With political parties across the spectrum asking the government to conduct a socio-economic survey of different communities, the government is considering clubbing the below poverty line (BPL) survey with the caste census. “A recent meeting between the Rural Development Ministry and the Registrar General of India (RGI) explored the possibility of carrying out the BPL survey along with the caste census as an alternative to the community wise socio-economic survey,” a...

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted its preliminary report on Netai killings before the Calcutta High Court in a sealed envelope on Friday. The Calcutta High Court had ordered that the investigation into the carnage at Netai where nine villagers were killed be handed over to the CBI from West Bengal's Criminal Investigation Department on February 18. The two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Jaynarayan Patel and Justice Asim Kumar Roy had...

Unlike the 2G telecom scam which he blamed on compromises required for running a coalition government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has accepted responsibility for the Supreme Court striking down the appointment of P J Thomas as chief vigilance commissioner. "I respect the judgment of the Supreme Court and I accept my responsibility," the PM said in Jammu on Friday, admitting that the buck stopped with him since the CVC decision did...

Appointment to the post of Central Vigilance Commissioner “must satisfy not only the eligibility criteria of the candidate but also the decision making process of the recommendation. If a statutory body like the HPC [high power committee], for any reason whatsoever, fails to look into the relevant material having nexus to the object and purpose of the 2003 CVC Act or takes into account irrelevant circumstances, then its decision would...

Technically, we know how to check the black economy but the problem is political. More studies or committees and treaties with foreign governments are only to stall action. Another Joint Parliamentary Committee has been announced. The government has been trying to create an impression of being proactive with regard to tackling the black economy. The President's address and the speech by Sonia Gandhi in January mentioned the need to curb it....