Over the last one year, villagers of Ghati in Gadchiroli have kept timber out of the forest department’s reach, saying it belongs to them under the provisions of the FRA, short for Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest-Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act. The FRA recognises their rights only on non-timber minor forest produce but the villagers have interpreted it to include all trees. They say minor forest produces like mahua,...

The Centre has superseded the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for six months and its functions have been taken over by the Human Resource Development Ministry. A notification to this effect was issued by the Ministry on Thursday under sub-section (1) of Section 30 of the NCTE Act, 1993. The NCTE is a statutory body set up to regulate development of the teacher education system. Show-cause The supersession follows a June 2...

As we close in on 20 years of Manmohanomics, it's worth remembering one chant the chattering classes uttered, first with pride, later to console themselves. “Whatever you say, we have the most honest man in Dr. Manmohan Singh. And no one can speak a word against him.” It's less heard now — those affections having been transferred to other punters in the honesty sweepstakes. But growing numbers do say this...

A retired judge of the Supreme Court and former chief justice of Bombay high court, Justice MB Shah, will be the vice-chairman of the Special Investigations Team (SIT) constituted to monitor the probe into black money stashed abroad. The SIT will be chaired by former Supreme Court judge, Justice BP Jeevan Reddy. A direction to this effect was issued by the Apex court, on Monday. A bench of the Supreme Court...

The latest Supreme Court order appointing two former justices to superintend the special investigation team (SIT) on black money is a serious indictment of government. It reflects a widespread sentiment about the laws of government motion: government is a body that will not move unless compelled by an external force. A shameless government is provoking a thousand saviours to step in and save the country. The Supreme Court is, rightly,...