Goa, July 15 -- AAKAR PATEL

One common trait in lawless nations is high levels of anxiety against arbitrariness. Me dieval texts tell us this has always been the case in our parts. Cruelty is couched as process and millions put through torture. Special In tensive Revision forms are being handed out across India. It is impossible on a first reading of this sin gle-page form, for even an educated reader to under stand what one is required to do. We are told by the exec utive and the judiciary that putting us through this is not only reasonable but required and necessary. Of course, we have been down this road before. In 1998, the Governor of Assam, a retired military man named S K Sinha, sent a note to then President K R Narayanan, referri...