Electoral competition and minority alienation in a plurality system: Sri Lanka 1947–77

Till recently, Sri Lanka was distinctive amongst the less developed countries for having a parliamentary democracy based on regular and fair competitive elections. The present article analyses the long-term impact that the plurality system of elections had on the consolidation of political alignments and cleavages in Sri Lanka in its post-independence period. The study finds that the very success of the plurality system in encouraging popular participation, bi-polar competition, political cohesion and stability contributed to engendering their unacceptable extremes in Sri Lanka's resource-scarce context. In the longer run, the increasing radicalization of the electorate, acute party competition for control of the state, ethnic sectarianism, and absolute parliamentary majorities served to undermine the democratic aspects of the system.     

Cyber pornography in India and its implication on cyber café operators

Cyber pornography plays an accessory role in negative social issues such as child abuse, violence against women, rape, inequality, relationship and family breakdown, youth crime, promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases. Cyberspace and the pornographic matter transmitted through it have created challenges for India’s antiquated laws. The lack of jurisdictional boundaries and the sheer volume of traffic that the Internet can handle, as well as the potential for anonymity have resulted in a complete lack of control over what appears on the Web at the click of a mouse button. Before there was no liability of a cyber café owner but with the introduction of the Information Technology Amendment Act, 2008, the responsibilities of Cyber Café owners have only increased. This paper deals with the Cyber pornography, its legal implications and the liability of cyber café owner under the Information Technology Amendment Act, 2008.