Skip to Main Content

India : legal resources: Home

Subjects: Law, Law: Foreign Law

Purpose of this guide

This guide is intended for students and researchers studying the law and legal system of India at the University of Oxford, although students and researchers from any field may find it useful.

Use this guide to find out about sources and commentary for Indian law, including ebooks, ejournals, and databases.

Legal resources for India: quick start

Online resources

LexisLibrary offers a number of Indian books among its International collection, as well as some law reports and journals.
Holders of an Oxford SSO with a special interest in Indian law can access  two specialist databases SCC Online & Manupatra , but both require extra registration. 

Indian Primary Sources and Legal Commentary on the free web

Printed Resources

The Bodleian Law Library's collection of printed materials on Indian law has shelf marks starting Cw India.   The current collection  is on Level 1, though in separate runs according to form of literature: books are in one block, journals 2000 & on in another, law reports in a third area.
Depending on the focus of your research, you may find interesting commentary with other shelf marks

  • Hindu  - the religious legal tradition without a particular jurisdictional focus on Level 3
  • Islamic - the religious legal tradition without a particular jurisdictional focus on Level 3
  • Cw Gen  - comparative studies within the common law countries (excluding USA) on Level 2
  • General - comparative studies across the legal traditions & world surveys on Level 2
  • Internat - public international law such as economic law, environment, human rights etc on Level 3
  • Private Int - conflict of laws on Level 3.

The Books page in this guide has more detailed guidance.

Always feel free to ask a member of staff for directions once you are in the Law Bod.

All floors in the Bodleian Law Library are open to readers and are connected by both stairs and a lift. There is seating for readers on each floor, but readers are very welcome to take books to whichever area or floor of the library they prefer. Readers are not asked to return items to shelves, but we would be grateful if they could be put on any of the trolleys dotted around the library when finished with.

The Law Library is a reference collection: there is no borrowing, we do not lend.

Depending on your research interests, your searches in SOLO may reveal useful materials held in other parts of the Bodleian: a couple of examples are below

Related Bodleian guides

Key library