Court refuses to entertain anti-Modi petition

A Gujarat High Court judge refused to hear a petition filed by Ehsan Jafri's widow to file an FIR against Narendra Modi, without giving any reasons.

Fake encounters

The admission by Gujarat that its police force killed a couple in cold blood in a staged encounter is chilling. This only confirms what is generally known about the Indian police and was detailed in a US government report early this year on the lax enforcement of human rights standards in the country. At least the incident has brought the matter in the lime-light. Now Punjab has ordered an inquiry into the extra-judicial killings during the days of terrorism in Punjab.

Police Reforms - States up in arms

This article criticises the negative response of most state governments to the progressive measures of police reforms ordered by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the Union government is planning to bring a model Police Act in the next Parliamentary Session, which will be applicable only to Union Territories.

SC orders police reforms

The Supreme Court has ordered far-reaching police reforms that have implications for the entire criminal justice system. In so doing, it has also pre-empted the efforts of the Committee to Draft a new Police Act set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Police violence

The utterly unaccountable and torturous Indian police force burnt its fingers this time by resorting to violence against a high profile rally demanding the right to employment, led by noted economist Jean Dreze. Of course, this is only a symptom of a deeper malaise in the system, making news only because someone important was involved.

Review of the Armed Forces Act

The Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee set up to review the provisions of the draconian Armed Forces Act has submitted its report. The extensive powers given to the armed forces under the Act led to widespread protests in the North-East. The publication of the report and the government's response to it is awaited.

Criminal Procedure amendment and Police's power to kill

The Parliament seems to have passed a new law, without
any public debate whatsoever, amending the Criminal
Procedure Code. Although it is mostly a good and more humane law,
it gives the police the power to kill an accused trying to evade arrest.
The police officer will only have to prove to an
inquiry that the proclaimed offender was trying to
resist or evade arrest. Almost all encounter deaths will
gain the air of legality (and legitimacy).
It looks very dangerous.