Dear Reader,

As Bihar heads to the voting booths, the state’s deep and chronic infrastructure failures and governance deficits remain a stark reality. This is exemplified by the repeated collapse of the Agwani-Sultanganj bridge across the Ganga in Bhagalpur.

Under construction for the past eleven years, the bridge has collapsed three times and failed to rise despite promises and funding, finds Ground Report. The troubles began in 2022 when a loose cable structure caused part of the bridge to topple during a storm. In 2023, a larger section gave way due to design flaws in the pillars, followed by a third collapse in 2024, captured in viral videos. Remarkably, the same company has been entrusted with completing the bridge by December 2026 despite these setbacks. This case in Bihar is not isolated. Similar challenges with governance and development continue to play out across India. The longer-term implications for both society and the environment are palpable.

A common understanding of development in India rests on the assumption that people from rural areas aspire to migrate to cities in pursuit of higher-paying employment. However, as The Migration Story argues, the reality in Karnataka is far more complex. Beneficiaries of central and state skill development programmes in rural regions often discover that upon moving to urban areas, the jobs they find are not commensurate with their training.

In Karnataka, skill development missions—shaped by a service-oriented economy—train young people for roles in retail, back-office support, driving, beauty and wellness, and trades such as electrical and plumbing work. Yet, due to weak market linkages, these centres frequently fail to help their trainees secure meaningful employment. As a result, many end up in unskilled or low-paid jobs in cities where the cost of living outweighs their earnings and savings goals. Ultimately, they return to their villages to take up insecure yet marginally better-paying local work, challenging conventional wisdom on migration.

In October, a division bench of the Supreme Court of India ruled that investigating agencies cannot summon practising advocates merely because they represent clients under investigation. It held that lawyer–client communications are privileged under Section 132 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, which can only be breached if there is clear evidence revealing a crime after the engagement. Any exception requires approval from a superior officer and recorded reasons.

The Court further clarified that investigating agencies privilege does not cover the production of physical documents or devices, which must again follow judicial oversight. It also distinguished between practising advocates and in-house counsel, noting that the latter do not enjoy the same protection. Setting aside the summons issued in this case, the Court reaffirmed that legal privilege is fundamental to client trust and the integrity of the justice system, explains the Supreme Court Observer.

In the stray dogs case, the Supreme Court’s November 7, 2025, directive ordering all States and Union Territories to remove stray dogs from public spaces and relocate them to designated shelters after sterilisation and vaccination under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, has alarmed animal-welfare groups. They argue that India lacks credible data and infrastructure to manage its vast stray-dog population. While the 2019 livestock census estimated 1.53 crore strays, experts suggest the number could exceed 6 crore—far beyond current shelter capacity.

On the state of the shelters, an investigation by The Probe uncovered grave neglect at Delhi’s sterilisation centres, including skeletal remains, restricted media access, and welfare violations. Experts argue the Court’s order contradicts the proven “sterilise-and-release” model as it is based on a shelter expansion plan that is impractical. With meagre funding—around ₹1,000 per dog with actual costs far in excess—sterilisation coverage remains negligible. Without scientific planning and adequate resources, the Court’s ruling risks entrenching cruelty rather than resolving the crisis.

For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.

Warmly,

Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF