By Inderjit Badhwar The Kolkata tragedy is a reminder that public safety cannot be left to chance, political expediency or promises of compensation after lives have been lost. There are few contradictions more painful than a gathering devoted to the triumph of good over evil ending in the deaths of those who came to worship….
By Sujit Bhar It began as a pleasant evening in Kolkata, where the traditional Durga Puja celebrations were moving from Maha Sasthi to Maha Saptami. On October 17, just after 7.30 pm, crowds began swelling at the award-winning Chorbagan Sarbojanin puja pandal in north Kolkata, drawn by reports of its extraordinary theme. Young and old…
By Kenneth Tiven Chaos, confusion, courtroom drama and an obstinate ageing president: all the ingredients are present in what could become one of the most consequential mid-term elections in American history. What happens in the United States between November 3, when Americans vote in the congressional mid-terms, and January 3, 2027, when the newly elected…
By Sanjay Raman Sinha The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is facing scrutiny on two fronts: a Supreme Court challenge over the functioning of State Human Rights Commissions and an impending international review that could strip the national body of its highest accreditation status. Together, the developments raise fundamental questions about the independence, effectiveness and…
By Dr Pawan Kumar In what could be described as a year of citizen protests around the world—mostly peaceful, though some violent—a unique scenario unfolded in the mother of democracy, India. While hearing a petition in S Rajaseekaran vs Union of India & Others concerning the construction of pedestrian infrastructure near the Delhi High Court,…
A petition before the Supreme Court has sought the constitution of an independent expert committee headed by a former Chief Justice of India to examine the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), including its decision-making processes, electoral roll revision mechanisms and electronic voting machine (EVM) protocols. The plea raises concerns over the functioning…
The Kerala High Court on Friday declined to grant interim relief against the State Government’s decision to reconstitute the Kerala State Waqf Board, observing that the notification had already been implemented and the newly appointed members had assumed office. A Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Basant Balaji was hearing appeals filed by…
The Delhi High Court has rejected a petition filed by All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora challenging a notice issued by a Special Executive Magistrate directing her to furnish a personal bond of ₹10,000, along with one surety, to maintain peace during the pendency of an inquiry. Justice Subramonium Prasad declined to interfere…
The Supreme Court has reiterated that prolonged incarceration before the commencement of trial cannot be allowed to become punishment in itself, granting bail to former Rajasthan minister Mahesh Chandra Joshi and Mukesh Pathak, who are accused in a corruption case concerning alleged irregularities in tenders under the Jal Jeevan Mission. A Bench of Justice Dipankar…
The Delhi High Court has refused to grant regular bail to a man accused of procuring classified military documents and facilitating their alleged transmission to an official of the Pakistan High Commission, holding that the prosecution material warranted continued judicial scrutiny in view of the sensitive nature of the information involved. Justice Sanjeev Narula dismissed…