May 27, 2023

Good morning. Every Saturday, we publish the results of polls from feature stories that were published the past week. We also give a brief overview of the topics that were discussed.

🗳️ POLL RESULTS – Week 126

🗓️ THE WEEK THAT WAS

Can the Code on Social Security help gig workers?

Daily | 22 May 2023

The Code on Social Security, 2020 was one of the four labour codes passed by Parliament between 2019 – 2020. Its reception has been widely beset with contradictory claims. It could be one of the most ambitious reforms initiated by the Narendra Modi-led government. Not without some changes, experts argue. There’s a growing consensus that the legal code doesn’t cast its net as wide enough as was promised by the legislature. Read more on this here.

Centre’s ordinance vs the Delhi government: Who’s in the right?

Daily | 23 May 2023

Last week, the Centre issued a late-night ordinance that undermined the AAP government’s authority to appoint and transfer bureaucrats per a Supreme Court (SC) ruling. The AAP has naturally taken offence and cried foul. Is the Delhi government right in its criticism, or is the Centre acting appropriately? We discuss it here.

Indian Women’s League Report Card: The Good, the Bad, and the Worst Parts

Daily | 24 May 2023

On May 21, the Gokulam Kerala FC scored a 5-0 victory over Kickstart FC, marking their three-peat and a blockbuster end to the Indian Women’s League’s (IWL) sixth edition. This season of the IWL has brought with it several victories for women’s football, but it’s also shone a spotlight on the troubles ailing the game. We unpack this here.

Is levying a 20% tax on international credit card transactions the right move?

Daily | 25 May 2023

The government has decided to impose a higher rate of Tax Collected at Source (TCS) of 20% on expenditures through international credit cards. It did so by amending the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to include international credit card spending overseas under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme’s (LRS) ambit. The government wants to ensure citizens pay their fair share, but experts call it an ill-advised move. Find the debate here.

Has the National Human Rights Commission lost its bite?

Daily | 26 May 2023

In India, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is doing its part to ensure that human rights are taken care of. But, for the second time in a decade, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has deferred the commission’s ‘A’ status accreditation. It’s raked up a debate over whether the human rights organisation has slowly been dismembered. More on this story here.