The Evening Wrap: PM Modi flags higher fuel price in Opposition-ruled States

Some States did not pass on the benefits of reduction of the excise duty on petrol and diesel by the Central government leading to higher cost of petrol and diesel there. “These States should bring in immediate remedial measures to stop this injustice,’’ said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. He appealed to States to ensure Centre–State cooperation stating that this is the need of the hour because of the war situation when the global community is under stress and is facing challenges caused by disruption in the supply chain and rising cases of COVID–19 again. At an interaction with Chief Ministers on the emerging Covid-19 situation, the Prime Minister said along with the pandemic challenges, the global community and the common man are facing the fall out of a war. “The situation of war which has arisen has affected the supply chain and in such an environment, the challenges are increasing day by day,” said Modi in an apparent reference to the Russia–Ukraine conflict. “India fought a long fight against corona with the spirit of cooperative federalism. In the current global scenario, for the strength of India’s economy, coordination between the Central and State governments in economic decisions is necessary. In the conditions imposed by global events, this spirit of cooperative federalism becomes all the more important,’’ he said in the context of petrol and diesel prices. The Prime Minister said to reduce the load of both prices, the Central government has reduced the excise duty and had requested the States also to do so. Some States reduced taxes but some did not pass on the benefits to the people, leading to higher fuel prices there. “This is not only injustice towards the people of the State but harms the neighbouring States also. States like Karnataka and Gujarat undertook the tax reduction for the welfare of the people despite revenue loss while their neighbouring States earned revenue by not reducing tax.” Similarly, the Prime Minister said that last November a request was made to reduce VAT but many States, most of which are non–BJP–ruled ones like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Jharkhand did not do so for some reason. The Prime Minister said 42% of the revenue at the Centre goes to the State governments. “I urge all the States to work as a team in this time of global crisis following the spirit of cooperative federalism.” PM Modi’s remarks on fuel prices one-sided, misleading: Mamata Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks blaming the Opposition States for high prices of petrol and diesel are misleading and one-sided, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday, alleging that the Centre has adopted a “step-motherly” attitude towards the Opposition-ruled States. Banerjee was reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks made earlier in the day that many States were not adhering to the Centre’s call for reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel though his government had slashed excise duties on them in November last year. The Chief Minister said it would have been better for the Prime Minister “not to discuss the subject” at a meeting called on the COVID–19 situation. “Obviously, it was a one-sided agenda. The Opposition Chief Ministers were not able to speak. We listened to you carefully but we do not agree with your views. The Opposition States are treated with a step-motherly attitude.” Banerjee claimed that the Centre owes ₹97,000 crore to West Bengal and even if half the amount is disbursed to the State then the government would reduce VAT on petroleum. She said her government is giving a ₹1 reduction on VAT on petroleum products which costs ₹1,500 crore to the exchequer. She said the Modi government has raised ₹17,31,242 crore through excise collection on petroleum products. “We wanted that prices of petroleum products be reduced and his [Prime Minister] gift is he is telling the States to do so. From where will we do that?” She said only 25% of the money collected by the Central taxes is given to the States. She also accused the Centre of allocating more funds to the BJP-ruled States and said while the States which have given full support to Modi are being highlighted, the Opposition-ruled States face “discrimination and step-motherly attitude”. She said the Centre is going on increasing cess on petroleum products but the benefits of the cess are not shared by the State. She said the State has a number of social sector schemes which would continue despite the “non-cooperation of the Centre”. Banerjee accused the Centre of weakening the federal structure and running a “presidential form of governance instead of cooperative federalism”. She said she is extending her full moral support to all States whose names were taken by the Prime Minister to reduce VAT on petroleum products. No Dharam Sansad in Roorkee as police impose Section 144 CrPC The Uttarakhand administration imposed Section 144 CrPC that prohibits assembly of more than four persons in Roorkee where a Dharam Sansad was scheduled on Wednesday. The police have detained around 10 persons associated with the event. A day ago, the Supreme Court directed the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary to place on record that no untoward statement would be made at the event at Dada Jalalpur village and warned that it would hold top officials responsible in case of any hate speech is made. The village was witness to a communal tension on April 16 when a Hanuman Jayanti procession was allegedly pelted with stones. On Tuesday, a three-judge Bench of the apex court headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said, “We will hold the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the IG concerned responsible if any untoward situation happens despite your assurance. We are putting it on record.” Speaking to The Hindu, Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said, “the programme could not take place as we imposed Section 144 (CrPC) in the area. Around 10 persons have been detained under Section 151 CrPC. We ensured that the restrictions are imposed strictly.” Anand Swaroop, the main organiser of the religious conclave, has been taken into preventive detention. Section 151 says that a police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence may arrest, without orders from a magistrate and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to such officer that the commission of the offence cannot be otherwise prevented. “Thirty-three people associated with organising the event have been detained to prevent the ‘mahapanchayat’ from taking place. Those detained include Kali Sena’s State convenor Dineshanand Bharti, who had given a call for holding the event and his six supporters,” SSP Yogendra Singh Rawat was quoted by PTI as saying. The top court on Tuesday was hearing a petition filed by journalist Qurban Ali and former Patna High Court judge and senior advocate Anjana Prakash, who sought a direction for an “independent, credible and impartial investigation” by an SIT into incidents of hate speeches against the Muslim community. Supreme Court fixes sedition challenge on May 5, says no more adjournments The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed May 5 for final hearing of the petitions challenging the constitutionality of the sedition law and made it clear that it will not brook any delay in the form of requests for adjournment. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana scheduled the case for May 5 for final disposal after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union of India, sought two or three days to file a counter-affidavit to the petitions. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal is assisting the court in the case in the capacity of his constitutional office. Initially, the Bench scheduled the case for hearing on the whole of May 5 and May 6. But Mehta pointed out that May 6 is a Friday and usually reserved for hearing miscellaneous cases. The CJI, however, said the case would be heard on May 5 for the entirety of court hours. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal would lead the petitioners’ side. Several petitions have been filed, one lately by senior journalists like Patricia Mukhim and Anuradha Bhasin, highlighting the freedom of the Press, cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, and one separately by the Editors Guild of India, NGO Common Cause, former Minister Arun Shourie and prominent citizens like retired General S.G. Vombatkere, among others challenging the colonial law. Last year, the CJI himself voiced what could be an unprecedented judicial criticism of the way sedition was used by the government to crush liberties. He questioned why a colonial law used against Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak continued to survive in the law book after 75 years of Independence. “Sedition is a colonial law. It suppresses freedoms. It was used against Mahatma Gandhi, Tilak... Is this law necessary after 75 years of Independence?” Chief Justice Ramana, heading a three-judge Bench, had orally addressed Venugopal and Mr. Mehta. The CJI had said sedition or Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code was prone to misuse by the government. “The use of sedition is like giving a saw to the carpenter to cut a piece of wood and he uses it to cut the entire forest itself,” he had noted. The CJI’s oral statement in open court takes a significant note amidst rising public denouncement of Central and State law enforcement agencies using the sedition law to silence dissent, muffle free expression and for denying bail to incarcerated activists, journalists, students and civil society members. A number of petitions have been filed highlighting the “chilling effect” sedition has on the fundamental right of free speech. The CJI’s remarks have also opened the floor for debate and introspection on the court’s own judgment in 1962, in the Kedar Nath case, which upheld Section 124A. The CJI had drawn the attention of the Attorney General to the conviction rates under sedition. “If you look at the history of use of this Section 124A of IPC, you will find that the conviction rate is very low. There is misuse of power by executive agencies,” he had said. Outside the court, several former judges, including Justice Madan B. Lokur, had highlighted the mental trauma afflicted on the families of activists, journalists and civil society members accused of sedition under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and left to languish in jail for months. Justice Lokur had questioned the morality of a society where the families and friends of incarcerated people have to face barbs about their loved ones being branded traitors for expressing their dissent. Jammu and Kashmir High Court refuses to quash FIR under UAPA for lawyer’s social media posts The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Wednesday refused to quash a first information report (FIR) lodged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against a lawyer for his social media posts. The court said lines such as “slaves of the Government of India” or “they [the people] are under occupation of armed forces of the country” are not protected by the right to freedom of expression. “The first post quoted indicates that the petitioner advocates that the people of Kashmir are slaves and it [J&K] is under occupation which is like a cancer...the petitioner is advocating that this part of the country is under the occupation of the Indian military. In my opinion, the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution cannot be stretched to such a limit as to allow a person to question the status of a part of the country or its people,” Justice Sanjay Dhar observed. The judge held that by uploading these posts, the accused had “crossed the Lakshman Rekha”, which demarcates the freedom of expression guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of India from the reasonable restrictions imposed on such freedom on the grounds of India’s sovereignty and integrity. “The intention of a person can be gathered from the words spoken or written, or other expressions. Therefore, the expressions used by the petitioner, who happens to be a law-knowing person, clearly show that he intended to advocate a particular ideology, which supports the claim of secession of Jammu & Kashmir, which is an integral part of India,” the judge held. “Therefore, this is not a fit case where this court should exercise its power under Section 482 of Cr. P. C to quash the proceedings at this stage. Quashing the proceedings at this stage would amount to stifling a genuine prosecution, which is not permissible in view of the ratio laid down by the Supreme Court. Thus, there is no merit in this petition. The same is, accordingly, dismissed,” the court held. Muzamil Butt, the petitioner, had challenged the FIR No.187/2018 for offences under Section 13 of the UAPA Act registered with the police station at Kulgam. Butt made his remarks on Facebook on October 21, 2018 following an incident in which six civilians were killed and more than 60 injured in a blast at the site of a gun fight at Laroo village in Kulgam. The incident triggered outrage across Kashmir. According to the petitioner, the theme of his posts was that there had been negligence which had led to the killing of civilians, and that the Kulgam District Police and the local administration were principally responsible for it. However, Justice Dhar held that it was one thing to criticise the government for its negligence and express outrage on human rights violations “but it is quite another to advocate that the people of a particular part of the country are slaves” and “under military occupation”. “By making these comments, he [the petitioner] is certainly advocating and supporting the claim that Jammu & Kashmir is not a part of India and that it is occupied by Indian military with the people having being reduced to the status of slaves. Thus, he is questioning the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country,” the judge said. In Brief The Supreme Court on Wednesday put the Telangana government in the dock for its “en masse” cancellation of over 19 lakh ration cards, saying getting basic nutrition through the public distribution system (PDS) is a statutory right. The cards, the court learnt, were cancelled by the State for being “bogus” without giving beneficiaries any prior notice or an opportunity to be heard or without bothering to conduct field surveys to verify their living conditions. When the Telangana counsel said those whose cards were cancelled could apply afresh, Justice L. Nageswara Rao lashed out, saying “first you cancel the cards and now you say apply again. We don’t appreciate the State’s stand”. “New Zealand’s government acted unlawfully in operating its COVID-19 border controls,” a court ruled on April 27, saying the system had stripped citizens of their right to return home. In a 140-page written decision, Justice Jillian Mallon said the managed isolation- and-quarantine process did not allow personal circumstances to be sufficiently considered and prioritised. She said that the system’s failure to take into account people’s specific needs meant the government had acted “unlawfully, unreasonably and in breach of the Bill of Rights that states every New Zealand citizen has the right to enter New Zealand”. The European Commission has launched proceedings that could ultimately lead to the partial suspension of support payments to Hungary for breaching the 27-nation bloc’s rule-of-law standards, the EU’s executive arm said on April 27. The Commission has given Hungary formal notification that marks the start of the process. The notice opens a round of discussions and Hungary has two months to provide explanations and propose remedies. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow [logo] The Evening Wrap 27 APRIL 2022 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( PM Modi flags higher fuel price in Opposition-ruled States, seeks reduction in VAT Some States did not pass on the benefits of reduction of the excise duty on petrol and diesel by the Central government leading to higher cost of petrol and diesel there. “These States should bring in immediate remedial measures to stop this injustice,’’ [said Prime Minister Narendra Modi]( on Wednesday. He appealed to States to ensure Centre–State cooperation stating that this is the need of the hour because of the war situation when the global community is under stress and is facing challenges caused by disruption in the supply chain and rising cases of COVID–19 again. At an interaction with Chief Ministers on the emerging Covid-19 situation, the Prime Minister said along with the pandemic challenges, the global community and the common man are facing the fall out of a war. [Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 27, 2022 addresses a virtual meeting with Chief Ministers regarding the COVID-19 situation. Photo: YouTube/Narendra Modi via PTI] “The situation of war which has arisen has affected the supply chain and in such an environment, the challenges are increasing day by day,” said Modi in an apparent reference to the Russia–Ukraine conflict. “India fought a long fight against corona with the spirit of cooperative federalism. In the current global scenario, for the strength of India’s economy, coordination between the Central and State governments in economic decisions is necessary. In the conditions imposed by global events, this spirit of cooperative federalism becomes all the more important,’’ he said in the context of petrol and diesel prices. The Prime Minister said to reduce the load of both prices, the Central government has reduced the excise duty and had requested the States also to do so. Some States reduced taxes but some did not pass on the benefits to the people, leading to higher fuel prices there. “This is not only injustice towards the people of the State but harms the neighbouring States also. States like Karnataka and Gujarat undertook the tax reduction for the welfare of the people despite revenue loss while their neighbouring States earned revenue by not reducing tax.” Similarly, the Prime Minister said that last November a request was made to reduce VAT but many States, most of which are non–BJP–ruled ones like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Jharkhand did not do so for some reason. The Prime Minister said 42% of the revenue at the Centre goes to the State governments. “I urge all the States to work as a team in this time of global crisis following the spirit of cooperative federalism.” PM Modi’s remarks on fuel prices one-sided, misleading: Mamata Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks blaming the Opposition States for high prices of petrol and diesel are misleading and one-sided, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday, [alleging that the Centre has adopted a “step-motherly” attitude towards the Opposition-ruled States](. Banerjee was reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks made earlier in the day that many States were not adhering to the Centre’s call for reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel though his government had slashed excise duties on them in November last year.  The Chief Minister said it would have been better for the Prime Minister “not to discuss the subject” at a meeting called on the COVID–19 situation. “Obviously, it was a one-sided agenda. The Opposition Chief Ministers were not able to speak. We listened to you carefully but we do not agree with your views. The Opposition States are treated with a step-motherly attitude.” Banerjee claimed that the Centre owes ₹97,000 crore to West Bengal and even if half the amount is disbursed to the State then the government would reduce VAT on petroleum. She said her government is giving a ₹1 reduction on VAT on petroleum products which costs ₹1,500 crore to the exchequer. She said the Modi government has raised ₹17,31,242 crore through excise collection on petroleum products. “We wanted that prices of petroleum products be reduced and his [Prime Minister] gift is he is telling the States to do so. From where will we do that?” She said only 25% of the money collected by the Central taxes is given to the States. She also accused the Centre of allocating more funds to the BJP-ruled States and said while the States which have given full support to Modi are being highlighted, the Opposition-ruled States face “discrimination and step-motherly attitude”. She said the Centre is going on increasing cess on petroleum products but the benefits of the cess are not shared by the State. She said the State has a number of social sector schemes which would continue despite the “non-cooperation of the Centre”. Banerjee accused the Centre of weakening the federal structure and running a “presidential form of governance instead of cooperative federalism”. She said she is extending her full moral support to all States whose names were taken by the Prime Minister to reduce VAT on petroleum products. No Dharam Sansad in Roorkee as police impose Section 144 CrPC  The [Uttarakhand administration imposed Section 144 CrPC]( that prohibits assembly of more than four persons in Roorkee where a Dharam Sansad was scheduled on Wednesday. The police have detained around 10 persons associated with the event. A day ago, the Supreme Court directed the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary to place on record that no untoward statement would be made at the event at Dada Jalalpur village and warned that it would hold top officials responsible in case of any hate speech is made. The village was witness to a communal tension on April 16 when a Hanuman Jayanti procession was allegedly pelted with stones. [Heavy police force deployment at Dada Jalalpur in Haridwar district on April 26, 2022. ] On Tuesday, a three-judge Bench of the apex court headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said, “We will hold the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and the IG concerned responsible if any untoward situation happens despite your assurance. We are putting it on record.” Speaking to The Hindu, Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said, “the programme could not take place as we imposed Section 144 (CrPC) in the area. Around 10 persons have been detained under Section 151 CrPC. We ensured that the restrictions are imposed strictly.” Anand Swaroop, the main organiser of the religious conclave, has been taken into preventive detention. Section 151 says that a police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence may arrest, without orders from a magistrate and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to such officer that the commission of the offence cannot be otherwise prevented. “Thirty-three people associated with organising the event have been detained to prevent the ‘mahapanchayat’ from taking place. Those detained include Kali Sena’s State convenor Dineshanand Bharti, who had given a call for holding the event and his six supporters,” SSP Yogendra Singh Rawat was quoted by PTI as saying. The top court on Tuesday was hearing a petition filed by journalist Qurban Ali and former Patna High Court judge and senior advocate Anjana Prakash, who sought a direction for an “independent, credible and impartial investigation” by an SIT into incidents of hate speeches against the Muslim community. Supreme Court fixes sedition challenge on May 5, says no more adjournments The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed May 5 for [final hearing of the petitions challenging the constitutionality of the sedition law]( and made it clear that it will not brook any delay in the form of requests for adjournment. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana scheduled the case for May 5 for final disposal after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union of India, sought two or three days to file a counter-affidavit to the petitions. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal is assisting the court in the case in the capacity of his constitutional office. Initially, the Bench scheduled the case for hearing on the whole of May 5 and May 6. But Mehta pointed out that May 6 is a Friday and usually reserved for hearing miscellaneous cases. The CJI, however, said the case would be heard on May 5 for the entirety of court hours. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal would lead the petitioners’ side. Several petitions have been filed, one lately by senior journalists like Patricia Mukhim and Anuradha Bhasin, highlighting the freedom of the Press, cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, and one separately by the Editors Guild of India, NGO Common Cause, former Minister Arun Shourie and prominent citizens like retired General S.G. Vombatkere, among others challenging the colonial law. Last year, the CJI himself voiced what could be an unprecedented judicial criticism of the way sedition was used by the government to crush liberties. He questioned why a colonial law used against Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak continued to survive in the law book after 75 years of Independence. “Sedition is a colonial law. It suppresses freedoms. It was used against Mahatma Gandhi, Tilak... Is this law necessary after 75 years of Independence?” Chief Justice Ramana, heading a three-judge Bench, had orally addressed Venugopal and Mr. Mehta. The CJI had said sedition or Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code was prone to misuse by the government. “The use of sedition is like giving a saw to the carpenter to cut a piece of wood and he uses it to cut the entire forest itself,” he had noted. The CJI’s oral statement in open court takes a significant note amidst rising public denouncement of Central and State law enforcement agencies using the sedition law to silence dissent, muffle free expression and for denying bail to incarcerated activists, journalists, students and civil society members. A number of petitions have been filed highlighting the “chilling effect” sedition has on the fundamental right of free speech. The CJI’s remarks have also opened the floor for debate and introspection on the court’s own judgment in 1962, in the Kedar Nath case, which upheld Section 124A. The CJI had drawn the attention of the Attorney General to the conviction rates under sedition. “If you look at the history of use of this Section 124A of IPC, you will find that the conviction rate is very low. There is misuse of power by executive agencies,” he had said. Outside the court, several former judges, including Justice Madan B. Lokur, had highlighted the mental trauma afflicted on the families of activists, journalists and civil society members accused of sedition under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and left to languish in jail for months. Justice Lokur had questioned the morality of a society where the families and friends of incarcerated people have to face barbs about their loved ones being branded traitors for expressing their dissent. Jammu and Kashmir High Court refuses to quash FIR under UAPA for lawyer’s social media posts The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Wednesday [refused to quash a first information report (FIR) lodged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)]( against a lawyer for his social media posts. The court said lines such as “slaves of the Government of India” or “they [the people] are under occupation of armed forces of the country” are not protected by the right to freedom of expression. “The first post quoted indicates that the petitioner advocates that the people of Kashmir are slaves and it [J&K] is under occupation which is like a cancer...the petitioner is advocating that this part of the country is under the occupation of the Indian military. In my opinion, the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution cannot be stretched to such a limit as to allow a person to question the status of a part of the country or its people,” Justice Sanjay Dhar observed. The judge held that by uploading these posts, the accused had “crossed the Lakshman Rekha”, which demarcates the freedom of expression guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of India from the reasonable restrictions imposed on such freedom on the grounds of India’s sovereignty and integrity. “The intention of a person can be gathered from the words spoken or written, or other expressions. Therefore, the expressions used by the petitioner, who happens to be a law-knowing person, clearly show that he intended to advocate a particular ideology, which supports the claim of secession of Jammu & Kashmir, which is an integral part of India,” the judge held. “Therefore, this is not a fit case where this court should exercise its power under Section 482 of Cr. P. C to quash the proceedings at this stage. Quashing the proceedings at this stage would amount to stifling a genuine prosecution, which is not permissible in view of the ratio laid down by the Supreme Court. Thus, there is no merit in this petition. The same is, accordingly, dismissed,” the court held. Muzamil Butt, the petitioner, had challenged the FIR No.187/2018 for offences under Section 13 of the UAPA Act registered with the police station at Kulgam. Butt made his remarks on Facebook on October 21, 2018 following an incident in which six civilians were killed and more than 60 injured in a blast at the site of a gun fight at Laroo village in Kulgam. The incident triggered outrage across Kashmir. According to the petitioner, the theme of his posts was that there had been negligence which had led to the killing of civilians, and that the Kulgam District Police and the local administration were principally responsible for it. However, Justice Dhar held that it was one thing to criticise the government for its negligence and express outrage on human rights violations “but it is quite another to advocate that the people of a particular part of the country are slaves” and “under military occupation”. “By making these comments, he [the petitioner] is certainly advocating and supporting the claim that Jammu & Kashmir is not a part of India and that it is occupied by Indian military with the people having being reduced to the status of slaves. Thus, he is questioning the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country,” the judge said. In Brief The [Supreme Court on Wednesday put the Telangana government in the dock for its “en masse” cancellation of over 19 lakh ration cards]( saying getting basic nutrition through the public distribution system (PDS) is a statutory right. The cards, the court learnt, were cancelled by the State for being “bogus” without giving beneficiaries any prior notice or an opportunity to be heard or without bothering to conduct field surveys to verify their living conditions. When the Telangana counsel said those whose cards were cancelled could apply afresh, Justice L. Nageswara Rao lashed out, saying “first you cancel the cards and now you say apply again. We don’t appreciate the State’s stand”. “New Zealand’s government acted unlawfully in operating its COVID-19 border controls,” a court ruled on April 27, saying the system had stripped citizens of their right to return home. In a 140-page written decision, Justice Jillian Mallon said the managed isolation- and-quarantine process did not allow personal circumstances to be sufficiently considered and prioritised. She said that the system’s failure to take into account people’s specific needs meant the government had acted “unlawfully, unreasonably and in breach of the Bill of Rights that states every New Zealand citizen has the right to enter New Zealand”. The European Commission has launched proceedings that could ultimately lead to the partial suspension of support payments to Hungary for breaching the 27-nation bloc’s rule-of-law standards, the EU’s executive arm said on April 27. The Commission has given Hungary formal notification that marks the start of the process. The notice opens a round of discussions and Hungary has two months to provide explanations and propose remedies. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow  Today’s Top Picks [[Registration of birth, death to be real-time with minimum human interface] Registration of birth, death to be real-time with minimum human interface]( [[Why Perarivalan can’t be released, Supreme Court asks Centre] Why Perarivalan can’t be released, Supreme Court asks Centre]( [[Why Faiz will always matter] Why Faiz will always matter]( [[He sings of love: Serish Nanisetti reviews G.N. Saibaba’s Why Do You Fear My Ways So Much] He sings of love: Serish Nanisetti reviews G.N. Saibaba’s Why Do You Fear My Ways So Much]( Copyright @ 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](