute toward building justice systems where every child feels safe, heard and empowered.

The CCR, NLUO and CRY invite all stakeholders and interested members of the public to join this important global conversation and help shape a justice system that truly serves its youngest and most vulnerable members.

 For more information, please contact:

1. Kallola K Patanaik, Assistant Registrar, NLUO kkp@nluo.ac.in +91 9437730455
2. Durbadala Mantry, Advocate, Legal Aid, KUTUMB, NLUO mantry@nluo.ac.in +91 9692004909
3. Dr Swagatika Samal, Researcher, CM Chair Prof Team, Centre for Child Rights, NLUO swagatika@nluo.ac.in +91 9439872656
4. Abhik Bhattacharya, Associate General Manager, Research and Knowledge Exchange, CRY bhattacharya@crymail.org +91 9051668304
5. Subhendu Bhattacharya: Director, Research and Knowledge Exchange, CRY: bhattacharjee@crymail.org , +91 9899110837

 

Official Satellite Event of the 5^th World Congress on Justice with Children

PANEL DISCUSSION ON ADVANCING CHILD-CENTRED JUSTICE

When: 3^rd June 2025

Time: 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm (including lunch and felicitation)

Where: Conference Hall, Administrative Block, National Law University Odisha,

Cuttack – 753015

 

Mode: Hybrid

To be globally webcast as part of the 5^th World Congress

 

Featuring: 

Hon’ble Justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur

Chairperson, United Nations Internal Justice Council & Former Judge of Supreme Court of India

 Justice K Chandru

Retd. Judge, High Court: Madras

 Justice Savitri Ratho

JJC Chairperson, Orissa High Court

 Smt. Shubha Sarma, IAS / Shri Sambit K Nayak OAS (SAG)

Department of Women and Child Welfare, GoO

 Ms Sonal Kapoor

Protsahan India Foundation

 

Hosted by:

 Centre for Child Rights – National Law University Odisha

 Prof. Biraj Swain

Chief Minister’s Chair Professor cum Director

Centre for Child Rights (CCR) – NLUO                   

 Child Rights and You (CRY)

 Shri Subhendu Bhattacharjee

Policy and Knowledge Exchange Director, CRY

 

National Law University Odisha (NLUO)  as a part of its Project on Tobacco Control Initiatives is organising a one-day workshop on “Strengthening Tobacco Control Laws and Implementation Measures in India” at West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata. The event will be jointly organised by NLUO, the Centre for Public Health Research-MANT, Vital Strategies, and WBNUJS.

The workshop will focus on a wide array of themes critical to advancing tobacco control in India. This will include an overview of the Global Tobacco Control Project and its legislative framework, the importance of adopting stronger tobacco control policies on advertisement and  sponsorship, the need for smoke-free public places through the removal of designated smoking areas and rooms (DSA/DSR). Discussions will also center on the protection of minors and adolescents, the implementation of the ToFEI guidelines, and the proposal to increase the minimum legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21 years. Participants will deliberate on the strategies to counter tobacco industry interference, the MPOWER strategy as a global tobacco control framework, and effective mechanisms for tobacco cessation.

The upcoming workshop is designed to serve as a dynamic platform for sensitising legal educators to critical public health and legislative issues surrounding tobacco control. With participation from distinguished resource persons representing a range of professional and academic backgrounds, the sessions promise to offer rich, multidisciplinary perspectives. This initiative also highlights the strong institutional collaboration between National Law University Odisha (NLUO) and the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), aiming to contribute meaningfully to both national and state-level tobacco control efforts.

 

National Law University Odisha (NLUO) is proud to announce the organization of a specialized Training Programme on New Criminal Laws for personnel of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). The programme is scheduled to be conducted on the 26^th and 27^th of April 2025 and the 3^rd and 4^th of May 2025, at the university campus.

This initiative aims to enhance the understanding and practical application of the recently enacted criminal laws among RPF personnel. With significant reforms introduced in India’s criminal justice system, it is imperative that law enforcement personnel are well-versed with the new legal provisions, procedures, and implications.

The training programme has been carefully designed by the faculty members of NLUO to address critical aspects of the new legislation, including procedural changes, substantive law updates, and their impact on special laws pertaining to RPF. Interactive sessions, case studies, and group discussions will form an integral part of the training, ensuring an engaging and effective learning experience.

Participants will include RPF officers from Khurda Road & Sambalpur Divisions of East Coast Railway, and the programme will serve as a valuable platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building in light of the evolving legal landscape.

NLUO remains dedicated to advancing legal education and supporting institutions involved in the maintenance of law and order across the country.

The Bioscope Global Film Festival, organized by the Centre for Film Studies, NLUO is to honour creativity through SHORT FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES, FEATURE FILMS, MUSIC VIDEOS, ANIMATED MOVIES of different National and  International  Languages and genre who have contributed significantly and globally to world cinema. Movies from all over the world are invited, panelised, screened and rewarded for their phenomenal and unique concepts. National Law University Odisha is excited to collaborate for this venture. This collaboration between a premiere law institute and an organization that patrons and fosters independent cinema, is expected to not only weave discussion around independent cinema but also delve into the different societal aspects portrayed in cinema.