Last month, it was reported that National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) had proposed the setting up of a National Media Analytics Centre(NMAC). This centre’s mandate would be to monitor blogs, media channels, news outlets and social media platforms. Sources were quoted as stating that the centre would rely upon a tracking software built by Ponnurangam…
Reports have come in of an attack on Tribal Rights Activist and leader Soni Sori. Reports suggest that oil paint mixed with chemicals was thrown on her face by unknown assailants. This attack, which has left the activist in intense pain, and other reports of intimidation of persons such as lawyers and journalists working in…
For a country facing serious external and internal threats, dealing with issues of dissent and freedom of speech presents a difficult challenge. An essential ingredient of democracy as a political system is freedom of speech, which Article 19 of our Constitution provides, subject to some reasonable limits that include the security of the state, public…
Women still have a “long way to go” to achieve a status equal to men as granted by the Constitution and their real empowerment can be achieved only through economic empowerment, the Supreme Court has said. A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Abhay M Sapre made the observation while allowing the appeal of…
After years of suffering silently, women from India’s Dawoodi Bohra community has taken it upon themselves to end a practice that has haunted them for generations, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). They have also started a month-long campaign ‘Each One Reach One’ in collaboration with Speak Out on FGM. The initiative kicks off on February 6…
Known as the pilgrimage of budding politicians, the international university at the heart of capital — Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) — is in news again. This time the students’ wing of ruling BJP government ABVP had staged a protest against the students who had commemorated the judicial hanging of Afzal Guru by screening a movie…
India has seen numerous Internet shutdowns for various reasons in this year, all under the same provision of law – Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). This section resides as the sole occupant under the chapter of ‘temporary measures to maintain public tranquility’ and gives State Governments the power to issue…
With all the convenience and connectivity that the internet offers, it also brings risks. Notions about cyber security often draw up images of a villainous looking individual attempting to wreak havoc across commercial establishments and high value targets. Cyber security experts state that the nature of the game has changed and personal data thefts are…
While a recent Lokayukta probe failed to indict anyone for illegal mining, a query under Right to Information (RTI) Act pointed towards the growing malaise in Bijnore. On the intervention of the State Information Commissioner (SIC), a fine was also realised from the accused and a legal proceeding was initiated. Now the ADM (Administration) at…
Can a state information commissioner overturn his own order penalising a public information officer (PIO) for giving wrong information to an RTI applicant? Such an action by Tamil Nadu information commissioners Christopher Nelson and P Tamil Selvan in 2013 still begs for answer. It all started with an RTI application from Ashok Kothari who wanted…