India's neighbourhood watch, past and present

While India's neighbourhood seems to be in disarray, there are times when the country indulges in unwarranted self-flagellation if things go wrong primarily because it credits itself a bit too much to its ability to determine the outcome of events in its neighbourhood.

In some instances, it was New Delhi's missteps that affected it, while in others, it was a case of events spiralling out of control. 

Reforming the process of judicial appointments

In April, while 60 lakh cases remained pending at various High Courts, 30% of the seats remained vacant, according to a report published by the Department of Justice.

Some countries have commissions comprising members of the judiciary and legal academia, politicians, and laypersons to appoint judges. India could take lessons from them. 

Ensure LGBTQIA+ couples get ration cards, says Centre

The Union government on Sunday said LGBTQIA+ couples will be considered part of the same household for the purpose of ration cards, an advisory for which was recently issued by the Department of Food and Public Distribution. 

All States and Union Territories have also been directed to take measures necessary to ensure that LGBTQIA+ couples are not discriminated against in the issuance of ration cards. 

The Union government added that the Health Ministry had also written to all States and Union Territories and relevant stakeholders about making a provision that allowed partners in such relationships to be able to claim each other's body "when near relative/next of kin/family is not available".  

Net GST receipts' growth slips to 6.5% in Aug.

Growth in India's Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections slowed marginally to 10% in August from 10.3% in July, with revenues of nearly 1.75 lakh crore. 

However, the rise in net receipts slumped to 6.5%, the second weakest in this financial year, from 14.4% in the previous month. 

Sequentially, gross revenues were 3.9% lower in August vis-a-vis July, when they had hit their third-highest monthly tally a tad over 1.82 lakh crore. However, net revenues, after adjusting for refunds to taxpayers, were ₹1,50,501 crore in August, marking a sharper 9.2% drop from July's kitty. 

Relations between India and Pakistan unlikely to become better finds survey

More than 60% of Indians and more than half of all Pakistanis surveyed believe the two countries cannot have friendly relations in this decade, says a new survey by the Centre for Policy Research (CPR)-C Voter that looks at the attitudes of Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis on a number of political, economic, and foreign policy issues. 

The downturn in ties between India and Pakistan since 2016, after which no high-level bilateral talks have been held, is clearly mirrored in the mood in the two countries, according to the survey, which reached out to about 1,00,000 respondents, 12,000 of whom completed the survey in total across the three countries.

Culture of adjournment of cases in courts has to change, says President

President Droupadi Murmu said poor villagers should not fear going to courts, apprehensive that prolonged litigation fuelled by a "culture of adjournments" would make their lives worse. 

They should not prefer to suffer injustice quietly rather than seek justice in court. 

The "culture of adjournments" should go, Ms. Murmu said in her address at the closing ceremony of the two-day National Conference of District Judiciary. 

Russia downs over 150 drones, captures two Ukraine regions

Russian air defence intercepted and destroyed 158 Ukrainian drones overnight, including two over Moscow and nine over the surrounding region, the Defence Ministry said. 

India must engage with all sides in Bangladesh, says top policy analyst

The current state of relations between India and Bangladesh does not leave space for conventional diplomacy for Indian decision makers, a top policy analyst of Bangladesh has said. 

In an interview with The Hindu, Major General Α.Ν.Μ. Muniruzzaman (retd.), president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), asked South Block to engage with all parties of the political spectrum in Bangladesh without waiting for the situation to evolve any further.

"India must engage with all sides in Bangladesh's political arena. After the developments of August 5, the politics of Bangladesh has become unconventional and classical diplomacy cannot be conducted in this situation. India needs to realise this fast and press the reset button," he said.