Monday, March 9, 2015

Kanwar: Treaty Interpretation in Indian Courts: Adherence, Coherence, and Convergence

Vivek (Vik) Kanwar (O.P. Jindal Global Univ. - Law) has posted Treaty Interpretation in Indian Courts: Adherence, Coherence, and Convergence (in Domestic Courts and the Interpretation of International Law: Converging Approaches?, Helmut Philipp Aust & Georg Nolte eds., forthcoming). Here's the abstract:
This book chapter surveys whether and how courts in India apply VCLT rules, particularly Articles 31-33, when they interpret treaties. It looks at both adherence to Vienna rules (either through nominal adherence or through the adoption of corresponding methods), as well as coherence of interpretive principles across different kinds of cases and tribunals. Insofar as India is not a signatory to the VCLT, the use of similar rules can be viewed as either application of customary international law, or the adoption of convenient guidelines. Within India, the VCLT is referred to most frequently in cases involving the interpretation of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs), and it is asked whether this constitutes a specialized regime or whether these cases should be taken as an indication of a more general approach.