Naveed Mehmood Ahmad

Team Lead

Naveed is the Team Lead, Crime & Punishment at Vidhi, where his work focuses on reimagining India's approach to crime and punishment. He is currently leading research and advocacy efforts aimed at decriminalisation of minor offences and rationalisation of punishments to improve ease of doing business and living in India. Naveed writes regularly for leading print and digital media outlets, including The Times of India, Deccan Herald, and The Quint, on issues related to India’s criminal justice system. His previous work has involved examining the criminalisation of drug use and evaluating government responses to increasing violence against women. Naveed holds a degree in law from National Law University, Punjab, and a Master’s in Access to Justice from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Region : India

Mail : naveed.ahmad@vidhilegalpolicy.in

REPORT ⁞ 23 April 2025

The State of the System

In this report, we map all actions and omissions criminalised under central laws. The report also highlights inconsisten...

Aashna, Ishaan, Sriyanshi, Ayushi, Naveed

PRIMER ⁞ 21 June 2024

How India Punishes

Third in the series on Reimagining Crime & Punishment in India, This primer intends to provide an overview of punishment...

Aayush, Ayushi, Naveed

PRIMER ⁞ 22 November 2023

Towards Better Criminal Law Making

Second in the series on Reimagining Crime & Punishment in India, this primer attempts to understand the different mechan...

Neha, Naveed, Ayushi

PRIMER ⁞ 03 November 2023

Criminal Law that Ought to Be

First in the series on Reimagining Crime & Punishment in India, in this primer, we attempt to understand the Indian Stat...

Neha, Naveed

COMMENTS ⁞ 01 November 2023

Comments on the New Criminal Law Bills

In this note, we examine the aims and objectives of the three Bills, the key provisions that have been introduced and ma...

Neha, Naveed, Ayushi, Aayush, Sriyanshi

LEST WE FORGET ⁞ 04 November 2022

Penalising Before Providing

A study of enforcement of COVID-19 related norms in Delhi

Naveed, Ayushi, Alena, Neha

REPORT ⁞ 02 May 2022

Crimes Against Women in India

How did we end up here?

Neha, Naveed, Jigar, Alena, Kadambari, Karan

REPORT ⁞ 18 September 2020

Sikkim’s Alternative Model to Tackle Drug Abu...

How a health-based approach to drug abuse has ushered a positive change in Sikkim

Neha, Naveed

REPORT ⁞ 08 September 2020

Criminalisation Leads To Exploitation: The Mu...

In 2014, drug cases in Mumbai spiked by almost 500%, for no discernible reason. We study the data to see why, and what i...

Neha, Naveed

REPORT ⁞ 20 August 2020

Case for Decriminalising Cannabis Use in Indi...

Not only does drug prohibition have its roots in racist American policies but it only victimises the marginalised with n...