The salary earned by compassionate appointee cannot be deducted from the compensation which the claimant is entitled to under the Act. However, it was made clear that the salary which flowed from the compassionate appointment that was provided by the tort-feasor was liable to be deducted if the employer was the owner of the offending vehicle and thus liable to pay compensation under the Act...

TIME has come for all of us to help our youngsters to return to basics like good health, good hygiene, good habits. In an atmosphere where technology -- the digital technology at that -- is taking a vice-like grip of our lives, it is becoming our prime duty to see that our youths stay on the right track so that they get ample opportunity to mould their lives in the most desirable manner in terms of good living. And that will be possible necessarily if the youths stick to principles of good health-hygiene-h..

  FINALLY, the Committee of Administrators appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee affairs in the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) has cracked its whip and debarred eight state units from attending the October 23 annual general meeting and elections. This action was on cards and needs further stringent legal follow-up to overthrow the adamant administrators in all those state units which have refused to implement the Justice Lodha Committee reforms. By ignoring the Supreme Court verdict on ..

THE newly appointed Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has warned of a global slowdown in 90 pc of the countries of the world in 2019, what she terms as a ‘synchronised slowdown.’ While, there are already indications of ‘softening’ of growth in advanced countries like the US, Japan and Eurozone, developing countries like India and Brazil have also been caught in this spiral of slowing growth. India’s growth has already contracted from a high of 7 pc and ..

THE informal summit between Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping in Mamallapuram from October 11 to 12 will be one of the most important bilateral events of the year for both the countries. Since the first such meeting in Wuhan in April 2018, both the Asian powers have marched on in their own aggressive ways to become focal points in international geopolitics. The Mamallapuram summit provides both India and China a wonderful opportunity to further the spirit of Wuhan ..

TWO types of frauds are taking place in our banks. One fraud takes place with the connivance of bank officials. The Punjab Maharashtra Cooperative Bank knowingly gave loans to a company named HDIL even though they knew that the borrower was in deep financial trouble. They hid these “bad” loans from the RBI by shifting them to about 21,000 small bank accounts. Similarly, the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank extended loans to insolvent sugar mills apparently under the prodding of its Director. The ..

Visiting the place a day after offers a great insight into not just an ongoing phenomenon of social transformation but also into a project of pride for the city of Nagpur as a global centre of awakening. From any point in the vast sprawl filled by countless thousands of devotees, the graceful dome of Deekshabhoomi towers over the landscape. Though now under repairs, its majestic persona dominates the physical scene as well as mental horizon. Devotees move around, throng the shrine, gather at various ..

THE upcoming by-elections assume special significance given the record number of 51 Assembly seats across 16 States and one Union Territory going to polls around the same time...

 THE unique geostrategic position that India has in the India Ocean region gives it some wonderful natural advantages. Despite the geographical advantages, its size and its track record, India is still lacking in several areas. Recent times have, however, witnessed a strategic shift in India’s Indian Ocean Policy with larger engagement with countries sharing the vast shores.  It was an imperative that Indian diplomatic channels needed to implement in the right earnest with incremental ..

AFTER the devastating floods in Punjab in August, Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh has made up his mind to go for cannalisation of three rivers to avoid further disasters. His proposal seeks help from World Bank and is being touted as a one-time solution to avoid floods. However, the plan needs serious and thorough evaluation since concrete-based solutions have produced mixed results. Experts have warned against playing with the natural course of rivers as concrete embankments have served a limited ..

THE positioning is immaculate, to say the least. In times to come, not too distant in future, India would be a ‘southern’ power -- in the same manner of a ‘western’ power, as the term goes. But then, there used to be a question oft..

THE US witnessed a few days ago, the biggest protest by students and young people drawn from all States of the nation to demand action against climate change that is threatening the whole world. It is reported that many schools in New York permitted their students to skip classes to join the protests that took place two days before the UN Climate Change Summit convened in the city. The Summit was action-oriented and was to collect action plans from various countries and not end up with speeches and ..

A BLITZ of diplomacy is on in the United States, led by External Affairs Minister Mr. S. Jaishankar even as India seeks right platforms to explain in detail the logic behind revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a well-studied, well-timed, strategic outreach to foreign policy thinkers in the United States whose influence on issues pertaining to South Asia form the essence of Washington’s international responses. ..

THAT the Government will work harder to make the healthcare scheme more foolproof so that the whole country gets covered appropriately under its benefits, is a very assuring statement by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi at a ceremony marking completion of one year of the scheme of which he also made a proud assertion in his recent address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In tune with that assertion, the Government now wishes to make the scheme better, more accessible to all needy and ..

THE Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has done well to ask the Social Justice Ministry to review the effectiveness of the existing law against abandoning and abuse of elderly parents. It appears the PMO does not consider the existing law stipulating a jail term of three months effective enough to deter children from abandoning or abusing their old parents. Hence the need for a stronger and more effective law. The original law was enacted in view of the growing population of old people and children’s tendency ..

 THE fact that the Centre is getting ready to hold elections for local self-government bodies in Jammu and Kashmir is good enough an indication that normalcy is returning to the State faster than expected, no matter the politically-driven anti-propaganda that Kashmir is sinking on the law-and-order index following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India. This proposed move by the Centre indicates certain thoughtfulness and purposefulness. Even as some elements keep complaining ..

THE Supreme Court’s answer is in a firm ‘No’ again to the legal question posed to it in the judgement of the case- Union of India & Others v. M/s Unicorn Industries, as to “whether, by invoking the doctrine of promissory estoppel, can the Union of India be estopped from withdrawing the exemption from payment of Excise Duty in respect of certain products, which exemption is granted by an earlier notification; when the Union of India ..

  WHEN Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi talked of harmony and peace as the necessary conditions for genuine development of the family of man in times changing via technology and how nations can respond constructively and unitedly to the scourge of terror, Pakistan Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan issued threats of nuclear war and supported radicalisation and picking up of the gun and bloodbath, at the United Nations General Assembly, in the process shocking not just the member-nations but also ..

THE Election Commission of India (ECI) has done well to make social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp to follow the code of ethics during elections in the country. During the Lok Sabha elections such ‘code of ethics’ was promulgated by the ECI due to which these social media platforms had to take action in over 900 cases. Now that State Assembly elections are scheduled in Maharashtra and Harayana next month it was necessary for the ECI to alert these social media platforms ..

 Vijay Phanshikar :  For decades, the Narendra Nagar Road-under-Bridge (RuB) has been a problematic spot impeding traffic flow on the Ring Road with even a little rainfall. No matter the effort that the civic authorities might have done to rectify the problem, the spot becomes a fairly deep pool of water that takes seemingly endless hours to get drained out. It is obvious that the efforts to solve the problem have been insufficient and not fully scientific. Over time, many ‘scientific’..

AFTER the economic slowdown comes the oil shock. The multiple drone strikes on Saudi Aramco’s two major oil facilities have already cut down Saudi Arabia’s oil production by 5.7 million barrels a day, accounting for nearly five per cent of the world’s crude oil supply and almost half of Saudi oil production. India is highly concerned for two reasons. The country is nearly 85 per cent dependent on imported oil. And, Saudi Arabia is India’s second largest source of oil and gas supplies...

These four lines can be treated as epitome of the understanding of the process of surrender, of becoming one with God! Radhaa and Meera! They were women all right, the timeless entities in different times, devoted to Lord Krishna. Their single-minded devotion, their unwavering focus, their unmatched love, their total unacceptability of anything other than Krishna the Darling of all darlings ...! All these have become part of the legend of Krishna who was incomplete without Radhaa and Meera -- and ..

 EVEN as a riled Pakistan continues to boil over growing international support to India’s decision of abrogating Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian leadership has upped the ante by warning Islamabad against raising a war rhetoric. Pakistan PM Mr. Imran Khan’s indulgence in doling out threats of a full-fledged military conflagration has been met with a straight talk by India which is quite clear in its strategy in case Pak Army plans any military misadventure. Defence ..

A 3-JUDGE bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Justices Arun Mishra, M.R. Shah and Justice B R Gavai, has in the judgement of the case – Municipal Council, Neemuch v. Mahadeo Real Estate & Others, delivered on September 17, 2019, ruled that scope of judicial review of an administrative action is very limited. In a 21-page well researched detailed judgement authored by Justice Bhushan Gavai, the court has pointed out that unless the court comes to a conclusion, that the decision-maker has not understood..

 “People forget that these rainforests are lungs of the planet and they have a massive role in absorbing Co2 and releasing oxygen.” “Forest fire also damages flora and fauna of jungles apart from posing peril to wildlife. Though it has not been established as to what exactly caused the fire, many believe it has been deliberately lit to clear land for cattle ranching. 70 per cent of deforestation in Amazon forests is indeed due to cattle ranching.”   FOREST ..

“No digital platform can replace the joy of folding the top right corner of the page as a book mark, or the joy of placing creative, innovative bookmarks -- a pipal leaf, a flower, a self made chart paper vertical strip -- or the joy of racing through the climax of the mystery in various corners of the house, or soaking in the aroma of the hot baked scones and honey in Enid Blyton’s kid stories ...” - THIS message comes up in memory file every now and then..

Nevertheless, the profession of politics does have many great souls who present altogether different and brilliant picture, thanks to their qualities, their commitment to public cause, their transparent lives. And the public identifies such souls immediately!New Delhi, September18 (IANS): Over 70 per cent Indians in urban areas find the Armed Forces the most trustworthy profession, while a majority of them are skeptical about politicians. Scientists and teachers bag the second and the third positions ..

   THE disruption in the oil supplies to major importers like the US, India, Japan, China following the attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities has sent into tailspin economic calculations of several countries of the world. That half of Saudi Arabia’s oil exports have been hit by the worst ever disruption since 1991Gulf War shows the enormity of the crisis in oil supplies to the world. And given the volatile situation in the Gulf region there is no guarantee of any early resumption ..

  THE assertion by Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa, the outgoing President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), that it was “extremely important” to effect reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and also the General Assembly, in tune with changing times, makes a great sense. It is not possible to foresee when the actual reforms will be thought of and effected. Yet, the fact that many people are asking for those should be taken as a good sign. Ms. Espinosa ..

By Nantoo Banerjee : India needs clear policy initiative to push economic growth.  THE fear of a major global economic slowdown is driving large economies make plans to push their growth machines back on track to avoid such a situation. Large ec..

 THE drone attack on Saudi Arabian energy giant Aramco is bound to escalate tensions between Iran and the United States to a dangerous level with possibility of a military confrontation. An uneasy atmosphere has been raging under the surface in the Persian Gulf following heightened strain between Washington and Tehran over a crumbling nuclear deal. The attack on Saudi oil site that has affected almost five per cent of world’s daily oil supply is being seen as a provocation by Iran’s ..

  THAT nearly two dozen terrorists have arrived in Srinagar and are threatening shop-keepers, is the latest news from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). If this is inside Kashmir, then on the other side of Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan has started a massive military build up in a display of aggressive mood. The signs suggest that Islamabad may be itching for a serious confrontation with India. The suspicion gets strengthened by the talk of a possible conventional war with India by Pakistan Prime ..

  GOOD that cricket coach Ravi Shastri has dismissed speculation that there was rift between Captain Virat Kohli and his limited overs deputy Rohit Sharma as mere occasional disagreements. Ravi Shastri has thus tried to shoot down such kite flying on..

NO MATTER what Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan does, Pakistan seems to be sinking ever lower on an every-day basis. If there is bad news on the economic front as Islamabad is not likely to fulfill the condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to refund Rs. 75 billion to tax-payers, an equally bad news greeted the confused Prime Minister in Occupied Kashmir where a revolt against the regime is building in intensity and spread. And as if this is not enough, Pakistan is getting blasted at every ..

  UNION Minister Mr. Rattan Lal Kataria’s concern that lakhs of animals were dying due to plastic should become the concern of the entire country. Unless this happens there can be no respite for the country from the menace of plastic. While the Government may take whatever legal and administrative measures, this should become a people’s movement. The success of such missions largely depends on people’s wholehearted participation. That the ‘Swachha Bharat Abhiyan’ ..