Rahul Gokhale

For nearly half a decade, the global geopolitical landscape has been stuck in a state of permanent turbulence. The protracted war in Ukraine, the protectionist tariff regimes of the Trump presidency, and the volatile escalation of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran are no longer distant regional frictions. Their tremors have rewritten the global order and weaponized transnational supply chains. In today’s splintered global order, nations are ruthlessly prioritising...

India’s periodic flirtation with compulsory voting raises the fundamental question of whether participation can be mandated without eroding liberty. While hearing a petition seeking to strengthen the provision of ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) - introduced to ensure that voters dissatisfied with all candidates are not denied their democratic voice - the Supreme Court made a striking verbal observation on a related but far more contentious issue: compulsory voting. Chief Justice Surya Kant and...

With a sweeping municipal mandate in hand, Maharashtra’s ruling alliance must prove that concrete victories can translate into everyday competence. Nearly a month after the January 15 civic polls, the BJP-led Mahayuti is consolidating its clear majority in most of the 29 municipal corporations. While the election of mayors and deputy mayors nears completion, the formation of key standing committees remains stalled. For city administrations emerging from years of bureaucratic oversight under...