Centre for Criminal Justice Studies (CCJS)

Inaugural lecture on “The Proposed Criminal Law Bills: A Critical Assessment” on November 6, Monday at 10:30 AM by Prof. (Dr.) Anup Surendranath. Dr. Surendranath is a professor of law at NLU Delhi and holds the SK Malik Chair Professorship on Access to Justice. He is the executive director of Project 39A and is also on the Advisory Council of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, University of Oxford.  In his address, Prof. Anup Surendranath argued that the new criminal law bills are cosmetic changes, not true reforms or acts of decolonization, since most provisions of the colonial codes remain intact. He emphasized that real reform lies in reimagining the state-citizen relationship, strengthening criminal justice institutions, and addressing the social roots of crime like poverty and patriarchy rather than relying on harsher punishments. He also criticized the undemocratic, non-consultative process behind the bills’ drafting and called for deeper, evidence-based and inclusive reform. 

1st RVU National Essay Competition 2023 on Criminal Law for school and college students on November 30, 2023. 

Public lecture on ‘Special Criminal Laws in Indian Legal System’ by Mr. Kunal Ambasta,Assistant Professor, National Law School of India University (NLSIU),  on 24th April, 2024 from 11:15am – 12:25pm. Mr. Ambasta obtained his B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from NLSIU in 2012 and his LL.M. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2013. He is one of the directors of The Justice Initiative (TJI). His research interest lies in the criminal justice system, the law of evidence and proof, and the interface between law, sexuality, and gender identity.   The lecture examined how special statutes such as the UAPA, POCSO, and NDPS Act have altered the balance between state power and individual rights. Prof. Ambasta discussed the historical evolution of such laws, their procedural deviations from ordinary criminal law, and their implications for fair trial and due process. He highlighted concerns regarding the reversal of the presumption of innocence, extended pre-trial detention, and limited judicial oversight, arguing that these “special” regimes often compromise constitutional safeguards in the name of efficiency or national security.