Bengaluru: St. Joseph’s College of Law organised an international conference on “Freedom of Speech & Expression” on April 24, 2026, bringing together more than 110 participants from over 45 institutions across India.
The conference, centred on the theme “Balancing Liberty, Dissent & Public Order in Contemporary India,” focused on evolving legal and democratic perspectives on free expression.
Social activist Nikhil Dey of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) and NCPRI delivered the keynote address, highlighting the importance of transparency, accountability and grassroots participation in strengthening democratic rights such as the Right to Information and Right to Work.
The valedictory address was delivered by Bhavna Mahadew, Associate Professor at the University of Technology, Mauritius, who spoke on international economic law and legal research methodology.
The day-long event featured seven parallel technical sessions where students, researchers and legal professionals presented papers before expert panels. A key highlight was the release of an ISBN-published book on gender justice and the launch of an e-portal during the inaugural session.
The conference concluded with a valedictory and felicitation ceremony, which included the announcement of Best Paper Awards.
