People’s Union For Civil Liberties

People’s Union For Civil Liberties

People’s Union For Civil Liberties

About People's Union for Civil Liberties

People’s Union of Civil Liberties aims to bring together all those who are committed to the defence and promotion of civil liberties in India, irrespective of any differences which they may have in regard to political and economic institutions suitable for the country. PUCL strives to uphold and promote by peaceful means civil liberties and the democratic way of life throughout India.

Turning a De Facto Police Regime to a De Jure Police State: Critique of the 3 new Criminal Laws

Read PUCL’s critique of the three new Criminal Laws now!

A careful scrutiny of the three new laws passed in December, 2023 – the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) – reveals a concerted attempt to, weaponise the law by criminalising ordinary acts of democratic and peaceful means,  systematically dismantle the key element of criminal jurisprudence  such as the `presumption of innocence’ and the `right to free and fair trial’  and to centralise  powers of the police, providing immunity and ensuring `impunity’ of police and state officials.

Press Statements

Sep 25, 2024

Mutual Evaluation Report released by FATF, APG and EAG of Se...

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Aug 30, 2024

West Bengal CM’s call for Death Penalty for Rapists Is Pol...

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Campaigns

48 years since the Emergency
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National Campaign to Defend Democracy
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Our History

Human rights violations are not just stray or accidental incidents of police brutality or state excess; rather they have become widespread, systemic, and institutionalised. In such a climate, the need of the hour is for citizens to unite and reclaim their power to protest, to defend, and to oppose any actions that attack their fundamental human rights.

PUCL is the largest human rights organisation in the country, striving to defend civil liberties and human rights of all members of society.

1976
NATIONAL SEMINAR
A national seminar was held on October 17, 1976. It was inaugurated by Acharya JB Kripalani. The PUCLDR was a loosely organised group of people who were working with JP. V M Tarkunde was elected President and Krishna Kant General Secretary.
1977
EMERGENCY
The Emergency was lifted.
1977
JANATA PARTY WAS FOUNDED.
The Janata Party, formed with blessings of JP, came to power. A very large number of people who had worked with him assumed power at the centre and an impression started floating that now the liberties of the people were secure. The dynamic element in the PUCLDR subsided. Jaya Prakash Narayan died on October 8, 1979, after a prolonged kidney problem.
1980
ORGANISATION RECHRISTENED AS PUCL
The year 1980 saw the return of Indira Gandhi to power. A consensus emerged among civil liberties activists and various political parties that such an organisation should remain non-partisan. The organisation was re-christened as the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). The founding conference, held in November 1980, drafted and adopted the Constitution of the PUCL and made it a membership based organisation, aiming to have branches all over the country. The Constitution laid down that the members of a political party will not have the right to hold any office if they joined the organisation; the number of members, belonging to political parties, in the national or state executive committees shall not be more than 50% of the members of the National Council and the National Executive Committee respectively (and also the corresponding bodies at the state and local level). Not more than 10% shall be members of any single political party.
1980
MEMBERSHIP
In November 1980, a National Convention of civil rights workers converted the People's Union for Civil Liberties into a membership organisation. The National Convention elected Mr. V.M. Tarkunde as President and Mr. Arun Shourie as the General Secretary of PUCL. Since then the PUCL has undertaken work on several fronts-from commencing work towards preparing a new Prisons Act and Jail Manual under the leadership of Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer to agitating on specific issues like the release of trade unionists arrested under the National Security Act in Madhya Pradesh. Most of the effort has been devoted to setting up State and Local Units which alone can effectively pursue specific issues.

Writings

Mr P.B. D’Sa (20 May 1941 – 24 September 2024)...

By PUCL KARNATAKA

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Sitaram Yechury (2 August 1952 – 12 September 2024)...

By PUCL NATIONAL

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Withdraw restrictions on protests in Bangalore while celebra...

By Horaatada Hakkigagi Janandolana

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Umar Khalid and the Power of Collective Spectatorship...

By BHUVI KALLEY

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Justice V. Srishananda of the Karnataka High Court’s remar...

By PUCL KARNATAKA, AILAJ

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Rajasthan Government commits contempt of the Supreme Court, ...

By PUCL RAJASTHAN

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NIA raid on student Devendra Azad's house is condemnable - P...

By PUCL UTTAR PRADESH

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Mutual Evaluation Report released by FATF, APG and EAG of Se...

By PUCL NATIONAL

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An unconstitutional bonhomie between the Prime Minister and ...

By PUCL NATIONAL

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West Bengal CM’s call for Death Penalty for Rapists is Pol...

By PUCL NATIONAL

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Punitive Home Demolitions are a form of Unconstitutional Col...

By PUCL Bulletin Editorial Board

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Withholding bail amounts to punishment without trial! ...

By PUCL Bulletin Editorial Board

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Sub-categorisation judgment: A progressive ratio piggybacked...

By Arvind Narrain

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Ensure Justice to the RG Kar Hospital deceased doctor NOW! ...

By All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA - NAPM)

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Letter Petition seeking urgent intervention against the ille...

By PUCL Rajasthan

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Process as Punishment: Justice Delayed, Justice Denied - Ope...

By NAJAR: National Alliance for Justice, Accountability & Rights

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Reports

Imprisoned Resistance - 5th August And Its Aftermath

Detailed Report

Imprisoned and Unsafe: Prisoners and the Pandemic

Detailed Report

The Double Siege - News Media in the Time of Covid-19

Detailed Report

Broken Slates and Blank Screens - Education under a Lockdown.

Detailed Report

Criminalizing the Practise of Faith - A report by PUCL Karnataka on Hate Crimes against Christians in Karnataka

Detailed Report

UAPA: Criminalising Dissent And State Terror. Study of UAPA Abuse in India, 2009-2022

Detailed Report

Closing the Gates to Education, Violations of rights of Muslim women students in Karnataka

Detailed Report

Apnon ka Bahut Lagta Hai (Our Own Hurt Us the Most) - Centering Familial Violence in the lives of Queer and Trans Persons in the Marriage Equality Debates

Detailed Report

Inciting Disharmony in Educational institutions in Western Maharashtra

Detailed Report

Fact finding report on fake Encounter at Pidiya - PUCL Chhattisgarh

Detailed Report

Killing Of Three Dalit Youths And Other Atrocities Against Their Families in Sagar District (MP)

Detailed Report

In the name of 'Honour' - Violation of the right to intimate and social associations

Detailed Report

In Action

Get Involved To work with PUCL or support us, write to puclnat@gmail.com