Women

International Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq’s participation in the 415th Mysuru Dasara celebrations sparks political debate, but Karnataka government, judiciary, and public uphold the festival’s inclusive, secular ethos

The Supreme Court’s ruling in Shubha reflects a shift towards reformative justice that considers the social and psychological pressures affecting women offenders; while upholding the woman’s conviction for murder, the Court directed that she should be allowed to apply for pardon

While objective conditions of distress lead large numbers of people into the arms of these god men, several hagiographical legitimise the phenomenon; few serious analytical studies on their links to power and the state are however available, material that would help de-construct their image.

A series of electoral irregularities in Tuljapur, Panvel, Uran (Maharashtra) and Aland (Karnataka), involving tens of thousands of duplicate and bogus voter applications, point towards a sophisticated, multi-state operation to manipulate electoral rolls, despite FIRs being filed and a High Court order being issued, investigations have been systematically stonewalled

In Mainpuri, a minor Dalit girl was gang-raped with a video going viral, in Prayagraj, a Dalit man died in police custody, a case on which the High Court has sought a response, and in Amroha, a youth was attacked with a sword for objecting to alcohol consumption outside his home

Judicial intervention restores publication rights for some, but fragmented outcomes leave others gagged, underscoring the high stakes for investigative reporting