An interesting column in the Economic Times by Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar looks at the biggest government takeovers in history: “Socialists, like Hugo Chavez in Venezuela or Indira Gandhi in India, are famous for nationalising …
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History Repeats Itself: Whither Governance?
Much has already been stated in the press about the current financial crisis that had rocked not only the U.S. economy, but also the global financial system, and indeed the magnitude of this crisis will …
Continue readingJustice J.S.Verma on Judicial Appointments
In this interview, Justice J.S. Verma pleads for transparency in judicial appointments, while looking at his majority 1993 judgment in the Advocates-on-record case retrospectively. To a question on the Justice Sen affair, I am reproducing …
Continue readingJustice Soumitra Sen case: Some puzzling questions
While writing on the Soumitra Sen case, I was puzzled by the propriety of the CJI writing to the Prime Minister on the issue. The CJI’s request to the PM to initiate the process of …
Continue readingTranscending Reservations
In this article published by the EPW, I have tried to map certain developments in the official discourse on equality that transcend the traditional debate on reservations. These developments include proposals for enacting anti-discrimination measures, …
Continue readingSibal on the UPA’s approach to tackling terrorism
Today’s Indian Express features an op-ed by Kapil Sibal who seeks to respond to the call for reviving POTA, while explaining how the UPA government views the issue of tackling terrorism. Given that Sibal is …
Continue readingARC report on combating terrorism
The Report released by the Administrative Reforms Commission on combating terrorism is here. The report requires a detailed analysis. To begin with, it appears it favours a return of POTA, but is sheepish to admit …
Continue readingIndia’s first ‘referendum’?
Villagers in some villages in Maharashtra are casting votes to state their opinion on an SEZ, and the government has promised to take their verdict ‘into account’ in making its decision. Issue based referenda, quite …
Continue readingHow should liberals respond to terrorism?
Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and now Delhi. There seems to be no let up in terrorist violence this year. How should liberals react to the deplorable violence perpetrated by terrorists, in the midst of a clamour …
Continue readingOCCASIONAL DIGEST
In pursuit of our efforts to provide links to primary and secondary sources for discussing contemporary issues and controversies, here are some which we may find useful in writing our posts and comments: 1. The …
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