Assistant Director of Collection Services Law Librarian
Introduction
Legal History of India
Law in India evolved from religious texts such as the Vedas and Upanishads, as well as Hindu philosophical schools. Indian legal history begins in Vedic ages and a civil law system may have started during the Indus Valley civilization.
Law during British rule
India inherited the common law system from British colonization. During that period, Privy Council as the highest court of appeal, contributed to the formation of different court systems. Under the first Law Commission the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure were drafted, enacted and brought in to force. The Commission also drafted Evidence Act and Contracts Act.
Law after Independence
The Constituent Assembly of India, chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, was formed to write the Constitution of India in 1946. The Constitution guides all executive, legislative and judicial matters in the country. The post-independence Indian legal system evolved as an essential ingredient of the world’s largest democracy, which moves towards a social justice paradigm to secure constitutional rights to every citizen.
Indian Law: E-resources
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Advocate KhojOpen source, no password needed
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VLexOpen source, no password needed
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GOI Web directoryOpen source: A directory of Indian Government websites.
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India: Republic of IndiaOpen source: Library of Congress research guide.
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Indian CodeOpen source: Indian Government website managed by Legislative Department
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Judgment: The Judgment Information SystemOpen Source: Provides the judgements of Supreme Court of India and High Courts of the country.
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Legal Information Institute of India (LII of India)Open source: provides access to Databases of Case law, Legislation, Journals and Scholarship and Treaties
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Encyclopaedia: Indian LawOpen source: Online Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Legal PunditsLegal Pundits: it is a subscription database and it provides Acts, amendments, bills, circulars, notifications, documents, areas of law, ministry documents, industry documents, state wise documents, case laws, all supreme court and high court judgments and tribunals. It provides partial information without a subscription.
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Global Legal Monitor (Law Library of Congress) IndiaOpen source: An online publication from the Law Library of Congress, covers worldwide legal news and developments.
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SCC Online (Supreme Court Cases)It is a subscription database: only for FIU users, and it requires IP registration with @fiu.edu address. No password is required.
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Governance & AdministrationThis section provides insight into Indian governance and administration at the Central, state, and local levels.
Books
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Indian usage and judge-made law in Madras
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Call Number: KNU511Publication Date: 1987FIU login required:
"This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality". Access provided via The Making of Modern Law database. -
India and International Law
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Call Number: KNS1985 .I64 2005ISBN: 9004145192Publisher's description: "India and International Law examines how India has attempted to achieve these goals in international relations and what has been therefore its contribution to the codification and progressive development of international law". -
Indigeneity and Legal Pluralism in India
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ISBN: 9781107081185Publication Date: 2015-07-20Publisher's description: "As calls for reparations to indigenous peoples grow on every continent, issues around resource extraction and dispossession raise complex legal questions. What do these disputes mean to those affected? How do the narratives of indigenous people, legal professionals, and the media intersect?". Online from Cambridge Core database, access restricted to FIU Community. Print edition at Law Library. -
Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law
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ISBN: 9780769855165Publication Date: 2012-06-01Publisher's description: This is an updated and revised edition of what has been referred to as the ""bible"" of federal Indian law. This publication focuses on the relationship between tribes, the states and the federal government within the context of civil and criminal jurisdiction, as well as areas of resource management and government structure. -
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The Emergence of British Power in India, 1600-1784
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ISBN: 9781782041795Publication Date: 2013-10-19E-book
