This issue contains four papers. The first paper, “Protection Against
Genetic Discrimination: A Comparative Overview of Policy Positions”,
by Subhash Chandra Singh, presents a comparative study of positions taken in various countries on issues in genetics and life insurance. The paper surveys current legislations relating to genetic privacy and discrimination, including Federal and State laws that prohibit or could be used to prohibit genetic discrimination in employment and insurance, and laws that protect genetic privacy. The relationship between protecting genetic privacy and prohibiting genetic discrimination is thoroughly discussed. The paper discusses the discriminatory use of genetic information that might occur in certain contexts such as employment and insurance, which may create hardship for people in different ways, and also critically examines how the people are unfairly treated because of their actual or perceived genetic variations.
In the second paper, “Redressal of Consumer Grievances: A Perspective”, the author,
V G Ranganath, seeks to observe the process of complaint redressal from the perspectives of consumers through their lived experiences. The author highlights the peculiarities in behavior exhibited by Malaysian consumers when their complaints/grievances have been sorted out. The author focuses on the grievances redressed by the National Commission by appeal and revision and the Supreme Court by appeal and special leave petition. The author focuses on various areas about which the consumer has to have awareness. The author documents the law laid down by the Supreme Court of India and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in protecting the interests of the consumers.
The third paper, “Implementation of Labor Laws Inside SEZs in India: A Perfect Example of Economic Development Versus Social Security”, by Kasturi Bhagat, seeks to examine the social security of laborers inside the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. The author evaluates the question of formation of trade unions within the SEZs and the possibility of the workers going on a strike within the SEZs. The author suggests some recommendations for the creation of a new legal regime for the implementation of labor laws within the SEZs, bearing in mind the existing labor legislations of India.
The last paper, “‘Inhuman Business in Human Law’: Human Organ Transplantation and the Legal Position”, by M Madhuri Irene, expresses concern over the increasing incidence of vital organ failure and the inadequate supply of organs, especially from cadavers, which have created a wide gap between organ supply and demand.
The author analyzes the ethical, moral and societal issues regarding the supply and the method of organ allocation. The main crux of the paper is to draw the attention of the policy makers to the importance of framing proper guidelines for legalizing and incorporating organ trade into the domain of government, which is very much needed for the betterment of human values and ethics.
-- V Hemalatha Devi
Consulting Editor
