Mdraselsarker at 01:56, 17 April 2026

2026-04-17T01:56:29Z

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{{short description|Legal think-tank}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy
| formation = 2013
| type = [[Think tank]], [[Nonprofit organization|Nonprofit]], [[Legal research]]
| headquarters = A-232, Defence Colony, New Delhi, India 110024
| leader_title = Research Director
| leader_name = Arghya Sengupta
| website = {{URL|https://vidhilegalpolicy.in/}}
}}

'''Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy''' is a legal think-tank and policy research organisation with offices in [[New Delhi]], [[Karnataka]], [[Maharashtra]], and [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ananth |first1=Venkat |last2=Narayanan |first2=Dinesh |title=Vidhi: inside India's most influential legal think tank |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/prime/economy-and-policy/vidhi-inside-indias-most-influential-legal-think-tank/primearticleshow/77749948.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2025-09-28 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last1=Agarwal |first1=Surabhi |last2=Rautray |first2=Samanwaya |date=2018-01-04 |title=From net neutrality to IBC & Aadhaar, how Vidhi is framing key government legislation |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/from-net-neutrality-to-ibc-aadhaar-how-vidhi-is-framing-key-government-legislation/articleshow/62357565.cms |access-date=2025-09-28 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=From Aadhaar to Aarogya Setu, Vidhi's questionable role in technology-related policy making |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/technology/vidhi-aadhaar-aarogya-setu-arghya-sengupta-privacy-think-tank |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=caravanmagazine.in |language=en}}</ref> Vidhi conducts research, assists in drafting legislation and policy reports, and provides advisory support to governments, regulators and other stakeholders on law and governance, with work in areas such as [[constitutional law]], data protection, [[Health law|health]], technology regulation, and [[criminal justice reform]].<ref>{{Cite web |title='Overcriminalising is slowing the path of justice in India' |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2025/04/24/overcriminalising-is-slowing-the-path-of-justice-in-india.html |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Prathma |date=2019-12-03 |title='Open Data' policy can make Indian judiciary more accessible, accountable: Report |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/-open-data-policy-can-make-indian-judiciary-more-accessible-accountable-report-11575378458637.html |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=mint |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bench |first=Bar & |date=2025-04-25 |title=Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy launches criminal law database |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/vidhi-centre-for-legal-policy-launches-criminal-law-database |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
Vidhi was founded in 2013 by Arghya Sengupta, [[Alok Prasanna Kumar]], Debanshu Mukherjee, and Dhvani Mehta.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Choudhury |first=Sonya Dutta |date=2013-11-01 |title=Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy {{!}} The law for the layman |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/nkLPCT9pz4n7fLD892gd9O/Vidhi-Centre-for-Legal-Policy--The-law-for-the-layman.html |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=mint |language=en}}</ref> The organisation is registered in India as a not-for-profit entity and maintains an internal board of directors and a team of researchers led by its founding research director, Sengupta.

Sengupta began his career in 2010 by advising the government on the [[Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010|Nuclear Liability Bill]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhuyan |first=Avantika |date=2019-05-30 |title=Tender Loving Counsel |url=https://openthemagazine.com/features/india/tender-loving-counsel |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=[[Open (Indian magazine)|Open magazine]] |language=en}}</ref>

== Work ==
Vidhi’s work comprises independent research reports, legislative and regulatory drafting assistance, impact assessments, and public engagement (seminars, workshops and briefs).<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Narayanan |first1=Dinesh |last2=Ananth |first2=Venkat |title=Vidhi and the making of India's data protection law |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/prime/economy-and-policy/vidhi-and-the-making-of-indias-data-protection-law/primearticleshow/77768876.cms |access-date=2025-09-28 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Marik |first=Priyam |date=2023-12-31 |title=How Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy is shaping laws in India |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/people/how-vidhi-centre-for-legal-policy-is-shaping-laws-in-india/cid/1990575 |work=[[The Telegraph India]]}}</ref> It publishes research on topics including digital regulation and data protection, Aadhaar and identity systems, public health law (including analysis related to the Aarogya Setu contact-tracing app), criminal justice reform, and welfare/state capacity topics.<ref name=":0" /> Vidhi’s outputs include policy briefs, longer reports, explainers and model laws intended to be practical inputs for legislators and policymakers.

Vidhi has been cited as an adviser to or participant in several government consultations and expert committees, and its researchers have served on governmental and quasi-governmental panels addressing data protection and technology policy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MK |first=Mithun |date=2020-05-12 |title='Who is accountable for data breach?': Retd Justice Srikrishna to TNM on Aarogya Setu |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/news/who-accountable-data-breach-retd-justice-srikrishna-tnm-aarogya-setu-124413 |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=[[The News Minute]] |language=en}}</ref> Vidhi also partners with philanthropic foundations and educational institutions for research and capacity building. Media profiles and business registries note Vidhi’s increasing role in national policy debates since its founding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Talwar |first=Sanya |date=2024-02-28 |title=The Vidhi-GOI Paradox |url=https://lawbeat.in/articles/vidhi-goi-paradox |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=lawbeat.in |language=en}}</ref>

== Controversies and criticisms ==
Vidhi’s involvement in government technology projects and data-policy work has attracted public scrutiny and criticism from journalists and commentators. Reporting in outlets such as ''[[The Caravan]]'' has questioned potential conflicts of interest where a policy research body both advises governments and undertakes paid consultancy work for agencies affected by the policies it helps design.<ref name=":1" /> Vidhi’s role in the development and explanation of the Aarogya Setu data-access protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic has been specifically reported and debated in the press.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aadhaar's mixing of public risk and private profit |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/aadhaar-mixing-public-risk-private-profit |access-date=2025-09-28 |website=caravanmagazine.in |language=en}}</ref> Vidhi and its leadership have responded in public forums describing their work and the intent of their contributions.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{coord missing|Delhi}}

[[Category:Think tanks based in India]]
[[Category:Research institutes in Delhi]]
[[Category:2013 establishments in Delhi]]
[[Category:Research institutes established in 2013]]
[[Category:Legal research institutes]]

Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy - Revision history

Mdraselsarker at 01:56, 17 April 2026