Historic Kerala Club Fights Eviction Notice For Its Delhi Premises
The Kerala Club, an 87-year-old socio-cultural institution founded by V.P. Menon, the civil servant who helped unite India’s princely states, is fighting eviction proceedings brought by its landlord in a dispute the club says rests on a false claim that it stopped paying rent.
How Bad is Delhi’s Air Pollution for Your Health, What Needs to Change?
People in Delhi and nearby areas are absorbing dangerous amounts of air pollution deep into their lungs every day, far beyond what Indian or global safety standards allow. A five-year study measured how much of this pollution actually settles inside the respiratory system, offering a clearer and more direct view of the damage being caused to people’s health.
Delhi’s Air Pollution: Government Inaction Amid a Dire Health Emergency
Nov. 27 marked the “cleanest” day of the month in Delhi, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reporting a 24-hour average AQI of 303 for the city. According to researchers, breathing air with an AQI over 300 is roughly equivalent to smoking about 25 cigarettes a day. This implies that each winter, the millions of residents in and around Delhi effectively “smoke” at least 1,600 cigarettes, as the capital is shrouded in a suffocating blanket of smog for around 65 days between October and January.
Delhi Journalist Detained While Reporting
Poonam Pandey, a Delhi-based journalist, was prevented by police from filming a protest and subsequently detained while covering the demonstration by the opposition Congress party. The Press Club of India has requested a judicial inquiry into the incident, voicing concerns about the treatment of journalists in the country.
Supreme Court: Did Delhi LG Authorise Felling of Trees Contrary to Directives?
The Supreme Court has called for clarification from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on whether its chairperson, Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Saxena, directed the felling of about 1,100 trees in Delhi’s ridge forest area for a road widening project, a move potentially contravening the court’s standing orders in the case Bindu Kapurea v. Subhasish Panda.
Delhi Police Charge Assaulted Journalists as Accused
In a troubling turn of events linked to an August 2020 assault on journalists from The Caravan magazine, Delhi Police have now designated these same journalists as accused in a related criminal case. The journalists – Shahid Tantray, Prabhjit Singh and a female reporter – were attacked by a mob in northeast Delhi, which included communal slurs and threats of murder. The female journalist was also subjected to sexual harassment during the incident.
Demolitions Made Nearly 280,000 Homeless in Delhi in 2023
A recent report revealed that at least 278,796 people lost their homes due to government-ordered evictions in Delhi in 2023, as noted by Article 14. The widespread nature of the evictions demonstrates a critical failure of governing political parties and judicial systems to uphold the right to housing for Delhi’s most vulnerable populations.
NewsClick Editor Released: Supreme Court Says Arrest by Delhi Police Illegal
On May 15, the Supreme Court of India declared the arrest and subsequent remand of NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha by the Delhi police as illegal, ordering his immediate release unless further conditions are met by the trial court. The Court criticised the handling of the remand process for Purkayastha, who has been in custody since October 3, 2023, under charges stemming from the controversial Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Arvind Kejriwal Arrest: Supreme Court’s 5 Questions to Enforcement Directorate
The Supreme Court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to clarify several legal ambiguities in the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22. The case, which has significant political implications, especially with its timing ahead of the general elections, sees Kejriwal currently detained at Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
Arvind Kejriwal’s Trial Should Be Fair and Impartial, Says German Govt
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case tied to an alleged liquor policy scam, has contested his arrest in the Delhi High Court. Meanwhile, the German government commented on the situation, which led a formal protest from India.