How to fast-track reservation for women in Parliament - a roadmap

The Government's decision, reported in the media, to convene additional sittings of Parliament to debate amendments to the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, is a welcome and significant step. It signals that a historic reform has now entered the difficult phase of implementation.

Many democracies combine constituency-based elections with proportional representation. Some members are elected from constituencies, others are chosen on the basis of vote share of political parties.

Climate cooperation offers a way out of energy price chaos

With geopolitics in disarray, energy price crises will keep happening. Continued dependence on fossil fuels would leave countries forever lurching from crisis to crisis.

Mothers require better healthcare, not just access

A Study published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women's Health last week has underscored the successes of the country's maternal health programme. But it has also flagged a worrying slowdown in progress since 2015. Maternal mortality in 2023 was nearly a fifth of what it was in 1990. The steepest decline occurred in the first decade and a half of this century, driven largely by more effective government interventions, a rise in institutional deliveries, and greater public awareness.

SC expresses concern over 'stock' witnesses, expands panel to examine the practice

The Supreme Court has expanded the seven-member committee it constituted last month to examine the practice of police presenting "stock witnesses" in a large number of different cases.

Moody's cuts India growth forecast to 6%

Moody's Ratings has trimmed India's growth outlook for the current fiscal year to 6% from 6.8% estimated earlier, flagging rising risks from the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

It is to be noted that Goldman Sachs has also turned more cautious, lowering its 2026 forecast to 5.9% from 7% before the conflict.

Relief to wind, solar generators: electricity regulator delays stricter grid stability rules

Wind and solar generators in India have been given more time to adjust to tighter grid rules as the country's top electricity regulator has delayed the rollout of stricter deviation norms by a year.

These norms-meant to penalize firms when they produce more or less electricity than promised-will now start in April 2027 instead of April 2026.

OPEC+ to boost oil output when Hormuz reopens

Opec+ Agreed on Sunday to raise its oil output quotas by 206,000 barrels per day for May, a modest rise that will largely exist on paper as its key members are unable to raise production due to the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Gulf energy facilities hit by Iran; Israel strikes Lebanon

Authorities in Abu Dhabi said Sunday they responded to multiple fires at the Borouge petrochemicals plant in Ruwais after an attack that officials said was caused by falling debris intercepted by air defence systems.

Zelenskyy: Prolonged Iran war could erode support for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concern that a prolonged US-Israeli war on Iran could further erode US' support for Ukraine. As Washington's global priorities shift, Kyiv braces for reduced deliveries of critically needed Patriot air defence missiles.

Artemis II crew speeds towards moon to break Apollo 13 record

The Artemis II astronauts are already the champions of a fresh new era of lunar exploration. Now it's time to set a new distance record. Launched last week on humanity's first trip to the moon since 1972, the three Americans and one Canadian are chasing after Apollo 13's maximum range from Earth.

Iran war and the looming prospect of stagflation

Will 2026 see a return of stagflation?

Before answering that, one must understand not just what stagflation is ("the worst of both worlds...inflation on the one side... stagnation on the other...together," in Iain Macleod's words), but also how it can occur.

In standard textbook economics, there is a supply and a demand curve, with prices (P) on the vertical and quantity (Q) on the horizontal axis. The supply curve slopes upward from left to right, depicting a positive relationship: as prices rise, producers are encouraged to increase the quantity supplied of a particular good. The demand curve, conversely, is downward sloping: Consumers buy more of a good at lower prices and less at higher rates

Trans rights: How 2026 Amendment Act deviates from decade-long judicial arc

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, marks a departure in the evolution of transgender rights over the last decade. Since the landmark NALSA judgment, constitutional courts have consistently interpreted the law to expand the rights and liberties of the transgender community, emphasising personal autonomy, often in contrast with the legislative and executive approach.