On species

Pratap Bhanu Mehta has made a sterling contribution to socio-anthropological research with his catalogue of Delhis biodiversity

On species

Pratap Bhanu Mehta has made a sterling contribution to socio-anthropological research with his catalogue of Delhis biodiversity The new Galapagos,IE,July 4. May I humbly suggest two additional species that prominently inhabit Delhis ecosystem? One is Legalis ad Nauseum,an avian species whose members are distinguished by their black-and-white plumage,a tendency to engage in incessant courtship,and occasionally intelligible chatter in which words like adjourn and objection may be discerned. Another is Journo Cynicus,a predatory species whose relatively low population is more than balanced by its ability to influence the behaviour of all the other species. Its members prey on every other species,and usually hunt in packs

called hacks. The loudest and most feared members comprise a sub-species that shrieks 24/7,tentatively named Anchorus Hystericus.

R.P. Subramanian

Delhi

Crocodile tears

This refers to Bahuguna frowns at smiling picture,officials shunted out IE,July 10. The CM of Uttarakhand has come out looking really absurd by transferring officials for something so petty. A major national calamity that has caused the catastrophic loss of lives and livelihoods is being exploited for a public relations exercise by the Congress. Besides,the state government share in the rescue efforts is debatable. It is the army that has to be congratulated for its tireless efforts.

Namrata Chaudhary

Ahmedabad

Ambiguous ruling

When democratic institutions fail to provide good results it becomes essential for our courts to intervene. People who break the law and do not uphold our Constitution should not have the right or privilege to make the law. The Supreme Courts decision that legislators who will be convicted henceforth shall cease to be members of the House is very welcome. The number of criminals in Parliament and state legislatures is staggering. Therefore,I entirely agree with Soli Sorabjee An overdue cleansing has begun,IE,July 12 and disagree with No easy fixes IE,July 12. Sorabjee,whose legal insight is beyond question,has put his weight behind the decision. The court has rightly held that Parliament was being discriminatory by treating the election of a MP and her continuance as a MP differently.

Shishir Sindekar

Nasik

IN JANUARY 2005,a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had unanimously held,in K. Prabhakaran vs P. Jayarajan,that the purpose of Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act,1951,is not to confer an unfair advantage to any category of persons but to protect the House. A potential result of the instant disqualification of a convicted member of the House is that an incumbent government could be left with a razor-thin majority and this could have a deleterious effect on its functioning and on national stability. Also,by-elections may be further complicated in the event of a conviction later being overruled. Section 84 ceases to apply as soon as the House is dissolved,in any case. I wonder if a two-judge bench can overrule a five-judge Constitution bench that had upheld the unequal treatment of sitting MPs as a reasonable restriction to the right to equality.

Hemant Kumar

Ambala