Indian Authorities Research Articles

Political Participation of Minors in India: A Critical Perspective from the Prism of the UNCRC

The participation of children in a political demonstration has proven to be an enduring issue in India owing to the public agitations against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the farm laws, with the latter being withdrawn recently. Under the hegemonic liberal paradigm, the underlying risk is that civil and political rights may be envisaged as the exclusive domain of adults. Children are merely viewed as apprentice citizens who do not have the capacity to exercise rational choice. The operative presumption is located in a binary wherein children are pliant beneficiaries, and the state is a benign caretaker in charge of determining their best interests. It thereby negates children’s autonomy and reduces them to disenfranchised spectators in an adult-centric social fabric. Moreover, the protectionist approach enables the state to evade its obligation of preserving democratic spaces wherein minors can protest safely and make their voices heard. State functionaries and judicial authorities in India have also been complicit in adopting an infantilising stance. In this paper, the author makes a case for recognising the agency of children such that they can exercise their ‘autonomy’ right to political participation. This paper incorporates diverse perspectives in existing child rights literature, including those emanating from the Global South, to argue in favour of an epistemic reorientation in child rights law discourse. Moreover, the author relies upon key interpretations of UNCRC provisions made by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and argues for facilitating a participative environment where children can exercise their civil and political rights. The ‘best interests’ test should not be wielded as a sword from an adult standpoint to curtail children’s rights in the political domain.

Examining factors influencing investment in Digital Gold and Gold ETF using the PCA technique

Digital Gold and Gold Exchange Traded Fund have emerged as an electronic option for investment in gold in India. The purpose of this study is to determine influential factors forming the perception and level of awareness of individuals toward investing in Digital Gold and Gold Exchange Traded Fund, and also analyze the relationship among these influential factors. Data for this quantitative analysis were obtained from a self-administered 5-point Likert questionnaire of 158 respondents who are individual investors investing in either Digital Gold or Gold Exchange Traded Fund to achieve the objectives of the study. Principal Component Analysis has been adapted as a dimension reduction technique to identify the factors impacting the decision of investing in Gold Exchange Traded Fund and Digital Gold. The factors that induce investors to invest in Digital Gold and Gold Exchange Traded Fund as identified in this study are conduciveness, security, and ease of accessibility. The factors that compel investors not to invest in Digital Gold and Gold ETFs are lack of contentment, operational challenges, lack of awareness, brokerage expenses, and infeasibility. The results disclosed that variables such as lack of satisfaction and lack of knowledge have higher factor loadings of 0.997, which indicates that investors are required to be more educated about the Digital Gold and Gold Exchange Traded Fund. Securities and Exchange Board of India, Reserve Bank of India and other regulatory authorities in India may consider regulation of Digital Gold so that it can be accepted as a trustworthy source of investment.

Analisis Pelanggaran Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM) Dalam Sengketa Wilayah Perbatasan Kashmir

This paper aims to show human rights violations that occurred in the Kashmir border area. Kashmir is a disputed area in South Asia between India and Pakistan. The dispute occurred due to complex historical factors that led to conflict between the Indian government and the Kashmiri Muslim community. For Kashmiri Muslims, the Kashmir region is not only a place of origin but also representing social structure and identity. The escalation of the conflict also triggering persecution toward Kashmiri Muslims led to protests in various forms. Protests and demonstrations were also carried out because of the many human rights violations committed by the Indian government against the Kashmiri Muslim community. Human rights violations also continue to occur to the Kashmiri community who protest. This paper uses one theory and one concept, the conflict theory by Karl Marx to explain the conflicts that occurred and the concept of Human Rights to analyze the various human rights violations that occurred. The results of this study indicate that the Kashmiri Muslim community has experienced various human rights violations committed by the Indian authorities.
 Keywords: Conflict, Human Rights Violation, India, Kashmir, Pakistan

Reviving the Dead Space Under Elevated Structure

At present, the degree of urbanization in most countries continues to increase, and elevated highways have become an important part of urban development. To alleviate traffic problems, many Indian municipal authorities have taken the initiative to construct flyovers at major intersections. Unfortunately, this has created serious problems in most cities, where an integrated planning approach has not been adopted in most cases, either due to a lack of funding or a lack of understanding of the planning perspective of these proposals. The sprawling infrastructure of these elevated highways fragments communities and creates unwanted spaces by easing traffic but isolating people. This study seeks answers on how to reprioritize the use of dead space under these structures, a way of understanding urban behavior while taming the negative impacts of these elevated highways to enable the use of space under the bridges, which must be planned and built, and neglect will lead to misuse of space, creating an unsanitary and disturbing environment. Based on case studies and examples, the study will develop clear guidelines to fill these urban gaps and explore design principles to create an inviting environment in the most unlikely spaces under the elevated freeway. Keywords: elevated highway, urban remnant, dead space,

From Petitions to Demands, Restitution to Representation

From Petitions to Demands, Restitution to Representation

Resisting Reforms: Police Complaints Authorities in India

Resisting Reforms: Police Complaints Authorities in India

Malaria outbreak along the India-Bhutan border town of Saralpara, Assam, India.

A remarkable progress is being made in the South-East Asia region in reducing the burden of malaria. While all countries are committed to malaria elimination, continued transmission at and across international borders poses a threat to achieving this goal. We investigated an outbreak of malaria in the India-Bhutan border area in a district of Assam state, India. A line listing of cases occurring during the outbreak period was made and a house-to-house survey was carried out to identify additional cases in the community. Entomological investigation consisted of light trap collection of vectors. Patients and health workers were interviewed to obtain information on the possible mode of transmission and ongoing inter-country collaboration across the border. Between October 21 to November 18 2022, 37 cases of malaria (all Plasmodium vivax), were diagnosed in Saralpara area of Kokrajhar district of Assam, bordering Bhutan. Of these four were diagnosed in Sarpang hospital, Bhutan. Median age was 20 years (range 3 to 70 years). Male to female ratio was 1:1.2. In addition, 6 individuals with asymptomatic malaria were detected in the community through an active case finding campaign. No cases were however reported on Bhutan side of the border. Anopheles culicifacies and An. annularis were identified from light trap collection. Saralpara is a remote and forested area where most of the residents are poor and engaged predominantly in farming activities. Being a harvesting season, they tend to stay overnight to protect their harvest from elephants. The health authorities in India and Bhutan exchanged information regularly at district-to-district level on the outbreak including through available and easy modes such as WhatsApp, telephone as well as electronic mail and collaborated in coherently implementing preventive measures on both sides and in managing the cases. The outbreak of malaria in Saralpara demonstrates the risk of malaria outbreak in remote and forested areas, with possibility of spill over to the other side of the border. The fact that two countries had excellent inter-country cross-border collaboration and prior commitment thereby preventing further transmission of malaria to Bhutan can serve as a best practice for cross-border control of malaria and other communicable diseases.

Abuse of power by law enforcement authorities in India with reference to human rights violation - a legal analysis

Abuse of power by law enforcement authorities in India with reference to human rights violation - a legal analysis

The challenge of predatory publishing in India and steps taken to prevent it

India continues to account for a large share not only in publishing predatory journals but also in publishing papers in such journals. The sheer number of academics in India, the continued pressure on them to publish, and the country’s capabilities in information technology are the driving forces. Despite sporadic attempts to find acceptable alternatives to using publication metrics for evaluating scientists and academics, the number of papers published by them in journals, a metric usually refined by introducing some measures of the quality of the journals in which the papers are published, continues to be the most widely used criterion for evaluating research performance. This emphasis favours predatory or deceptive journals because they offer rapid publication and usually have more modest article-processing charges. To prospective authors, such journals often appear indistinguishable from legitimate scholarly journals. This article (1) seeks to bridge that gap in knowledge by suggesting some ways of choosing the right journals and pointing out a number of features of predatory or deceptive journals to help authors to identify and avoid those journals; (2) offers a brief overview of measures taken by the authorities in India to curb predatory journals and the practice of publishing papers in such journals; and (3) suggests some novel ways other than publication metrics of assessing researchers.

Pertussis in India: Past, Present, and Future.

While vaccines have markedly reduced the incidence of pertussis, a resurgence has occurred in many countries. Until recently, pertussis has not been recognized as an important public health challenge in India due to its successful infant immunization program. However, India still accounts for a large proportion of the world's cases, and increasing reports of pertussis in other countries and in neonates have regenerated interest in pertussis among Indian authorities. The Global Pertussis Initiative (GPI) Annual Meeting was held virtually in October 2020, in part, to gain a better understanding of the epidemiology and disease burden of pertussis and to explore opportunities to improve its prevention in India. There was a consensus that pertussis cases are being underestimated in India due to multiple factors, such as a reliance on passive surveillance and diagnostic challenges. India offers both whole-cell pertussis and acellular pertussis vaccines, but vaccine coverage is inconsistent across regions due to differences in vaccine availability, access to health care, and regional administrative challenges. This report summarizes the outcomes and considers the key clinical implications of this meeting. The GPI agreed that active surveillance of pertussis in India would be optimal and recommended several studies, including serosurveillance among women of reproductive age to assess the prevalence of recent pertussis infection and to enable policy changes that will enhance the rational use of acellular and whole-cell vaccines. It also recommended engagement with nongovernmental organizations in order to encourage pregnancy immunization in the public sector. To achieve effective control of pertussis in the future, the GPI recognizes there are opportunities to characterize the burden of pertussis in India appropriately and increase vaccination coverage in multiple age groups.

Gandhi, Ambedkar and British Policy on the Communal Award: A Response to Sujay Biswas

This article considers the proposition, advanced by Sujay Biswas, that the British ‘manufactured’ the demand for a separate ‘Untouchable’ electorate in the Communal Award of 1932. First, the evidence cited by Biswas is closely examined. His proposition is then assessed in the context of the deliberations of the colonial authorities in India, the provincial administration in the United Provinces (UP) and the Cabinet of the United Kingdom (UK). It is concluded that while communal electorates generally may have been used deliberately to divide Indians, there are no grounds for thinking that it was the case in that of the Depressed Castes.

An Assessment of Drivers and Barriers to Implementation of Circular Economy in the End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Sector in India

The circular economy (CE) has been frequently in the news recently, as it offers a regenerative system that substitutes the end-of-life concept with restoration. Despite several benefits yielded by the CE from a triple-bottom-line perspective, India’s end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling sector is striving against numerous impediments to implementing the CE approach. Therefore, this paper attempts to shine a spotlight on India’s ELV recycling sector, to identify the potential drivers and barriers to CE implementation. This study has employed an explorative approach to determine the impediments and drivers regarding implementing CE in India’s ELV recycling sector. This research reveals that economic viability (25 percent), environmental degradation (17 percent), and global agenda (15 percent) are the three leading primary drivers. In contrast, limited technology (18 percent), financial constraints (15 percent), and a lack of knowledge and expertise (12 percent) are significant barriers that thwart CE implementation in India’s ELV recycling sector. This paper has made the first attempt to explore the drivers and barriers to implementing CE in the ELV recycling sector in India. Therefore, besides advancing our understanding of opportunities for and threats to implementing CE, this investigation may assist the Indian authorities in devising appropriate policies and strategies and developing a regulatory and legal framework that is conducive to CE and sustainability.

Air pollution prediction and hotspot detection using machine learning

Air pollution is a vital issue that affects day-to-day lives. It is observed that throughout the world, there is an instant need to overcome the monster of pollution. According to statistics, most of the polluted cities in the world are in India. This poses a serious need of the hour for the Indian scientists, engineers, and authorities as a whole to fight and reduce it as much as possible. The time has come when one needs to plan their outside activities on pollution levels and air quality status. Air Quality Index (AQI) varies daily; hence it is difficult to predict future trends for the same. The current study proposed a machine learning-based model that uses sensors, past/present pollutants concentration data, and satellite data to predict air pollution in the regions in India. We emphasize the fact that other than measurable pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, etc.); meteorological data like wind, temperature, and fire are also important factors in determining pollution. The model uses Long Short-Term Memory, which is the state-of-the-art technique used for time series prediction. The model could predict the concentration of the pollutants and calculate the AQI for the areas where data was available for the near future. The Root Mean Square Error on test data is 54. The results are quite promising and future model can be made, taking this as a base model. An inexpensive prediction technique can greatly help the administration in mitigating pollution.

Broad scale functional connectivity for Asian elephants in the Nepal-India transboundary region

The Nepal-India transboundary region hosts one of Asia's most complex large mammal assemblages, including a small (but growing) population of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). These elephants occur in four widespread and geographically disjunct subpopulations, and some of them undergo seasonal transboundary movements. We conducted a broad-scale evaluation of the amount and quality of elephant habitat available in the region and of functional landscape connectivity between and within subpopulations using Maxent, circuit theory, and least-cost path analysis. Habitat suitability was highly influenced by abiotic geographical factors (altitude and precipitation) and less by ecological factors (habitat heterogeneity, plant productivity) and human disturbance (distance to settlements). The region had a relatively small amount of high and optimal suitability habitat (12.6% out of 93,700 km2) but all subpopulations seem to be far from carrying capacity, suggesting ample potential for further population growth. Landscape connectivity was higher between and within the west and far-west subpopulations, which should be considered a single subpopulation. The central and ea st subpopulations, however, had low to very low between-subpopulation connectivity. Conservation priorities include maintaining the current connectivity in the west subpopulation and across the border in the east, and protecting high-quality habitats in eastern Nepal. Restoring connectivity between the central and other subpopulations is possible if the number of elephants continues growing, and it should be a long-term conservation aspiration. Maintaining and enhancing landscape connectivity in this region requires transboundary cooperation and coordination between Nepali and Indian authorities. If successful, it will bring considerable benefits for the conservation of elephants and other wildlife.

The Assessment of the Need of Online Education during COVID-19 Pandemic for Medical Imaging Students at Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Science

Background: Currently, India is witnessing another wave of COVID pandemic, where it has drastically disrupted most of the important aspects of human life including education. It has created an unparalleled education test, where campuses are closing and institutions have been transferred to online study protocols at numerous educational institutions worldwide. Internationalization has significantly slowed down. Some 32 crore students in India stopped moving to schools, and all educational practices are temporarily ended. The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have responded constructively, despite all of those difficulties, ensuring the consistency of teaching, study and contribution to society using those methods, and techniques during the pandemic. This survey study focuses on COVID-19's important impacts on India's HEIs. Some steps are taken to provide smooth education services during the crisis by HEIs, and education authorities in India have been addressed herein. Aim/Objectives: This study aimed to assess the need of online education during COVID-19 pandemic for Bachelor of Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology (MRIT) students at Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Science (DMIMS). Methodology: A total number of 60 students (includes only MRIT students under Allied Health Science at DMIMS) will be participating in this survey by means of answering the questionnaires, which include open-ended and closed-ended type of question patterns with signed consent from each student, and based on answers, we will be analyzing and interpreting the data for understanding the views of MRIT students. Expected Results: The offline mode of study for the Indian education system is more convenient than the online mode of study; however, during the COVID pandemic, Indian education system has adopted the online mode of study. Conclusions: Generally speaking, the offline mode of education is preferable than the online mode; however, in this pandemic, students prefer the online mode. There have been several new ways of learning introduced, as well as new prospects and new trends, which have allowed for the development of new ways of teaching learners, which has resulted in the generation of fruitful ideas for educational work in the pandemic.

Comparison of Cosmetics Regulations in India and Singapore: A Regulatory Overview

Cosmetics are the fastest-growing market potential in the world and have a higher interest rate for women than men. Beauty and personal care products have often been used to enhance beauty, appearance and perfection. A blend of synthetic and herbal cosmetics thrives in India's cosmetics sector. A cosmetic product should be a complete package with all outstanding properties, such as adequate safety, efficacy, potency and marketability of the product. These characteristics are only possible with a good regulatory structure, scheme, and organisation in place. Cosmetic products are continuously revised and managed. which is the task of many regulators. The cosmetics industry has grown exponentially across the world, offering a means for a consumer to transform his or her look and make the product easily recognisable and appealing. The protection of cosmetic products is governed by various regulatory authorities around the world, each with their own set of rules and regulations that the product must follow. There are many regulatory bodies doing work efficiently. These bodies provide us with strict regulations which help us in guiding Manufacturing, Importing, Packaging, Labelling and other aspects of trade in the cosmetic industry. Cosmetic description, manufacturing specifications, licences, import regulations, labelling regulations, packaging regulations, and fee details are mentioned and also the legal authority in India (CDSCO) and Singapore (HSA) are addressed in this context and approval process of import of cosmetics has been discussed in this article. There are drugs and cosmetics legislation (D&C) in India and the Bureau of the Indian Standard (BIS), for Singapore Health products (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) regulations 2007 under HEALTH PRODUCT ACT are discussed.

Who is Afraid of Mourning?

Mourning and solidarity are intense inner feelings as well as an outward ‘show’ of emotions. Both have to be demonstrated. In the moment of loss, mourning seeks alliances and opens up a new possibility for bonding. Mourning carries the intensity of feeling and moving gestures that create a rare trust among the participants. In the case of violent and unnatural and unjust deaths, mourning turns into a protest. Beyond the social and ritual significance of mourning, it opens up an ethical encounter in which mourning becomes too ‘political’. It is not surprising that the act of mourning is getting curtailed under the rising culture of authoritarianism across the world. In Performing Mourning, Guy Cools discusses the prevention of mourning in Western society. He writes, ‘Our Western Society has suppressed external rituals. It has interiorized mourning, which carries serious risks of psychological, physical and energetic blockage in the body.’ (2021: 51). While Western individualist societies and bourgeois societies at large try to prioritize and privatize grieving, it is mourning that brings us to share the embodied loss in movement and gestures. Though grief and mourning cannot be separated, the global capitalist society tries to individualize the loss and escape the collective responsibility. Thinking through the cultural performance of mourning and its curtailment by the Indian authorities, this article analyses the power of mourning from which radical solidarity can be forged. But what is the nature of this solidarity? How exactly is solidarity conceived and practised in the situation of mourning? How do the mourning practices in non-Western societies help us to learn something about solidarity? While I recognize the gendered role of women in mourning, I argue that it can also serve egalitarian purposes. In the case of genocide and other forms of structured violence and increasing biopolitical regimentations of life, mourning facilitates marginalized and minority bodies and voices to come together and participate in sharing their grievances.

Abuse of double taxation avoidance agreement between India and Mauritius

Double taxation Avoidance agreements are entered between two countries so that the income earned by the residents of both the countries is not taxed twice by the countries. It provides relief to the residents in form of either deduction of tax already paid or by giving credit regarding the tax paid. The objective of this paper is to find the ways in which India-Mauritius Treaty was misused by individuals by doing treaty shopping. The DTAA between India and Mauritius gives specific tax exemptions for individuals who are residents of India and Mauritius. The treaty provides that if a resident of Mauritius invests in shares of an Indian company the capital gains of that resident will not be taxed by the Indian government and would be taxed by the Mauritius government. But because of this treaty it has been seen that individuals from all around the world try to route their investments from Mauritius to India. In this paper the researcher will look into how the treaty was abused and what steps have been taken by Indian authorities in their domestic laws to ensure that individuals who are non-residents of the contracting state cannot avail benefits arising out of the DTAA.

Pandemic challenges vs. public policy: reflections on the electoral administration in the world's largest democracy

Democratic elections pose an immense challenge to any government during an emergency crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. More so for a country like India, with close to 18% of the world's population comprising an equally daunting and eager voter base of around 911 million in the time of a raging virus, both in the urban and rural areas of the nation. The first democratic large-scale election during the pandemic was successfully held in the state of Bihar in North India with more than 90 million voters, which was an astonishing feat by itself. The model followed by South Korea with the highest voter turnout provided an insight to the Indian authorities on conducting the elections. The Indian Election Commission, an independent statutory body which is entrusted with the task of conducting free and fair elections, allowed for the virtual mode of campaigning, and specific guidelines for polling were recommended. The rule changes have profound implications in significantly reducing crowded campaigns, which was synonymous with Indian democracy. The traditional lens through which the administration of elections was perceived has undergone a paradigm shift during the pandemic. New insights might surface if the electoral administration is reviewed in this study on an argumentative basis against the background of the big steps taken by the Indian election machinery. The aspects on which the research debates include: (i) the pros and cons of the action taken by the regulators; (ii) positive and negative responses from the political parties; and (iii) health and safety of the voters. The study concludes by affirming with data on the success of the Bihar Election and the wise choice of the Indian government in seizing the opportunity by taking the cues from South Korea.

Pneumonitis and Pulmonary Mucormycosis in a Covid-19 Positive Patient-A Case Report.

In the wake of second wave of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), an increased number of mucormycosis cases were reported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India. A total of 45 432 cases of mucormycosis were reported till mid-July 2021, with 4252 fatalities. Mucormycosis and other fungal infections are most commonly seen as an opportunistic infection. They are found in those with low underlying immunity either due to a diabetes, cancers particularly hematological malignancies, and so on, or as a side effect of prolonged/irrational use of certain drugs like steroids, immunosuppressive drugs for management of other disorders including Covid-19. The Health Authorities in India stated that although it is not a new disease, its true incidence during the beginning of the second wave was unknown as it was not a notifiable disease. As per reports, the most common presentations of mucormycosis included rhinocerebral (77.6%), cutaneous (4.3%), and pulmonary (3.0%). We present a case of pulmonary mucormycosis and pneumonitis in a Covid-19 positive patient brought for autopsy. The patient was an under trial prisoner sent for treatment to our facility who was reported Covid positive.