Meghana Senthil Kumar Archives - JURIST - Commentary

Commentaries by Meghana Senthil Kumar

The Indian Farm Act 2020 and the Basic Structure Doctrine of the Indian Constitution

December 7, 2020 11:30:12 pm

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020, (“Farm Act”) received Presidential assent on the 24th of September 2020. Challenging the Act, a Member of Parliament from the state of Kerala has filed a petition before the Supreme Court of India (“the Court”). Among others, the petitioner claims that [...]

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Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.