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Mumbai Varsity Given Relief

PARTLY setting aside and modifying the impugned judgement passed by the Industrial Court, Mumbai, on November 28, 2023, Justice Sandeep V. Marne, at the Bombay High Court has allowed in part the writ petition filed by the University of Mumbai on March 13, 2026 with direction to the petitioners to pay to the respondent-employees difference of wages between the one actually paid and the one payable, considering the entry pay in the minimum of the pay scale applicable to the posts held by them plus dearness ..

When silence works ...

Taking sides at the peak of a conflict is not India’s style of diplomacy. It responds with a long-term view and distinct assessment, prioritising its own interests. Analysts are keenly watching this strategic silence with a special focus. New Delhi has still kept its cards close to the chest, appealing for peace and dialogue but choosing neutrality. This silence is not a weakness but a position with multiple benefits. Amid the fire and fury, India is making the most sophisticated diplomatic moves ..

When bud blooms into flower !

WHEN does a bud become a flower ?! Very few can claim to have captured that precise moment. Of course, pre-set cameras have captured those precious moments. For the ordinary mortals, though, that moment has often remained elusive. Children the world over often spend nights awake and alert to actually see a bud bloom into a flower -- a vain wait, though. No matter how alert you are and how focused in your watch of the bud in those precious moments before its petals open, you miss the actual loosening ..

Women’s Day referral:Two memoirs, same message

 By Vijay Phanshikar : IN HER well-scripted memoir “My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future” (2021 - Portfolio/ Penguin), Indra Nooyi, the iconic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PepsiCo, off and on touches upon issues that wome..

Beneficiaries of “System”

IN THE Order passed on February 18, 2026, in the case-VBR Menon v. The Chief Controller of Explosives, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur and 8 others, a Madras High Court Division Bench consisting of the Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan, has pointed out that “the material which is floating at the surface requires much deeper and fair investigation by examining the role of beneficiaries for whose benefit the entire system is operating”. The ..

‘Civil’isation: Work in progress

SINGING out loudly, trying to keep in sync with the radio singer, I turned right from Lokmat Chowk. Just as I turned, the traffic light turned yellow. I increased the speed, and then braked hard. Right in front was a yellow board that must have come up during night, stating in bold letter, ‘DIVERSION’. By this time, traffic from the opposite side had started flowing, vehicles behind me formed a queue and soon the situation turned chaotic. I was struggling to maneuver my way into a constant flow of ..

Naming All Family Members

In the judgement of the case- Vaibhav Gopaldas Mundada (31) & 4 others v. State of Maharashtra & another, pronounced on February 20, 2026, Justice Pravin S. Patil at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has voiced his “opinion”, that after considering overall factual and legal position of this case, as per the law laid down by the Supreme Court in the cases of Preeti Gupta, Achin Gupta and Dara Lakshmi, it is clear that it is the case, where the Non-Applicant-2, Neha Vaibhav Mundada (30), on ..

Inter-Faith Marriage

This case reveals a shocking state of affairs. There is no dispute that the petitioner is a major and was, at all relevant times a major. Hence the petitioner-wife is free to marry anyone she likes or to live with anyone she likes. There is no bar to an inter-caste marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act or any other law. Hence, we cannot see what offence has been committed by the petitioner, her husband or her husband’s relatives...

Of the reason whyfamily dialoguemay be missing

 By Vijay Phanshikar : “We switch off television at mealtime -- for decades now. No TV, no mobiles. Each mobile set is consciously kept away as all of us sit down for both meals. We are fortunate that even in morning, we are able to have..

The privileged 0.01%

O NE chore that is lined up for each Sunday, my off day, is stocking up the weekly grocery, vegetables and fruits. Soa trip to the grocery store or a supermarket in the vicinity is mandatory. I love walking through the aisles, browsing through the various shelves. Every week new products are added, and this gives me an opportunity to pass time, which I have in surplus. Reading the labels, scanning their QR codes is pure fun. It was during one such trip to the supermarket when I was scanning around ..

‘No one’s illegal on a stolen land’

SINGER Billie Eillish may have won Grammy’s ‘Song of the Year’ for Wildflower, but this powerful sentence uttered as part of her acceptance was no less a ‘song.’ It held the mirror high. It’s not likely that people - powerful, self-obsessed - may see the mirror yet. But once the mirror of truth is placed, one cannot ignore it for too long. It is funny how easily the uninterrupted flow of history is often diverted to channel one’s own narrative. Focus on one little detail, cry hoarse about it and all ..

Of music’s caress and connect

“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the spaces between notes and curl my back to loneliness. In my rented room (cooking privileges down the hall), I would play a record, then put my arms around the shoulders of the song. As we danced, glued together, I would nuzzle into its neck, kissing the skin, and rubbing its cheek with my own. ...” - Maya Angelou (1928-2014),..

Medical Negligence

It must be remembered that sometimes despite their best efforts, the treatment by doctor fails and sometimes despite efforts of a surgeon, patient dies. However, that does not mean that the doctor/surgeon must be held to be guilty of ‘medical negligence’, unless there is some strong evidence to suggest that he has not taken due care and caution while treating the patients...

Of a lazy, sleepy, sloppy civic administration !

The rules -- Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules -- are clear: There must be a buffer zone around every garbage dumping yard. However, at the Bhandewadi Dump-Yard on the eastern fringe of Nagpur, this part of the rule cannot just be implemented. For, as even a street urchin in the city knows, years ago, the fringes of Bhandewadi yard were encroached upon by people who built their ‘pukka’ houses -- no matter the stench and the filth of the mountains of garbage in the yard just outside their compound ..

Hold The Bubbly

The Indo-US trade deal is yet to be inked formally. Some pain-points still need tender handling. The deal was unilaterally announced by Trump through social media. A joint note is yet to come out about the modalities of the agreement. India has acknowledged the US initiative to take ahead the negotiations. PM Narendra Modi has also thanked Trump on behalf of Indians for lowering the tariffs. However, there is still no clear word about finalisation of a trade deal. The purposeful silence over the words ..

Committing Case to Sessions

As per section 325 of the Code, if the Magistrate is of the opinion that after hearing the evidence for the prosecution and the accused that accused found guilty and punishment is to be imposed for which the Magistrate is not empowered, he is required to record the opinion and submit the proceedings, and forward the accused to the CJM to whom he is subordinate...

Of continuedromance with books

A visit to the book store to mark the beginning of the year proved to be a great time. Thanks to professional commitments claiming a lot of time, such a rendezvous had become a rarefied activity -- and one longed to take a deep and endearing look at book shelves seeking new titles of authors well known and not so well known. Of course, buying new books is always a pleasure, no matter the cost, but even looking at the books and books and books and soaking in the faint fragrance of fresh books has its ..

Cash Is King....Or So I thought

T HE other day, a group of transgender people arrived at our home, clapping in perfect rhythm and announcing - before we could even process the news - that we had officially graduated to grandparenthood. How they knew remains one of life’s great mysteries, because the baby was born in Chicago, not Nagpur. But clearly, information today travels faster than light, visas and common sense. They demanded money. Not sweets. Money. For the blessings that they were showering virtually on the tiny tot, nestled ..

Of a new face of the emerging city

By Vijay Phanshikar : Those joints are found all over the city -- posh, modern, jazzy, swanky, fashionable, and often crowded by good-looking, fashionable (mostly) young people. This is a new development -- of the last few years. And it repre..

Consensual Relationship

The allegation of false promise of marriage is also not borne out from the record. There is no material to indicate that any promise of marriage was made by the petitioner at the inception of the relationship with a dishonest or mala fide intention. The WhatsApp conversations do not disclose any assurance of marriage, nor does the complaint allege that consent, if any, was obtained on the basis of such promise prior to the alleged incident...

We cannot afford to miss taking note of NOTA vote

SO, AFTER a long time, the city of Nagpur has an elected body of corporators. It will now have a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor and a Standing Committee Chairman (with financial powers). So, the people will have their ‘own’ representatives to take care of civic matters. All this is welcome. Even as the city was still in celebratory mood, the loosefooter went around meeting people randomly to asses the actual mood...

When Nagpur confronts itself

the city of Nagpur confronts itself today as it goes to municipal polls. After a long gap -- whose explanation nobody ever had -- the people will elect their ward representatives once again. The second capital of Maharashtra, thus, will have a ‘complete’ municipal corporation -- free from the bureaucratic grip with no one to listen to the troubles, trials and tribulations of the common people. From tomorrow (January 16, 2026) onwards, the city will have ward members who will be expected to address ..

‘...Yeh saal achchha hai!!!’

  By Biraj Dixit :   “Dekhiye paate hai ushshaq buton se kya faiz Ek barahman ne kaha hai ke ye saal achchha hai...” Imagine, the great Asadullah Khan Ghalib, a master of the art of weaving rebellions into poetry, so easily submitti..

Of the promise of the sunbeam

A USUAL scene, this ! As the twilight of the dawn yields to the crimson morn, a pencil of sunlight sneaks through the slight slit in the curtains ... and draws a broadening line on the floor. The room assumes an azure glow that lilts you out of the last minutes of overnight sleep. That little play of sunbeam on the floor wakes you up fully. You smile, stretch your arms and give out an imperceptible yawn. ‘Good morning’, you say to yourself -- the day has begun ! And it has begun with a sense of promise ..

Scope Of Revisional Order

In view of adverse report furnished by the Committee, the shop-owner submitted his explanation disputing the findings of the inquiry Committee. After giving hearing to the shop-owner, the DSO passed order on January 20, 2021 holding that R 5 is guilty of breach of 18(2) of the Maharashtra Scheduled Commodities (Regulation of Distribution) Order, 1975 and, therefore, was liable for action, as contemplated under Clause 3(4) of the said Order...

We must thank ‘them’, too !

The police claim that the city of Nagpur saw lesser numbers of fatal road accidents in the year 2025 needs to be welcomed. When a city bursting at the seams reports lesser numbers of fatal accidents in a year, it is obviously a good news. For, it gives a good feeling to the people that they are plying on safer roads. As Dr. Ravinder Singal, the indomitable Commissioner of Police, made a proud announcement of the reduced numbers of fatal accidents on city roads, the people realised the good work the ..

Strongman’s World

 By Rahul Dixit : Ripples of the American take-over of Venezuela are going to be felt across the world. In a way, Trump has given legitimacy to such operations to be carried out by countries with military and money heft. The immediate reflecti..

Of Silence

THE picturesque lake ! Surrounded by silent stillness, it glimmers in the mid-day glow -- like a mirror. No breeze. Not a ripple. Nothing moves. One’s heart beats -- whose beats one can hear in that silence. Each beat has a story to tell -- of grief and gladness, of life’s ups and downs, of bright morns and blightful dark nights, of moving forward and getting dragged backward. Those beats go on -- signs of life, also signs of the tumult within. Yet, outwardly, everything is still, like the mirror ..

Voice Sample Legal

 By Adv. R. S. Agrawal : The petitioner was provided to direct his voice samples for verification and comparison with certain intercepted telephonic conversations. It was alleged that the Income Tax Department intercepted telephonic conversa..

Gen Z(ee) minds:Waiting to be ignited,to be inspired

 By Vijay Phanshikar : IN YEAR 2026, multiple questions and challenges confront Gen Z(ee). Multiple opportunities, too, would waltz into their lives -- ready to be grabbed and utilised. How do members of Gen Z(ee) look at such a scenario? A litt..

Battle with the leftovers

I T’S BECOME a habit - as soon as I enter the kitchen, I open the fridge door - after all the grahini of the house has to start preparations for the day. And this starts by checking what’s in the refrigerator. As I trudged, half awake, and opened the fridge door, I thoughtIheardavoice.“Rememberme, IamPaneerMakhani - trapped in this box four days ago.” Jolted awake,Ishook my head and peered inside. I heard more voices - was it real or just my imagination? The bowl of Rajma hummed mourninfully, trying ..

The questions we must ask ourselves at the year’s start

EVEN as we say one another ‘A Happy New Year’, we also must ask ourselves a few questions at the start of the year 2026 -- about Nagpur and its upkeep and its public policy and about its civic administration (not administrators as persons). In other words, it is time we asked ourselves whether we really, really, really live in a livable city ! Of course, definitions differ -- from person to person, from political party to political party. But then, there are some standard definitions that are the ..

Committing Case To Sessions

In the present case, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, by virtue of section 36A read with saving words in section 32(2), expressly preserves the jurisdiction of the Magistrate for certain categories of offences. Therefore, the ratio of the judgements cited by the respondents is clearly distinguishable and does not advance the case of the prosecution...

Of the difference between restlessnessand impatience

  By Vijay Phanshikar : OF COURSE, both terms are vastly different -- in dictionary and in life. Restlessness points to an eager spirit all geared up to forge ahead, do things, keep moving, keep dreaming big! Impatience points to a disturbe..

Who let the leopard in?

We all are aware that the planet is suffering. But man, ingenious man, is always striving to make life more bearable for the living beings. Haven’t we managed to so spectacularly manage and control pollution, traffic, population, and of course corruption? There’s a hitch here though. All this is only on paper. Reality speaks a different language. Recently, after weeks of debates and discussions on one grave issue dogging mankind, it seems the time has finally arrived for us to negotiate with Nature. ..

Freedom From Macaulay - 4

By Vijay Phanshikar :   This fight will take us to another freedom -- from Macaulay. This should have been done long back, but was not even thought about because we used to have rulers whose mindsets, too, were groomed by the Macaulay infl..

Of tranquility’s signature

THIS sound -- of a bird’s sharp whistle -- remains forever embedded in everybody’s memory. The whistle of a bird in the distance pierces the stillness of the morning or the afternoon. ... Then everything is quiet again. Tranquil ! The very recall of any such moment is truly endearing -- and enduring in deep corners of memory bank. It is always so live, so much in the present -- and so, so much eternal. The whistle wafts over the intangible breeze and trails into a slowly-dying whisper...

Of policy and action paralyses about the Naag !

THE biggest question the Nagpurians have in their mind is: Is the Government -- political leadership and the bureaucracy -- serious about Naag River rejuvenation ? As per recent developments have only underlined the question once again. We all may recall that the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has proposed a Rs. 1,900-crore Naag River Pollution Abatement Plan. And just a week later, Bharatiya Janata Party Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Mr. Parinay Fuke has given a Call Attention Notice ..

Grounded By Monopoly

The point here is not about the behaviour of IndiGo’s management but the confidence about its ability to come out unpunished despite grave lapses. It is impossible to believe that the DGCA was not aware of the lapses and the airline’s reluctance to carry out system changes. Yet, the regulator adopted a slow-go approach in correcting the flaws, perhaps pressured by the monopoly IndiGo enjoys in Indian aviation. The regulator is at a bigger fault here...

Of an aspirational symbol

A UNIVERSAL symbolism of human aspiration -- the kite ! Flying a kite is every child’s eternal dream. And, why just a child’s; every adult, too, harbours the same dream -- in every geography, in every culture. It does not matter how rich -- or how poor -- you are, but you always harbour the dream of your kite soaring high up in the sky. The kite up their kissing the clouds, creating ripples in the placid blue sky -- occasionally dabbed by cotton-white clouds - - has so much poetry around its dancing ..

Saving Teachers’ Jobs

All the untrained teachers, who participated in the recruitment process were erroneously construed to be a composite class and alleging that there had been a widespread corruption, so the appointment of 32,000 teachers was cancelled...

Cross my Heart & Hope to Lie

It is 7 am. The phone rings - even before the first ring is over, I have already snatched it up. It is, after all, my bestie calling me, and I know for sure she wouldn’t have called me so early, if she didn’t have something juicy to share. There’s this particular tremor I detect in my friend’s voice when she says, “Listen, I have a secret. But you must promise you won’t tell anyone.” It’s not a casual request. It’s delivered in a tone usually reserved for courtroom judges or cricket commentators announcing ..

Freedom From Macaulay - 2

‘We The People Of India (that is Bharat)’ have yet not started snapping the roots of what Dr. Mohan Bhagwat calls the “Macaulay knowledge system”. Until that task is nationally undertaken, no concrete progress would be achieved on this critical front...

Of the immense goodwill they earn !

They wear bright-coloured, sleeveless vests and stand at road intersections holding up placards with appeals to common people to follow traffic rules. They keep smiling as they approach people on their two-wheelers and four-wheelers urging them to abide by rules on the roads. Most people respect those volunteers, all right. However, there also are many who just don’t care -- and push on with their brazenness. For such haughty people, rules make no sense. So, naturally, those who urge them to follow ..

A Bond Of Trust

A FULL-SCALE unlocking of bilateral trade ties between two of its ‘on-and-off friends’ is set to tingle nerves in the United States when Russian President Vladimir Putin begins his two-day India visit on Thursday. In the evening of 2025, this bilateral between Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being keenly watched by many powers as well as aspiring powers as the Indo-Russian trajectory is slated to define future geopolitics. Coming at a crucial period of the trade deal negotiations between ..

On the absolutely ‘missable’ pleasure of doing nothing

The instant and humongous ‘daad’ that Rahat Indori Saheb received after pronouncing these lines in his inimitable style vouched for the accuracy with which they gave vent to that general emotion. ‘Pairon ka chakkar…’ January se December!!!’ Just days before we were celebrating the New Year! No, actually months have passed in what seems like days. An age in what seems like years! Has someone pressed that fast forward button? ‘Carpe Diem’, ‘Live life King size’, ‘Savour every moment’ and many more such ..

Of an astonishing marvel

OF COURSE, this is a universal experience. Yet, the marvel of both -- of the book and of the friend -- never ceases to astonish everybody. What astonishes more is how a truly good book assumes greater depth with each reading. A true friend, too, grows in his/her warmth, all right. But that is understandable with a human being. The book is different -- non-human, so to say. Yet, in its depth it keeps growing -- as if it has unstated human dimensions. Every book engages the reader in a conversation. ..

No Dilution In Rate

The Parliament intended section 126 to act as a deterrent. If a person uses electricity for unauthorised purpose, he must not pay the same rate as an honest consumer. Otherwise there would be no difference between authorised and unauthorised use. Higher rate is therefore, not a punishment in the criminal sense...

NARCO THREAT

THE live threat of narco-terrorism in the North-Eastern region is meeting a clampdown as India has started taking proactive steps along the porous Myanmar border. The Enforcement Directorate has conducted first-ever raids along India-Myanmar border in a drugs trafficking linked money laundering case. It is a long battle in the region and India’s risk-mitigation approach is the right response to a serious security threat. India shares a 1,624 kms border with Myanmar in the North-East. The States of ..

SC Line On Latest Reference

Each constitutional organ or authority cannot function by itself. The working of our constitutional scheme is premised on constitutional authorities- who are each assigned specific but interdependent roles- performing their duties, akin to cogs that keep a clock ticking. They depend on each other, to keep the Constitution humming, and thus working. They are also constitutionally obligated, to offer checks- and - balances, for the other. Such a scheme, thus, abhors inaction...