The state has no right to acquire every private property, asserts SC

A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, in a majority judgment, held that not every resource owned by private players can be considered a "material resource of the community" to be used by the government to serve the "common good".

The decision dismissed such a power of acquisition by the state while noting that it reminded of a particular "rigid economic dogma" of the past. The court noted that the Indian economy has already transitioned from the dominance of public investment to the co-existence of public and private investments.

The majority opinion authored by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said the interpretation that every private property could be used by the state as a material resource to "subserve the common good" postulated a "rigid economic theory which advocates greater state control of private resources".

SC upholds validity of U.P. Madrasa Act, also confirms State's regulatory powers 

The Supreme Court partially upheld the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board Act of 2004 while confirming that the State can regulate madrasa education to ensure standards of excellence.

The Uttar Pradesh law had wandered into the Centre's exclusive domain under Entry 66 of the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. Entry 66 conferred the Union the authority to make laws to determine and regulate the standards of higher education.

The judgment, authored by the Chief Justice, said the 2004 Act, except at the Kamil and Fazil levels, was "consistent with the positive obligation of the State to ensure that students studying in recognised madrasas attain a minimum level of competency that allows them to effectively participate in society and earn a living".

He observed that the Act, which allowed the Board to prescribe the curriculum, qualification of teachers and standards of infrastructure, did not directly interfere with the day-to-day administration of recognised madrasas. 

On India-Canada diplomatic relations

India's long-held complaint has been that Canada acts as a safe haven for Khalistani separatists/extremists. Its biggest grouse has been Canada's failure in preventing the 1985 Air India bombing (perpetrated by Canada-based Khalistani extremists) and the lack of support in subsequent investigations. 

'Law validity can't be challenged for Basic Structure's violation'

The Supreme Court held that the validity of a law cannot be challenged for violating the Basic Structure of the Constitution.

A three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, while upholding the State's power to legislate to regulate madrasas, was responding to whether the Basic Structure doctrine can be applied to invalidate ordinary legislation.

Authoring the judgment, Chief Justice Chandrachud said the Basic Structure doctrine was made up of "undefined concepts" such as democracy, federalism and secularism. 

"Allowing courts to strike down legislation for violation of such concepts will introduce an element of uncertainty in our constitutional adjudication," the Chief Justice reasoned. 

Buddhism can teach how to counter sectarianism: Murmu

At a time when the world is facing an existential crisis on many fronts, including strife and climate change, various schools of Buddhism can show how to counter "narrow sectarianism", President Droupadi Murmu said that the central message of these schools focused on peace and non-violence.

Inaugurating the first Asian Buddhist Summit, Ms. Murmu said there was a need to discuss the role of Buddha Dharma (religion) in strengthening Asia.

"Indeed, we need to expand the discussion to see how Buddha Dharma can bring peace, real peace, to Asia and the world a peace free from not only physical violence but also from all forms of greed and hatred the two mental forces at the root of all our miseries, according to the Buddha," Ms. Murmu said. 

India must create 'leading space firms, says ISRO chairman

To be a major space power, India needs to create "leading space companies and not merely service companies", S. Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said. 

For India to raise its contribution to the global space economy from the current 2% to 10%, significant government support would be required, he added. 

Speaking at the India Space Conclave, organised by the industry lobby Indian Space Association, he said that while India had built a space programme over the decades relying on infrastructure built on "moderate" budgets, it was important to scale up and create new capabilities. 

Whoever wins in the U.S., bilateral ties and Quad will grow, says Jaishankar

No matter what the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections will be, the India-U.S. relationship and the engagement with the Quad will "only grow", External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, as Americans began voting for the 47th U.S. President.

Mr Jaishankar slammed Canada over the violence outside an Indian consular camp at a Brampton temple community centre over the weekend, as well as for giving space to “extremist voices", while side-stepping a question about vandalism at Indian centres and temples in Australia.

Members of Myanmar junta and civil society groups meet in Delhi

In a significant outreach toward various internal stakeholders of the Myanmar conflict, India started a series of dialogues with the junta, civil society organisations and political parties with connection to the junta. 

The closed-door discussion held at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) here is expected to continue for three days.

India's Ambassador Abhay Thakur had met some of the delegation at the airport in Myanmar before they left for New Delhi.