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Tag: institution

  • Serious attempt to undermine every institution: Shashi Tharoor

    Serious attempt to undermine every institution: Shashi Tharoor

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    Mumbai: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said right across the spectrum there is a “serious undermining” of every autonomous institution and it seems the government has only the “loyalty” criterion before appointing individuals to head them.

    In an interaction at Press Club here on ‘The need for an independent media as a vital link for democracy’, Tharoor said intimidation of the press was a legitimate issue, and if he has a voice in the party manifesto, he would certainly suggest that this should be made an issue and the party would stand for guaranteeing the freedom of press and non-interference.

    The MP from Kerala also said before the 2019 elections, he had warned that a victory for the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) would result in an attempt to create a “Hindu Pakistan”.

    MS Education Academy

    He said in the first few months after the BJP government stormed to power in 2019, he “wasn’t far off” from his prediction as the government brought legislation on triple talaq and the abolition of special provisions of Article 370.

    In many ways it was COVID-19 that saved the country as the entire legislative momentum was stalled by the urgent need to tackle the pandemic, he added.

    “Right across the spectrum, there seems to be a very serious undermining of the strength of every institution. The government seems to have only the loyalty test before it when it’s appointing people to head any autonomous institution,” Tharoor said.

    Referring to the Election Commission, he said there was a time when governments seem to respect the autonomy of autonomous institutions by appointing individuals known for their independence and integrity and cited examples of former Chief Election Commissioners TN Seshan and J M Lyndoh.

    Calling the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha member worrying after his conviction last month by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case, Tharoor said many of the judiciary’s decisions are “compromised”, though not at every level.

    He also said the legislature has been reduced to either a “notice board” for the government or a “rubber stamp”.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Kashmir: New Academic Session Will Begin Soon, Will act tough, if complaint about charging of annual fee received against any private institution – Kashmir News

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    Kashmir: New Academic Session Will Begin Soon, Will act tough, if complaint about charging of annual fee received against any private institution – Kashmir News

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    #Kashmir #Academic #Session #act #tough #complaint #charging #annual #fee #received #private #institution #Kashmir #News

    ( With inputs from : kashmirnews.in )

  • Will destabilise institution of marriage: NGO opposes criminalisation of marital rape

    Will destabilise institution of marriage: NGO opposes criminalisation of marital rape

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    New Delhi: An NGO has moved the Supreme Court opposing the criminalisation of marital rape, saying it would destabilise the institution of marriage.

    The petition filed by NGO Purush Aayog Trust through its president Barkha Trehan has sought the court’s intervention in a batch of petitions pertaining to the criminalisation of marital rape and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provision that provides protection to a husband against prosecution for forcible sexual intercourse if the wife is an adult.

    The plea contended that the doctrine of separation of powers is a part of the basic structure of the Constitution and the power to create an offence solely vests with the legislature.

    “A marriage can end without any sufficient evidence pertaining to a case of marital rape. If there is any evidence of forcible intercourse, then there cannot be any other primary evidence other than the testimony of the wife. This can easily destabilise the institution of marriage,” the plea said.

    The petition, filed through advocate Vivek Narayan Sharma, said over the years, numerous incidents have been reported across the country where men committed suicide due to false accusations made by women.

    “There have been uncountable cases wherein married women have misused such provisions. Such cases include sexual harassment, 498A and domestic violence. If exception II of section 375, IPC is struck down, then it can become an ‘easy tool’ for wives to harass and puppet husbands, especially considering that the quantum of punishment in rape cases is much higher and the burden of proof is upon the accused.

    “Any allegations of rape by the wife be treated as gospel truth on the word of the wife and the husband would be most likely incapable to lead any contra evidence, owing to the nature of the personal and married relationship,” it said.

    The top court had, on January 16, sought the Centre’s response to a batch of petitions pertaining to the criminalisation of marital rape and the IPC provision that provides protection to a husband against prosecution for forcible sexual intercourse if the wife is an adult.

    The Centre, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, had told the bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that the issue has legal as well as “social implications” and the government would like to file its response to the petitions.

    The top court, which appointed lawyers Pooja Dhar and Jaikriti Jadeja as the nodal counsel, had said the parties will have to file their written submissions by March 3 for a smooth hearing of the petitions.

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    #destabilise #institution #marriage #NGO #opposes #criminalisation #marital #rape

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )