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Centre for comparative studies in personal laws

Research in the field of personal laws is required to be done in India due to its multicultural and religiously diverse society. As there is lack of uniformity in various matrimonial, succession and in other related issues under personal laws despite the directive enunciated under Article 44 of the Constitution of India regarding the endeavour of state to secure citizens, a uniform civil code, the need of such kind of in-depth research becomes a necessity, which is the one of the mandate of the centre.

As family is the bedrock and the important social unit of society, the preservation of harmony and peace in this social unit, in turn ensures overall societal well being and ultimately contributes to the national development. From time immemorial, marriage has been considered as sacred union and for Indians is not merely a sacrament, but is sacrosanct also. It provides an inbuilt system of checks and balances, roles and priorities for the couples to lead a happy, contented and balanced life and also an opportunity to nurture the coming generations with culture, sense and samskaras. With the changing social milieu, the significance and connotation of these fundamental societal institutions and other issues related to them have transformed drastically in changing times, affecting the social fabric, due to which newer challenges are emerging.

The Centre on Personal Laws aims to impart legal education to all concerned regarding matters relating to personal and family laws and to provide counselling, assistance and litigation support, in case of any dispute pertaining to any personal, family or employment related issues. Keeping these social changes and behavioural pattern of our younger and older generations and the widening gap inter-se

Objectives

  1. To establish a Personal Law Counselling Cell to provide legal counselling on the following issues :
    1. Issues relating to Matrimonial Matters viz. divorce, maintenance, custody of children, adoption and guardianship of children, reproductive rights of women, pre-nuptial agreements under different personal laws.
    2. Issues relating to Employment/Workplace viz. sexual harassment, equal pay, reservations, maternity related issues, child labour etc.
    3. Issues relating to Property Matters and Inheritance Rights viz. stridhan, dowry, devolution of ancestral property etc. under various personal laws.
    4. Issues relating to Education of children, women and elderly/aged.
    5. Issues relating to Nutrition and Health of children, women and elderly/aged.
    6. Issues relating to Elderly people, their maintenance and well being.
    7. Any other issue related to family and child welfare.
  2. To conduct and promote research regarding the need, utility and feasibility of having Uniform Civil Code in India.
  3. To analyse and critically examine various laws, policies, programmes and judicial pronouncements related to personal laws, to scientifically analyse and prove/disprove the need of Uniform Civil Code in India, in the present globalizing world.
  4. To compile and publish all progressive judgements under different personal laws, especially related to women and children.
  5. To have collaboration with Delhi commission for Women (DCW), National Commission for Women(NCW) and with Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and also to tie-up with Family Courts of Dwarka, New Delhi.
  6. To invite scholars and academicians for dialogues on contemporary issues relating to children, women, family and personal laws and to organise conferences, seminars, debates and events relating to personal laws and social evils affecting children, women and family.
  7. To liaise with institutions, professional NGOs, Governmental and Public authorities for conducting research and undertaking the projects relating to personal laws and also taking their help and assistance for creating awareness about the legal and human rights of women and children and for disseminating information about laws and legal avenues available for them.
  8. To adopt a near-by village and to educate and spread legal awareness programmes so as to reach out to vulnerable sections of society, especially children and women in distress through offering emotional and legal support.
  9. Any other assignment related to promotion of academic research and discourse on various personal laws.

People

In order to carry out the activities and the above-stated objectives, following structure is for the Centre-

Patron- Prof.(Dr.) G.S. Bajpai, Vice Chancellor, NLU, Delhi

Advisor- Prof.(Dr.) Harpreet Kaur, Registrar, NLU, Delhi

Name Designation E-mail ID
Prof. Anju Tyagi Executive Director anju.tyagi@nludelhi.ac.in
Prof. Anupama Goel Research Director anupama.goel@nludelhi.ac.in
Dr. Akash Singh Member akash@nludelhi.ac.in

Along with students (of B.A.LL.B(Hons)., LL.M., Ph.D.)
Faculty members to be associated as associate members of the centre to support various activities.

Resources

In order to generate resources for the Centre, the research projects and activities are to be financed by various funding agencies. The proposal would be sent for this purpose to the funding agencies through the University and approval shall be taken accordingly.