Time For Zelensky To Surrender? Macron's Big Statement Hours Before Ukraine Peace Talks With Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed for a ceasefire before a peace deal with Russia, ahead of his meeting tomorrow with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC. Speaking alongside the chief of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, Zelensky said it is 'impossible' to give up territory under Ukraine's Constitution. He also called on the Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the killings in Ukraine. Watch this video to know more.
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‘You mean Sudarshan Chakra…': Russian diplomat on iron dome query; says Moscow India's 'partner choice'
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Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Why the amendment bill to remove ministers detained on graft charges has great scope for misuse
Written by Swapnil Tripathi When Indira Gandhi's government introduced the 41st Amendment Bill, its provisions sought to grant sweeping immunity to the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Governors from criminal proceedings for life. Had it passed, these offices would have been placed beyond the reach of the law. The present government's proposed amendment takes the opposite route. Rather than insulating political leaders from accountability, it seeks to ensure their removal when under the cloud of criminal proceedings. This juxtaposition may underscore the laudable intent of the current proposal. While sound in principle, the draft suffers from ambiguities that warrant greater deliberation. According to the Amendment Bill, if any minister, including a CM or the PM, is arrested and remains in custody for 30 straight days for an offence punishable by five years or more in jail, they will automatically lose their office. The PM or a CM must resign in such cases – or else removal is automatic. The Bill also allows them to return to office if they are later released. At first glance, this seems to align with the ideal that those holding public office must stay above suspicion. In theory, it echoes the Constitution's expectation that elected leaders follow high ethical standards. But this idea was actually debated and rejected by the Constituent Assembly. When K T Shah proposed barring ministers convicted of offences involving bribery, corruption or moral turpitude, B R Ambedkar acknowledged the good intentions but cautioned that the Constitution should not attempt to micromanage such qualifications. Instead, he argued, the 'good sense' of the Prime Minister, legislature and people ought to be relied upon. The present proposal marks a departure from that choice. While Parliament is constitutionally empowered to amend the text, its draft raises concerns on three counts. First, the scope of offences. The clause applies when detention is linked to 'any law for the time being in force', where the punishment may extend to five years or more. This phrase is unduly wide. According to research by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, there are more than 2,000 offences in India carrying such penalties. These range from grave offences like organised crime and trafficking to relatively less serious ones, including obstructing a public officer. While the Bill's Statement of Objects refers to 'serious criminal offences,' the actual text is much broader. This could mean a minister could be removed from office for relatively minor charges, just because the law allows a sentence of five years or more. Second, the reversal of the presumption of innocence. The provision rests on the fact of detention rather than conviction. A hallmark of our legal system is that an accused is innocent until proven guilty. Recent history demonstrates how opposition leaders have been arrested and held in custody for extended periods, only to be discharged later for want of evidence. Removal from constitutional office based on detention alone not only carries a significant political cost but also risks misuse of investigative agencies. There are better ways. For instance, in former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's case, the court examined the facts and arguments before directing that he stop performing official duties. That process, however, was still based on deliberation and legal reasoning – not an automatic rule. The amendment also overlooks two key realities: First, that criminal trials in India often take years to conclude – even for elected officials; and second, that it has become harder to get bail under many recently toughened laws. Third, the potential for political misuse. There is a real risk that this rule could be misused to remove political opponents by arresting them and keeping them in custody long enough to trigger disqualification. Yes, the Bill allows a person to return to office after release. But the damage – loss of power, reputation, and political momentum – would already be done. Instead of disqualifying ministers just because they are arrested, we should focus instead on fast-tracking serious criminal cases against ministers, ensuring impartial investigations and swifter trials. That would meet the same goal – holding leaders accountable – without weakening democratic safeguards. The spirit behind the amendment is laudable: No one should be above the law. But democracy requires more than good intentions. It demands careful laws that don't sacrifice fairness for speed. As Ambedkar once said, democracy requires us to take on 'impossible tasks.' Ensuring the purity of public life is one of them. But we must face it not by shortcutting justice, but by strengthening it. The writer leads Charkha, the Constitutional Law Centre at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy
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First Post
15 minutes ago
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Indian goods, hit by Trump tariffs ‘can head to Russia': Moscow slams US as Jaishankar pays visit
Roman Babushkin, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian embassy in India, has said that Indian goods affected by American tariffs are welcome in Russia. He further said that Russia has mechanisms to keep exporting oil to India despite various barriers. Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has threatened to close this key oil supply route after US attacked its nuclear sites on Sunday (June 22). File photo/Reuters The top Russian diplomat posted in India has said that India's goods affected by US tariffs are welcome in his country. At a press briefing, Roman Babushkin, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian embassy in India, said that Indian exports affected by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump would be welcome in Russia. He slammed tariffs as 'unjustified' and called them 'double standards'. 'If Indian goods are facing difficulties entering the US market, the Russian market is welcoming Indian exports,' said Babushkin, adding that any unilateral decisions will lead to 'disruptions in supply chains' and endanger the energy security of developing countries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The remarks have come at a time when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in Moscow to hold talks with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Russian leader Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India by the end of the year. Trump has slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India. He imposed 25 per cent tariff on July 31 as part of the tariffs' rollout for more than 60 countries and topped that with additional 25 per cent tariff on August 6 as a punishment for buying Russian oil. He has accused India of fuelling the Russian war machine in Ukraine. Babushkin dubbed such decisions as 'neocolonial behaviour'. Babushkin said that Russia would continue to supply oil to India. He stressed that Russian oil has no alternative. 'Discount on Russian crude oil is about 5 per cent for India. India understands there is no chance to change supplies. The profit is very high for India. There is no alternative to Russian crude oil as it is very competitive,' said Babushkin. Analysts have said that up to 60 per cent of Indian goods to the United States could be affected by tariffs and the GDP growth could fall by up to 1 per cent.
