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Democracy |
Main coalition partner of
the United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) governing
the federal government,
the Congress Party, lost
several key states
including economically
rich Punjab and militarily
rich Uttarakhand.<More>
SC Allows TV Evidence
(January 30 , 2007)
In a significant move,
the Supreme Court (SC)
has ruled that it will
allow television
interviews by accused
“shall be considered at
the appropriate state in
the trial” and thereby
affecting ongoing trials.<More>
Political Color to
Religion through Sachar
Report
(January 30 , 2007)
With elections coming up
in Uttar Pradesh, the
United Progressive
Alliance (UPA)
government is reportedly
reading democratic
statistics to execute
minority welfare schemes
even as Muslims accuse
the Sachar Report of
ignoring their women.<More>
UN Lauds Role of Women in
Governance
(January 29, 2007)
A UN report noted the
increasing participation of
women in politics and
governance in India and lauded
government policies for
reserving up to a third of
seats for women in local-level
administration to promote
gender equality and
empowerment.<More>
SC Stays Sidhu Conviction
(January 23, 2007)
In a surprising verdict, the
Supreme Court (SC) stayed a
High Court verdict convicting
Navjot Singh Sidhu of
third-degree murder of an old
man in a fit of road rage and
allowing him to contest in the
by-election for the Amritsar
constituency.<More>
SC Upholds MP Expulsion
(January 17, 2007)
The Supreme Court (SC) upheld
the Parliament’s controversial
expulsion of 11 Members of
Parliament (MPs) caught in a
media sting over the cash for
query scandal and said that
the expulsion was in
accordance to law. The
Constitutional bench voted 4-1
upholding the expulsion but
the dissenting judge said that
the MPs should have been tried
under the Prevention of
Corruption Act.<More>
Bolivians Go on Rampage
(January 09, 2007)
Thousands of leftist supporters of Bolivian
President Evo Morales, including Indian
groups, labor unions, and coca farmers,
burnt furniture and official records in a
state capitol demanding the resignation of a
governor supporting conservative opposition.<More>
Energy Concerns &
Alternatives
(December 25, 2006)
As India’s economy grows at a
breathtaking 9.1% its hunger
for energy to sustain this
growth is higher and though
per capita energy consumption
is relatively low, its energy
use is expected to surpass
Russia and Japan to be the
third largest consumer of
energy by 2030.<More>
SC Criticizes Domestic
Violence Bill
(December 25, 2006)
The Supreme Court severely
criticized the Protection of
Women from Domestic Violence
Act for “clumsy” drafting of
definition of terminology that
could easily be exploited by
some to appropriate property
of a husband and his family.<More>
Siddhu Guilty of “Culpable Homicide”
(December 05, 2006)
Former cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP)
Navjot Singh Sidhu was found guilty by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for
his role in a road-rage incident resulting in the death of a middle-aged man
in 1988.<More>
Federal Minister Convicted
(November 29, 2006)
Finding him guilty of conspiracy to kidnap and murder of a private secretary
was allegedly demanded a cut in a large bribe transaction, a lower Delhi
court convicted Federal Minister for Coal and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)
supremo Shibu Soren.<More>
Judiciary Accountability Law
(November 13, 2006)
The Federal Cabinet approved in principle to introduce a Judges (Inquiry)
Bill 2006 aimed at making High Court (HC) and Supreme Court (SC) judges
accountable for actions inconsistent with their position including
corruption charges and incapacitation.<More>
Govt Survey Finds 41% OBC
(November 07, 2006)
The Government’s premier
statistical body found that
India has 41.1% population
belonging to the Other
Backward Classes (OBC) and not
52% as asserted by the
Government wanting to create a
vote-bank by granting them
reservation in premier
educational institutions.<More>
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J&K Autonomy Working Group DoA?
(October 27, 2006)
The Hindu reported that the
Jammu &
Kashmir (J&K) Autonomy Working group promised by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh 5 months ago may be dead on arrival (DoA) because of a lack of
suitable leadership to lead the group and procedural issues.<More>
SC Verdicts Cuts Up Political Plans
(October 23, 2006)
In far-reaching verdicts, the Supreme Court (SC) asked the Government for
“compelling reasons” for including particular castes that are entitled for
reservations and “quantifiable” data to retain those castes in the list has
created churn in the caste-politics.<More>
Justice Vs Judiciary Vs Legislation
(October 18, 2006)
Conviction of rapists, murderers, and terrorists 10 years late and
politically-motivated illegal cover-up commission, quota plans, and clemency
for some facing death row raise numerous questions and concerns on the
Indian democracy.<More>
Quota Panel Report
(October 09, 2006)
The Oversight Committee submitted their proposals to the Federal Government
proposing that the contentious 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC)
be reviewed in another 5 years and again after a decade to determine the
relevance of the policy.<More>
Judiciary vs Legislature Judgment Reserved
(October 03, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) has reserved its verdict on cash-for-query (CFQ) case
and the subsequent judgment will essentially define the scope of the
judiciary over Legislature or over the Executive.<More>
SC Allows Haj Subsidy for This Year
(September 28, 2006)
While allowing the Government
to continue with its Haj plans
for lakhs of Muslim pilgrims
this year, the Supreme Court
(SC) questioned the
Government’s continued
“largesse” to one community
while denying others of
similar facilities.<More>
Congress Expels Natwar’s Son
(September, 07 2006)
In a major blow to Natwar Singh’s hopes of rescue by the Gandhi family, the
Congress Party expelled Natwar’s son Jagat Singh even as Jagat’s friend’s
petition in the Supreme Court (SC) for absolution from Justice RS Pathak
Inquiry commission’s indictment.<More>
Left Assault on EC
(August, 31 2006)
Bruised from stricter
enforcement of electoral
norms by the Election
Commission in the recently
concluded elections in
West Bengal (WB), the
Communist Party of India
(Marxist) have launched
a campaign aimed at culling
the EC’s authority and
control<More>
SC Demands Identity of Person Withholding Pay
(August, 23 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC)
rebuked the Federal
Government in harshest
terms over the
non-payment of salaries
to doctors who went on
strike over the
reservation quota issue
and demand that the
name of the individual
stopping the payment be
disclosed <More>
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Rendering its ire over
corruption a sham, the
Parliament is planning
to pardon the 11
Members of Parliament
(MP) suspended for
taking cash to asking
questions in the
Parliament.<More>
Use Arbitration
Mechanism to Limit RTI
Disclosure
(August 21, 2006)
Capitulating to
pressure from
non-government groups
that had political
support from communist
allies and opposition
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
the Federal Government
has placed on hold its
plan to amend the Right
to Information Act (RTI).<More>
RTI Amendments Face
Opposition
(August 17, 2006)
The opposition to
proposed controversial
amendments to The Right
to Information (RTI)
Act seems to have
gained momentum with
most political parties
supporting efforts by
political rights
activists to stop
dilution of the Act.<More>
The Hindu’s Dubious
Survey Analysis
(August 14, 2006)
Left-leaning national
and well-respected
newspaper The Hindu,
published a survey it
conducted on national
perception of
Government performance
with dubious analysis
slanted to favor Sonia
Gandhi and
anti-National
Democratic Alliance (NDA).<More>
Govt Withdraws Dismissal Move against Venugopal
(July 28, 2006)
A highly embarrassed Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss withdrew the
controversial order to dismiss All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr. P. Venugopal but counsel said that the Government would file
fresh charges later.<More>
Political Failure in War on Terror
(July 28, 2006)
The continued politicking dealt a serious blow
to India’s ability to fight terror as Opposition sought to embarrass the
Government more than solving the issue while the senior Ministers sought to
divide the country further on the basis of religion.<More>
Dictatorship at AIIMS
(July 07, 2006)
In the most brazen
transgression of
Constitutional norms,
Health Minister Anbumani
Ramdoss humiliated All
India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS) Director
and preeminent cardiologist
Dr. Venugopal with a
dismissal on fictitious
charges.<More>
AP High Court Castigates Govt on Film Ban
(June 22, 2006)
In a humiliating verdict,
the
Andhra Pradesh High
Court severely castigated
the State Government’s
“irresponsible” decision to
ban a controversial movie
and said that the
“Constitution does not
allow private censor
intrusion.”<More>
TN Asks for Bailout Money
(June 05, 2006)
The recently elected minority Government in
Tamil Nadu (TN)that came to power promising
largesse to the population, has approached the Federal
Government for more money to fund their electioneering
policies. <More>
Speaker Blasts Election Commission
(May 25, 2006)
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath
Chatterjee lambasted the Election
Commission (EC) over s charge that he
occupied an “Office of Profit” and
accused it of “character
assassination” and “trial by
insinuation” without providing any
proof.<More>
Speaker Trouble
(May 24, 2006)
The Budget-session of the
Parliament ended in a controversy
about an admonishment motion on a
former Lok Sabha Secretary-General for
his disparaging remarks on the Speaker
and the Opposition opposed the
propriety of the motion and the
motives for it.<More>
Advani Asks Muslims to Facilitate Mandir
(April 07, 2006)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) former Chief and former
Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani touring the
nation called on Muslims to facilitate the creation of
a temple to Lord Rama in place of the decrypt and
destroyed Babri Masjid.<More>
India’s Stable Democracy Will Quell Chaotic Surface
(March 21, 2006)
Professor of International Business at Tuck School of
Business at Dartmouth College Vijay Govindarajan said
that India represents a chaotic surface and stable
democracy while China has a stable surface but a
chaotic foundation.<More>
Terrorism Sparks Secularism Debate & Confusion
(March 15, 2006)
The blasts in Varanasi energized an old debate in
India regarding secularism, common civil code, and
equality in the eyes of the law <More>
States Vote Leftists to Power
(May 12, 2006)
West Bengal,
Tamil Nadu, and
Kerala returned a strong contingent of ultra
leftists to power creating a large uncertainty for the
Federal Government as it depends heavily on their
support for survival. <More>
Speaker Defends Suspension
(February 20, 2006)
Striking a defiant note, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath
Chatterjee said that the expulsion of the 10 Members
of Parliament in the "cash-for-query" scam is "non-justiciable."<More>
Can Judiciary Judge Parliament Decisions
(February 15, 2006)
An important Constitutional debate on the judiciaries
right to question, investigate, or pass judgment
Parliamentary decisions on its members went a step
further. <More>
Buta Singh Resigns
(January 28, 2006)
The Supreme Court (SC) indicted Bihar Governor Buta
Singh resigned after taking the traditional Republic
Day salute but refused to accept any blame.<More>
SC Criticizes Buta Singh Report
(January 26, 2006)
In a far-reaching verdict, the Supreme Court has
indicted Bihar Governor Buta Singh for his "undue
haste" to recommend the "drastic and extreme"
dissolution of the Bihar assembly.<More>
EC shocked over WB electoral fraud
(January 16, 2006)
The 19-member Election Commission team cleaning the
electoral rolls of West Bengal has expressed deep
shock over the systematic mechanisms adopted in
including thousands of bogus voters in 9 border
districts.<More>
EC to Fight Electoral Fraud in WB (January 12, 2006)
For the first time, the Communist party which has
controlled politics in West Bengal for over 25 years
has admitted the pervasive existence of false voter ID
and ration cards.<More>
Communal Violence Victims to get 7 lakhs (January 12, 2006)
The Federal Home Minister Shivraj Patil said that the
Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and
Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill is likely to be
implemented in three months.<More>
Govt Shrugs on OoP Return
(June 01, 2006)
The Government seems to be shrugging off President
Abdul Kalam’s action to return the “Office of Profit”
bill asking it to apply more thought to the
definition, process, and procedures of the bill.<More>
Kalam Returns OoP Bill
(May 31, 2006)
President Abdul Kalam returned the controversial
Office of Profit Bill that sought to exempt some 50
odd positions occupied by allies and Congressmen from
disqualification and asked for clarifications from the
Government before he could sign it.<More>
Bill to Skirt Office of Profit
(May 11, 2006)
The Government is planning on a Bill that will amend
the Prevention of Disqualification of the MPs Act
1959—commonly known as the Office of Profit act, to
enable many communist allies and
Congress politicians to hold on to their offices
of profit.<More>
Terrorism Sparks Secularism Debate & Confusion
(March 15, 2006)
The blasts in Varanasi energized an old debate in
India regarding secularism, common civil code, and
equality in the eyes of the law <More>
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