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Briefing

Striking finding
This book is a must-read for all those with an interest in the defining Indian problem of the day, mass unemployment.

Politics of polarisation
This book explains the conditions that facilitate fascist politics and the multiple strategies that its advocates employ.

A case for uncivil disobedience
Jason Brennan posits a radical, if problematic, thesis that responsible citizens should question authority and fight back when the government encroaches upon their rights.

Interview: Farooq Abdullah
‘Where is the Kashmiriyat Modi talks of?’
Interview with Farooq Abdullah, president, National Conference.

Diary from Trumpland
Beyond accountability
A report by Amnesty International details the horrific war crimes committed by the U.S. in Raqqa, Syria. Yet, as in similar incidents earlier, the U.S. can be expected to sabotage further investigations.

Iran
Choking Iran
India toes the U.S. line by agreeing to stop Iranian oil imports, but the move may impact its economy and hurt a long-time ally that has been devastated by floods.

Sri Lanka: Easter Day bombings
Attack and aftermath
Two weeks after the deadly Easter Day bombings, there are more questions than answers in the island nation. But a determined civil society is rallying round to commence the process of healing.

Israel
March of the Right
Benjamin Netanyahu’s win for a fourth consecutive term in office could accelerate the process of turning Israel into a full-fledged Jewish state in which Palestinians may have no rights at all.

S. Muthiah
Chronicler of Chennai
S. Muthiah (1930-2019), through his writings, lectures and other endeavours, instilled a sense of history and heritage in the people of Chennai.

Human body
New knee bone
Textbooks tell you that the human skeleton has 206 bones. A new study from Imperial College London says there could soon be 208. A tiny knee bone ...

Uttar Pradesh
Battle for U.P.
With voting in 39 constituencies in the first four phases of the election over in Uttar Pradesh, the gathbandhan, with its unprecedented social bonding of disparate groups, is expected to gain significantly.

Bihar
Shifting sands
Caste calculations and the might of the mahagathbandhan outweigh the support for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the constituencies that go to the polls in the next phase.

Controversy
Justice on trial
The Supreme Court’s defence of the CJI, Ranjan Gogoi, while dealing with his alleged offence of sexual harassment of its former employee, provokes outrage over its internal mechanism.

Bihar
Direct contest
Bihar is one of the few States where the NDA is squared off against a determined and rejuvenated opposition, the grand alliance, which is banking on the widespread dissatisfaction with Modi and his policies.

HARYANA
Widespread ire
Simmering discontent over dull trade, low farm prices and a lack of jobs will be the determining factor at the hustings.

Jharkhand
Tribal resentment
The BJP seems armed with little apart from the Modi factor in a State where the consolidation of tribal and minority votes in favour of the opposition alliance seems to preclude the possibility of a 2014-like sweep by the party.

Jharkhand
Tribal resentment
The BJP seems armed with little apart from the Modi factor in a State where the consolidation of tribal and minority votes in favour of the opposition alliance seems to preclude the possibility of a 2014-like sweep by the party.

DELHI
Uncertain advantage
The Bharatiya Janata Party seems to have an edge in Delhi, but sections in the party fear tactical voting by anti-BJP voters.

Himachal Pradesh
Walking a tight rope
The BJP and the Congress are not leaving anything to chance in winning the four Lok Sabha seats.

Rajasthan
Livelihood worries
While political parties rely on caste and communal polarisation and nationalist rhetoric, the man on the street remains grounded in everyday irritants.

Punjab
Key contests
THE scorching summer heat and the absence of charismatic leaders have meant that campaigning in Punjab is low-key. No major rallies were organised ...

Punjab
Bigger harvest?
The Congress, which is on a firm footing in the State, is all set to increase its tally, while its chief rivals are busy tackling internal crises.

Madhya Pradesh
Battle lines redrawn
In the Gwalior-Chambal region, the Congress hopes to exploit the despair among the voters by highlighting problems such as falling crop prices, missing jobs and inflation.

Jammu & Kashmir
Deserted booths
A staggering 85 per cent of the electorate has kept away from voting in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha election in Anantnag, and this must be seen as a rejection of the Centre’s policies on Kashmir.

Interview: Ghulam Ahmad Mir
‘Congress, N.C. to continue tactical understanding’
Interview with Ghulam Ahmad Mir, president, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress.

VVPAT
Is this my vote?
The Election Commission must undertake a transparent and comprehensive audit of its system and processes in order to ensure that the EVM-VVPAT-led electronic voting upholds the sanctity of electoral democracy.

West Bengal
Price of hubris
In many of the 17 constituencies in the Trinamool Congress’ bastion that vote in the last two phases, development work may not fetch the party votes as blatant corruption and silent terror are forcing its committed supporters to look elsewhere.

Final battle
By all indications, the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to suffer significant losses in Election 2019, but a number of imponderables make the final outcome uncertain.

Electronic voting machine
‘Missing’ EVMs
An RTI-based public interest petition in the Bombay High Court points out that 20 lakh EVMs that the manufacturers affirm to have delivered are “missing” from the possession of the Election Commission.

Interview: Farooq Abdullah
‘Where is the Kashmiriyat Modi talks of?’
Interview with Farooq Abdullah, president, National Conference.

Interview: Mahesh Joshi
‘We will do better than the BJP’
Interview with Mahesh Joshi, Chief Whip of the Congress in the Rajasthan Assembly.

Controversy
Not above the law
International experience shows that ensuring ordinary criminal accountability for judges for crimes they are alleged to have committed will strengthen the judicial institution.