Evolving Justice: The Shifting Paradigms of Crime and Punishment Through The Lens of New Criminal Laws

Criminal law is the branch of law that must evolve to be in tandem with the changes and development of the society. A static law cannot serve the required exigencies in the society. Recently, with the evolving societal values, the underpinnings of criminal law, rooted in a British legacy have been overhauled and transformed completely. The Indian legal framework has been modernized and Indianized to enhance its efficiency and to navigate towards a potent justice system with the inculcation of technology in law enforcement and other judicial processes along with transformative crime controlling mechanism. Moreover, a reformative approach of crime prevention through new criminal laws also reflects a paradigm shift in reshaping the Indian criminal justice system. This paper is an attempt to delve into comprehensive analysis of the new criminal laws (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,2023, Bharataiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita,2023, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam,2023) and its implications to foster a just society

Barter and Hierarchy: A Heuristic-Practical Analysis of Food, Society, and Knowledge in the Inca Empire

The Inca Empire developed a sophisticated food production system, social organisation, and knowledge transmission without relying on currency or writing. In this article, which examines the Inca model through a heuristic and practical lens, we introduce the concept of a barter economy based on hierarchical cooperation. Drawing on ethnohistorical accounts and modern scholarship, we explore how the Incas produced abundant food across diverse ecological zones, mobilised labour through kin-based and state institutions, and transmitted knowledge via embodied practice and quipu record-keeping. We argue that the Inca case represents a distinctive mode of complex organisation that challenges modern assumptions about money, markets, and written bureaucracy as prerequisites for large-scale administration. This heuristic-practical paradigm of Inca statecraft highlights the interplay of food security, social cohesion, and knowledge in empire-building. This study concludes by discussing the implications of the Inca model for understanding pre-modern economies and draws parallels to broader non-market systems in history

Causal Relationship Between Awareness of Women and Demand for Equal Right to Inherit Agricultural Land in India: An Empirical Study

Women's ownership of agricultural land is extremely poor in India and globally. Various factors are responsible for this disparity, and one of the primary reasons concluded by previous research is unawareness on the part of women. In all research conducted at the ground level, a significant barrier to implementing the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act of 2005 is that women are unaware of their rights in agricultural land and the bureaucratic process of land transfer. Thus, the researchers undertake this research to prove or disprove the above findings with the same population and questions but with different profiles. The respondents in this study are Hindu women who are highly educated and well aware of their legal rights. They are all highly educated, have a law background, and understand the decisive role of the Amendment Act 2005. This empirical study gathers the views of women working in the field of law regarding their rights to inherit agricultural land and the challenges they face while they demand their rights. The research concludes that there is too much disparity among women in awareness about their rights in property as amended by the Hindu Succession (Amendment Act) 2005. The interesting thing is that women who have a law background hesitate in claiming their rights as they think it may destroy their relationship with relatives

Regional Languages in Indian Legal Higher Education: A Comprehensive Empirical Analysis

This empirical study examines the implementation of regional languages in Indian legal higher education by analyzing both challenges and potential solutions through a comprehensive mixed-methods approach. The study employed a mixed-methods design with a sample of 500 participants across 10 states, including 100 faculty members and 400 students from 25 law colleges. The data collection utilized validated questionnaires, achieving a response rate of 94.4%. This study tested four hypotheses using both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The research confirmed all the hypotheses, revealing a significant positive correlation between regional language support and academic performance (χ² = 15.82, p = 0.003). Students receiving bilingual instruction demonstrated 23% better comprehension and 15% higher retention rates. Resource availability emerged as the primary implementation factor, accounting for 38% of the variance. Faculty support was strongly correlated with institutional readiness (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). The findings support the implementation of a flexible, bilingual approach to legal education, emphasizing the need for substantial resource development, faculty training, and institutional support. This study bridges a crucial gap in the existing literature by providing robust empirical evidence on the effectiveness of regional language implementation in legal education and offering concrete recommendations for policy development and implementation strategies

Role of Handloom in Cultural Continuity: Exploring Ethnic Identity and Economic Sustainability

This study explores the vital role that the handloom sector plays in preserving cultural identity and supporting economic sustainability among ethnic communities in Jharkhand, India. Handloom weaving, rooted in tradition, serves as both an economic lifeline and a means of cultural transmission, enabling communities to maintain heritage practices amidst modern challenges. Data were collected from 130 handloom workers from the selected district of Jharkhand, utilising a quantitative research methodology and employing structured questionnaires that focused on cultural identity, economic challenges, and income satisfaction. Further insights were obtained from secondary sources, such as government reports and academic literature, to provide context for the findings. Our findings reveal a strong positive correlation between income satisfaction derived from handloom work and the importance placed on cultural preservation. Chi-square tests and correlation analyses highlight that those with greater economic security from weaving demonstrate a higher appreciation for its cultural value. These insights underline the need for targeted policies to sustain the sector, suggesting that strengthening the economic framework for handloom weavers could bolster both cultural continuity and community resilience. This study contributes to the discourse on safeguarding cultural practices and promoting sustainable livelihoods in the face of globalisation and mechanised competition

Cultural Continuity and Change: Analysing the Socio-Cultural and Historical Significance of Uttarakhand's Fairs in the Age of Globalisation

The state of Uttarakhand is renowned for its distinctive cultures and varying beliefs. Various fairs and festivals are celebrated throughout the year in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of the state, such as Uttaraini mela, Devidhura mela, Maun mela, Vishu mela, Jauljibi mela, Gauchar mela, Nanda Devi fair.  These fairs hold religious, socio-cultural, and economic significance in people's lives. These fairs and the festivities associated with them are related to the land, soil, crop harvesting, and changes in the seasons. They are considered auspicious by the people and serve various purposes for the people who come from distant places to visit them.  These fairs are important trading centers as people come to sell their products in these fairs. Also, many folk songs and dances are alive today because these fairs are essential centers for social gatherings. This paper's study area is the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand. The paper discusses the historical background of some of these fairs and their socio-cultural and economic importance. It also discusses the impact of modernization and globalization on these fairs and the efforts that can be made toward their preservation

Theories of Democracy and Democratisation Process: A Study of Telangana Movement in India

Democracy and democrisation process play a vital role in the development of inclusive society where all individuals are equal and share common democratic values. If there are inequalities based on race, class, region, religion, sex and ethnicity, they could be resolved through constitutional procedures and state mechanisms. The question of rights, justice, equality could be upheld not merely by the state but also non state actors, non-party formations. To understand these critical dimensions, there are theories of democracy in the domain of social sciences and liberal arts such as participatory, deliberative, elite, cosmopolitan. Since the article emphasises on democratisation and democratisation process, it is an attempt to understand the theories of democracy i.e., deliberative, participatory and elitist explicitly. To understand theories and the process of democratisation, article try to evaluate the Telangana separate state movement in India demanded for separate state within Indian federal structure. In fact, it has been successful in achieving separate Telangana state as 29th state of Indian Union. This case, certainly support in understanding the formal and substantial democracy as not only political parties involved in democratic deliberations but other stakeholders like social activists, students, women, employees and cultural groups mostly from subaltern sections. Based on this case and understanding theories of democracy, this article proposes to argue that participatory and deliberative democracy theories deepen democratic culture, uphold inclusive development and educative function. It further tends argue that elite democracy, in fact, does not compete with participatory and deliberative democracy. This proposition is proved in Telangana state movement as it transformed formal democracy into substantial democracy in Indi

Comparative Study on Screen Reader Accessibility Between Digital and Accessible Mathematics Textbook

Schools are now mandated to place students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms, which has led to a growing need for technology to provide these students with social skills and academic tools comparable to their peers. Technology plays a significant role in enhancing curriculum access, participation, and progress. It boosts independence, personal productivity, and empowerment. It can also facilitate interactive learning experiences and transform static curriculum materials into adaptable digital media and tools. Inaccessible materials present a major obstacle for children with disabilities, affecting their motivation to attend school if they cannot fully engage in classroom activities. This study aims to develop accessible Mathematics Textbook for students with Visual Impairment and Validate its accessibility with available Digital Mathematics Textbook using screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA and TALKBACK

Public Libraries as Community Engagement Hub: An Analytical Study

The present study assessed the participation of the communities in the community engagement program and services offered by public libraries in Kannur, Kerala. Public libraries functions as people’s own spaces by engaging the people with vibrant and innovative outreach programs and services. The main objective of the study was to assess the current status and utilization of public library’s community engagement services by the different user groups.. Moreover, it tries to identify the challenges faced by both users and librarians in the utilization and actualization of these programs. The study was conducted among the different reader group communities namely Balavedhi, Yuvajanavedhi, Vanithavedhi and Vayojanavedhi in public libraries functioning under the Kerala State Library Council  A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from library users and interviews with the librarians were conducted to collect data. Chi-Square test was conducted to compare the challenges faced by users in different community groups. The study found that most of the users take advantage of the community services provided by public libraries, and they also require additional services from the library, such as free Wi-Fi, ICT facilities, and more e-governance services

Evaluating Public Financial Management Reforms and Their Impact on Development Budget Execution in Afghanistan

This paper examines the impact of public financial management (PFM) reforms on executing Afghanistan’s development budget. The key reforms analyzed include the AFMIS, TSA, MTBF, PBB, Public Investment Management Framework (PIMF), budget decentralization, centralized reporting systems, development budget framework, procurement process reforms, and cash management practices reform. The study is grounded in principal-agent, New Public Management (NPM), and institutional theory and employed an ex post facto descriptive, mixed-methods research design. The findings reveal a statistically positive relationship between PFM reforms and the development budget execution rate. Nonetheless, major challenges such as political and security instability, limited institutional capacity, and corruption hinder progress. Low execution rates of the development budget are further affected by line ministries' limited absorption capacity, delayed donor disbursements, and overly optimistic budget projections. The study emphasizes the need for capacity building, improved coordination, and stronger oversight mechanisms to achieve PFM reform objectives, such as fiscal discipline, efficient resource allocation, and enhanced service delivery.