Pairokar

   The recent proceedings before the Allahabad High Court in the alleged dual citizenship case against Rahul Gandhi offer a troubling reminder: in moments of urgency, it is often procedure that is sacrificed first—and with it, the legitimacy of the outcome. At the core lies a simple, non-negotiable rule:  audi alteram partem —no one should be condemned unheard. Yet the initial direction to register an FIR appears to have been issued without hearing the person most affected. The Court’s subsequent recall of its own order was not just corrective; it was necessary. But the question lingers—how was such a lapse allowed to occur at all? Equally concerning is the route taken. After the trial court declined relief, the petitioner bypassed the statutory mechanism under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and moved the High Court directly. The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly cautioned against precisely this practice. High Courts are not meant to be first-stop forums for FIR...

On 13th April, the former Chief Minister of Delhi, Shri Arvind Kejriwal, argued his case in the High Court of Delhi for the recusal of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma from hearing his case. In a lengthy argument of more than an hour, he raised ten points as to why she should not hear the case. The most damning ground was that, since she is sympathetic to the philosophy or ideology of a particular party, which is his political enemy, he has genuine reasons to believe he will not receive fair justice from the court presided over by her. He specifically mentioned that she has attended four programmes of Adhivakta Parishad, which is closely linked with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is hostile to him and his party. Shri Kejriwal wants a judge of impeccable integrity to hear his case and decide the matter. Justice Sharma has reserved the order. There is no doubt that justice should not only be done, but it should also appear to have been done. On the 15th of April, Kejriwal levelled another ...

Anyone who has seen the rubbish talk of Abdul Basit, the former envoy of Pakistan to India, will hardly doubt that he has gone mad and needs to be admitted to a mental asylum. Look at what he says: if there is any attack by the USA on Pakistan’s nuclear installations, Pakistan must first attack Delhi and Mumbai. This reveals his insanity, Jihadi mentality and diabolical hatred for India. It appears that he is unaware that ‘Operation Sindoor’ has only been suspended, not stopped. Pakistan’s image is of a beggar country. No organisation or country is willing to lend even loans or alms to this ungrateful nation. In the name of Islam, it has entered into a mutual aid cooperation with Saudi Arabia. Still, it has not even spoken a word against the bombardment of oil installations by Iran in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan has been carrying out terrorist explosions in India, but now receives the same reply from Afghanistan, and no country is coming to help her, knowing her history of dishonesty. Pakis...

The Nine-Judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India has concluded three days of hearing in Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa and State of U.P. v. Jai Bir Singh . Your organisation, the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ), presented its submissions through the Secretary-General, who is also an Advocate-on-Record before the Supreme Court of India. The IFWJ strongly emphasised the Triple Test theory of “industry” , as laid down by Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer in the landmark seven-judge bench decision of 1978. The test lays down three essential conditions: 1.       Systematic Activity – The activity must be organised and structured (e.g., factory, hospital, educational institution). 2.       Employer–Employee Relationship – There must exist cooperation between employer and employees, irrespective of profit motive. 3.       Production/Distribution of Goods o...

A few of my friends have drawn my attention to my earlier post that the credibility of the judiciary is at its ebb, although it still enjoys more trust from the people than any other organs of governance. A harassed person, tired of everywhere, has nowhere to go except the judiciary to get some relief. But it is equally true of other departments. For example, corruption in hospitals and in the field of medicine is known to everybody, yet we still go to hospitals, private clinics and doctors, knowing the fact that a common man is bound to be cheated by them, but they still go to them because there is no alternative left for them. So much so. Even in the field of education, a common person is cheated. They know it, but there is no alternative as the TINA factor works. Most of the good schools and educational institutions not only charge hefty fees but also demand huge donations for admissions. Teachers do not properly teach the students, driven by the greed of earning money in the name o...

It is often said that sunlight is the best disinfectant — a reminder that transparency is the foundation of reliability. Without transparency, public trust or faith cannot meaningfully exist. Undeniably, the judiciary has traditionally enjoyed greater public confidence than any other constitutional branch, whether Parliament or the Executive. Even the so-called fourth pillar of democracy — the media — has, in recent years, been grappling with a serious crisis of credibility. However, signs now suggest that the judiciary’s own trustworthiness is also facing erosion. The subordinate judiciary at the district level is frequently criticised by the public for perceived corruption. While the higher judiciary continues to command relatively greater confidence, recent developments indicate that this faith, too, may be waning. Government data has revealed a striking figure that has reignited debate over judicial accountability in India: over the past decade, more than 8,200 complaints have repo...

  On February 12, Jantar Mantar in New Delhi served as a focal point for a major gathering as part of a nationwide general strike (Bharat Bandh). Unfortunately, the gathering drew fewer than 500 people. These people were presented as workers, but most were college students. The demonstration was organised by a joint platform of over 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs), including CITU, AITUC, and INTUC, as well as the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). This dismal demonstration by the Trade Unions further proves that workers are no longer interested in their tall talk, as the Unions have miserably failed to protect the interests of the working class in India. Things have also changed. There are now a negligible number of workers. Their way of working has changed. They have become habituated to the new facilities. Therefore, they cannot be herded like the workers of the eighties or even the nineties. The protesters called for the repeal of the four new labour codes, the restoration of MGNREGA ...

  The growth of responsible media is welcome; no other medium disseminates information or commentary with such speed. However, information circulated on these platforms must often be taken with a pinch of salt. Frequently, we are bombarded with fabricated narratives driven by purveyors with their own axes to grind. These individuals often fail to realise the damage they inflict on the credibility of information and the reputation of the media itself. The root of this anarchy is a lack of binding ethics or values. While self-regulation is often emphasised, it remains, in reality, a charade. Unlike traditional media, social media lacks a "gatekeeper," making it a double-edged weapon. Artificial Intelligence, otherwise immensely useful, has further empowered bad actors to distort facts and manufacture narratives that suit their agendas. Just today, we witnessed a prime example of this: a deluge of social media posts claiming that the West Bengal Chief Minister—a law graduate fro...

The new rules notified by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on 13 January 2026 have generated significant debate and criticism, particularly among some students from the general category. Several groups argued that the framework could unintentionally create perceptions of reverse discrimination. Protests were reported outside the UGC office in Delhi and in other parts of the country, led by organisations such as the “Savarna Sena.” Their principal concern was that the rules did not clearly specify a parallel grievance-reporting mechanism for general category students and might lead to an increase in complaints and administrative complications. The situation, however, stabilised after the Supreme Court granted an interim injunction. Critics contend that the rules appear to have been notified without sufficiently wide consultation or careful evaluation of their broader social and institutional impact. One major objection is the expansion of coverage to include additional OBC cat...

The controversy raged by Swami Avimukteshwaranand during the Mauni Amavasya snan (bath) in the Sangam at Prayagraj was unjustified and could have been avoided. His claim to be Shankaracharya of Jyotirmatt is unique and remains contested. Each Shankaracharya is seen as the custodian of one Veda and one Mahavakya, ensuring the preservation of Advait Vedanta. Although the sterling work for the Vedic religion was done by Rishi Dayanand Saraswati, who was the founder of Arya Samaj, he never favoured the system of Shankaracharya. The location of Jyotishpeeth is Joshimatha in Uttarakhand, North. The Atharva Veda is attached to this Math, and its Mahavakya is: Ayam Atma Brahma, i.e. This self is Brahman. Sama Veda is associated with the Dwarka Sharda Peetham of Dwarka in the West. Its Mahavakya is Tattwam Asi, i.e. Thou art That. Govardhan Matt is situated in Puri of Odissa. Rigveda is associated with it, and its Mahavakya is Pragyanam Brahma, which emphasises that Consciousness is Brahm...

Every society and religion has faced social evils, but progressive communities have always embraced reform. For instance, Hindu society once struggled with practices such as child marriage, sati, and dowry. These customs, though deeply entrenched, were eventually abolished through legislation and widespread public support. Similarly, Muslim societies have grappled with harmful practices such as Triple Talaq, Halala, and restrictive interpretations of the Hijab. While some of these issues have been addressed through reform laws, what remains troubling is the resistance from certain community leaders who oppose change. Practices like Misyar marriages among Sunnis and Mutah marriages among Shias persist in some regions, highlighting the need for continued reform. The eradication of such evils depends on the spread of scientific education and rational thought. Reformers in India raised their voices against sati, child marriage, and dowry, leading to laws that were widely accepted w...

  It is a settled principle of law that once a judgment is delivered, it enters the public domain. Citizens, scholars, and practitioners are free to analyse, appreciate, or criticise it based on their understanding. Such engagement enriches jurisprudence and strengthens democratic debate. However, there is a crucial boundary: while judgments may be critiqued, motives must never be attributed to the judges who delivered them. To do so undermines judicial independence and erodes public confidence in the institution. Unfortunately, contemporary discourse often blurs this line. Instead of analysing judgments on their merits—examining statutory interpretation, precedent, or reasoning—many commentators resort to questioning the personal background or alleged biases of judges, Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria. This trend is not only intellectually shallow but also corrosive to the majesty of law. The recent cases of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, accused under the Unlawf...