-The Times of India The Supreme Court on Thursday lifted the omnibus ban on iron ore mines in Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts of Karnataka and permitted 81 lease owners, who had committed minor violations, to resume mining after compliance of stringent conditions laid down by the courts. Moving forward from its reference to illegal mining activity for decades under active political patronage as "a shocking state of depredation of nature's bounty...

-The Times of India CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: Chief election commissioner V C Sampath on Tuesday expressed his disapproval over the Centre's decision to go ahead with the direct cash transfer scheme when assembly elections were round-the-corner in Gujarat. Himachal Pradesh, the other state that went to polls, is yet to know the result, and model code of conduct is still in force. Sampath, who was in Chennai to review the ongoing summary revision of...

-The Times of India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has turned down suggestions from both Left and BJP leaders on considering changes in the appointment process of the comptroller and auditor general (CAG), while replying to a letter from CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on November 5. The PM, however, is open to changes in the appointment, resignation and removal process of election commissioners, including the chief election commissioner, as part of electoral...

-Outlook Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has proposed mandatory annual audit of funds and donations received by political parties. "We want all political funding should be transparent and checked. There should be annual compulsory audits by an independent auditor to be picked up from a panel suggested by the Election Commission," Quraishi told PTI. He said the report of such audit should be put in the public domain. "Everybody will be able...

-The Times of India Rehabilitation of the illegal iron ore mining-ravaged environment in Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts of Karnataka will need Rs 30,000 crore over the next 30 years, the Supreme Court has been informed. Submitting a report detailing the plan of action for rehabilitation of the environment, the central empowered committee (CEC) said, "The project period is planned to be 30 years and the current financial year (2012-13) has been...