The Supreme Court has opened a window for a transformative conversation about the very fundamentals of democracy. Let a debate open Pandora’s box to reveal that there can be only "One Democracy." Currently, there are as many versions of democracy as there are countries. In India, because of a derivative Constitution, we have been pedalling for decades without moving an inch, still pedalling but we are where we were! Much like the fallacy of collective responsibility, our much-touted system of checks and balances has acted as a bane, functioning like police barricades on streets that prevent forward motion, stopping us in our tracks. That is the reality. What then, in essence, does a meaningful Constitution look like? It cannot be a Bible or a Gita that dictates what future generations should eat or wear. Let them have their own.

NEW DELHI, Feb 25: The Supreme Court of India has suggested that a “compulsory mechanism” may be put in place to ensure all citizens participate in elections.

Chief Justice Surya Kant, heading a bench with Justice Joymalya Bagchi, however, emphasized that such a mechanism should not be harsh and punitive but must be aimed at strengthening democratic participation. The Court was hearing a petition challenging provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and examining the relevance of the “None of the Above” (NOTA) option on the ballot.

Article 326 of the Indian Constitution guarantees universal adult suffrage, but voting is currently a right, not a legal duty. The court’s remarks raise the question whether voting be made a civic obligation.

Introduced in 2013, NOTA was meant to encourage better candidates contesting and empower voters. However, data shows minimal impact on election outcomes, prompting the court to question its effectiveness.

The court stressed a significant vulnerability in the present system that educated and affluent sections often abstain from the electoral provess, while marginalized groups, including women and rural voters, show higher turnout. This imbalance speaks volumes about the malady of the type of representative democracy India has.

Global comparisons

Countries such as Australia, Belgium and Brazil enforce compulsory voting, often with mild penalties such as fines. They have turnout rates above 90%, compared to India’s average of 60–65%.

Australia: Since 1924, compulsory voting has been enforced with small fines for non-participation. Turnout consistently exceeds 90%. The system is credited with ensuring broad legitimacy and reducing polarization.

Belgium: One of the earliest adopters (1893), Belgium imposes penalties for repeated abstention, including restrictions on public employment.

Brazil: Voting is mandatory for citizens aged 18–70, with penalties ranging from fines to difficulties in obtaining passports or government jobs.

United States: By contrast, voting is voluntary. Turnout hovers around 55–65%, and debates about compulsory voting are framed as conflicts between liberty and responsibility.

Implementing compulsory voting would require balancing constitutional freedoms with civic responsibility. Critics argue that coercion may conflict with democratic principles, while supporters believe it could strengthen legitimacy and accountability.

The debate touches on a balance between rights and duties. Voting is seen as a constitutional right under Article 326. Article 51A lists duties like respecting the Constitution and promoting harmony, but voting is not explicitly included. The court’s remarks hint at whether Parliament should amend the Constitution to include voting as a duty.

The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights a deeper philosophical question: is democracy defined by freedom of choice—including the choice not to vote—or by collective responsibility to participate?

Constitutional Amendment

If India were to adopt compulsory voting, the path would likely involve Constitutional amendment, adding voting to Article 51A as a Fundamental Duty and amending the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to define penalties (fines, restrictions on government services, etc.). It will also involve creating systems to track abstention, issue notices and allow exemptions (illness, travel, etc.). Campaigns to emphasize voting as a civic responsibility, not just a legal requirement, will also be needed.

ANALYSIS: The Supreme Court’s suggestion is reigniting a debate about the nature of democracy itself. The court’s remarks highlight a universal tension between rights and duties.

The incident has triggered a debate on social media whether the officer refused to take orders from a party leader or he was accused of any corruption, some netizens justifying the handling in either case, that Ratnakar was blocking public welfare work! It is true the Govt machinery has been the enemy Number One of the people of this country, existing for itself and for these politicians, for well over seven decades. India will never make an inch of progress - real progress, not make-believe-progress - unless and until this machinery is eliminated.

The irony lies in her illustration of her experiences in the country she has been living in for the last four years. What it really is!

ANALYSIS: There have been cases of Britons going to Switzerland to get rid of a miserable life. Now once the House of Lords also passes the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, terminally ill Britons can call it quits with the help of a medical practitioner here itself. But the measure when comes into practice, will have very serious social consequences, it is feared. There won't be comparisons, even as tropes in Latin American folklores. The worst case scenario is of those who are not terminally ill also trying to misuse the provision to leave this world early when life with dignity is not available. But that is, in fact, a political question and not a moral imbroglio!

The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.

Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.

• The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line provides Kashmir with all-weather connectivity and integrates the Valley with the rest of India.
• The saying 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' is now a dream come true.
• The Chenab bridge on the line, an engineering marvel, is the world's highest railway bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower. (Video: File)

A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924) (Today's headlines )

Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”

Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.

PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.

Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people. (Today's headlines )

"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...

Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.

Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.

As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.

The committee headed by justice Kurian Joseph will study Centre-State relations and make proposals to ensure foolproof separation of powers.

"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.

Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.

ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!

What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America! (Today's headlines )

PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).

In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.

THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.

The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.

Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See: New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)