Supreme Court’s First ‘Judges’ Retreat’ at Ranthambore
Inspired by corporate HR strategies, Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai has organized a weekend retreat for all Supreme Court judges at Ranthambore. They, along with their families, have visited the tiger reserve. This trip, initiated by Chief Justice Gavai, marks a first in the Supreme Court's history. Corporate retreats were introduced to allow employees to interact informally away from the office, fostering better understanding and providing a chance to discuss issues without external distractions. It's noteworthy that Chief Justice Gavai has decided to apply this concept to the traditionally formal judiciary.
It is not clear if there is a set agenda for this retreat but when 34 judges of the country's highest court get together, issues related to the judiciary are bound to come up in the conversation. The tiger reserve in Rajasthan was chosen not only because of its proximity to Delhi but also because of its secluded environment so that a close working relationship could develop between the two states.
Will Bhagwat also give a gift on PM Modi's birthday?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday gift to the RSS chief has created a buzz in the BJP. This is the first time that a BJP leader holding the most important post in the country has publicly praised the head of the organisation, the ideological source of the party. Modi's long blog full of praise for Bhagwat was posted on X and published in leading newspapers across the country on the occasion of the RSS chief's historic 75th birthday on September 11. The article sheds light on Bhagwat's life and his tenure. The Prime Minister praised him as a transformational leader who has given new momentum to the RSS in a period of rapid changes. The emphasis on Bhagwat is extremely unusual as the Sangh Parivar has traditionally been reluctant to focus on personalities. Ideology has always been more important for the RSS, although the head of the organisation is given the same respect and reverence as the head of the Hindu Undivided Family. There is a discussion in BJP circles about whether the RSS chief will give any gift to Modi on his 75th birthday on September 17 and if yes, then what will that gift be?
Will the Election Commission have the courage to confront Mamata
Although the Election Commission has not yet completed the controversial revision of the voter list of Bihar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already taken the lead for similar preparations in her state ahead of the assembly elections next year. She had made the first attack on the Election Commission last month by saying that she would not allow the name of any voter to be deleted from the voter list. However, Mamata Banerjee cannot stop the Election Commission from its assigned work of revision of the voter list. However, the Election Commission may face a problem in Bengal which it did not have to face in Bihar.
The block level officers who carry out revision work for the EC are usually school teachers, Anganwadi workers and others, all of whom are employees of the state government. This is where the conflict of interest begins. Bihar currently has a BJP-JD(U) NDA government. Naturally, it did not hamper the EC's work and the commission was given a free hand to monitor the work of BLOs while checking the names of those included in the voter list. However, West Bengal is Banerjee's turf and she has made it clear to the EC that the BLOs are under her command and control. The tussle between the two has already begun. The EC has offered an inducement to the state's BLOs in the form of an increased monthly salary to comply with its orders. Banerjee has warned the BLOs by reminding them that they are accountable to her government until the election dates are announced. Political circles are eagerly waiting to see how this tussle unfolds and whether the commission will take action against the Bihar BLOs.