Some governors doing what shouldn’t be done, not doing what’s needed: Justice Nagarathna
Bengaluru: Supreme Court Judge B.V. Nagarathna said that some governors in India do things that are not meant to be done by them and stay inactive where they need to act. It was really unfortunate that petitions against the governors had reached the doors of the Supreme Court, she said. The Judge was addressing Pluralist Agreement and Constitutional Transformation (PACT) Project-NLSIU conference on the topic ‘Home in the Nation: Indian Women’s Constitutional Imaginaries’ at Bengaluru on Saturday.
Her statement comes in the backdrop of Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments’ pleas to the Supreme Court against their governors for withholding assent for bills, and the Court's agreement to re-examine the immunity granted to governors, under Article 361, from criminal prosecution.
Justice Nagarathna quoted lawyer and social worker Duragabai Deshmukh on the subject of neutrality of a governor. She said that a governor is expected to discharge certain functions. Constitution thinks of him as an element of harmony which would bring a kind of understanding between the conflicting groups, she said. "The governing idea is to keep the governor away from party politics, factions and not to include him in any party affairs", she said.
The views also come during a time when Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has issued a show-cause notice to CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA scam, which has been strongly objected to by the state cabinet.
The judge said that the country must give importance to the union structure, fraternity, fundamental rights and ethical administration to strengthen Indian Constitutionalism. During the increasing conflits between the centre and the states, the judge said that the states shouldn't be thought of as 'incapable and subservient'. Constitutional polity must be the mantra, she added.
Justice Nagarathna said that society attained a real 'constructive citizenship' with the financial emancipation of women. It was safest tool to achieve social reformation and stop economic exploitation of women. Responsibilities like rearing children and domestic chores hindered a woman's ambition to be a constructive part of the formal workforce, she said. She stressed the role of law in transforming society by ensuring that women didn't have to strike a bargain between motherhood and employment.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
