Panel 6: Shamnad Basheer Memorial Panel: Disability Jurisprudence Strengthening Constitutionalism: Nilesh Singit spoke on the lived experiences of persons with disabilities (PWDs), emphasizing the gap between policy and implementation.
While the Rajive Raturi judgement acknowledged that emotional needs, such as privacy and self-pleasure is overlooked, Anicca argued in favour of a substantive recognition of this right.
He further noted that the apex court expanded the scope of fiscal federalism beyond taxation by recognizing that fees, levies, and other regulatory charges also play a crucial role in the financial autonomy of States.
The judgment reaffirmed that taxation powers are exclusive, but regulation and revenue generation through mechanisms like royalties, fees, and levies can still be subject to parliamentary oversight.
Panel 4: Technology law and Digital freedoms: Speaker 1: Adv. Vrinda Bhandari discussed the intersection of technology and constitutional law, and highlighted how technology both facilitates and restricts fundamental rights.
Adv Gupta concluded by warning against government overreach under IT Rules, which empower authorities to unilaterally label content as “fake, false, or misleading” and issue takedown orders without sufficient safeguards under Article 19.
From the Q&A session: Adv Manu Kulkarni. ”The answer to every problem is targeted and proportionate regulation and not an open-ended regulation that can spiral in ways we cannot imagine."