India, Sri Lanka – The Tamil Question

The island country of Sri Lanka is geographically part of the Indian sub-continent and though the Palk Strait does provide a narrow stretch of water physically separating Sri Lanka from India, not far below the surface is the land link provided by Ra

The Justice System

The justice system in India is passing through an extremely difficult period, for which there are a number of reasons. Let us start with the basics, that is, the separation of powers. In this a very special position is given to the Judiciary which m

India, Afghanistan and Developments in Pakistan

A wise man does not venture into unknown territory, at least not till he has reconnoitered it thoroughly. Perhaps I am not wise because I am trying, through this paper, to venture into an area about which my knowledge is sketchy at best. I do thi

Our Environmental Health

Much as one loves India --- and I am xenophobic about it --- one cannot help but ask the question, are we a nation which worships symbolism more than substance? As a people are we given so much to tokenism that tokens salve our conscience, tokens dic

National Counter Terrorism Centre

When we were caught unawares by the Pakistani intrusion into Kargil a high powered committee was set up under Shri K.S. Subramaniam, who had been Defence Secretary of India, to suggest measures whereby we could avoid intelligence failures, provide fo

Defence Procurement: Would You Do Business With India?

Ever since we became independent we seem to be lurching from one crisis to another in any matter which concerns a deal or a transaction in which we make purchases or where decisions are taken regarding business. One harks back to the scandal attribut

The Politicisation of Criminal Justice

Afzal Guru masterminded the attack on Parliament in 2001, which left nine security and parliament staff dead, with five attackers also being killed. He was arrested and tried for his crimes, sentenced to death by the Sessions Court and his convictio

The Governor, the Constitution and the Courts

The Supreme Court of India, in a Division Bench consisting of Dr. Justice B.S. Chauhan and Mr. Justice Fakkir Mohammed Ibrahim Kalifulla, has disposed of a civil appeal filed by the State of Gujarat Vs. Hon’ble Justice R.A. Mehta on the question of

The Police, Too, Have a Case: Need for Police Reforms

Coming from the pen of a retired IAS officer this paper may appear to be a little strange, but as a young officer in the districts I have interacted with the police in happy times and in times of stress. I have witnessed the strength and the weakness

Systemic Failure or Organ Failure?

The Chambers Twenty-first Dictionary, which is quite an authoritative lexicon, describes ‘system’ in the following words, “A set of inter-connected or inter-related parts forming a complex whole”. The word ‘systemic’ is defined as “refe

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