CATEGORIES

FULL STRENGTH, FINALLY

With the appointment of two more judges, the apex court has achieved its full strength of 34 judges. But seven more judges are scheduled to retire this year

HARD LESSONS

Approximately 22,500 Indian students were evacuated from Ukraine by the Government of India. Now, some of those students have approached the Supreme Court seeking formulation of a policy as a special measure to enable the Indian medical students who were studying in Ukraine to continue their medical education

DELIMITATION ROW

The Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir has recommended a division of assembly seats for the Jammu and Kashmir region. Local opposition leaders have cried foul, but how credible was the exercise that led to the decision?

A BALANCING ACT

CERT-In's directions to data centres, VPN service providers and intermediaries for information about customers infringe on privacy. The lack of a Data Protection Authority tilts the power in favour of CERT-In

UNFAIR CLAUSE

The IT major's attempt to stem attrition levels by using a non-compete clause has been criticised. The Indian Contract Act declares as void any pact that restrains a person from exercising a lawful trade

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has put forth three demands to the prime minister and the chief justice of India. They could set the precedent for other states to follow suit

CONVERSION CONTROVERSY

The controversial Bill passed by the Karnataka legislative assembly provides for prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by various means. It has been strongly opposed by leaders of minority communities

When Justice Is Κeρt Pending

The Supreme Court has sought plans from six High Courts with the highest backlog of cases on how they propose to dispose them quickly. The oldest appeal is pending before the Allahabad HC and is 42 years old

A BRIDGE TOO FAR?

There is a faulty understanding of the hybrid system of marriage laws. Votaries of a uniform civil code should see Law Commission reports proposing a central Marriage Registration Act and revision of the Special Marriage Act

JOINING THE MAINSTREAM

With the national anthem being made mandatory in madrasas in the state and the government making efforts to modernise them, students coming out of them can be absorbed into the mainstream

MEDICAL MESS

The dean of a medical college in Tamil Nadu was removed from his post after first-year students there took the "Maharshi Charaka Shapath" instead of the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic Oath is administered to medical students when they transit from pre-clinical to clinical subjects during what is known as the white coat ceremony

MISCARRIAGE OF MERCY

It will not be an overstatement to say that no institution or constitutional office has suffered greater erosion or degradation than the office of the governor in India. The apex court is now considering the constitutional validity of the governor's action of referring a mercy petition to the president

PRAY, WHY WERE RULES FLOUTED?

The Temple saw J&K L-G Manoj Sinha offering prayers there, despite it violating ASI rules. By revitalising sites of Hindu temples, a clear strategy is being etched out which will pay dividends during polls

How India Elects Its President

The presidential elections scheduled in July 2022 will be held under a new dispensation as Jammu and Kashmir no longer has a legislative assembly. Selecting a president is an elaborate exercise involving a vast electoral college. Disputes relating to election of president are decided by the Supreme Court

PLUG THE LOOPHOLES

Rueing the fact that the law does not provide for any time frame to presiding officers to dispose of cases, when it can be done in three months, the vice president urged that it be amended

DUAL DEGREES

In order to broaden the scope of quality higher education and permit better flexibility, the UGC has increased collaboration between Indian and foreign universities for various courses

WHO'S KEEPING TABS?

Arrested IPS officer Rashmi Shukla has claimed that she tapped the phones of politicians as she had powers to do so under the Act. But was she taking orders from higher ups?

THE ADOPTION OBSTACLE

Recently , the apex court issued a notice in a matter seeking simplification of the adoption process in India. The current laws pertaining to adoption make it difficult for couples or individuals to adopt orphans and provide them a better life

ACTING INNOCENT

The Malayalam film industry faces a major crisis after actor-producer Vijay Babu was accused of rape. His accuser is an actress, which has added more spice to the saga. The police have acted swiftly, but the case has serious implications

A MATTER OF CONTROL

The CJl has cleared the impression that “judges appoint judges in India" and said the selection process is very democratic. Nonetheless, the executive has often tried to interfere without much success

EVICTION OF ART

Odissi exponent Guru Mayadhar Raut was evicted from his government flat in Delhi's Asiad Village by the Directorate of Estates without looking at his contribution and his 90 years. Other artistes have also been given notice

LOUDSPEAKER POLITICS

When MNS chief Raj Thackeray demanded that loudspeakers be removed from mosques in Maharashtra, few realized it would subsume other states. But it has, and the decibel levels are increasing

THE US SUPREME COURT'S MOMENT OF TRUTH

President Joe Biden is making his first court appointment. Will ideologically split political parties treat the nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, to a theatrical takedown over issues which have little to do with jurisprudence or judicial temperament?

THE WAR GAMES

Economist Raghuram Rajan has recently said that sanctions are also weapons of mass destruction. An analysis of how these impositions can create long-term havoc and imperil commercial, fiscal and industrial activity across the globe. Also, a look into the actual beneficiaries of this war

The Abortion Bombshell

A leaked draft of a majority decision in the Court would allow the 50 states to ban abortions. If the Court's decision remains unchanged, it means that Roe vs Wade, which enshrined a woman's rights in medical decisions, is dead

Please Release Me...

In order to reduce undertrials in jail, the prime minister has suggested that district-level panels headed by district judges consider their bails. Courts should presume an accused innocent till he is proved guilty

Is UCC A Distant Dream?

The sticking point is whether there should be a code of personal laws for all or would it infringe the freedom of religion of some. While the Code has been operational for Hindus, if it's imposed and rejected by any other community, it will be a monumental folly

Can Putin Be Put On Trial For War Crimes?

As Russian atrocities against Ukraine build, so do the calls to bring the perpetrators to justice amid increasing signs of what is classified as war crimes under the Geneva Conventions. The International Criminal Court is already in Ukraine to gather and verify evidence, signalling a strong push to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and his associates to trial. What are the possibilities?

சமகாலத்திலேயே பாரதி தமிழை அங்கீகரித்த கரந்தைத் தமிழ்ச் சங்கம்

பாரதியை அவர் வாழ்ந்த காலத்தில் மட்டுமல்லாமல், மறைந்தும் பல்லாண்டுகளுக்குப் பின்புகூடத் தமிழ்ப் புலமை உலகம் அங்கீகரிக்கவில்லை என்னும் கருத்து பொதுவாக நிலவி வருகிறது.

நட்சத்திரங்களின் காலம்

1965 இல் ஒருமுறை நானும் எனது தம்பியும் மாமல்லபுரம் சென்றிருந்த போது, கடற்கரைக் கோவில் அருகே ஆத்மி (இந்தி) படப்பிடிப்பு நடந்து கொண்டிருந்தது. கதாநாயகன் திலீப்குமார் காமிராவை எந்த இடத்தில் எந்தக் கோணத்தில் வைக்க வேண்டும், விளக்குகளை எங்கே நிற்க வைக்க வேண்டும் என்று சொல்லிக்கொண்டிருந்தார்.