The Supreme Court on January 30, 2025, permitted High Courts to appoint retired judges on an ad-hoc basis to address the mounting backlog of cases. However, these judges were authorised to hear only criminal appeals as part of a bench led by a sitting judge. Is the ad-hoc appointment of judges a viable remedy for reducing pendency? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Justice Rajeev Shakdher, former Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court; Shadan Farasat, senior advocate based in Delhi Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik
In 2023, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s remarks in India on the cost of training foundational AI models — like the ones that power ChatGPT — sparked a debate on whether Indian firms should spend millions of dollars on the aim of that technology. The issue pits sovereignty and national pride against financial constraints. Is it necessary for sovereignty and business reasons for India to work towards a foundational model, as the IT Ministry’s IndiaAI Mission has announced it will? Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Pranesh Prakash co-founded the Centre for Internet and Society, and is currently an Associate Fellow at the Yale Law School Information Society Project; Tanuj Bhojwani was until recently the head of People + AI, and has worked extensively on IndiaStack projects like UPI and Aadhaar as a part of iSPIRT Host: Aroon Deep Edited by Jude Francis Weston
The INDIA bloc managed to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from reaching the majority mark in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, it went on to lose the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections. In the ongoing campaign to the Delhi Assembly elections, the INDIA bloc appears fragmented as certain constituents of the coalition, such as the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress, are supporting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), leaving the Congress to fight on its own. Has the INDIA bloc lost its vitality after the Lok Sabha polls? Here we discuss the question. Guests: K.K. Kailash, Professor, Department of Political Sciences, Hyderabad University; Hilal Ahmed, Associate Professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies Host: Sobhana K. Nair Edited by Jude Francis Weston
Last month, the government released a factsheet on the 2023-24 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES), which recorded a decline in poverty in urban and rural areas. Over the last few years, policymakers and academics have debated the issues of incomparable data sets, the unavailability of data, and the definition of an adequate consumption basket to determine a poverty line. Is poverty being underestimated in India? Here we discuss the question. Guests: P.C. Mohanan, former member of the National Statistical Commission; N.R. Bhanumurthy, Director of the Madras School of Economics Host: Samreen Wani Edited by Jude Francis Weston
India’s 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy marked the end of its decade-long dominance in the series against Australia. This was not an exception; India’s performance in Test cricket has been dismal for a while now. Over the last four months, the team has lost six out of eight Tests, including a shocking 0-3 defeat against New Zealand at home. Has T20 cricket deskilled Indian batting? Here we discuss the question.
At an event in December, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said there are a lot of challenges in providing dual citizenship to Indians settled abroad. He pointed out that the Overseas Citizenship of India drive is a step towards meeting the demand and added that the debate on dual citizenship is “still alive”. Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Vivek Katju, Diplomat Ambassador; Amitabh Mattoo, Dean of the School of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University Host: Kallol Bhattacherjee You can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
On December 29, 2024, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused each other of manipulating the Delhi electoral rolls in an attempt to win the Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in February. While the AAP has accused the BJP of submitting applications to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to get the names of voters removed from the list in its strongholds, the BJP has claimed that the AAP government is aiding Rohingya immigrants to settle in the capital so that it can secure their votes. Earlier, the Congress had accused the ECI of arbitrarily deleting or adding voters’ names in electoral rolls before the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Should voter IDs be linked to Aadhaar to ensure transparency and put all these political claims and counterclaims to rest? Here we discuss the question. Guests: S.Y. Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India; R.S. Sharma, former Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the first Director General of the Unique Identification Authority of India Host: Sreeparna Chakrabarty Edited by Jude Francis Weston
At a recent panel discussion in New Delhi, French economist Thomas Piketty suggested that a wealth and inheritance tax be imposed on the super-rich in India, which, in turn, could fund health and education. India’s Chief Economic Advisor, Anantha Nageswaran, opposed the idea, arguing that higher taxes could encourage fund outflows. Should the wealth tax be brought back to address inequality in India? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Ajay Shah, Senior Research Fellow and Co-founder Xkdr Forum; Rahul Menon, Associate professor at the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy Host: Samreen Wani You can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, mandates a fixed five-year term for the Lok Sabha, with State Legislature elections aligned to this cycle. If the Lok Sabha or any State Assembly is dissolved before completing its full term, mid-term elections will be held only for the remainder of the five-year term. Should legislatures in India have fixed tenures? Here we discuss the question. Guests: P.D.T. Achary, Former Secretary General of the Lok Sabha; M.R. Madhavan, Co-founder and president of the PRS Legislative Research Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Edited by Jude Francis Weston
United States President Joe Biden’s recent decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden for any federal crimes he committed or may have committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024 has brought renewed focus on the expansive clemency powers granted to the President by the U.S. Constitution. The President’s volte-face has provoked strong condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats. Should the executive possess clemency powers? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Sanjay Hedge, Senior advocate based in Delhi; Alok Prasanna Kumar, Co-founder and Karnataka lead of Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Edited by Jude Francis Weston
Nearly 400 days since the October 7 attacks on Israel that led to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon, more than 43,000 have been killed, mostly civilians. Despite calls by the United Nations (UN) for urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis; an International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict on the risk of genocide being perpetrated in Palestine; and warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes, there seems no let-up in the violence. Is Israel’s war in Gaza putting the global order at peril? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Navtej Sarna, served as India’s envoy to the United States, Israel and the United Kingdom; Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute in Washington, and author of books on Iran-U.S. relations Host: Suhasini Haidar Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
On November 23, the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance won a landslide victory in Maharashtra Assembly elections. Among several reasons cited for this victory are the implementation of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana — a direct benefit transfer programme introduced by the Maharashtra government in July 2024 – four months ahead of the polls. The scheme, much like its Madhya Pradesh counterpart, which was also introduced ahead of the Assembly elections there, aims to provide monthly financial assistance of ₹1,500 to poor women between the ages of 21 and 65 whose incomes are less than ₹2.5 lakh annually. Critics say such schemes amount to bribing voters and giving the incumbent government an unfair advantage. Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Reetika Khera, a development economist working on social policy in India and a professor of economics at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi; Vikas Rawal, Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University Host: Kunal Shankar Edited by Jude Francis Weston
The U.K.’s The Guardian newspaper announced earlier this month that it will no longer be posting on X, claiming that it is “a toxic media platform” and that its owner, Elon Musk, “has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.” Is social media a useful tool or is it becoming a threat to democratic societies? Here we discuss the question Guests: Alan Rusbridger, Editor of Prospect Magazine, former editor-in-chief of The Guardian and a member of Meta’s Oversight Board, which makes content and policy recommendations for Facebook, Instagram, and Threads; Pratik Sinha, co-founder and editor of AltNews, a fact-checking website Host: Priscilla Jebaraj
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently expressed concern about Andhra Pradesh’s ageing population and urged the people of his State to have more children. Days later, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin attended a mass wedding event in Chennai. He said that the Census and delimitation process may encourage couples to give up thoughts of having a small family. Are pro-natalist policies the best way of addressing the ageing population problem? Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Gita Sen, Honorary Senior Advisor and Distinguished Professor, Public Health Foundation of India; Udaya Shankar Mishra, Honorary Professor, International Institute for Migration Development, Thiruvananthapuram Host: Jagriti Chandra Edited by Jude Francis Weston
India won a historic double gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, by clinching the top spot in both the open event and women’s team competitions. These victories will forever remain among India’s greatest achievements in sport. Chess enjoys huge popularity across the world. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) considers chess as a sport and recognises the International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation (FIDE) as an official federation. Yet, chess is not yet an Olympic sport. Should chess be an Olympic sport? Here we discuss the issue. Guests: Viswanathan Anand, five-time world champion and deputy president, FIDE; Pravin Thipsay, Grandmaster and coach Host: P.K. Ajith Kumar Edited by Jude Francis Weston
The Congress’ social justice platform, centred around the call for equal representation at the caste-level and a nationwide caste census, has been hailed after the Lok Sabha elections this year. But within four months of the general election results, the results of the Haryana Assembly polls have raised questions about how well this messaging has percolated to the lower rungs of the party organisation. Has the Congress internalised its message of social justice? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Sudha Pai, Retired Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU; Aditi Narayani Paswan, Assistant Professor Lakshmibai College, University of Delhi Host: Abhinay Lakshman Edited by Jude Francis Weston
India’s multi-party democracy thrives on diversity but often sees political parties driven by individual charisma rather than internal democracy. Despite their role in upholding the nation’s democratic framework, many parties struggle to maintain democratic structures. Can the Election Commission (EC) ensure these organisations practice internal democracy? Guests: O. P. Rawat, Former Chief Election Commissioner; M.R. Madhavan, PRS Legislative Research President Host: Sreeparna Chakrabarty You can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
India’s impressive economic growth since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic has surprised many, including those who were critical of the Centre’s economic policies. The Indian growth story is today widely praised across the world. In 2023-24, the country grew at 8.2%, the fastest among major economies. However, most of the economic gains in the last few years have mostly come from big businesses. Is India’s growth story benefiting only big capital? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Himanshu, Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University; Ritesh Kumar Singh, Business economist and founder of Indonomics Consulting Host: Prashanth Perumal You can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced a plan to set a minimum age to use social media platforms. Should children be barred from social media? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Amanda Third, Professorial Research Fellow in Digital Social and Cultural Research in the Institute for Culture and Society and Co-Director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University; Aparajita Bharti, Founding Partner of TQH, a Delhi-based public policy research firm, and co-founder of Young Leaders for Active Citizenship Host: Mandira Moddie You can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
Due to the phenomenon of jobless growth, i.e., the rise in output and labour productivity without the commensurate growth in employment generation, several countries have mooted the idea of a universal basic income (UBI). This idea has gained traction, especially since the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s most recent World Employment and Social Outlook links the decrease in jobs growth and the increase in inequality to a surge in automation and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Among the several suggestions on the ways to address this is a UBI. Is it time for India to introduce a UBI? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Arun Kumar, Retired professor of economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. He was Malcolm Adiseshiah Chair Professor at the Institute of Social Sciences; N.R. Bhanumurthy, Director, Madras School of Economics, Chennai. Views are personal Host: Kunal Shankar You can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
Samanta tanzeem
🔴💚CLICK HERE Full HD✅720p✅1080p✅4K💚WATCH💚ᗪOᗯᑎᒪOᗩᗪ LINK 👉https://co.fastmovies.org