-TheLeaflet.in The announcement of the imminent repeal of the three controversial farm laws signals a victory for not just the year-long farmers’ mass movement and civil society, but also represents a triumph of Constitutional values, writes S.N. SAHU. MAHATMA Gandhi had very presciently told the peasant leader N.G. Ranga on October 29, 1944, “If the Legislature proves itself to be incapable of safeguarding kisans’ interests they will of course always have the...

--Press release by Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights dated 20th October, 2021 GENEVA (20 October 2021) – Water is increasingly being treated as a mere commodity and even as a financial asset, a UN human rights expert told the UN General Assembly today, undermining the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation and the sustainability of the environment. Pedro Arrojo Agudo, the Special Rapporteur on the...

-Hindustan Times An analysis of incumbency level datasets prepared by the Trivedi Centre for Political Data suggests that becoming an MLA does not bestow much power, at least beyond the current term, to a person in the politics of states. What does it take to win a state election in India? Charismatic chief ministerial candidates or a committed, yet grounded set of MLAs? Logically, the answer should tilt towards the latter. After...

-Scroll.in In a world of powerful spying tools, Indian democracy urgently needs checks on intelligence gathering. With allegations that opposition leaders, Union ministers, bureaucrats, an election commissioner and even a Supreme Court judge could have been spied on, the Pegasus spyware scandal points to one of the most egregious misuses of power in India’s history. The Israeli manufacturer of Pegasus insists that it only sells its weapons-grade spyware to governments, prompting allegations that...

-The Hindu Nobody can be permitted to dilute right to free and fair polls: Bench. The Supreme Court on Friday held that in any election, be it to Parliament or State Legislature, the maintenance of secrecy of voting is “a must”. Secrecy is a part of the fundamental right of freedom of expression. The confidentiality of choice strengthened democracy, it stated. “In direct elections to the Lok Sabha or State Legislature, the maintenance of...