The extended Budget Session of Parliament adjourned sine die after the Opposition blocked the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which aimed to provide women's reservation. The Bill, linking women's reservation with the delimitation exercise, failed to pass in the Lok Sabha. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of an anti-women mindset. The session concluded with a symbolic rendition of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha achieved nearly 110% productivity, while the Lok Sabha recorded 93% productivity, indicating a productive session despite the legislative setback.
- The extended Budget Session of Parliament was adjourned sine die following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
- The Bill, which sought to implement women's reservation, was blocked by the Opposition due to its linkage with the delimitation exercise.
- Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the Congress for opposing the women's reservation measure.
Sonia Gandhi argues that the government's hurried special Parliament session, ostensibly for women's reservation, is a political tactic to push through delimitation. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, links women's reservation to the next Census and delimitation, a condition not sought by the opposition. She criticizes the five-year delay in conducting the decadal Census and the government's shifting stance on a caste census. The author suggests the real intention is to manipulate delimitation, potentially disadvantaging states that have excelled in family planning, and deems the process flawed and anti-democratic.
- The government's rush for a special Parliament session is seen as a political maneuver to push delimitation, not genuinely accelerate women's reservation.
- The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, links women's reservation to the next Census and subsequent delimitation, a condition not sought by the opposition.
- The author criticizes the five-year delay in conducting the decadal Census and the government's shifting stance on a caste census.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025-26, aims to shift India's regulatory approach from a punitive model to 'trust-based governance' by decriminalizing minor procedural lapses across various Central Acts. Building on the 2023 Act, the 2026 Bill proposes amendments to 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts, with 717 earmarked for decriminalization. Its core principle is proportionality, replacing criminal penalties with monetary fines, graded responses, and expanded compounding provisions. This reform seeks to separate serious criminal conduct from minor non-compliance, promote equity for smaller enterprises, and reduce the burden on the judiciary by diverting routine regulatory cases. While it promises efficiency, concerns remain about administrative discretion and implementation gaps.
- The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025-26, aims to transition India's regulatory framework from punitive to 'trust-based governance.'
- It proposes to decriminalize 717 provisions across 79 Central Acts, replacing jail terms for minor procedural lapses with monetary penalties and administrative alternatives.
- The Bill seeks to distinguish serious criminal conduct from minor non-compliance, ensuring proportionality in penalties.
The Congress party has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for withdrawing India's bid to host the 2028 global climate summit, COP33. Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh labeled the move a 'flip-flop,' questioning the Centre's commitment to international climate goals and its willingness to pursue ambitious carbon mitigation targets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India's intention to host COP33 during COP28 in Dubai in December 2023. The sudden withdrawal, made without official explanation, raises doubts about the government's readiness to assume greater responsibility in global climate negotiations, especially with the seventh assessment report of the IPCC expected by 2028, potentially increasing pressure on India.
- The Congress party criticized the Indian government for withdrawing its bid to host the 2028 global climate summit (COP33).
- Jairam Ramesh, Congress communication chief, termed the withdrawal a 'flip-flop' and questioned the government's commitment to international climate goals.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initially announced India's intention to host COP33 during COP28 in Dubai in December 2023.
The article highlights India's significant progress in women's empowerment over the past decade, transforming it from intent to infrastructure. Key initiatives like PM Jan Dhan Yojana have provided financial access to millions, while self-help groups foster grassroots entrepreneurship. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has reduced health risks, and female labor force participation has risen to nearly 37%. The next phase requires moving from policy creation to effective policy penetration, ensuring saturation, tracking outcomes, and fostering women's leadership. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is seen as a crucial reform to increase women's representation in legislative bodies, which can align policy design with lived experiences and create a multiplier effect for women in leadership.
- India has successfully built an infrastructure for women's empowerment over the last decade, placing women at the center of development.
- Key initiatives like PM Jan Dhan Yojana, self-help groups, and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana have significantly improved women's financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and health.
- Female labor force participation has risen to nearly 37%, reversing a long-standing decline.
The Union Cabinet has approved a draft amendment Bill to implement the Women's Reservation Act, formally known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The amendment seeks to revise the implementation framework of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Under the proposal, the strength of the Lok Sabha is set to increase from 543 to 816 seats following a fresh delimitation exercise. Of the expanded House, 273 seats (around one-third) will be reserved for women, with vertical reservation for women within Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories. Significantly, delimitation will be based on the 2011 Census data, departing from the existing law which would await 2027 Census data. The Bill is scheduled for debate in the Budget Session from April 16-18.
- The Union Cabinet approved a draft amendment Bill to implement the Women's Reservation Act by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
- The Lok Sabha's strength is proposed to increase from 543 to 816 seats after a new delimitation exercise.
- Approximately one-third (273) of the expanded Lok Sabha seats will be reserved for women, including vertical reservation for SC/ST women.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, builds on the 2023 Act, aiming to recalibrate regulatory balance towards trust-based compliance by decriminalizing minor business-related offenses. This reform shifts away from criminal sanctions for technical and procedural lapses to civil penalties or administrative measures, reducing compliance burdens and fostering entrepreneurship. The 2026 Bill proposes amendments to 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts, decriminalizing 717 provisions, and removing obsolete offenses. It seeks to reduce court congestion by moving minor cases out of criminal courts. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has advocated for this shift, emphasizing proportionality and economic efficiency. Effective implementation, including strengthening administrative adjudication and clear guidance, will be crucial for its success.
- The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, aims to establish a trust-based compliance culture by decriminalizing minor offenses.
- It proposes to replace criminal penalties for technical and procedural lapses with civil or administrative measures.
- The Bill seeks to amend 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts, decriminalizing 717 of them, and remove obsolete offenses.
India's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam has achieved first criticality, a significant milestone, though it is 16 years behind schedule and its cost has more than doubled to ₹8,181 crore. The PFBR is crucial for India's three-stage nuclear power programme, aiming for energy security and self-sufficiency by using spent fuel to produce plutonium and eventually thorium. Nuclear power currently contributes about 3% of India's electricity. The article emphasizes the need for scrupulous performance evaluation, honest admission of mistakes, and a revamp of the nuclear regulatory regime. It highlights that the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) currently report to the Atomic Energy Commission, creating a conflict of interest where the promoter is also the regulator.
- The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam has achieved first criticality, a key step in India's nuclear program.
- The PFBR is integral to India's three-stage nuclear power programme, designed to utilize abundant thorium resources for energy security.
- The project has faced significant delays (16 years) and cost overruns (more than double the sanctioned amount).
The Supreme Court, during a hearing on the Sabarimala shrine case, stated that courts cannot hollow out religion in the name of reform and that logic may not be the right tool to examine faith and belief systems. A nine-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, observed that a religion cannot lose its identity through social reform. Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, argued that reform must originate from within the religion and that judicial review should not be based on rationality or science for religious matters. Justice B.V. Nagarathna questioned whether a non-devotee could challenge religious practices in court. The court also discussed that the term 'essential religious practices' was a judicial creation, not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.
- The Supreme Court emphasized that logic might not be suitable for examining religious belief systems.
- Courts should not undermine religion under the guise of reform, as reform should ideally come from within the religion.
- The concept of 'essential religious practices' is a judicial creation, not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla rejected notices from Opposition MPs seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The presiding officers concluded that the allegations, including a "tainted" appointment, "deep executive embeddedness," applying different standards to government/opposition, and obstructing electoral fraud investigations, lacked proof or did not meet the "high constitutional bar" for removal proceedings. The order stated that the pendency of a constitutional challenge to his appointment law did not amount to misbehaviour, and the EC's plenary powers under Article 324 were affirmed by the Supreme Court.
- Notices for the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, moved by Opposition MPs, were rejected by the presiding officers of Parliament.
- The charges, including allegations of a "tainted" appointment and bias, were deemed to lack sufficient proof or meet the constitutional bar for removal.
- The order clarified that a pending constitutional challenge to the appointment law does not equate to misbehaviour.
The Centre proposes a 50% expansion of Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats to accommodate 33% women's reservation, ensuring incumbent lawmakers' re-election paths are not narrowed. This strategy, increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816, mirrors the UPA-I government's approach to OBC reservation in higher education, designed by then Education Minister Arjun Singh. The UPA-I expanded seats by 54% to implement a 27% OBC quota without reducing general category seats, creating a "win-win" formula. The current government aims to apply this playbook to legislative bodies, arguing that expansion is overdue.
- The Centre plans to expand Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats by 50% to implement 33% women's reservation.
- This strategy aims to accommodate reservation without reducing the number of seats for existing lawmakers.
- The approach is compared to the UPA-I government's method for implementing OBC reservation in higher education.
Parliament passed the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, reserving one-third of seats for women in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas, but its implementation is deferred until after the next Census and delimitation. The government now plans to amend the Act, basing delimitation on the 2011 Census and potentially expanding Lok Sabha seats by 50% (from 543 to 816). This approach, while framed as expediting implementation, raises concerns about representational balance due to demographic shifts, potential north-south divide, and the use of outdated 2011 Census data, impacting fairness and political dynamics.
- The Women's Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) defers implementation until post-Census and delimitation.
- The government proposes to use the 2011 Census for delimitation and expand Lok Sabha seats by 50%.
- Concerns exist regarding the impact of outdated data and seat expansion on north-south representational balance.
The Supreme Court's nine-judge Constitution Bench has begun reviewing its 2018 judgment that upheld the right of women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala shrine. Justice B.V. Nagarathna stated that courts can intervene if social evils are given a religious color. Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta argued against judicial overreach into religious practices, questioning courts' expertise in determining "essential religious practices" and interpreting religious texts. The review aims to establish a 'judicial policy' for constitutional courts regarding religious freedom under Articles 25 and 26.
- The Supreme Court is reviewing its 2018 judgment on women's entry to the Sabarimala temple.
- Justice B.V. Nagarathna highlighted the judiciary's role in distinguishing social evils from religious practices.
- Arguments focused on the extent of judicial review over "essential religious practices" and the interpretation of religious texts.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla rejected a notice submitted by 193 Opposition MPs seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. No specific reasons were cited for the rejection by the Chairs, though Secretaries-General cited "due consideration" and "careful and objective assessment." The 10-page document from MPs accused the CEC of being "subservient" to the executive and alleged "deliberate abuse of power." The Chairs cited Section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, which empowers them to admit or refuse such a motion. Opposition leaders expressed dismay over the lack of definitive reasons.
- The notice for the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar was submitted by 193 Opposition MPs across both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
- The Chairs of both Houses, C.P. Radhakrishnan (Rajya Sabha) and Om Birla (Lok Sabha), rejected the notice without citing specific reasons.
- The Secretaries-General of both Houses issued bulletins stating the notice was not admitted after "due consideration" and "careful and objective assessment."
Transgender activists have moved the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Centre's new Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026. Petitioners, including Laxminarayan Tripathi and Zainab Javid Patel, argue the Act disregards self-determined gender identity, replacing it with a state-defined classification. They contend that the 2026 Act repeals the statutory right to self-identification, a fundamental right under Article 21, and imposes "medical gatekeeping" by requiring medical certification and a government-appointed board's recommendation for legal gender recognition, violating the NALSA judgment of 2014 and infringing on individual autonomy.
- Transgender activists have challenged the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, in the Supreme Court.
- The petitioners argue the Act disregards self-determined gender identity, replacing it with state-defined classifications.
- They claim the new law repeals the statutory right to self-identification, which was held as a fundamental right under Article 21.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed concerns regarding the upcoming delimitation exercise, assuring that states which have stabilized their populations, like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, will not lose Lok Sabha seats. He stated the government intends to provide a definitive guarantee in Parliament during the current session through legislation. The Centre plans to amend the Constitution and relevant laws to increase the size of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by half, with one-third of seats reserved for women, ahead of the 2029 general election. The government aims to ensure women's reserved seats are additional, increasing total seats, and that states' existing proportions remain unchanged.
- Prime Minister Modi assured that states with stable populations will not lose Lok Sabha seats due to delimitation.
- The government plans to introduce legislation in Parliament to formally guarantee that no state will see a reduction in Lok Sabha seats.
- The proposed amendments aim to increase the size of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by half and reserve one-third of total seats for women.
Recent amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), though temporarily stalled, are criticized for empowering the Centre to arbitrarily seize assets of organizations losing their FCRA license. The proposed Bill, introduced in March 2026, aims to establish a "designated authority" to manage such assets without judicial oversight, raising concerns about natural justice. Critics argue the move is selective and opaque, particularly affecting Christian groups, and contrasts with the state's policy of seeking foreign funds in other sectors. The FCRA has been progressively tightened since its enactment in 1976 and amendments in 2010 and 2020.
- Proposed FCRA amendments allow the Centre to arbitrarily seize assets of organizations whose FCRA licenses are revoked.
- The amendments establish a "designated authority" to manage seized assets without judicial determination, violating natural justice principles.
- Critics argue the move is selective, opaque, and disproportionately affects certain groups like Christian organizations.
The Lok Sabha has passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, by voice vote. The Bill aims to decriminalize minor offences across various laws, thereby promoting ease of doing business and living. It proposes to amend 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries, specifically seeking to decriminalize 717 provisions and amend 67 others to facilitate ease of living. Additionally, the Bill rationalizes over 1,000 offences by removing outdated and redundant provisions, improving the overall regulatory environment. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated it would benefit people and MSMEs.
- The Lok Sabha passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, by voice vote.
- The Bill's primary objective is to decriminalize minor offences and promote ease of doing business and living.
- It proposes amendments to 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries.
The Budget Session of Parliament is expected to go into recess instead of adjourning sine die on April 2, as per the original schedule. Sources indicate that the government plans to reconvene Parliament on April 16. The primary agenda for the reconvened session will be to debate amendments to the Women's Reservation Act 2023, aiming to expedite its implementation. A key proposal is that the delimitation, essential for implementing the Act, will be based on the 2011 Census. The Chair in both Houses will announce the recess.
- Parliament's Budget Session will not adjourn sine die on April 2 but will go into recess.
- Parliament is expected to reconvene on April 16 to debate amendments to the Women's Reservation Act 2023.
- The aim of reconvening is to speed up the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act.
The article discusses the Supreme Court's reaction to a Class eight textbook's portrayal of the judiciary, leading to its shelving and a new committee formation. It delves into the concept of criminal contempt, emphasizing it should not be invoked for individual ego but to protect the court's authority from hostile criticism that shakes public confidence. The author highlights that the judiciary's real power stems from public faith, earned through upholding law and justice. While acknowledging the need for a line to be drawn against reckless or ill-motivated criticism, the piece strongly advocates for academic freedom and free speech, citing historical judicial pronouncements that welcome fair criticism as a means of vindication and improvement.
- The Supreme Court reacted to a Class eight textbook's content regarding the judiciary, leading to its withdrawal and a new committee.
- Criminal contempt is defined as obstructing justice or scandalizing the court, not merely offending a judge's ego.
- The judiciary's true power relies on public faith and trust, garnered through its actions in upholding law and justice.
Home Minister Amit Shah declared India Naxal-free, following three years of intensive paramilitary operations that led to thousands of Maoist surrenders, arrests, and neutralizations. Shah emphasized a militarist strategy combined with a dual approach of dialogue and rehabilitation. The article argues that while operational success in curtailing Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is commendable, the focus must now shift to inclusive development. It warns against crony capitalist extraction of resources and advocates for expanding tribal rights, ensuring their participation in democracy, and accountability in resource extraction to heal the wounds of the battle and ensure stable peace.
- Home Minister Amit Shah declared India Naxal-free after three years of intensive paramilitary operations against Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
- The strategy involved both a militarist approach and a dual approach of dialogue and rehabilitation for surrendered Maoists.
- The article advocates for inclusive development in these areas, focusing on expanding tribal rights and ensuring their participation in democracy.
Earth's orbital environment is becoming crowded and fragile due to a failure of governance, not just engineering. The article highlights that existing treaties are outdated, failing to address cumulative harm and stewardship in space. There's no regular mechanism to verify if satellite operators follow through on promises to de-orbit or make satellites safe, leading to unclear responsibility. The current system relies on voluntary compliance and lacks uniform monitoring or sanctions, creating an uneven regulatory landscape. The authors argue for embedding orbital responsibility as a legal requirement in national space legislation, standardizing licensing conditions, mandating data sharing, and using measurable debris-mitigation thresholds to ensure sustainable access to space for future generations.
- The increasing crowding of Earth's orbits is primarily due to inadequate governance rather than engineering failures.
- Existing international space treaties are outdated and do not effectively address cumulative harm or stewardship in space.
- There is a lack of robust mechanisms to ensure satellite operators adhere to promises regarding de-orbiting and safety, leading to unclear accountability.
Odisha, despite being India's most disaster-prone state with significant investments in preparedness, received the single largest reduction in disaster funding share from the 16th Finance Commission. This paradox stems from the Commission's multiplicative Disaster Risk Index (DRI = Hazard X Exposure X Vulnerability) formula, which uses total population as the exposure metric, rewarding demographic size over actual hazard exposure. Similarly, vulnerability is measured by per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP), which reflects fiscal capacity rather than true disaster vulnerability. The article argues for redefining exposure as population within hazard zones and vulnerability as a composite index including housing quality, health infrastructure, and early warning effectiveness, to ensure equitable disaster finance.
- Odisha, a highly disaster-prone state, experienced the largest reduction in disaster funding share from the 16th Finance Commission.
- The 16th Finance Commission's Disaster Risk Index (DRI) formula, which is multiplicative, disproportionately rewards states with larger populations.
- The formula's definition of 'Exposure' as total population rather than population in hazard zones is scientifically indefensible.
The Union government is planning to amend the IT Rules, 2021, to empower the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) to issue takedown notices directly to individual social media users for their posts. Currently, such notices can only be issued to online news platforms. These proposed amendments, described as "clarificatory and procedural" by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, aim to strengthen oversight of intermediary-hosted content. However, the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) criticizes this as a "massive expansion of unconstitutional censorship," arguing it sidesteps High Court orders and reconstructs oversight mechanisms deemed constitutionally suspect. The changes also affect social media platforms' "safe harbour" protection if they fail to comply with takedown notices.
- The Union government plans to amend IT Rules, 2021, to allow the I&B Ministry to issue takedown notices directly to individual social media users.
- Currently, takedown notices under IT Rules, 2021, are limited to online news platforms.
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology claims these amendments are clarificatory and procedural, aiming to strengthen oversight.