Polity

Judicial activism, an approach to the exercise of judicial review, or a description of a particular judicial decision, in which a judge is generally considered more willing to decide constitutional issues and to invalidate legislative or executive actions. Its emergence can be traced back to 1893, when Justice Mahmood of Allahabad High Court delivered a … Read more

The three defining indicators that have emerged as main components of good governance, effectively reinforcing democratic principle   Transparency and Accessibility: Transparency is described as the “characteristic of governments, companies, organisations and individuals of being open in the clear disclosure of information rules, plans, processes and actions”.   Accountability and Timelines: Administrative transparency is a … Read more

. India has the third largest military in the world and is the sixth biggest defence spender. India is also one of the largest importers of conventional defence equipment and spends around 30% of its total defense budget on capital acquisitions. 60% of defence related requirements are currently met through imports. The ‘Make in India’ … Read more

Operation Meghdoot was the code-name for the Indian Armed Forces operation to capture the Siachen Glacier in the Jammu and Kashmir State of India, precipitating the Siachen Conflict. Launched on 13 April 1984, this military operation was unique as the first assault launched in the world’s highest battlefield. The military action resulted in Indian troops … Read more

Sovereign: India is internally and externally sovereign – externally free from the control of any foreign power and internally, it has a free government which is directly elected by the people and makes laws that govern the people. No external power can dictate the government of India.   Republic: As opposed to a monarchy, in which the head of state is … Read more

State police forces had 24% vacancies (about 5.5 lakh vacancies) in January 2016. Hence, while the sanctioned police strength was 181 police per lakh persons in 2016, the actual strength was 137 police. Note that the United Nations recommended standard is 222 police per lakh persons.  86% of the state police comprises of constabulary. Constables … Read more

There are two basic pillars of the argument against planning commission – first, the institution is not a fit in the liberalized environment where market calls the shots and second, it has long  played a role of distorting the true federal nature of Indian polity. Planning Commission is more  than 60 years old – modeled … Read more

Article 123 of the Constitution empowers the President to promulgate ordinances during the recess of Parliament. These ordinances have the same force and effect as an act of Parliament, but are in the nature of temporary laws. The ordinance-making power is the most important legislative power of the President. It has been vested in him … Read more

The Constitution, under Sixth Schedule, contains special provisions for the administration of tribal areas in the four north-eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The various features of administration contained in the Sixth Schedule are as follows: The tribal areas in the four states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram have been constituted as … Read more

Citizen amendment act made some amendment in  the process of acquiring citizenship. The 2019 act seeks to make illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. The Act further reduces the period of naturalisation ( one of the mode of acquiring citizenship)  for such group of persons … Read more