Imagine you’re at a poker table, and one player has a special deck of cards. He knows what’s coming next, but you and your friends are left guessing. Wouldn’t you be sceptical about the fairness of the game? Welcome to the high-stakes world of electoral bonds in India—a subject that’s headed for the courtroom on Oct. 31, and one that we should all care deeply about.

As citizens, we want to believe in the sanctity of our laws. They are meant to serve and protect us. But what happens when the very structure that upholds justice becomes an instrument for silencing voices?

The tussle over what to call the country—Bharat or India—has become a contentious issue with a recent recommendation to switch the term “India” with “Bharat” in NCERT school textbooks. Amid this name game, Kerala stands out for its clear rejection of the change.

Imagine turning on your tap one day and nothing comes out. A parched land, dry wells and vanishing rivers may soon be India’s stark reality, says a UN report. Alarm bells are ringing particularly loud for the northwest, India’s “food basket,” where water scarcity could hit home by 2025.

Recently, a young girl in tattered clothes knocked on doors in Madhya Pradesh state’s Ujjain district, seeking help after a horrific rape. She’s home now, but what she and her family have gotten from the government suggests victims who are poor and/or Dalits receive a form of “justice” that corresponds with their perceived social standing.

When the Uttar Pradesh state police recently arrested 10 activists, mostly Dalits, the alarm bells didn’t just ring for them. They echoed through the entire fabric of Indian society. Their supposed crime? A peaceful protest for land rights in Gorakhpur. They had a simple demand—an acre of land for marginalised communities.

Imagine your family has a budget for home improvements—things like fixing the roof, upgrading the kitchen, or building a new garage. Now, what if someone in the family proudly announced, “We’ve tripled our budget for improvements!” but then used the money to pay off debts or go on a vacation?

Let’s imagine two cities, Alwar and Jaipur, both in Rajasthan state. Alwar is a smaller town, while Jaipur is a bustling metropolis. Yet, they’re both governed by the same set of laws—the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009. You may wonder, how can one-size-fits-all rules serve two cities so different in character and needs?

Government officials are being asked to highlight the achievements of the governing party, raising concerns about the misuse of state resources and the erosion of democratic institutions. The move appears designed to enlist civil servants in activities closely resembling political campaigning.

Mariya Rajan, a journalist-producer for Newsreel Asia, received the 2023 Laadli Award on Oct. 21. The award recognises her video story about the shifting dynamics of human trafficking in the Siliguri region of West Bengal state.

The Indian Army has reportedly been asked to set up 822 “selfie points” across the country to promote government schemes, sparking allegations of political misuse and weakening of the military institution by the Central government.