Opposition Alleges Politics Behind Women’s Reservation Law
Opposition parties have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letter to all political party leaders seeking their support to pass amendments during an extended sitting of Parliament, saying he framed the issue as a collective responsibility to mask what they call a political calculation.
Three Issues Ladakhi Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s Release Reveals
The Union government revoked Ladakhi climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s detention under the National Security Act, or NSA, on March 14, just before the Supreme Court was due to resume hearing a case filed by his wife challenging the legality of his detention and seeking his release. From a legal and political perspective, the timing reveals at least three issues.
What’s Wrong When Parties Win an Election Before Voting Even Begins in Maharashtra
The ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra has reportedly secured 68 of 69 municipal corporation seats without a vote being cast, as rival candidates withdrew en masse before polling. The development warrants serious concern, as one is left to ask whether intimidation, coercion, or inducement may have effectively replaced voter choice in these constituencies. It also raises the possibility of behind-the-scenes arrangements between contesting parties to prevent electoral competition. Either scenario undermines the central democratic principle of competitive elections.
‘We Will Come Looking for You,’ Rahul Gandhi Tells ECI
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused India’s top election officials of collaborating in “vote theft” and warned that a future government would change the law to hold them accountable. Speaking in Parliament, he said, “We will change the law retrospectively, and we will come looking for you.”
Why Delhi’s Deadly Air Suits Big Business
As pollution levels in Delhi trigger emergency measures once again this December, the public is told the usual causes: crop burning, vehicle emissions and weather. But a far more persistent source of pollution continues throughout the year, worsens the crisis each winter, and is enabled by government policy. It comes from coal power plants operating within 300 kilometres of the city.
ECI’s SIR: Can You Lose Your Vote While Filling the Form?
The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) form sounds like something designed to make democracy feel interactive, but for many voters it is more like a riddle printed on government stationery. While the ECI calls it an exercise to clean up and verify the electoral rolls, it has millions of people staring at a piece of paper and wondering whether their democracy runs on acronyms.
Rahul Gandhi Accuses Election Commission of Enabling Voter Fraud in Haryana
The Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of facilitating mass voter fraud to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Haryana assembly election. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi on November 5, Gandhi alleged that there were 2.5 million fake entries in the state’s voter rolls, saying the figure is significantly larger than the combined margin of BJP’s victories in key constituencies.