Plagiarism Policy

This Plagiarism Policy sets out the approach adopted by the Indian Journal of Legal Affairs and Research (IJLAR) towards originality of submissions, similarity checks and the handling of suspected plagiarism. All authors submitting manuscripts to IJLAR are expected to read and comply with this policy.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

For the purpose of this policy, plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• Reproducing another person's work, ideas, data or expressions without proper acknowledgement.
• Copying substantial portions of text from published or unpublished sources without citation.
• Paraphrasing someone else's work too closely while presenting it as original.
• Using tables, figures, images or any other material without appropriate permission or credit.

2. Self-Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism occurs when an author reuses significant portions of their own published or submitted work without appropriate citation or disclosure. While authors may build upon their previous research, they must:

• Clearly cite the earlier work where overlap exists.
• Ensure that the new manuscript makes a substantially distinct and original contribution.
• Disclose any prior or simultaneous submissions that may overlap with the manuscript sent to IJLAR.

3. Similarity Checks and Threshold

IJLAR may use similarity detection tools and manual checks to assess the originality of manuscripts. As an indicative guideline:

• Minor similarity due to common phrases, references or legal provisions is normally acceptable.
• High similarity arising from copied or closely paraphrased text, without proper citation, is not acceptable.

The editorial team retains discretion to assess each case in context and may request clarifications or revisions from authors where necessary.

4. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting to IJLAR confirm that:

• The manuscript is their original work and all sources are properly acknowledged.
• The work has not been plagiarised, in whole or in part, from any source.
• Permissions have been obtained for any third-party material where required.
• The manuscript is not currently under consideration by any other journal or publication outlet.

5. Handling of Suspected Plagiarism

If plagiarism is suspected at any stage (pre- or post-publication), IJLAR may:

• Seek an explanation from the author(s) and request supporting documents or clarifications.
• Reject the manuscript or place the review on hold pending satisfactory clarification.
• Retract, withdraw or correct an already published article where serious plagiarism is established.
• Inform the author's institution or relevant authorities in serious or repeated cases.

6. Corrections, Retractions and Notices

Where plagiarism is identified after publication, IJLAR may publish a formal notice of correction, expression of concern or retraction, as appropriate. Such notices may explain the reasons for action, subject to legal and ethical considerations.

7. Policy Updates

This Plagiarism Policy may be reviewed and updated periodically. The latest version as published on the official IJLAR website will apply to new submissions.

Authors are strongly encouraged to run their manuscripts through a plagiarism check before submission and to seek guidance from their institution, if needed, on good academic practices.