The Centre for Human Rights and Disability Studies (CHRDS), HPNLU Shimla, in collaboration with the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), is organising a National Article Writing Competition on the theme “Electoral Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

About HPNLU

The Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU) Shimla, was established by the State Government in the year 2016, by an Act of the Legislature (Act 16 of 2016). The University started functioning from October 5, 2016.

About CHRDS

The Centre for Human Rights and Disability Studies at Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla will serve as one platform, which aims at bringing the first person voices along with people from academia, research-activism, government departments, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.

About ADR

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) is a pioneering nonpartisan, non-profit organization in India, established in 1999 by professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad.

About the Competition & Theme

In light of ADR’s expertise in democratic reforms and CHRDS’s focus on the intersection of human rights and disability, the Centre for Human Rights and Disability Studies presents a collaborative National Article Writing Competition on the theme of “Electoral Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

The following are the five broader themes:

• Theme 1: Beyond the Ballot Box: Examining the Legal Barriers to Electoral Participation for Persons with Disabilities
• Theme 2: The Right to Vote as a Right to Equality: Reinterpreting Suffrage Through a Disability Rights Lens
• Theme 3: Digital Democracy or Digital Divide? The Legal Promise and Perils of Electronic Voting for the Disabled
• Theme 4: Guardianship vs. Citizenship: Legal Capacity and the Disenfranchisement of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
• Theme 5: From Tokenism to Transformation: Implementing Accessible Election Sasa Constitutional Mandate

General Guidelines

• All submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review to ensure the integrity and impartiality of the evaluation process.
• The composition of the peer review panel and the policies governing its functioning shall be determined solely at the discretion of the CHRDS, HPNLU.
• Author shall not disclose any information regarding the identity, including, but not limited to name, institutional assistance, professional details, etc., within the submission. Non- adherence of this rule will lead to immediate disqualification.
• All rules & penalties are subjection to final discretion of the organising committee. In case of any conflicts, the CHRDS, HPNLU shall be the final authority on the guidelines.

Formatting Guidelines

• All the entries must be formatted in Times New Roman, Font Size 12, and Line spacing 1.5, with normal margins on A4 paper. For the headings, font size14.
• Footnotes must follow the citation system specified in Harvard Blue Book, 20th Edition. All entries should contain footnote citations formatted in Times New Roman, Font Size 10 and Single Line spacing. No Speaking Footnotes shall be submitted in the PDF.
• The word limit, inclusive of footnotes, shall be 2500-3000 words.

How to Register?

Interested candidates can register online via the link given at the end of the post.

Fee

A nominal registration fee of:

• ₹250 for a single-authored submission
• ₹500 for a co-authored submission

Prizes

• FIRST PRIZE – Cash Prize of ₹3000 + publication + certificate of merit
• SECOND PRIZE – Cash Prize of ₹2000 + publication + certificate of merit
• THIRD PRIZE – Cash Prize of ₹1000 + publication + certificate of merit
• Remaining 7 shortlisted articles – publication+ certificate of merit
• All participants -Certificate of Participation