The Indian Penal Code 1860 (IPC) has been amended only sparingly since its enactment. The substantive penal provisions contained therein are applicable to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The IPC originally had twenty-three chapters.

It is generally believed that criminal law is gender biased. To a certain extent it is true. In the process of its evolution, it appears that the criminal law system has kept 'reasonable -man' in view as its basic unit. This much is evident from the present practice also.

The Radiologist Peered into his ultrasound scanner and beamed. "Congratulations, "he announced. "It's a girl." Rajendra Jain could feel his heart sink. Two daughters already and now another on the way. He glanced furtively

It is necessary to draw attention to the tradition of over legislation in India. In the 1980's and 90's there has been focus on various issues in the women's movement, especially on legislative reforms. The result is the highest number of laws on violence against women.

Thanks to Keith Campbell [1], Dolly the wonder sheep has arrived in Scotland, at he modest price of $750,000. Mankind has been thus dragged yet nearer to the Huxleyean Brave New World.

Recent publicity about unethical trials raises a number of questions about research in developing countries.

Modern medical practice is by its very nature an interventionist one and in principle, all medical interventions need the informed consent of the patient to be ethically correct.

There is a widespread feeling that there has been a general erosion of ethical standards even in professions, which have been considered 'noble'. This has prompted a soul-searching exercise to understand the problems involved.

Some ten percent of marriages are said to be infertile. As cures for infertility have had very limited success, methods of artificial conception are fast gaining ground. The use of these methods, however, gives rise to legal and moral issues. P. M.

Nearly 10 per cent of the women on whom the sub-dermal contraceptive Norplant was experimented cannot be traced. Did these women know that this device had been abandoned in the USA? Did anyone bother to get their informed consent of being experimented on?