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ICJ on states’ responsibilities to halt climate change

ICJ delivers an unambiguous order on states’ responsibilities to halt climate change https://scroll.in/article/1084853/icj-delivers-an-unambiguous-order-on-states-responsibilities-to-halt-climate-change  Meena Menon  The United Nations’ judicial organ paved the way for states to be held accountable for fossil fuel emissions and the resultant climate harm. failure of states to take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by continuing fossil fuel production, granting exploration licences or fossil fuel subsidies constituted an internationally wrongful act. States also have an obligation to regulate private actors as a matter of due diligence. in the event that restitution should prove to be materially impossible, responsible states have an obligation to compensate.  

the court held that it was scientifically possible to determine the emissions contribution of each state in both current and historical terms.... states were obliged to adhere to both customary and international laws as well the climate treaties: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement and other United Nations conventions on biodiversity, desertification as well as human rights and the Law of the Sea.

Press Freedom Under Modi Worse Than During Emergency

On November 26, 1947, a little over three months after India’s independence, Mahatma Gandhi presciently cautioned that use of media by a ruling party for its own propaganda and image building would usher in dictatorship. He said this while dealing with a complaint that the Congress party was employing radio for broadcasting information about itself and its activities. “If the Congress uses the radio, etc., like this for its own propaganda, it is bound to bring about dictatorship in the end,” he warned.

https://thewire.in/media/press-freedom-under-modi-worse-than-during-emergency 

During the 11 years of Modi’s regime, there has been no official proclamation of emergency, yet the status of media is worse than during the Emergency period of 1975-77. The essence of Mahatma Gandhi’s warning – that if the ruling party used media for propaganda it would lead to dictatorship – is being played out more viciously during Modi’s tenure, with adverse consequences for democracy and the Constitution.

In the press freedom index, India occupies the 151st position among 180 countries. This low ranking has been accompanied by coercive measures against journalists, many arrested using draconian laws. A news platform like NewsClick has faced raids by agencies including the police and the enforcement directorate.

by S N Sahu

26/06/2025

 

Are Election Malpractices Undermining India's Claims of Being 'the World's Biggest Democracy'?

In recent years, the election process in India has been converted into one party’s fiefdom. Two sets of methods have been weaponised to subvert the verdict of the people, which are adopted at each stage of the electoral voting system. They are used before voting day, or on the voting day, and after the voting day.

https://thewire.in/government/election-malpractices-india-voter-rolls-evm 

Names from voter lists were allegedly deleted ahead of the Delhi elections, as well as Maharashtra state elections. Both occurred in quick succession after the Lok Sabha polls. This is an age-old method which has now been taken to new heights.

The root cause behind the voter registration manipulation is Rule 18 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, which allows for deletion of voter data without notice or an opportunity to be heard by the affected citizen. At the EC’s assurance, the Supreme Court also disposed of a PIL which challenged the constitutional validity of Rule 18.

to insert travelling voters of one party from other states (with duplicate identity cards) to polling booths in a state where elections are taking place, by duplicating Electronic Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers across states. This method was used, allegedly in Maharashtra and Delhi, to general acceptance. I

there is always the possibility of toppling the government already formed by buying out the MLA or MP.

Over the period 2015 to 2024 as many as 10 state governments led by opposition parties were toppled by the ruling party government at the Union. This is done by simply buying the MLAs of the state ruling party, with the goal of making them support the party with the largest financial ability to buy MLAs. The defence of the ruling party is that this method has historically been adopted for a long time.

by Santosh Mehrotra and Jagdeep Chhokar

09/06/2025