THE wheel of Indian justice is famously slow and wobbly. It also rolls in odd directions. In the 1970s the Supreme Court, which is meant to uphold India’s constitution, endorsed emergency laws that denied citizens any recourse against unlawful arrest. Last year it anachronistically ordered cinemas to play the national anthem before every screening, and moviegoers to stand to attention each time. Yet in recent weeks Indian courts have delivered a series of important judgments that, taken together, push the country firmly in a more liberal direction.
Most dramatically, on August 28th a judge in the northern state of Haryana sentenced Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, a flamboyant guru-cum-action-star, to 20 years in prison for the rape of two female acolytes. Such “godmen” often seem to be beyond the reach of the law, with their wealth, devoted followings and close ties to politicians. Mr Singh had been openly wooed by senior figures in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. They...Continue reading
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