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  • "suo motu" is a very popular word used in legal contexts in the Indian press. It is to connote a voluntary action, usually initiated by a Court of Law, out of its own volition, without somebody explicitly seeking its attention for redressal.

    Example: "High Court takes suo motu notice" (The Hindu, January 28, 2010)

    The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday took suo motu notice of a news paper report that a Dalit youth ... was allegedly forced to eat human faeces for walking with his foot wear along a residential colony dominated by people of another community on January 7. (The Hindu, January 28, 2010)

    February 11, 2010

  • What does 'people of another community' mean, Rex?

    February 11, 2010

  • @bilby - "people of another community" in this context means people of the "Upper Caste". As you know, Caste system is a bane in India and in this case "The Hindu" was reporting on a sensitive case of mistreatment that the High Court took notice on its own. I think, in USA, the equivalent is "suo sponte" or something like that. Sorry, I am not a lawyer and so treat it with a pinch of salt. Cheers.

    June 22, 2011

  • Thank you rex, that helps.

    June 23, 2011

  • @bilby - You are most welcome. Responsible journalists (for example, "The Hindu", India's national newspaper is one such) are always aware of the danger that mob-hysterics and trouble-mongers can do with explicit references. So, they may talk about "people of another community" to also people, who belong to a different "religion". And they will also use to refer to a different "caste" as it is in the example posited. So, I just wanted to clarify to you that "community" can connote "caste" or "religion" in Indian parlance. Hope that additional bit helps as well. Good day.

    June 23, 2011

  • @rexarul: See sua sponte.

    June 23, 2011