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[Trigger Warning: This explainer contains information on physical violence, sexual violence, abuse and slurs which some readers may find disturbing.] If a person repeatedly follows, contacts or monitors someone despite their disinterest or lack of consent, it is known as stalking. Stalking is a term used for numerous activities done by a person, which whenRead more

[Trigger Warning: This explainer contains information on physical violence, sexual violence, abuse and slurs which some readers may find disturbing.] Everyone has a right to privacy1. This means that anyone can do anything, sexual or not, thinking that no one is watching them (provided that it shouldn’t be illegal). Under the law, only a manRead more

You can complain to the following authorities: Police Go to Police Station An FIR can be filed at any police station or the one nearest to where the crime happened. Anyone, including a friend or relative can also file an FIR on a survivor’s behalf. However, at the time of reporting, the survivor will haveRead more

[Trigger Warning: This explainer contains information on physical violence, sexual violence, abuse and slurs which some readers may find disturbing.] Sexual harassment can happen in several ways. Actions such as following a person on the streets or in any public space, peeping into their bedroom, making sexual gestures at them while they are at workRead more

Both in urban and rural areas, if the officers of the Municipality or the Panchayat believe that manual scavenging may be taking place in their area of control, they have to do a survey and create a list of manual scavengers. The Municipality and the Panchayat have a duty to rehabilitate the people included inRead more

If you notice or are made aware of instances where laws for safai karamcharis are not followed, you can file a complaint to the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK). You can visit their website complaint section here. This Commission will inquire into the complaints and report them to the officers of the Municipalities andRead more

No, it is illegal to employ someone as a manual scavenger in India. It is also unlawful for anyone (including municipalities and panchayats) to employ any person for the cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank without the necessary protective gear. People who do so face the following repercussions. Employing someone as a manualRead more

The person who occupies the property on which an ‘insanitary latrine’ exists has to demolish or convert it. If more than one person owns the property on which the insanitary latrine is built, the costs have to be paid by the owner (if they are one of the occupiers) or equally by all of them.Read more

It is unlawful and an offence under the Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 for any person, municipality, panchayat or agency to build an insanitary latrine that requires human waste to be removed manually by a person before the waste has properly decomposed. Local authorities must carry out a survey of insanitary latrines inRead more

Any person who has been employed to handle undecomposed human waste from an insanitary latrine, open drain or pit or railway track is a manual scavenger. The person could have been employed by anyone – say someone from their village or by an agency or contractor. It does not matter if they were given regularRead more

Yes, if the review or critique of any public material or performance was made in good faith, then it is not considered an act of defamation. For example, if the author of the material has given permission for it to be reviewed by the public, then anyone making a statement against the same will notRead more

If you print or engrave something you know is defamatory to a person’s reputation, you can be punished with jail time of up to 2 years and/or with a fine. Generally, newspapers are prosecuted under this provision. Selling or trying to sell printed or engraved material which is defamatory can be punished with jail timeRead more

To prove a defamation case, you have to show the following things: That the person who said or wrote things about you conveyed a defamatory message.That the material was published, meaning that it was conveyed to someone other than you.That you could be identified as the person referred to in the defamatory material.That you sufferedRead more

If you say or write something to insult the reputation of a person, group of people or a company, a court can punish you for the crime of defamation. If the insult is to a group of people, it is important that this class or group of people can be identified. If you harmed theRead more

There can be two forms of defamation – slander and libel. Slander Slander involves something that is spoken with the intention to harm someone’s reputation and can be heard. It is in verbal form. For example, Rahul says bad things about Seema’s character, which results in Seema losing her job. Rahul has committed the crimeRead more

There is a ban on loudspeakers during the silence period – 48 hours prior to the date of polling. It cannot be fitted on any vehicles, buildings, etc., and if anyone does this, it is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). After the 48 hours are over, proper permissions from the DistrictRead more

There is a ban on  liquor 48 hours before elections. 1 The day(s) on which a constituency observes a silent period is a dry day. The law requires all liquor shops to be closed 48 hours before the date of polling to prevent consumption, distribution of alcohol and bribing of voters. States are responsible forRead more

Conducting conferences and interviews 48 hours before elections is forbidden. During the 48 hours before polling, candidates and political parties should not address the media on election matters by press conferences and interviews. 1  Section 126(1)(b),The Representation Of The People Act, 1951 (RPA).[↩]Read more

Advertisements or sponsored programmes or reports which support or criticize a candidate with an intention to influence the election cannot be broadcasted on the television or the radio. If general events relating to a political party are broadcasted which does not influence the public in any manner then it can be broadcasted via TV or the radio.Read more

The law prohibits any public meetings which discuss elections through1: Musical concertsTheatrical performancesProcessionsOther forms of entertainment No person can convene or hold, attend or join or address any public meetings which are in connection with elections 48 hours before the date of polling. For example: A candidate cannot gather a group of people and advocateRead more

In the period of 48 hours (2 days) before voting day, all election related campaigning stops – it is called the silence period. This applies to both State and General (for example, Lok Sabha) elections.  No one – citizens, journalists, candidates, election agents, movie actors, theatre artists, etc. –  is allowed to do election related campaigning.Read more

Places you cannot smoke Smoking in public buildings like a restaurant, theatre, healthcare institutions or public transport is a crime. If you are caught smoking in a public place, a police officer can detain you. The punishment is a maximum fine of Rs. 200. Places you can smoke Open Spaces You can smoke in completelyRead more

Under the law, it is the responsibility of the owners/managers of public places, such workplaces, shopping malls, etc., to ensure no one smokes in that public place1. Specifically, the owner of the public place must ensure that: A board is displayed2 at all entrances, floors, stairwells and conspicuous places that clearly states “No Smoking –Read more

Under muslim personal law, a muslim male can marry not only a muslim woman but also a Jew or a Christian Woman. The only prohibition is with the muslim woman who cannot marry anyone who isn’t a muslim. 1 A woman can renounce Islam and marry anyone who is not a muslim, thereby completely changingRead more

Islam recognizes polygamy, which means the practice of having more than one wife at a time. A muslim man is permitted to have a maximum of four wives at a time. However, Courts have held this is not an unrestrained right. 1 If a man marries a fifth wife, the marriage is not unlawful or invalidRead more

The right to contract the marriage of a minor or a person with unsound mind in marriage belongs to the following sets of people who are guardians1: Father.Paternal grandfather how high so ever.Brother and other male relations on the father’s side. If these paternal relations are not there then the right goes to: Mother.Maternal UncleRead more

For those people with an unsound mind, marriage can take place with the permission of the guardian, but this option can only be exercised when the person with an unsound mind recovers reason or becomes sound.  1 Mulla, D. F., Sir. (n.d.). Principles of Mahomedan Law (20th ed.) p.330.[↩]Read more

The validity of a marriage can be checked through the nikahnama, which is considered integral to a religiously-valid Islamic marriage. The Qazi will maintain the nikahnama. If there is no nikahnama then the Qazi himself can be the witness. 1 The nikah can also be done though phone or the internet. 2 It will beRead more

Certain relationships are prohibited under the law. This means that a person cannot marry certain kinds of relatives1: Blood Relations  You cannot marry your mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, great-niece, aunts, or great aunts. You also cannot marry someone who is also related to you through such relatives. For example, you cannot marry yourRead more

The marriage has to take place in the presence of1: Two male witnesses or One male and two female witnesses.  These witnesses must be muslims, adults and of sound mind. The Sunni School of muslim law, specifically requires two witnesses to present while the Shia School of Law does not require the presence of a witnessRead more

There should be a proposal of marriage made by or on behalf of one of the parties and the other party has to accept this proposal. Both the bride and groom have to say Ejab e Qubool (Qubool hai), which means “I agree”. 1 This has to be said out of their own will andRead more

For a marriage to be legally recognized as a muslim marriage, the following conditions must be met1: Age A couple can get married if they have attained puberty (usually 15 years).  Mental State A person with mental illnesses can get married if their guardian has given consent to the marriage. ‘Consent’ or agreeing to getRead more

Marriage is a contract under muslim law.1 The contract can be entered by fulfilling the following conditions: Both the bride and groom must give free consent for the marriage.The couple getting married should be of sound mind and should have attained puberty (usually 15 years). 2A guardian like a parent or sibling, can consent onRead more

There are various schools of Muslim law. The law on Muslim marriages comes from the interpretation of the Quran by scholars. Thus, most of Muslim marriages are guided by customs derived from interpretation followed through generations. The laws and customs that apply to each person following Islam differ based on the sect of the person.Read more

A marriage officer is a person appointed by the State Government after notification in the Official Gazette. The main duty of a marriage officer is facilitate the registration and provide the certificate of marriage to the parties.Read more