Apar
@apar1984
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काल करे सो आज कर | Advocate practising in Delhi. Co-founder & former ED (2018-24) @internetfreedom . Fellow @Ashoka . Geek out on the law, tech and democracy.
New Delhi, India
Joined February 2010
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Have recently seen a Podcaster/Youtuber interview several Cabinet Ministers in the Union Government. This piqued my interest and I found that in the description, the phrase, "Co-presented to you by
@MyGovIndia
".
As I regularly check government websites (one of my many weird…
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The internet wasn't shut down in Manipur for the security of the citizens. It was to maintain a national apathy. Do you care now?
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Aarogya Setu was an illegal diversion of public funds and energy at the height of the pandemic. Nothing more than a digital quack that was coercively imposed and gathered vast amounts of personal data. This will be it's enduring legacy.
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Chief Justice Ramanna will retire without determining the Pegasus cases. Was expected to be listed this friday for hearing, but the computer generated date is now 02.09.22.
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While we focus attention on Ramesh Bhidhuri’s abusive speech the conduct of Harsh Vardhan and Ravi Shankar Prasad should not be ignored. Seated within close distance they had an obligation to restrain their colleague. Instead we see encouragement. This is only what fits within a…
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Multiple parliamentarians including
@priyankac19
and
@MahuaMoitra
are making public statements regarding threat notifications by Apple. These threat notifications are due to state sponsored attacks that use spyware such as Pegasus to infect their smartphone.
As per Apple,…
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“It is the right of the citizens to question the Prime Minister of India.” Constitution of India
"It is the duty of the citizens to respect the Prime Minister of India:" Kerala High Court
@PMOIndia
#keralahighcourt
Read more here:
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To the many prominent people, even politicians who participate in TV Debates on
@TimesNow
, specially those chaired by
@navikakumar
. How do you feel enabling this? Is the platform you get, worth it?
Dramatic increase in demand for bulldozers. Are we increasing domestic capacity for manufacturing or will we have to depend on imports??
#JustAsking
. 😝😝😂😂
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What is happening to Munawar Faruqi is unconscionable. It is a stain on all of us.
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The "freebies" that really need judicial attention are called "electoral bonds".
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After the Electoral Bonds judgement and today the release of Arvind Kejriwal on bail there are increasing attacks on social media against the judiciary. This goes beyond voicing anguish or a reasoned critique.
This trend is pronounced for supporters of the Prime Minister who…
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Dear
@ECISVEEP
@SpokespersonECI
, how can an ordinary citizen and a registered voter file a MCC complaint?
For the better part of this evening I have been trying to login into the CVigil to file a MCC complaint against this tweet :
1. The online web…
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Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha for a conviction in a criminal defamation case is another blow against Indian democracy. One does not even need to be fond of him as a person or support his politics to understand it.
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Cannot imagine what it must feel like for any Indian Muslim. Each day their religious identity is increasingly open to attack, bigotry & threats on social media. From the margins, it is now mainstream, leading discourse. Sorry for all that is happening. Can only pray for better.
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Credit must be shared with Navika Kumar and Times Now for such international recognition.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Summons the Indian Ambassador and Hands Him an Official Note on Qatar’s Total Rejection and Condemnation of the Remarks of an Official in the Ruling Party in India Against Prophet Mohammed
#MOFAQatar
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Wait a minute... isn't a television news channel accessing and then publishing a draft standing committee report before it has been presented to the House or to the Chairman a breach of privilege?
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How did the Delhi Police get the authority to seize the smartphones and laptops of 46 people, mostly journalists at Newsclick? Why isn't the judiciary taking action against these deeply invasive breaches of privacy and self-incrimination? Dive into my analysis today at…
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Does our Prime Minister have a plan for 52.3 degrees celsius? I ask, as one should ask the gods.
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Delhi : Please do not do exercise in this toxic air. That means no jogs, runs or walks. It does not matter if it’s in the morning, afternoon or evening. As per consensus amongst physicians this can trigger immediate and long term health risks.
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Sitting judges of the Supreme Court may benefit from reducing the frequency of their public lectures. It is having a counterproductive impact to institutional integrity and stocking growing public cynicism. Words need to match work.
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The humour directed at the present Vice President, Mr. Dhankhar, nowhere compares to the years of organised slander against Mohammad Hamid Ansari. Yet, no prime time shows and no manufactured outrage. The reasons for this are obvious. He is an accomplished diplomat, scholar of…
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Seriously, what Digital Public Infrastructure is being built in India? How can we possibly offer a model for the democratic world?
Yesterday personal data (Aadhaar, passport details, names, phone numbers, addresses) of 81.5 cr Indians was leaked by ICMR. Later at night Apple…
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The registration of a criminal case and now the use of coercive police searches on the houses of the editors of The Wire deserves wide and unequivocal condemnation. Criminal prosecution is disproportionate to any breach of journalistic ethics or even law in the facts.
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While working at home, I was abruptly disturbed by loud noises from the street. At 7:45 PM on the main road of Kailash Colony, South Delhi, a rally featuring motorcycles and a car adorned with BJP flags and loudspeakers disrupted the peace. The speakers blared music and explicit…
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How can we expect the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to be enforced in citizen interest when the nodal ministry
@GoI_MeitY
sends unsolicited spam promoting the Prime Minister on your WhatsApp?
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Sorry Times Now, in good conscience cannot join a show anchored by Ms. Navika Kumar or Mr. Rahul Shivshankar — beyond the contents of any broadcast — it is to mark solidarity against legal proceedings being used to stifle media critique.
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The Telecommunications Bill, 2023 which is listed for introduction and passage today in the Lok Sabha is another action to cement authoritarian control over the rights of ordinary citizens. Its impact will be felt directly in four clear ways.
First, there is a clear power for…
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Twitter and the Government of India must release public statements and address these concerning allegations that Twitter hired an agent at the behest of the Indian government and gave the person unfiltered access to user data.
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Violence as a form of disgust is a product of hate speech. The loss of life and the shocking visuals from Assam is not an aberration but a natural outcome of an unrelenting political and media campaign. This is how nations tear themselves apart.
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Theft of an election is not a political stratagem. It is a fraud on a democratic process. It is illegal and immoral. Here, rather than questioning the perpetrators our TV news media contours it as a victory. How low have we fallen?
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Way back in 2021 I stated here on Twitter that I will not appear on Times Now and Republic. This was after shows called for the arrest of civil society activists and human rights defenders in India. I have consistently refused appearances where they have sought me out. I have…
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Disha is a young, motivated climate change activist. If flash floods in Uttarakhand have taught us anything, it is we need more Indians like Disha who have the empathy to work on our collective future. Her arrest is are a direct outcome of TV Broadcast “news”. Shame on us. Shame.
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Manipur right now is suffering the second longest (mobile) internet shutdown in India. It started on May 3, 2023, was restored on September 23, 2023 and after three days put back in place. Imagine 155 days without the internet.
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Are you comfortable with your RWA having the powers to expel you from your own house? Soch lo.
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I write today in
@timesofindia
, that the Draft Telecom Bill is not only a cause for disappointment, but alarm. It maintains a colonial control and visualises citizens as subjects by ignoring constitutional developments on privacy & free speech. 1/2
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Rather than claiming victimhood and doing media management in weekend lectures the Chief Justice should list the electoral bonds case and many other politically inconvenient cases. Lead by action to address growing criticism. But will he?
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Any court should not pass orders when it lacks intent towards their enforcement. It undermines public trust and is an invitation to wider lawlessness.
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Yesterday, I was invited for a 8:30 PM show on
@ndtv
yesterday hosted by
@maryashakil
by a guest coordinator for Deepfakes. The zoom link was also shared. At 7:20 PM I was told the show was cancelled.
While I enjoyed a leisurely dinner I did see the show go ahead. In my book,…
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The Telecom Bill is a system upgrade of a colonial law for a modern authoritarian state. I raise alarm on it in an Op-ed in
@TheHinduComment
.
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We are tearing ourselves apart as a country.
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This statistic has not left my mind since I first read it.
Two thirds of Indians are scared of voicing their political, social and religious online for fear of legal prosecution.
This is not the statistic. Read on.
People in states with the highest fear of legal prosecution…
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Our legal apparatus has transitioned from a failure to prosecute hate speech to now targeting those who document and report it. To such cheerleaders — competitive criminalisation will come to haunt one and all.
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The Delhi Air is no cleaner that it was 5 years ago. This is a fact. Despite experts cautioning against gimmicks such as smog towers and guns the local government has spent sparse public funds on it. It is a national shame that the capital's AQI is close to 400-500.
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What’s wrong with all of you outraging against the Uttarakhand draft UCC? Need to trust the State. After all it’s just a registration. They will make a digital public good such as an online form or an app. It will help live-in couples define relationships. What do you have to…
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The Haryana Police's display of drones equipped with tear gas for use against civilians is the implementation of a militarised technology in local policing. Its demonstration in advance and intended use on a peaceful protest is immoral and illegal.
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The velocity of legal change should not surprise nor shock. It is in the nature of an autocratic regime to maintain a frantic pace of activity to prevent reflection and thought. An insight from Hannah Ardent’s work.
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I am no fan of Arvind Kejriwal. But to make his political opportunism and/or ideological inconsistency a justification for the repeated attempts to browbeat an elected government is an insult to the democratic mandate by the people of Delhi.
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Since CCTVs in classrooms was not enough, live feed will now be given to parents. Again, this without any legal framework or studies conducted to assess the impact on children.
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Why did Bill Gates do a long interview with the Prime Minister weeks before a general election? Was he not aware of its use as a form of political propaganda?
Let me flip this question and answer it from the perspective of our Prime Minister's historical courtship of silicon…
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This is precisely why V-Dem has rated India as an, “electoral autocracy”. Freezing the bank accounts of the principal opposition party weeks before a general election smacks of bad faith.
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Twitter was a reliable and timely medium for farmers during their protests in 2020-21.
They issued official press releases, documented police excesses, built community and sympathy for their cause with hashtags. It became a vital informational pipeline for farmers to convey…
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How many of Rahul Gandhi’s policy proposals have been accepted? Can friends accept their biases and for a second acknowledge his (or, even his team’s) foresight and public pressure that is helping the Government course correct. And no, I am not picking sides but stating facts.
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Being successful while fulfilling public interest should be celebrated. Newslaundary does fact driven reporting; carries critical and well researched reports; and has popular shows that critically analyse the television broadcast media. It’s funding comes from paying subscribers.
Kaunsi samaaj seva kar rahein hain? It’s a business model that works for them. Fine.
Sitting in a room watching TV and critiquing is not really fraught with risks in the world of reporting.
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Twitter's case against the Union Government's blocking orders is not an arrogant defiance of our laws. It is a petition to challenge a secret and unaccountable censorship power that is a threat to every Indian internet user.
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The repeated adjournment of Umar Khalid’s bail hearing by the Supreme Court is a form of determination by judicial evasion since it causes a denial of judicial remedy. It squares poorly for a court that wants to overcome the legacy of ADM Jabalpur.
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The flames of the Amar Jawan Jyoti being extinguished marks another public place in Delhi from childhood becoming a memory. A broken promise of an eternal flame that is extinguished.
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Usha Ramanathan sets out the constitutional objection to Voter rolls and Aadhaar.
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Aadhaar-Voter ID Linking is listed for introduction tomorrow in Lok Sabha. It is a dangerous law that will undermine electoral democracy; free & fair elections; individual privacy. We have no data protection law. The one under consideration is leaky as a sieve.
Aadhaar-Voter Linking: “Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021” will be introduced tomorrow in Lok Sabha for Aadhaar-Voter Linking. It violates our right to privacy by enabling voter profiling & linkage of data sets. Statement led by
@no2uid
on concerns. 1/n
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Two things for people who have questions on the X-Check story, first it will not take away from the credibility of
@thewire_in
’s journalism. They have with courage & integrity been a force for independent journalism in India. It is fair to question and continue support. 1/2
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Just to be clear : The ability to debate on almost any subject is a vice, not a virtue.
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The position of the Union Government on Pegasus is not merely evasive, it is obstructive. Causing an institutional gridlock where, Parliament, an Inquiry Committee & Supreme Court are prevented from action. Similar stratagems are evident beyond Pegasus to evade scrutiny.
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The App will upload on a blockchain and the entire relationship history will be on an immutable ledger. It will be run by a non-government organisation that will monetise your data by selling it to flower vendors, cake shops (or, even groceries since it’s a live-in). Win, win!!…
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The difference in the reporting on the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse between print and television news is (also) by regulatory design.
I write in the
@TheHinduComment
today how the
@MIB_India
through the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2023 is constructing a *control tower*…
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24 hours: A CoWIN breach, government conference evangelising Digital Public Infrastructure & reports of coercion on Twitter to censor. To all three the response is denial and bluster. It fits within a pattern how state accountability and constitutional rights seem like old…
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Yesterday
@internetfreedom
revealed the Aarogya Setu Privacy Protocol was discontinued highetening concern that personal data may be stored in perpetuity. Based RTI work in which IFF files close to 400 applications a year and take them to the CIC putting in years of work. 1/4
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The expulsion of Ms. Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha is an attack not only on an individual legislator but the people who cast ballots in her favor. There has been a clear lack of fairness by the Ethics Committee that has been emboldened by a coordinated smear campaign on social…
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has finally made it clear it aims to regulate OTT providers just like it has regulated Cable and Television. A historic opportunity at liberalisation is being squandered and a paternalistic mechanism of censorship and government…
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Voter against the politics of hate in favour of social justice and liberty.
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A special session of parliament will pass legislation to circumvent a judgement of the Supreme Court in order to capture the power for appointments in the Election Commission. Two institutions will be damaged to cement control of the Union Executive. Another instance of…
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Travelling in delhi localities noticed the ubiquitous presence of the national flag. Felt conflicted. Always loved it and flew tiranga coloured kites in Ajmeri Gate as a child. But somehow, today the displays feel forced, with compulsion & social judgement. Will still fly kites.
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Internet censorship won’t douse the fires raging in Manipur. It requires truth, justice and reconciliation. Shame on our institutions of governance and public officials for having failed its people.
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Seizure of a journalists phone and digital devices is a wider trend that requires reform and safeguards. Important for us to remember earlier this year the raid at the BBC India offices. At the time I wrote on it in the Hindu. I am quoting from it below:
“Since 2018, there have…
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I cannot help but feel sad how far back our country has regressed from progressive values. Not only in their realisation but even in the ability for the softer voices in our society to ask for greater freedom and social justice. There is a lack of aspiration to do be better for…
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(1) Inviting bids for procurement through a public tendering process by itself is not a complete measure of transparency. There are tenders, and then there are tenders -- the terms matter. Here its is important for the bids, decision and financial outlays to be pro-actively…
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Has the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India responded to the joint letter by the 18 press organisations regarding the raids on NewsClick? Just checking in as I deeply admire his commitment to freedom of speech, institutional autonomy and a clear understanding of digital technology.
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The State Government of Manipur has reportedly "lifted" the Internet Shutdown in Manipur. I would urge journalists to scrutinise this claim especially how they craft their headlines.
The internet has not been "partially" lifted but to a, "small" and "negligible" number of users…
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Are we one step closer to a surveillance state? The Telecom Bill, 2023 grants the government sweeping powers over OTT applications, encryption, surveillance, & internet shutdowns. Discover it's dangerous implications in my latest video at Amaltas Talks.
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True liberation from a colonial mindset will be when the Prime Minister resides in a modest, functional apartment or house rather than any palatial monstrosity.
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It is ridiculous for any Court to observe that case pendency prevents social protest. It makes little sense in law or reason. The Court itself has often expressed inability to enter a policy thicket and progress on it is often made through assembly, advocacy and the ballot.
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Where is the report by the SC Committee on Pegasus?
When was the last time the case was listed?
Will there ever be any accountability in India for illegal surveillance?
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In many ways the welcome that foreign dignitaries for G20 are getting to Delhi speaks to the practices and values of, "New India".
A capital city has been be shut down for three days to give a pretence of security, cleanliness and order.
What will they not see? A thriving yet…
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A cabinet minister being "upset" is not a legal ground for interference with the functioning of a regulatory body such as the Central Board for Film Certification. At best it can commence action under a revisional power rather than eroding the functional autonomy of the CBFC.…
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It is easy to dunk on Sam Pitroda's statements. To mock him and his contributions to our country. He is one of India's foremost technocrats and if not respect does deserve a holistic public assessment.
For a moment, I hope some consider and read this excellent paper he wrote on…
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The significance of the Pegasus Order is not a cause for celebration but for hope. I write in today's
@IndianExpress
.
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Witnessing the anguish of the queer community in India as we all decipher a woolly judgement that does not grant immediate relief. I hope the realisation of greater equality in law & society is accelerated rather than incremental. May more Indians break the shackles of homophobia…
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Exhibit A: The account Mr. Sinha says the first priority for the Prime Minister should be to, "fix the judiciary". Here, the phrase, "fix" does not mean repair, or solve, it has been used as an verb, to, "to get even with", may be even, "to influence the actions, outcome, or…
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'Judges work for a few hours, go on summer vacation': Sanjeev Sanyal
For a moment keep aside your political and tribal biases. Any lawyer knows the what Sanjeev is saying is incorrect especially in the context of the higher judiciary, if it is, then how can you trust his word…
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This is a non-response and parrots NSO claims. It does not answer:
1) Whether Pegasus was purchased.
2) Forensic analysis of smartphones (part of the investigatory reports)
3) Whether legal orders issued under the Telegraph & IT laws and are under challenge before the SC.
"NSO has rubbished claims of the report. Illegal surveillance not possible in India":
@AshwiniVaishnaw
, IT Minister, in Lok Sabha on
#Pegasus
Project
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A request to the few television anchors and reporters who may still have the space to conduct journalism -- please focus on the growing unemployment, rising inflation and wealth inequality affecting large parts of India. If anything is in national interest, this is.
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It was my second year in law practice. What I lacked in skill, I made up in confidence and effort. While I primarily did original side work in the High Court, the law firm where I worked tasked me with drafting a petition against Jaswant Singh’s book ban in the Supreme Court. I…
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The only official response to the charges of the attempted hacking of Iphones of opposition MPs and leaders such as
@ShashiTharoor
@MahuaMoitra
has been a press conference by
@AshwiniVaishnaw
. Here is a forensic examination of his statements based on law and facts in an op-ed…
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