-PTI JOHANNESBURG: States may not prevent access to websites because they display opinions or beliefs that are critical of governments or established systems of thought, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navanethem "Navi" Pillay said here. Pillay, a South African of Indian Tamil origin, was delivering a lecture on 'Human Rights Achievements and Challenges in a Rapidly Changing World' at the University of the Witwatersrand as part of South Africa's celebration of Human Rights...

-The Times of India The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed its seven-month-old controversial order directing governments to appoint retired SC and HC judges as heads of Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions. In an interim order passed on a petition by the Union government seeking review of the apex court's September 13, 2012 judgment, a bench of Justices A K Patnaik and Arjan K Sikri also stayed the earlier directive to...

-The Indian Express The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed its September 2012 ruling that "only" serving and retired judges of the apex court and chief justices of state high courts can head the central and state information commissions. Passing an interim order pending its decision on the review petition filed by the Centre against the verdict, a bench led by Justice A K Patnaik stayed the direction making it mandatory for information...

-The Hindu   The paid news case is no longer just about Ashok Chavan. It concerns every individual and institution opposed to the sway of money power in elections Politicians everywhere are known to indulge in doublespeak and our politicians are no exception. But some recent pronouncements of our Law Minister only show that our politicians may have very few serious rivals in this sport. Not long ago, the Minister was all praise...

-The Times of India Several laws have been enacted and commissions set up for the protection of scheduled castes and tribes. Yet violence and discrimination against underprivileged communities go on with impunity. The latest in the long list of such incidents took place in Haryana, where over 200 dalit families were forced to migrate from Pabnawa village following attacks on them by upper caste Ror community members. The reason for...