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Articles

R K Pachauri: Carrying 6 billion hopes: Dr. RK Pachauri, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is leading the international campaign against Climate Change for his services to the environment he has recently been awa......read more
India's Climate Change crusader: Mr. Jairam Ramesh: India is a fast developing nation but this development comes at a price, the environment. Our interview with him made us aware that Mr. Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister of State for Environment and F......read more
He does not deserve the nobel: I have developed the art of using money in creative ways to a point where it has become scientific. The deeply unfortunate occupational hazard that accompanies this rather fulfilling pastime is that m......read more
US & Co: I have experienced three kinds of news. There is American news, which although accurate, skims past the destruction caused by their troops. There is PAkistani news, which tells us of their 'power' and......read more
Jaswant Singh on people, politics and partition: One of India's longest serving politicians, Jaswant Singh's controversial book on Jinnah and India's partition sparked both criticism and praise from people across India and Pakistan. His bold decisio......read more
Statue-tory warning: Your narcissism is injurious to national health: At a time when Maharashtra's notorious Vidarbha region witnesses one farmer suicide every 8 hours, when the entire state is frequented by power cuts as a result of the rains playing truant and the sta......read more
Try: I am 17 years old. I go to school. I come home. I eat, sleep, study.
I go out on the weekends, avoide my parents and am addicted to facebook.
By a broad standard, I am normal.
Can I c......read more
Theplas in Thailand & pickles in Paris: Say hello to the Indian tourist: The Indian tourist seems to have earned himself a global reputation. He may don many avatars, but the stereotype he has earned for himself remains like an unsightly splotch on Indians' reputation aboa......read more
Red tapism in India: "The Common Man walks into the Passport office for the fifth time in ten days. He is sick of standing in the heat. He is sweaty. He is tired of the never ending trips to try and procure his passport. ......read more
Naxalites - a burning problem: The Maoists-Naxalites have been in the news lately. These little understood, much maligned groups, with a common leftist ideology, have been the cause of long-standing violence, arson and disruption. ......read more
Unity in diversity?: With hundreds of different ethnicities, myriad religions, thousands of languages, and an infinite set of values, (some of which are diametrically opposite) India could easily be considered the most di......read more
Every One: India is a country that is progressing at an astoundingly rapid rate. It has proved itself to be a country to watch out for. Its economy is booming, and its people are continuing to prove their abilit......read more
The Indian Judiciary: Does the pillar of strength need to be strengthened?: Do judges in India need to be policed and to what extent? There has recently been focus on the Indian judiciary system. The question has arisen on whether Indian judges need to be policed. The Union C......read more
Defence, Development & the Indian Economy: India today occupies a unique position on the world stage. We are perhaps the only country trying to juggle a rapidly advancing economy, an extraordinary array of infrastructural develoments, an inher......read more
26/11: A year on, an overview of the city of Mumbai yields a result no different then what one would have expected. The city continues to be a bustling, shining beacon of India's ascent to global success, w......read more
Wake up and smell the carbon: Few years ago, there was only one problem the world had to deal with - the nuclear bomb. Today's youth are growing up in the shadows of three bombs any of which can go off any moment, leading to a rad......read more
Apocalypse - impossible? Think again!: 2050, India-a young boy stares at the barren landscape of his hometown, where rising tempartures and water scarcity have made living life a burden. The ganga river has dried up, the once snow capped p......read more
Congress ka 'raj' Thackeray: For anyone who doubts that politics is a dirty game, the recent Maharashtra State Assembly polls was an eye-opener. With cousins standing against each other in a family feud of epic proportions and th......read more
Change after 26/11: On 26^th November, 2008 a catastrophe stuck the city of Mumbai. While the elite class of South Mumbai was dining at 5 star hotels, The Taj Mahal Hotel and the Trident, and the commuters were......read more
The future of Mumbai: Milind Deora's victory for the second term in a row has silenced all his critics. In a candid discussion, Mr. Deora spoke to us about the Maharashtra elections, the MNS, chqanges since 26/11 and of hi......read more
VOTE INDIA: Over the last few weeks, the nation has been keenly observing the movements of a new found political scion, Varun Gandhi of the BJP. Gandhi's radical views, to say the least, have "shocked" some and "......read more
26/11: Are we so naive that we cannot see that some of the problems are from within our country? We don't see the greater good but act in our own selfish and devious ways......read more
Arun Jaitley-a candid discussion: An interview with the General Secretary of the Bhartiya Janta Party, Arun Jaitley gave us an insight into the mind of strategic planner and mast head of this election's opposition party. After years o......read more
The Criminalisation of Indian Politics: India boasts of being the largest democracy in the world; with an estimated 671 million eligible to vote for the 15th General elections to be held in April - May 2009. However, over the last 61 years ......read more
Democracy: As we are made to see it: What do you think about putting 1.147 billion puzzle pieces together? Indian democracy is just that. It is not as simple and sinless as a puzzle, but putting 1.147 billion thoughts together, fixing th......read more
Goolam Vahanvati - the youth's role in India's future: Mr. Goolam Vahanvati, one of the best lawyers in India, tells us we as the youth need to look beyond corruption, he tells us to a look at the larger picture. He says, "You must believe that this is a ......read more
Indian National Congress: The way forward?: We citizens of India are not in the mood to listen to comments like "Bade bade sheharo mein chotte chotte cheese hote rehte hain". The youth want to see some degree of accountability in the entire pol......read more
Jyotiraditya Scindia-India's tomorrow: We arrived at 27 Safdarjung Road, home to one of the most promising and visionary leaders in this country. Part of the Congress youth brigade Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, having studied at Harvard and St......read more
Omar Abdullah - our hope for change: Mr. Omar Abdullah one of the few leaders in this country who commands respect and does not demand respect, speaks to us about his vision for India. He is one of the most protected men in India with si......read more
PAKISTAN: at the brink of destruction?: Two twins, India and Pakistan separated at birth due to numerous complications, travelled through a long journey since partition. This difficult path took off in August 1947, when, after having surviv......read more
Third Front - an illusion?: We the youth of India desire change and to some the Third front is the only option to provide this change, which makes the Third Front seem as a serious contender. On the other side of the spectrum mo......read more

Article of the month

The Indian Judiciary: Does the pillar of strength need to be strengthened?

Do judges in India need to be policed and to what extent? There has recently been focus on the Indian judiciary system. The question has arisen on whether Indian judges need to be policed. The Union Cabinet has approved the judges Inquiry (Amendment) Bill 2008 which makes Supreme Court and High Court judges accountable for their acts, including corruption and incapacity.

Text: Hriday Munim

The Bill provides for establishing a National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate and inquire into allegations of misbehavior or incapacity on the part of a judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court, as well as to regulate the procedure for investigation and inquiry. If a judge is proven guilty, the NJC can recommend his or her removal through impeachment by the Parliament. Thus, the provisions of the new Bill would bring about more transparency in the functioning of the judiciary.

The Union Ministry of Law and Justice attempted to introduce a stand alone legislation (the Judges (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities)Bill,2009) which would make it mandatory for judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts to declare their assets on a regular basis. The attempt unfortunately suffered a setback. In contrast, judges in the United States of America not only declare their assets on a regular basis but also explain the source of any gift over $50. Allegations of corruption damage the respect in which the Indian Judiciary must be held. Instances of allegations of corruption against the judiciary underline the need for a constitutional mechanism to prevent tarnishing the image of the judiciary.

Whilst these debates were raging, a controversy emerged. Allegations of corruption were made against the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, P D Dinakaran for allegedly acquiring 450 acres of agricultural land in his own name, his wife�s name and his daughter�s name. This is far in excess of the legal permissible limit of 50 acres per person. Justice Dinakaran�s fate is yet to be decided by constitutional authorities. These allegations have become more significant in the light of Justice Dinakaran being considered for elevation as a judge of the Supreme Court of India. Although the recent allegations seemed to have jeopardized Justice Dinakaran�s chances of being elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India recently said that Justice Dinakaran would still be considered for elevation.

In an effort to restore some of the confidence in the judiciary and increase transparency, a verdict from the Delhi High Court has made it possible for any citizen to obtain information about judge�s assets under the Right to Information Act (RTI). This decision does not make any special exemption, not even for the Chief Justice of India.

Whilst it is imperative that all judges in India must discharge their duties without any fear or favour, given the paltry salary paid to the members of the judiciary, it is difficult to attract top quality lawyers to become judges. India�s elite lawyers are rumoured to earn over 50 crores per year. Only recently the monthly salary of the Chief Justice of India was increased from Rs.33,000 to Rs.1,10,000, whereas those of his counterparts in the High Courts were increased from Rs.30,000 to Rs.1,00,000. In contrast, the Chief Justice of the U.S.A is paid $208,100 per year, equivalent to Rs1 crore per year, while judges in the U.S. court of Appeal are paid $171,800 per year, equivalent to Rs.82.5 lakh. An even higher salary would help keep away the temptation of favour experienced by our judges.

In any democracy, more so in India, the judiciary plays a pivotal role in protecting the constitution and upholding and enforcing the law of the country. Any cracks which appear in this system must be filled. I feel that the Judges Inquiry (Amendment) Bill and the Right toInformation Act are mere drops in the ocean but a firm step toward greater transparency and restoring the respect for our judiciary. The judiciary is our pillar of strength and it must be further strengthened.