Let's regulate police powers to use guns

Police reforms have been in the spotlight in the last few months. News items and reports have stressed the dire need for the fast and effective implementation of the police reforms, particularly in relation to reducing police shootings and torture.

J & K Needs Immediate Police Reforms - Problems in policing arise from uncertain delineation of powers and political interference

The debate around police reform for years has revolved around on how to satisfactorily separate police functioning from undue and illegitimate political control and yet keep the police wholly accountable to civilian authority.

How the RTI Amendment Bill was stopped

It is indeed “Sweet September” for an enthusiast of Right to Information. The struggle and sustained advocacy paid off when the government decided to refer the RTI amendment bill to the parliamentary standing committee on personal, public grievances, law and justice.

Foreign & Forgotten

Afghan national Meer Vize, 65, has been a prisoner in India since 1999. His 12-year sentence in Jodhpur Central Prison on conviction of a drug-related offence was extended when he could not pay the accompanying fine.

Extra-judicial killing: Strong Police Complaints Commission needed

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) is powerful. And, though the saying goes that with great power comes great responsibility, this is not the case with Rab. Officers have been accused of human rights violations and the use of excessive force, and most importantly, for extrajudicial killings.

Every suspicious death must be investigated

A family is grieving and looking for answers, thousands of people are protesting on the streets of Kolkata and Delhi, and the Opposition is up in arms over the tragic death of student leader Sudipta Gupta in police custody. The Kolkata Police is trotting out its own dubious version of events.

Demand accountability from Sri Lanka

The time has come for India to be bolder and more confident on human rights at the international level. Its growing stature in international affairs demands this leadership position.

Commonwealth must honour its own commitments

The choice of Sri Lanka as a venue for CHOGM 2013 has always remained controversial.

Comment: Weathering the Storm - the Commonwealth & Maldives

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) is in the eye of a storm in Maldives.

Comment: Need for domestic legislation on peaceful assembly

Police-public clashes have once again occupied centre stage in the Maldives. Over 100 people are believed to have been arrested in the ‘direct action’ protests organised by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) since 8 July.