Decolonising The Language Of Law

The predominance of English as legal language disempowers the masses as there is a gap between folk and official language. It only enables the elite to expropriate the business of law. This is antithetical to the spirit of democracy

Electronics Alert

The world’s biggest consumer electronic show, the CES in Las Vegas, opens next week amid much speculation on what the future of technology can be.

Flight Information

Two events had a major impact on global air travel in 2022—China’s strict restrictions on travel in and out of the country and the war in Ukraine which saw Russian airlines banned from many countries’ airspace, including the EU, US and Canada, and vice versa.

The Bubble Bursts

Tech companies were the darling of T stock markets and valuations in companies like Apple, Microsoft and Google were hitting close to a 3 triIlion market cap. The pandemic only seemed to boost their valuation as the demand for digital goods and services hit new highs.

Russian Roulette

It’s a lesson on how mobile phones can cause such destruction and loss of life during modern-day wars. Western military analysts say that Russia has lost approximately 10,000 troops since the invasion of Ukraine last February, but Moscow has never admitted to any heavy losses.

Climate Chaos

The doomsayers who predicted that climate change would have devastating effects on our planet unless urgent steps were taken on a global level have been proved right.

GAME OF CHANCE

The government has ridden piggyback on a Supreme Court order declaring rummy as more of a game of skill than chance, to try and legalise the online gaming industry in India. The MelTy has also proposed a self-regulatory organisation on the lines of the Press Council of India for this industry sector

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

As cyber attacks increase by the hour, international insurers find it difficult to provide cover. There is a growing consensus among European mega-insurers to declare cyber attack as “uninsurable”. What happens then?

CRYSTAL GAZING INDIA-CHINA RELATIONS

2022 closed with a fresh setback to the fractured relations between India and China after Indian troops threw out 300-strong Chinese troops who had crossed the Line of Actual Control at Yang Tze in Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9. How will the relations between the two Asian giants be in 2023?

DEMOLITION DRIVES

The trend of authorities rushing to administer justice by demolishing the homes of accused without following due processes of law has been slammed by courts

HOLIDAY BLUES

The centre said that long vacations in courts lead to pendency. But do overworked judges burdened by the huge number of cases need to recharge their batteries or follow the Rule Book on holidays?

"AMOR VINCIT OMNIA": LOVE CONQUERS ALL

Even as two pleas have been filed in the SC for homosexual marriages under the Special Marriage Act, a leaf can be taken from the US Act enshrining same-sex and interracial marriages

Guidelines for Arresting Women

What are the rights of women in case of arrest?

A Child Must Be Sent to School

The right to education is an important law for school education. Are parents duty-bound to send their children to school?

Electoral Malpractice

Can a person have two voter cards legally?

Restrictions For Aadhaar

Is it necessary to show one’s Aadhaar number to avail of banking services and a mobile connection?

Free Legal Aid is Possible

Is it possible to get free legal advice?

At farewell function by SCBA, Justice Nazeer stresses on increased women's representation in judiciary, decent pay for juniors

Supreme Court Judge, Justice Abdul S Nazeer(right) on January 4 highlighted the low representation of women in the Indian judiciary. He also advocated an increase of the pay scale for junior lawyers.

No curb on freedom of speech of legislators, says SC; separate order by Justice Nagarathna

The Supreme Court passed a judgment, ina 4:1 majority, saying ministers, MPs and MLAs are entitled to their freedom of speech like all other citizens under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.

Haldwani crisis: SC stays eviction, issues notice to Uttarakhand govt, Railways

Staying the eviction of over 4,000 families living on encroached government land adjoining Haldwani railway station, commonly called Gaffur Basti, the Supreme Court sought response from both the State of Uttarakhand, as well as the Indian Railways, on the matter.

Divorce And The Law

Where can one file a divorce petition? Is there an option for one of the parties to withdraw from the petition seeking divorce by mutual consent after filing it in a court?

Christmas Symbols

Christmas has its traditional symbols-Santa, presents, a decorated tree and carols. Some countries, however, have different symbols. Here are some of them:

Celebrity Headlines of 2022

Will Smith’s Oscars Slap: In March, the Academy Awards was held to honour the best of filmmaking for the past year, but it was all overshadowed when actor Will Smith stormed on-stage and slapped compere Chris Rock after he made a joke aimed at Will’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Question of Identity

One of the most inspiring stories of the FIFA World Cup 2022 was Morocco. Their team, called the Atlas Lions, stunned the world by beating soccer heavyweights such as Spain and Portugal to become the first African nation to reach the semi-finals. Yet, in cultural terms, Moroccans see themselves more as Arabs than Africans.

Britain's Striking Winter

It’s now a familiar sight across Britain—striking workers demanding higher pay and other benefits. Even as the holiday season nears, railway workers have brought the transport network to a standstill, border Force staff are preparing to walk out and postal workers, bus drivers and civil servants are either in the middle of strike action or threatening to strike.

A Year of Misery

Year 2022 was a like no other in recent memory. If 2020 was the year that Covid-19 devastated the globe and caused millions of deaths, 2022 saw even more misery and hardship as Russia invaded Ukraine causing death and destruction, leading to an energy crisis and supply chain disruptions which caused an economic crisis across the world as inflation spiked to unusual levels and global economic growth fell to record lows.

TRUMP FACES CRIMINAL CHARGES

Donald Trump has become the first American president to have his conduct in office sent to the Justice Department to consider for criminal prosecution. While all four referrals are severe, the most encompassing one is “assisting or engaging in insurrection against the United States”

A NEW BEGINNING?

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance has asked for clarifications and recommended changes to the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022. This is a major development, but are there any missed opportunities ?

JUNGLE LAW

In recent times, forest staff are increasingly facing hostile elements, poachers and lawbreakers, who are committing forest offences with impunity. Officers and staff are being brutally assaulted while performing their duties. The Supreme Court has now stepped in

MAKE THE EC INDEPENDENT

A draft bill to bring in reforms in the EC has been introduced in Parliament and aims to stop it from being misused by the powers that be and bring in transparency in the appointment process