-The Economic Times The main objective of the Right to Information Act, 2005, is to provide access to information in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. The RTI Act defines 'public authority' as anybody or authority constituted by law made by competent legislature and includes anybody owned, controlled or substantially financed directly or indirectly by funds provided by the government. While deciding the status of any...

-The Hindu Instruments that permit people to vote directly on policy and to initiate legislation can ensure that the citizen’s voice is heard   Independent India has been a large-scale experiment in democracy. Unlike many other nations that gained independence from colonial rule but descended into dictatorships and military rule, India has remained a democracy, despite its size and diversity. While we pride ourselves on this achievement, we also need to reflect more...

-The Telegraph Jamshedpur: Work is underway on turning former Maoist hotbed West Singhbhum’s Manoharpur block into a hub of model villages sponsored by Union rural development ministry, a separate project that will operate simultaneously with the much-hyped Saranda Action Plan (SAP). The ministry headed by Jairam Ramesh has asked the state forest department to study all the 56 villages of the block and chalk out an integrated development project under the banner...

-The Telegraph India is watching three Dutch and Danish non-government organisations that have allegedly “cultivated” voluntary organisations in the Northeast to gather data for anti-India reports to be presented to the United Nations. Officials of these foreign agencies may face visa restrictions too. Reports prepared by voluntary organisations on human rights violations by the security forces in India’s northeastern states, particularly Manipur, have become “base material” for reports to the UN that are...

-PTI NAGPUR: Calling for corporate funding to political parties be stopped forthwith, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri today said instead the money should be donated to the Election Commission which can use it to help the candidates in their poll campaigns.  "The EC can help the candidates by providing them vehicles, fuel, drivers and also publish their posters and provide printed election material. This way all the candidates of respective parties...