Latest news with #KavitaSrivastava
Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Another challenge to EC's Bihar electoral revision order in Supreme Court
The Peoples Union for Civil Liberties Sunday said that it has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging what it called 'arbitrary and unlawful action' of the Election Commission of India (EC) in directing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the entire country, with immediate enforcement in Bihar, only months before the elections in the state. PUCL president Kavita Srivastava said that its constitutional challenge to the SIR order is based on the argument that this process 'represents a direct assault on India's constitutional democracy, violating the grundnorm of popular sovereignty enshrined in 'We, The People'.' 'By abandoning statutory house-to-house surveys for arbitrary document-centred exclusions, creating impossible timelines, and systematically disenfranchising marginalised communities, the Election Commission has perverted the constitutional mandate, and inverted the principle of inclusion to that of exclusion,' the PUCL said. The petition was filed on Saturday through PUCL national general secretary V Suresh. Terming it an 'illegal exercise', the PUCL said that such an exercise being hastily conducted to cover a population of almost 8 crore is likely to result in exclusion of voters and thereby defeat democracy using the very tools of democracy. Earlier, citing 'lack of due process' and 'unreasonably short timeline' for the revision electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, had approached the Supreme Court, challenging the EC exercise by calling it unconstitutional and warning that it will 'disenfranchise lakhs of voters'. In its petition, the PUCL contends that Bihar has a massive migrant population, who work across India and return home to exercise their democratic rights. They face systematic exclusion through this 'malicious' SIR process, the human rights organisation said. 'Migrant workers lack local address proofs, cannot navigate complex form-based procedures from distant locations, and miss compressed timelines due to work commitments. This timing appears deliberately calculated to disenfranchise Bihar's mobile workforce during crucial electoral periods,' the PUCL said. In the petition, the PUCL has prayed that the ECI Order and letter dated June 24, 2025, deserves to be quashed for being manifestly arbitrary and that it is also contrary to Article 327 – which grants Parliament the power to make provision with respect to elections to legislatures – read with the relevant Act and Rules.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nat'l convention on Right to Food campaign concludes
Jaipur: The three-day 8th National Convention of the Right to Food Campaign concluded Monday after the presentation of the 'Jaipur Declaration'. A joint 'Jaipur Declaration' was released following discussions on the concluding day. Key points emerging from the declaration include: hunger and malnutrition are major global issues, and there is a need to strengthen the campaign to combat them. Govt schemes such as ration distribution, pension schemes, maternity benefits, Anganwadi services, and midday meals should be simplified, their budgets increased, and their implementation made stronger. Special attention must be paid to those excluded due to Aadhaar and digitisation, to ensure they receive their rightful entitlements and dignity. Second, the current development model should provide equal space to all sections of society. Displacement in the name of development and commercialisation—through exploitation of water, forests, and land—is affecting nutrition and needs reconsideration. Third, a strong struggle will continue in conflict-affected areas to ensure the right to food, health, and human rights. At the beginning of the session, convenor Kavita Srivastava read out resolutions passed in defence of the rights to food and freedom in Gaza, Manipur, and Bastar. She noted that over the three days, various issues related to the right to food—such as MGNREGA, minimum wages, social security pensions, environmental protection, farm laws, ration distribution, and challenges arising from digitisation—were discussed and strategies formulated. tnn
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
PUCL alleges illegal deportation of Rohingya refugees, calls for urgent probe
The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has strongly condemned the alleged deportation of 40 Rohingya refugees from India, describing the reported action as 'illegal', 'inhumane', and tantamount to a 'duplicitous deportation' in violation of both domestic and international legal obligations. In a detailed statement issued this week, PUCL alleged that the refugees were forcibly removed from the national capital and transported to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, before being abandoned in international waters near the conflict-ridden Tanintharyi region along the Myanmar-Thailand maritime border. According to PUCL, the deportation was carried out surreptitiously by detaining the refugees - many of whom were registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - under the pretext of collecting biometric data. Detained by the Delhi Police on May 6, the individuals were reportedly moved to various police stations before being shifted to the Inderlok Detention Centre. Although authorities initially claimed that the transfer was for biometric processing, the refugees were subsequently flown to Port Blair. 'Shockingly, 43 detainees were not released after biometric collection. Instead, they were blindfolded, handcuffed, and placed aboard naval vessels. Upon reaching the maritime border near Myanmar, they were thrown into international waters,' PUCL alleged. Among those deported were minors, elderly individuals, and persons with serious health conditions, including cancer. Kavita Srivastava, PUCL president, criticised the Narendra Modi-led government's approach to refugee policy, comparing it to the hardline immigration stance of the former Trump administration in the United States. 'The BJP seems to have adopted a paradigm of disregard for the rule of law and judicial oversight. This so-called 'pushback' policy, as espoused by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is a flagrant violation of constitutional norms and international humanitarian principles,' Ms. Srivastava said. An audio recording from one of the survivors, shared with PUCL, details alleged mistreatment aboard naval ships, including physical abuse, interrogation, and sexual harassment. 'We were accused of involvement in the Pahalgam terrorist attack. When we denied it, we were told we were pretending. Women were abused. Eventually, we were abandoned at sea,' the survivor recounts. PUCL general secretary Dr. V. Suresh noted that the National Unity Government of Myanmar has confirmed the presence of 40 rescued Rohingya individuals now under their protection. However, the whereabouts of three others remain unknown, and additional reports suggest that at least 14 more refugees were illegally detained and subjected to custodial violence. 'This is a grave breach of India's obligations under international law, including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, ratified by India in 1959,' Dr. Suresh said. 'The Rohingya are among the most persecuted minorities in the world. Returning them to regions fraught with conflict and genocide allegations is morally indefensible.' PUCL also pointed to a May 8 Supreme Court hearing, during which the judiciary declined to intervene in a plea against the reported deportation. The Union government, in its response, reportedly claimed that Article 19(1)(e) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to reside in any part of India, applies only to citizens. PUCL countered this position, stating that Article 21 - the right to life and personal liberty - extends to 'all persons' and is not contingent upon citizenship. Despite India not being a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, PUCL asserted that deportation procedures are bound by the Foreigners Act and related legal frameworks. The organisation contended that the treatment of the refugees constitutes torture and violates India's commitments under the United Nations Convention Against Torture. 'The Indian government has effectively undermined due process and legal protections in a case involving one of the most vulnerable refugee groups in the world,' the PUCL statement concluded. 'This marks a disturbing moment in India's human rights history.' As per Refugees International, around 22,500 Rohingya refugees are currently registered with UNHCR India. Many live under precarious conditions, facing systemic violations of their rights.
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Civil Society calls for ceasefire
The informed collective of concerned citizens, a conglomerate of socio-political organisations and activists, has called for an immediate ceasefire between the central security forces and the Maoists. National president of the People Union for Civil Liberties , Kavita Srivastava , convened a meeting with the civil rights organisations and individuals on Sunday and reiterated the demand for calling off Operation Kagar launched by the Centre since January 2024. TNN
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Civil society raises voice against Ops Kagar, urges govt to immediately respond to Maoists' call for ceasefire
1 2 3 The informed collective of concerned citizens, a conglomerate of various socio-political organisations and activists working for the protection of civil rights, has called for an immediate ceasefire between the central security forces and armed activists of the CPI Maoists. National President of the People Union for Civil Liberties (PIUCL), Kavita Srivastava, convened a meeting with the civil rights organisations and individuals on Sunday and reiterated the demand for calling off Operation Kagar launched by the Centre since January 2024. Srivastava said that following a round table discussion in Hyderabad on March 24, a group of citizens appealed to the govt of India and the CPI(Maoist) to observe a ceasefire and resolve the conflict through a peace dialogue. "The CPI(Maoist) responded positively, and on March 28, they agreed not to resort to violence unless attacked and come to the negotiation table," she said, adding that since then, they issued press releases on at least four occasions, but the state is yet to respond. According to rough estimates, more than 400 people, mostly tribals, were killed since the launch of Operation Kagar in the country. The meeting was attended by Thiruvallur MP Shashikanth Senthil of Congress, CPIML MP from Bihar Raja Ram Singh, Viluppuram MP of VCK (Dalit Panthers of India) D Ravikumar, CPM Polit Buro member Vijoo Krishnan, and National General Secretary of CPI D Raja, among others, who unanimously condemned the ongoing killings in the tribal-dominated central India—particularly Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Jharkhand. Congress MP Senthil admitted that there was silence even on the part of the opposition parties, which needs to be addressed. "Congress, which is in power in Jharkhand, remained silent when there was a killing of eight Maoists in the state in an encounter recently, which makes it even more important that everyone understands the gravity of the situation," he said, calling upon the rights defenders to use more aggressive and creative campaigns to mobilise public opinion against killings. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Siraj, a civil rights activist from Jharkhand, pointed out that the police encounter occurred at a time when the Maoists had already appealed for a ceasefire and peace dialogue. "In the tribal-dominated areas of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, common people are the worst sufferers as they are unable to move out to the forests and are living under the threat of shelling and bullets round the clock," he said. An activist from Chhattisgarh, Soni Sori, said that the tribal women and children in the Bastar region are the worst sufferers as the security forces are either killing the menfolk or pressuring the family members to make the male members surrender as Maoists. "What is the guarantee that if the Maoists put down their weapons, the rights of the tribals would be restored?" she asked. While Ravikumar pointed out that a large population of tribals and Dalits in his area has not helped them seek their rights, Vijoo said that the celebrations around encounters must stop. "The tribals are our own people, and they should not be killed. Even if they have deviated from their path, they must be given an opportunity to engage in dialogue," he said. Noted author Bela Bhatia and Professor Hargopal stressed that eliminating the armed cadres of CPI Maoists cannot be a solution unless the lot of deprived tribals is improved. "The Constitution provides for protection rights like PESA in Scheduled V areas and empowerment of Gram Sabha, but successive govts have ignored it," Hargopal said. Srivastava said that since the President of India is the custodian of Schedule V areas, they also wrote a letter to her on April 24, calling for her intervention in the tribal areas where mass killing is going on. "More than 126 organisations and 200 individuals are signatories in the letter, and we are hoping for her intervention in the matter," she said.
