Measures to Counter the Recalcitrance of Violence against Women
The ghastliness of the assault on a young woman in the capital city on 16 December 2012 has unfolded the macabre reality of our society. Public Interest Foundation (PIF), an NGO engaging in advocacy for adoption of good governance practices analyzed the potential of existing legislations to fight discriminatory stereotypes reflecting the historically thriving unequal [...]
Report Card on the Right to Education Act, 2009 in Select Districts of Uttar Pradesh
The deadline toward the implementation of mandatory norms of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) concluded on 31 March 2013 with the Ministry of Human Resource Development declining the request of some states to extend the deadline. The Act, which is a milestone in the history of elementary [...]
Empower Election Commission to regulate print and electronic media on opinion and exit polls
The notification of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in relation to the general elections to Legislative Assembly of Karnataka on the matter of opinion and exit polls has once again ignited the debate on the subject of electoral reforms casting light on the need for potential steps ahead of forthcoming general elections in 2014. [...]
Citizen-centric public services
The delivery of public services in a time-bound manner at the level of States and the Centre, if implemented efficiently, could become a single most revolutionary step imparting relief at the cutting edge level. The citizens, particularly our rural brethren, are shunted from one office to other for procuring documents relating to birth, death, caste, [...]
Empower the Election Commission
The credit for conducting the free and fair elections in the “Great Indian Democracy” goes to the institution of the Election Commission. It is a constitutional body created as per article 324 of our Constitution. The Founding Fathers had envisaged the necessity for such an institution to safeguard the parliamentary democracy in the country. Article [...]
Proposal by Public Interest Foundation on Electoral Reforms in India
The electoral process was set in tune in the independent India with the institution of Election Commission of India (ECI) and the office of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) preceding the enactment of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951. The elections of 1951 captured the euphoria of India’s constitutional democracy. To Sukumar Sen, the [...]
Alleged criminals contribute to political stability !
At least a dozen prominent NGOs have filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Hon’ble Supreme Court seeking intervention to shut the entry of politicians with criminal background. These PILs are at various stages of hearing in the assigned Benches of Hon’ble Supreme Court. The gist of the prayer before the Hon’ble Supreme Court is [...]
‘It is not a juvenile offence’
Dear Mr. Editor, We, the Members of the Governing Council of Public Interest Foundation, wish to highlight our comments on recent report of Justice Verma Committee with specific reference to misdeeds of rape and brutality committed by a juvenile offender. The subject matter is of great public importance as it may unleash serious anti-social behavior [...]
No place for Doubting Thomases in the State Funding for elections
In a parliamentary democracy the citizens have the political rights constitutionally ensured to make all important choice in government formation by participating in the election process. The role of political parties is critical as they mobilize public support on their ideology, programme and promises. The scale of support is manifested through election process. Political parties [...]
Why bureaucracy baulks at decisions, should omit draconian provisions in Prevention of Corruption Act
Our Prime Minister has time and again appealed to bureaucrats for taking fair and objective decisions based on sound evidence and designed to serve the national interest. Manmohan Singh exhorted civil servants to fight the tendency of not taking decisions because of the fear that things might go wrong and the civil servants might be [...]