Hezbollah’s media relations chief killed in Israeli strike on Beirut

In a controversial statement that has sparked alarm among legal experts and constitutional scholars, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar criticized the judiciary for allegedly overstepping its bounds, particularly targeting the Supreme Court’s recent verdict that set deadlines for the President and Governors to act on Bills.

“We cannot have a situation where courts direct the President,” Mr. Dhankhar said, suggesting that the judiciary is interfering with the powers of the executive. He further described Article 142 of the Constitution — which empowers the Supreme Court to pass orders necessary to do "complete justice" — as a “nuclear missile against democratic forces, available to the judiciary 24x7.”

This incendiary metaphor has drawn backlash for implying that judicial independence — a cornerstone of democracy — is somehow hostile or dangerous. Critics argue that such rhetoric undermines public trust in the judiciary and risks damaging the careful separation of powers between branches of government.

While addressing the sixth batch of Rajya Sabha interns, the Vice President also referred to a serious incident involving a Delhi High Court judge, Yashwant Varma, from whose residence a large amount of cash was allegedly recovered in March. He questioned the delayed disclosure of the incident and criticized the absence of an FIR against the judge.

“An FIR in this country can be registered against anyone, any constitutional functionary, including the one before you... But if it is Judges, FIR cannot be straightaway registered. It has to be approved by the concerned in the Judiciary, but that is not given in the Constitution,” he argued.

He went on to question why judges, unlike the President and Governors, appear to enjoy immunity not explicitly provided in the Constitution.

“If the event had taken place at his house, the speed would have been an electronic rocket. Now it is not even a cattle cart,” he remarked, criticizing the pace of response and investigation.

Why These Remarks Are Dangerous

While scrutiny of public institutions is necessary in a democracy, the Vice President’s remarks are concerning for several reasons:

1.    Undermining Judicial Authority: By calling Article 142 a "nuclear missile," the Vice President risks portraying the judiciary as a threat rather than a guardian of constitutional rights.

2.    Challenging Separation of Powers: The suggestion that courts should not “direct” the President could erode judicial checks on executive inaction or overreach, especially when constitutional responsibilities are being delayed or ignored.

3.    Eroding Public Confidence: As the Vice President of India — also the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha — such statements carry institutional weight. Attacks on judicial legitimacy can embolden other political actors to disregard court rulings, weakening the rule of law.

4.    Threatening Judicial Independence: Implying that judges should be more easily prosecuted, without proper due process and internal accountability, could be seen as an attempt to intimidate the judiciary.

5.    Fueling Distrust During Sensitive Times: At a moment when public trust in institutions is essential, these remarks may sow unnecessary suspicion and politicize judicial matters that require careful and independent handling.

The Vice President’s speech has ignited a vital conversation about accountability and judicial conduct. However, framing the judiciary as a rogue institution and questioning its constitutional powers without nuance is fraught with danger. Safeguarding democracy requires mutual respect and balance among all pillars of governance — executive, legislature, and judiciary. When this balance is disturbed through political rhetoric, it threatens not just institutions, but the very foundation of constitutional democracy.

Tumakuru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara announced on Sunday that the much-anticipated caste census report will be formally discussed at a special meeting of the state Cabinet scheduled for April 17. The meeting will focus on the findings and recommendations of the report, which has recently been circulated among ministers.

Speaking at Tiptur in Tumakuru district, Parameshwara noted that the caste census was conducted to ensure equitable access to essential services, education, and employment for downtrodden communities.

“The Congress government, between 2013 and 2018, spent crores of rupees to gather caste-based data from 1.37 crore families,” he said. “However, implementation was delayed by successive governments for various reasons.”

He emphasized the need for careful and informed deliberation and urged political leaders to avoid commenting on the report without studying it. “Nearly 80 per cent of the information in the report is accurate,” the Home Minister said, reinforcing the document’s credibility.

The Cabinet’s decision following the April 17 meeting could have far-reaching implications on Karnataka’s reservation policy and social equity framework.

Palestinian officials have raised the alarm about the dire situation of abductees held in Israeli prisons. The warning came after several abductees released from Israeli jails gave harrowing accounts of conditions in the regime’s prisons.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) said in a statement on Monday that the number of Palestinian abductees killed in Israeli jails since the regime’s genocide in Gaza started has surged to 65, including a child.

It added that inmates abducted in Gaza account for at least 40 of those fatalities.

The society emphasized that among the slain detainees are 74 whose bodies are still being held by the Israeli regime, 63 of whom have been held since the beginning of the genocidal war.

Meanwhile, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs warned of inhumane conditions at Israel’s Damon Prison, where female abductees are enduring extreme hardship.

The Commission reported that food is scarce and of poor quality, leading to digestive issues and severe weight loss among inmates.

The Commission warned that Palestinian abductees are held in filthy, blood-stained cells, given only a small mattress and no food.

Most of the abductees also face insults and humiliation during their incarceration by the regime.  

It added that prisoner Karam Musa, 53, from the town of Surra in the Nablus Governorate, who was detained on February 25, 2025, was kept in a blood-stained and filthy cell, with no room for prayer, no food, and only a small mattress.

According to Karam, the Israeli Prison Service provides one plate of legumes for eight prisoners. The break period has been reduced to one hour, during which the prisoners shower.

A 44-year-old prisoner named Hanin Jaber lost eight kilograms due to malnutrition during her five months of detention.

Jaber was arrested on December 3, 2024, while out on a walk with her children in the park, on charges of sheltering and feeding her son, whom the Israeli regime claims is "wanted."

Prisoner Fidaa Suhail Assaf, 49, from the town of Kafr Laqif in the Qalqilya Governorate, has been suffering from leukemia for a year before her detention.