Georgia voter ID law receives DOJ approval News
Georgia voter ID law receives DOJ approval

[JURIST] The US Department of Justice [official website] granted approval Friday to a Georgia law [bill summary; JURIST report] that would require photo identification to vote in elections. This approval, which is required of Georgia and other states with a history of voter discrimination by the 1965 Voting Rights Act [DOJ backgrounder], allows the law to be enacted but does not prevent it from being challenged in court. Many groups have promised to bring such a challenge, alleging that the requirement of photo identification will disenfranchise the poor, the elderly, and minorities. AP has more. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has local coverage.

THIS DAY @ LAW

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.