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‘Landmark judgment’ is a clichéd expression that is often employed to qualify the orders of the apex court in matters of varying import. However, its verdict in the 2 G Spectrum PILs undoubtedly merits this qualification, not only because of the significance and impact of the issues resolved by it, but also due to the amplitude of the unresolved issues arising from some of its postulates. The judgment pronounced by G. S. Singhvi and A. K Ganguli, JJ, in the PILs filed by Ce...

*Rajan Kashyap   If integrity is defined as “firm adherence to a code of moral, ethical values”, all institutions for governance are expected to maintain utmost integrity. What, then, are ‘integrity institutions’ that the Supreme Court of India mentions in a recent judgment striking down the appointment of India’s Chief Vigilance Commissioner? In the judgment the Supreme Court traces the concept of integrity institutions to certain democratic bodies est...

Under the Rules & Regulations of COMMON CAUSE as amended by the Governing Council on March 8, 2007, The membership of the Society is open to individuals irrespective of caste, creed or community. Organisations, which were members of the Society as on March 8, 2007, shall henceforth be Honorary members without voting rights. The membership fee for new Individual members (with voting rights) is Rs.500/- for one year and Rs.2,500/- for life. New Associate members (without voting r...

Humour A busy country doctor often covered the thirty kilometers to the nearest hospital with more regard for expediency than the speed limit. One day, he took his five-year-old son along for the ride when he went to make hospital rounds. Afterwards, his wife asked their son if he had enjoyed it. ‘It was neat,’ replied the son. ‘A nice man on a motorcycle stopped us and wrote father a prescription.’ &bul...

The spontaneity and the amplitude of the popular upsurge witnessed during the first two phases of the campaign for Jan Lokpal exploded the myth that corruption is a non-issue in Indian politics. It is true that even in the Lok Sabha elections of 1989, the Bofors affair had taken centre stage, but it was the first time that people from all walks of life had taken to the streets in response to a call to bring about a systemic change in the institutional framework to combat corruption. The inchoate...

As promised in our last issue, we are sharing with our readers here some interesting posts from Mr. Vikram Lal’s blog. These are in the form of a diaIogue on the nature of our democracy. -Editor I Don’t Like Our Democracy Posted by Vikram Lal on 12/08/2011 As Churchill’s famous saying goes: “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” It may not be the worst when compared to other forms, b...

‘Is something the matter?’ asked the bartender of the young, well-dressed customer, who sat staring sullenly into his drink. “Two months ago my grandfather died and left me eighty-five thousand dollars,’ said the man. ‘That doesn’t sound like anything to be upset about,’ said the bartender polishing a glass. ‘It should happen to me.’ ‘Yeah’, said the sour young man, ‘but last month an...

The India Against Corruption movement has succeeded in taking out the issue of a strong and effective integrity institution from the backburner and mobilizing popular support for enactment of a central legislation without further prevarication. It has also compelled the government to give civil society an important role in the process of formulation of the legislative proposal in this regard. The movement has also been able to expose the hollowness of the government claim that in our representat...

The India Against Corruption movement has succeeded in taking out the issue of a strong and effective integrity institution from the backburner and mobilizing popular support for enactment of a central legislation without further prevarication. It has also compelled the government to give civil society an important role in the process of formulation of the legislative proposal in this regard. The movement has also been able to expose the hollowness of the government claim that in our representat...

The most pessimistic of India watchers would grant that things are no longer the same in this benighted country. Given to despairing over a spluttering economic growth, policy paralysis, rampant corruption, rising social tensions and a polarized polity, they are pleasantly surprised to find that the long suffering Indian people have served notice that they would not allow political parties to treat them as mere vote banks to be visited at election time and ignored until the next election. They w...