Although local governments are recognized by the constitution as a third tier of government, they are nonetheless directly accountable to the State Government for a number of important duties. Examine.
The 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, enacted in 2019, introduced a 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in education and public employment, marking a significant shift in India's reservation policy. Earlier, reservations were aimed at addressing historical injustices and socialRead more
The 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, enacted in 2019, introduced a 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in education and public employment, marking a significant shift in India’s reservation policy. Earlier, reservations were aimed at addressing historical injustices and social disadvantages faced by Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). This amendment extends benefits based on economic criteria, regardless of caste. Its relevance lies in acknowledging economic hardship as a barrier to social mobility, broadening the scope of social justice. The Supporters argue that it addresses the needs of economically disadvantaged groups who do not fall under existing reserved categories, promoting inclusive growth. Critics says that this economic-based reservation may dilute the original intention of reservations, which is to rectify systemic social discrimination. Additionally, the 10% EWS quota raises questions about the practical implementation and potential overlap with existing quotas, which already account for 50% of seats. The amendment also risks perpetuating the reliance on quotas as a solution, rather than addressing structural inequalities through comprehensive socio-economic reforms. Thus,the 103rd Amendment aims to expand the ambit of social justice, its long-term impact on achieving genuine equity and inclusion remains to be critically evaluated.
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The judiciary should be an independent and accountable body. Most importantly, an independent judiciary will be accountable to the society it serves as a pillar of democracy to ensure justice is given impartially. Multiple ways are there to achieve accountability. Judicial review empowers the judiciRead more
The judiciary should be an independent and accountable body. Most importantly, an independent judiciary will be accountable to the society it serves as a pillar of democracy to ensure justice is given impartially.
Multiple ways are there to achieve accountability. Judicial review empowers the judiciary to inspect the acts of executive and legislative powers, thus keeping these powers in adherence to the constitution. Public interest litigation is yet another statutory power for the citizenry of the nation. Citizens may seek justice in cases involving collective grievances through this mechanism. Its operation further enhances accountability and transparency. An important boost from outside comes from examination of the media. This could also be mechanisms like impeachment which provide a constitutional way of removing judges who have violated the code of conduct.
This would be so only until the possiblity of accountability is well placed with judicial independence. Too visible or too much outside interference would erode that subjective independence of the judiciary. The calibration must hold the judiciary accountable without compromising its fearless delivery of justice.
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