Commentaries

एक देश, एक चुनाव: क्रियान्वयन आसान नहीं होगा 

 देश में लोक सभा और विधान सभा के चुनाव एकसाथ कराने के प्रस्ताव को केन्द्रीय कैबिनेट ने मंजूरी दे दी है। केन्द्र सरकार ने कहा है कि संसद शीतकालीन सत्र में विधेयक लाएगी। एक राष्ट्र, एक चुनाव का नारा जितना आकर्षक लगता है, इसे लागू करना उतना ही मुश्किल है। सभी 28 राज्यों और कुछ […]

Safeguarding Identity: The Case for Legal Recognition of Personality Rights in India

Introduction The modernisation of society has led to the adaptation of laws that reflect the shift in values, identities, privacy, and the understanding of individual rights. In India, this evolution has been evident in various areas, including personality rights.  Personality rights govern the protection of an individual’s identity, image and personal characteristics. With the advent […]

Gender Gap in Venture Capital: Analysing the Funding Gap for Startups in India

Introduction India is now the fifth-largest economy globally, with a plan to expand it to a five trillion-dollar economy by 2027. This growth trajectory is driven by robust infrastructure, an evolving digital landscape, and a surge in entrepreneurial activity. A cornerstone of this economic growth is the startup ecosystem, which is flourishing like never before. […]

Navigating the Road to Sustainability: Vehicle Scrapping Policy 

Introduction The transport sector is estimated to emit 12 per cent of the CO2 emissions in India, making it one of the top contributors to pollution in the country. Vehicle Scrapping Policies (VSP) have been introduced as incentive programs that encourage the replacement of old vehicles with newer, more efficient vehicles. On the face of it, […]

Traditional agricultural practices in a Satpuran river watershed: Dangarwari and Pahari kheti

Several small streams, channels of flowing water and rivulets drain to constitute one larger and broader mainstem stream in the form of a river. The drainage or catchment of a river becomes a significant area where the dynamic interaction between two vital natural resources that make life possible on earth—soil and water—take place. The interface […]

Decoding the Gender Budget and Its True Gains for ‘Naari Shakti’

Most discussions surrounding ‘Naari Shakti’ (women’s power) have focused on one term: the Gender Budget. Headlines across news channels claim a massive increase in the gender budget—from ₹2.38 lakh crores in 2023-24 to ₹3.27 lakh crores under the 2024-25 Union Budget—an increase of ₹89,000 crores, or 37%. But what do these numbers mean? Compared to […]

Unravelling the Threat: Rising Climate Risks and Landslides in India

The technology to map landslides for India has previously been highly dependent on larger data sources; however, readiness for landslides can prevent a high level of human and ecology loss. India accounts for 8% of the global fatalities due to landslides, yet they are not considered as devastating as floods, storms, and droughts. In the […]

Period Poverty and Public Policy: Challenges and Solutions

500 million women and girls around the world suffer from period poverty, according to World Bank estimates. In India, one can estimate numbers on the basis of different national level datasets which shed light on different aspects of the menstrual management practices of the country’s female population.

Issues with the Current Women’s Representation at the State and National Level

While the representation of women MPs/MLAs across India is already low, standing at 9%, another concerning factor is their representation within the party itself and how it determines their effective influence on decision-making. Rai (2012) notes that narratives from women MPs unmistakably convey a significant frustration with and reliance on political parties. These narratives clearly […]

The Criminality Conundrum: Navigating Challenges in Indian Electoral Politics

Introduction The landmark case of People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) Vs The Union of India 2003, was the turning point for transparency with regards to elections, as it made it mandatory for contesting candidates to declare their criminal records in their affidavits accessible to the public. Quoted by P.V Reddi in his judgement from […]

Demystifying the Model Code of Conduct

As we inch closer to the start of one of the most cardinal and exhaustive exercises in Indian democracy, we reflect on one of the major frameworks instituted by the Election Commission of India to determine standards of political behaviour prior to elections. In 1960, it was referred to as the ‘Minimum Code of Conduct’ […]