‘No One’ Killed This Manipur MLA, and That Defines the State’s Accountability Crisis
Vungzagin Valte, a Manipur MLA from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), died on February 21 after nearly three years of medical complications caused by a mob attack during the 2023 violence. His case remains pending and no arrests have been reported so far. The continuing absence of visible justice may further deepen the political disillusionment of the Kuki-Zo community in its relationship with the state government.
Supreme Court Raises Alarm Over States’ Free Electricity Push
The Supreme Court has questioned the Tamil Nadu government’s policy of providing free electricity to certain consumer groups, opening a wider debate about where welfare support ends and political freebie culture begins. The central concern in this dispute is how far governments can expand subsidies without putting public finances and long-term development under strain.
Valentine’s Day: The Politics and Psychology of Hating Love
Each year Hindu nationalist groups carry out violent crackdowns on couples in public spaces during Valentine’s Day in India. These incidents show how moral policing, group identity politics and anxiety about social change combine to justify control over private emotion and public behaviour.
8,630 Complaints Against Sitting Judges in 10 Years
On February 13, the Union Law Ministry told the Lok Sabha that the office of the Chief Justice of India received 8,360 complaints against sitting judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts across the 10 year period from 2016 to 2025, based on data supplied by the Supreme Court. The disclosure invites a closer look at how judicial accountability works, and what this information reveals about public trust in the courts.
Opposition Threatens Speaker with No-Confidence Motion, Citing Partisan Conduct
Opposition parties in Lok Sabha have warned they may file a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla, accusing him of obstructing the parliamentary rights of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi. The standoff, now entering a second week, centres on Gandhi being denied permission to speak about a controversial unpublished book by former army chief Manoj Naravane, while members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were permitted to make attacks against the Nehru-Gandhi family without censure.
On Manipur’s New ‘Phantom’ Government
Manipur now has a new government, which on paper, signals the return of democratic rule after a one-year spell of President’s Rule. But in reality, the state remains deeply divided and only partially governed, with large sections of the population still excluded from its reach since a deadly and prolonged wave of violence began on May 3, 2023. The situation calls to mind the idea of a “phantom government,” a structure that holds office but cannot carry out the basic functions of governance.
Why a Former Army Chief’s Book Has Caused a Furore
India’s former army chief, General M.M. Naravane, has alleged in an unpublished memoir that political leaders failed to give the army clear operational directions during the 2020 border crisis with China. The allegation, brought to public attention by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in parliament, is serious because it raises questions about civilian command responsibility in military engagements, and whether India’s highest political office abdicated its role during a critical national security moment.
Indian Media’s Focus on Epstein’s Sex Crimes Misses the Larger Issue
The Indian media has responded to the Epstein email by focusing on his status as a sex crimes convict, framing the issue largely in moral terms. But this misses the real concern raised by the wealthy American financier’s claim that India’s Prime Minister followed his advice in visiting Israel to strengthen ties with the United States. Suppose, for a moment, Epstein had never been convicted of any crime. Would the assertion still trouble us?
A Political Science View of Assam CM’s Threat Against Activist Harsh Mander
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has threatened to file “at least 100 cases” against activist Harsh Mander after Mander lodged a legal complaint accusing him of hate speech against Bengali Muslims. The threat suggests that Sarma sees legal action as a means to settle political scores rather than address genuine legal concerns.
What the Epstein Files Say About India, and Why the Opposition Wants Answers
The U.S. government recently released files related to Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy American financier who cultivated relationships with heads of government, senior politicians, intelligence linked figures and influential academics across countries. The data includes a 2017 email that claims India’s Prime Minister followed Epstein’s advice in visiting Israel to strengthen ties with the United States.
Supreme Court Judge: Only Courts Should Decide Judge Transfers, Not Government
A sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, has publicly stated that the transfer of judges is solely an internal matter of the judiciary and that government involvement in such decisions is constitutionally impermissible. His statement a recent instance in which the Supreme Court collegium, the body responsible for judicial appointments and transfers, formally recorded that a transfer had occurred at the executive’s request.
States Can Now Prosecute Central Officials for Corruption, Says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that state governments have full legal authority to prosecute central government officials for corruption through their own police forces or Anti-Corruption Bureaus (ACBs), without needing any permission or involvement from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This is a welcome development for state governments, especially those run by opposition parties, and for citizens, because it strengthens legal accountability and curbs the Centre’s ability to delay or block investigations by claiming that only central agencies can act.
India Averaged Over 3 Hate Speech Events Per Day in 2025, Says Report
In 2025, India recorded 1,318 in-person hate speech events, averaging more than three per day and overwhelmingly led by Hindu nationalist groups and political actors affiliated with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, according to a report by the India Hate Lab. The report supports the inference that a political choice is behind the sustained scale of public incitement, which undermines both the rule of law and the idea of equal citizenship.
Supreme Court Orders Full Forensic Test of ‘Manipur Tapes’ on CM Biren Singh
The Supreme Court has directed the Manipur government to send the full 48-minute audio recording, allegedly featuring former chief minister Biren Singh discussing his role in the 2023 ethnic violence, to the National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL) in Gujarat for voice analysis and authentication. The violence left over 250 people dead, displaced tens of thousands, and areas inhabited by the Kuki-Zo tribes remain cut off from Meitei-dominated regions to this day.
‘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.”
Centre Hinders Local Decision-Making in Ladakh by Withdrawing Financial Powers
The Ministry of Home Affairs has withdrawn all financial sanctioning powers from Ladakh’s local administration and elected councils, centralising them in Delhi. The move is likely to disrupt local decision-making and delay essential development in a region where planning and execution must match a narrow seasonal window.