By Prof (Dr) S. Surya Prakash On September 19, 1960, India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, to peacefully divide the waters of the six Indus Basin rivers. Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Mohammad Ayub Khan inked a deal built on “goodwill and friendship.” India agreed to let Pakistan…
By Kenneth Tiven “Define habeas corpus in American law.” That was Senator Maggie Hassan’s opening question to Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security and a former farm girl from South Dakota, now tasked with overseeing one of the most powerful bureaucracies in the United States. Why the question matters: Habeas corpus…
By Vikram Kilpady Ever since the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Tamil Nadu vs Governor case—and the presidential reference that followed—voices linked to the ruling dispensation have gone on the offensive, casting aspersions on the judiciary and questioning the apex court’s authority. These assertions, while loud, are constitutionally misplaced. The Constitution accords equal respect to…
By Sujit Bhar In what can be modestly termed a deeply disturbing incident that is indicative of the autocratic nature of rule and the depletion of democratic norms in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court recently witnessed scenes rarely seen in India’s civilized polity. Senior advocates, including the eminent Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya of the CPI(M)…
By Dr Swati Jindal Garg “To become better, you have to admit your ignorance—at least to yourself.” —William A Pasmore The above insight finds resonance in the Supreme Court’s recent decision to discard its point-based system for designating senior advocates. In a significant shift aimed at restoring integrity and transparency to the process, the apex…
By Kumkum Chadha As a nation, we take pride in being one—standing together, so to speak. But scratch the surface, and the cracks appear: deep and beyond repair. Nothing describes this better than recent events that have panned out here in India. The obvious reference is to the terror attack in Pahalgam, in the state…
By Inderjit Badhwar This week’s cover story captures an India virtually at war—and at a crossroads. The terror attack in Pahalgam was not just an assault on the lives lost, but on the very soul of a nation. It rightly stirred grief, fury, and calls for retribution. It is in the nature of democracies that…
Expressing serious concern over delays in pending trials under special laws, the Supreme Court suggested theestablishment of dedicated courts across the country for exclusive hearing of such cases. The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh observed on Friday that these courts would not be assigned any other civil or criminal matters. They…
Following the retirement of Justice AS Oka, one of the incumbent members of the Collegium today, the Supreme Court Collegium will welcome a new member, Justice BV Nagarathna. Scheduled to become the first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027, Justice Nagarathna will become part of the Supreme Court Collegium from May 25, 2025. Headed…
The Supreme Court on Friday quashed the criminal proceedings under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act against the Director of Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Science (SHUATS) after finding that the FIR and charge sheet were based on a gang chart rubber-stamped by authorities without any independent application of mind….