“A LEGAL STUDY ON DEEPFAKES, COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, AND CRIMINAL ACCOUNTABILITY”

AUTHOR – D. KIRUBA MAGTHALIN* & K. KEERTHANA**

* STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

BEST CITATION – D. KIRUBA MAGTHALIN & K. KEERTHANA, “A LEGAL STUDY ON DEEPFAKES, COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, AND CRIMINAL ACCOUNTABILITY”, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 864-869, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I6490

ABSTRACT

                There is a sudden development of Artificial Intelligence, as a result Deep fake technology arises which fully transformed the Digital Media. Deepfake is a fully transformed digital content like video, images or audio that looks realistic, difficult to differentiate the original and manipulated content. This Deep fake technology is fully      applicable for Entertainment and media production, and it also raises serious legal and ethical concerns. The upcoming chapters fully explained the Impact of Deep fake technology in the digital media and the relationship between Deep fake and copyrights. Deep fake can modify the person images or audio without the permission of original author; It violates the individual rights. One of the major concerns of Deep fake technology is Copyright Infringement. Overall, this study deals with the need for a balanced legal system to protect individual rights and advanced technology development.

KEYWORDS: Artificial Intelligence, Deep fake, Copyrights, Intellectual Property Rights, Infringement, Digital, Technology.

CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS FOR ESG NON-COMPLIANCE – A COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS

 AUTHOR – MOHD TOUSEEF AIZAZ* & PROF.(DR.) ARUN KUMAR SINGH**

* LL.M., ICFAI UNIVERSITY, DEHRADUN.

** PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, ICFAI UNIVERSITY, DEHRADUN

BEST CITATION – MOHD TOUSEEF AIZAZ & PROF.(DR.) ARUN KUMAR SINGH, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS FOR ESG NON-COMPLIANCE – A COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 850-862, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance has transitioned from a voluntary expression of corporate goodwill into a structured legal obligation carrying tangible civil and criminal consequences for directors. As regulatory frameworks across major jurisdictions have evolved to embed ESG expectations into the architecture of corporate law, directors who ignore, misstate, or inadequately supervise their company’s ESG performance expose themselves to a growing spectrum of legal risk. This paper examines the civil liabilities including breach of fiduciary duty, negligence-based claims, and shareholder derivative actions and criminal liabilities including fraud, environmental crimes, and willful non-disclosure that directors face for ESG non-compliance. Drawing on case law and legislation from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, the paper develops a comparative picture of how these standards are operationalised across different legal traditions. The analysis finds that the trajectory is unmistakably toward greater director accountability, and concludes with recommendations for boards seeking to manage ESG legal risk proactively.

Keywords: ESG, Director Liability, Companies Act 2013, Section 166

DEMOCRACY AS A WAY OF LIFE: LIBERTY AND THE ROLE OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN INDIA

AUTHOR – JYOTI CHAUHAN* & DR. MONICA KHAROLA**

* LL.M., ICFAI UNIVERSITY, DEHRADUN.

** ASSOCIATE DEAN AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, ICFAI UNIVERSITY,  DEHRADUN

BEST CITATION – JYOTI CHAUHAN & DR. MONICA KHAROLA, DEMOCRACY AS A WAY OF LIFE: LIBERTY AND THE ROLE OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 841-849, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

This article attempts to investigate democracy not as a form of governance, but as a way of life with specific reference to India. It is concerned with the basic concept of liberty and analyses the political, civil and economic categories of liberty with references from thinkers such as Ernest Barker and Harold Laski. It establishes how liberty, be it in the political aspect as voting rights, right to oppose government and candidature for election, etc, remains incomplete without civil liberties and economic security for the citizens of any country.

“Democracy stands for a society which is courageous, which is compassionate, which is solvent, which is dignified and which is human. We will not be truly democratic if on every occasion, we resort to violence.”^[1]

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[1]  Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, an eminent philosopher, educationist and the second President of Independent India, conveyed this message in the Constitution Assembly on January 20th, 1947 cited in G.L Batra, “Indian Democracy, A Historical Perspective – Then and now”, The Speaking Threads, November 1, 2018,  available  at http://speakingthreads.com/2017/01/05/indian-democracy-a-historical-perspective-then-and-now/#_edn1 last visited on March 20, 2026

DEMONETISATION 2016: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF POLICY PROCESS, ECONOMIC IMPACT, LEGAL VALIDITY, AND FAILURE FACTORS

AUTHOR – ATHARVA ASHOK KAPSE, 2^ND YEAR BA LLB STUDENT AT KES JP LAW COLLEGE MUMBAI

BEST CITATION – ATHARVA ASHOK KAPSE, DEMONETISATION 2016: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF POLICY PROCESS, ECONOMIC IMPACT, LEGAL VALIDITY, AND FAILURE FACTORS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 829-840, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I6487

ABSTRACT

Demonetisation in India in 2016 refers to the decision of the Government, led by Narendra Modi, to withdraw ₹500 and ₹1000 currency notes from legal tender on 8 November 2016. These notes constituted nearly 86% of the total currency in circulation. The policy was introduced with the objectives of eliminating black money, controlling fake currency, curbing terror funding, and promoting a transition towards a digital economy.

This study examines the entire process of demonetisation, including its background, secret planning, and implementation. It analyses how the decision was taken within a limited time frame, the role of the Reserve Bank of India, and the challenges faced during execution, such as cash shortages, lack of infrastructure readiness, and public hardship. The study also considers the legal dimension of the policy, particularly the judgment of the Supreme Court of India in Vivek Narayan Sharma v. Union of India (2023), where the policy was upheld by a majority, while dissenting views raised important concerns regarding procedural validity and institutional roles.

Further, the research evaluates the outcomes of demonetisation in comparison to its objectives. It highlights that although there was significant growth in digital payments and improved financial tracking, the core objective of eliminating black money was not fully achieved, as approximately 99% of the currency returned to the banking system according to the Reserve Bank of India. The study also identifies key reasons for failure, including inadequate planning, loopholes in implementation, misuse of banking channels by powerful individuals, and the disproportionate burden placed on the common and middle-class population, particularly small businesses and cash-dependent sectors.

AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF INDIAN WOMEN’S EDUCATION POLICIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS

AUTHOR – MANGALLEIBI ONGNAM* & DR. AVISHEK RAJ**

* LL.M., THE ICFAI UNIVERSITY, DEHRADUN.

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT DEPARTMENT OF LAW, THE ICFAI UNIVERSITY, DEHRADUN

BEST CITATION – MANGALLEIBI ONGNAM & DR. AVISHEK RAJ, AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF INDIAN WOMEN’S EDUCATION POLICIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 814-828, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

ABSTRACT

The constitutional promise of educational equality for women in India, inscribed across Articles 14, 15, 21A, 45, and 46 of the Constitution of India, has generated an elaborate scaffolding of legislative enactments, national policies, and targeted government schemes. Yet a persistent and troubling chasm separates the textual ambition of these frameworks from the lived experience of millions of women and girls across the country. This article undertakes a doctrinal and analytical examination of the legal architecture governing women’s education in India, tracing its historical evolution from colonial-era reforms through the National Education Policy 2020, and critically evaluating the constitutional adequacy and practical impact of key legislative and programmatic interventions including the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. Drawing on judicial pronouncements from the Supreme Court and constitutional court decisions, the article identifies structural gaps   including caste-based exclusion, geographic disparity, the digital divide, and early marriage   that continue to undermine policy effectiveness. A comparative analysis of international frameworks, including CEDAW and the Sustainable Development Goals, informs a set of legally grounded recommendations for achieving substantive educational equality. The central thesis advanced is that while India’s constitutional design creates strong normative foundations, the realisation of women’s right to education requires institutional reform, adequate financing, and intersectional policy thinking that current frameworks inadequately provide.

KEYWORDS: Women’s Education; Right to Education; Article 21A; RTE Act 2009; Beti Bachao Beti Padhao; Gender Equality; Constitutional Law; National Education Policy 2020; CEDAW; Intersectionality

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE JUDICIAL TRENDS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA : A CRITICALANALYSIS OF RIGHTS, EQUALITY, AND DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN RECENT CONSTITUTIONAL DECISIONS

AUTHOR – C NANMARAN* & R.NALINI CHANDRASEKAR**

* STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

BEST CITATION – C NANMARAN & R.NALINI CHANDRASEKAR, INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE JUDICIAL TRENDS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA : A CRITICALANALYSIS OF RIGHTS, EQUALITY, AND DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN RECENT CONSTITUTIONAL DECISIONS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 811-813, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I6485

1. Introduction

The development of constitutional law in India cannot be fully understood in isolation from international legal principles. In an increasingly interconnected world, constitutional courts frequently engage with global human rights standards to interpret domestic laws. The Supreme Court of India has consistently acknowledged the importance of international norms in shaping constitutional values, particularly in areas relating to human dignity, equality, and freedom.¹ Although India follows a dualist approach—where international treaties are not automatically enforceable unless incorporated into domestic law—the judiciary has often relied on international instruments to fill legislative gaps and strengthen the interpretation of fundamental rights. This approach reflects the Court’s recognition that constitutional values must align with universally accepted human rights principles.

While reliance on international law enhances rights protection, it also raises concerns regarding judicial overreach and the potential dilution of parliamentary sovereignty.

PATENT AND COPYRIGHT PROTECTION FOR VIDEO GAMES IN INDIA: AN ANALYSIS OF LEGAL GAPS AND CHALLENGES

AUTHOR – V.R. MARY RACHEL* & C. SOPHIA JEYAKAR**

* STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

BEST CITATION – V.R. MARY RACHEL & C. SOPHIA JEYAKAR, PATENT AND COPYRIGHT PROTECTION FOR VIDEO GAMES IN INDIA: AN ANALYSIS OF LEGAL GAPS AND CHALLENGES, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 801-810, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I6484

ABSTRACT

This chapter undertakes a critical comparative examination of the intellectual property frameworks governing video games in the United States, the European Union, Japan, and China. The objective is not a catalogue of foreign law for its own sake, but rather a substantive evaluation of whether the legal solutions developed in those jurisdictions offer workable models for addressing India’s own documented deficiencies in copyright and patent protection for the gaming sector.

India’s intellectual property framework suffers from persistent gaps: the absence of a statutory definition suited to interactive audiovisual works;^[1] the inaccessibility of meaningful patent protection for game technology under Section 3(k) of the Patents Act, 1970;^[2] and the inadequacy of the idea-expression dichotomy as applied to game mechanics. Each of the four jurisdictions examined in this chapter has confronted some version of these problems and has developed judicial or legislative responses that deserve careful scrutiny.

The American experience reveals the breadth of protection that early judicial classification of games as audiovisual works can achieve, alongside the risks of an overly permissive patent regime that generates patent thickets harmful to smaller developers. The European Union’s ‘technical effect’ standard for software patents offers a principled middle ground between total exclusion and unrestricted patentability. Japan illustrates how statutory frameworks designed for traditional creative industries can be adapted, through careful judicial interpretation and clear administrative guidance, to accommodate a global gaming industry. China, whose intellectual property law is often underestimated in comparative scholarship, has produced recent judicial decisions on game cloning that go further in protecting game experience than any other jurisdiction and offer a particularly instructive model for a developing gaming economy such as India’s.

The comparative analysis leads to five core lessons, each tied to a specific reform recommendation: the need for a statutory definition of interactive audiovisual works; clearer judicial tools for drawing the line between idea and expression in game systems; adoption of a ‘technical contribution’ standard for game technology patents; measured extension of design protection to game elements; and calibrated expansion of fair dealing exceptions to accommodate transformative creative uses.

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[1]Copyright Act, 1957 (No 14 of 1957), s 13. The Act protects ‘original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works’ and ‘cinematograph films and sound recordings’. Video games do not neatly fall within any of these categories.

[2]Patents Act, 1970 (No 39 of 1970), s 3(k). The section excludes ‘a mathematical or business method or a computer programme per se or algorithms’ from patentability.

REGISTRABILITY OF NON-CONVENTIONAL TRADEMARKS IN INDIA^[1]

AUTHOR – A LALITHA* & Ms. SAYANA M S**

* STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

BEST CITATION – A LALITHA & Ms. SAYANA M S, REGISTRABILITY OF NON-CONVENTIONAL TRADEMARKS IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 793-800, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I6483

Abstract

Non-conventional trademarks are marks that go beyond the usual world of words and logos. They include sounds, colours, shapes, smells, tastes, and textures. In India, the registration of such marks is controlled mainly by the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. While the law allows for the registration of any mark that is distinctive and can be shown graphically, the reality is that non-conventional marks often struggle to meet these basic requirements. This paper looks at whether non-conventional trademarks can be registered in India. It explains what these marks are, what the law says, what the main challenges are, and how different types of non-conventional marks — such as sound marks, colour marks, shape marks, and smell marks — have been treated. The paper argues that while some progress has been made, especially for sound marks, there is still a long way to go. India needs clearer rules, updated procedures, and a more open-minded approach from the Trade Mark Registry if it wants to keep up with global developments in trademark law.

Keywords: Non-Conventional Trademarks, Trade Marks Act 1999, Distinctiveness, Graphical Representation, Sound Marks, Colour Marks, Shape Marks, Smell Marks, India, Intellectual Property

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^[1] Non-conventional trademarks represent a growing area of intellectual property law in India.

INSTITUTIONALIZED VULNERABILITY IN CUSTODIAL TORTURE: A STUDY OF ITS DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON SC/ST COMMUNITIES IN INDIA

AUTHOR – SHEBI SASHAN S, STUDENT AT AMITY UNIVERSITY, NOIDA

BEST CITATION – SHEBI SASHAN S, INSTITUTIONALIZED VULNERABILITY IN CUSTODIAL TORTURE: A STUDY OF ITS DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON SC/ST COMMUNITIES IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 783-792, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

Custodial torture in India represents one of the most persistent and structurally entrenched violations of fundamental human rights, disproportionately afflicting communities at the lowest rungs of the caste hierarchy   the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Custodial violence against the SC/ST communities remains proceeds with a regularity systemic and almost impunity in spite of constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity, a strong statutory framework such as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and major judicial pronouncements such as D.K. Basu v State of West Bengal (1997). This paper critically examines the phenomenon of institutionalized vulnerability   the structural embeddedness of caste identity within policing practices, criminal justice institutions, and evidentiary frameworks   that renders SC/ST individuals disproportionately susceptible to custodial torture. The paper presents the argument that the targeting of SC/ST communities by custodial torture is not accidental but is systemic, based on historical caste subordination replicated by the institutional cultures of law enforcement by conducting a doctrinal analysis, reviewing data on the National Crime Records Bureau, and reading human rights literature. This paper also claims that the lack of commitment to the United Nations Convention against torture by India coupled with the lack of specific anti-torture laws leaves a serious accountability gap that cannot be sufficiently addressed by the existing frameworks. Legislative reform, institutional change of police culture, independent oversight mechanisms, and ratification of UNCAT by India are all suggested as critical measures to breaking institutionalized vulnerability.

Keywords: Custodial Torture, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Caste Discrimination, Police Brutality, Human Rights, UNCAT, Institutionalized Violence, India.

A CRITICAL STUDY OF CHILD LABOUR IN SIVAKASI FIREWORKS INDUSTRIES

AUTHOR – SRIDHARAN G* & SREE LEKSHMI B**

* STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SCHOOL OF LAW, VELS INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED STUDIES (VISTAS)

BEST CITATION – SRIDHARAN G & SREE LEKSHMI B, A CRITICAL STUDY OF CHILD LABOUR IN SIVAKASI FIREWORKS INDUSTRIES, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 01-05, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Introduction

When children are employed in jobs that exploit them of their childhood, education and livelihood, it is referred to as child labour. Childrens are frequently forced into labour at a young age in India due to economic hardship. One of the most important industrial sectors in India is the fireworks industry in Sivakasi which makes a substantial contribution to the nation’s fireworks manufacturing. Although the sector employs thousands of people, it has also been linked to a huge amount of child labours. Despite continuous efforts to solve the issue, child labour is still a concern in Sivakasi Industries fireworks sector. Since the 1980’s, the industry has been linked to child labour estimates suggest that at least one lakh children are employed in this sector. The state government’s initiatives, such as a scheme that prioritizes education over dangerous labour, have not entirely solved the issue.