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Singhvi reflects on India's remarkable democratic journey
Abhishek Manu Singhvi reflected on India's remarkable journey as a democratic nation in lectures at Tufts and Harvard
Abhishek Manu Singhvi at the Fletcher School / O P Jindal University
Indian member of the parliament (MP) and senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi embarked on a lecture series in the US, hosted by O.P. Jindal Global University, under the leadership of the founding vice-chancellor, professor Dr C. Raj Kumar.
The lectures touched upon three major themes, “India at 75: The Future of Law and Justice in the World’s Largest Democracy”; “The India Supreme Court at 75: Protecting Rights, Expanding Freedoms, and Empowering Citizens” and “Same-Sex Marriage in India: In the pursuit of Equality and Justice by the Supreme Court of India”.
The first lecture took place at The Fletcher School - Tufts University in Massachusetts, where Dr Singhvi covered the historical evolution of India and its institutions from the pre-independence era to the current period. He reflected on India’s remarkable journey as a democratic nation and the significant contribution of the Indian legal system in providing a fillip to constitutional ideals.
Dr Singhvi identified the roadblocks in the Indian legal system preventing them from reaching their fullest potential and efficiency. While speaking about the prospects for the future, he mentioned India’s burgeoning demographic dividend and the transformations in the economic and social institutions as they will help in the progression of law and justice throughout the nation.
In a lecture at Harvard Law School, he emphasized the critical need to safeguard the independence and institutional integrity of the Indian Supreme Court.
While delivering a lecture at Harvard Kennedy School, he covered topics on constitutional law, including same-sex marriage and the potential for judicial interpretation to replace legislative action in recognising such unions.
Additionally, Dr Singhvi emphasized how Article 14 of the Constitution forbids discrimination and the exclusion of same-sex couples from registering their marriages. He asserted that discrimination based on gender is violative under Article 15 of the Constitution.
He also pointed out that the latest Supreme Court decision recognised the importance of giving equal rights and opportunities to every individual regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. He said that denying same-sex couples the right to marry is a violation of their fundamental right to dignity. He asserted that the right to civil union, adoption and the right to marry for transgender persons are rights that must be recognised. "This right of recognition, form unions and inclusion of diverse family structures is a significant step towards creating an inclusive society," he said.
Born in 1959, Dr Singhvi hails from Jodhpur, India. He completed his PhD under constitutional lawyer Sir William Wade of Cambridge University. The topic of his doctoral dissertation at Cambridge University was Emergency Powers.
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