-PTI   CPI has refused to answer a questionnaire on provisions of Lokpal Bill sent by the government, saying it will state their views and suggestions during the discussion on the issue in Parliament. In a letter to joint Lokpal Bill drafting committee chairman and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, party general secretary A B Bardhan said at no stage were the political parties involved or ever consulted during the entire process of...

The dun wheat field spreading out at Ravi P. Singh's feet offered a possible clue to human destiny. Baked by a desert sun and deliberately starved of water, the plants were parched and nearly dead. Dr. Singh, a wheat breeder, grabbed seed heads that should have been plump with the staff of life. His practiced fingers found empty husks. “You're not going to feed the people with that,” he said. But then, over...

-The Hindu   Concerned at the skewed sex ratio as reflected in the latest Census report, the Centre has asked the Medical Council of India to take cognisance of the practice of illegal sex selection and sex selective abortion. The MCI has been told to ensure that guidelines for accreditation of training and experience for medical practitioners are put in place quickly. The process of regular reviews with 18 States that have...

A caveat: Is the Lokpal the right authority to investigate judges? Legal luminaries think otherwise. Five Points Of Contention Pro-Lokpal Bill activists want the higher judiciary to come under the purview of the new law. Jurists think otherwise. Point: Nowhere in the world is there an ombudsman to whom the entire higher judiciary is made accountable Counterpoint: The Lokpal Bill must ensure powers to probe corruption charges against SC and HC judges Independence of...

Indian farmers have much to celebrate this year with a bumper wheat harvest. As predicted by the ministry of agriculture, wheat farmers have begun to harvest what is shaping up to be a record crop, projected at 84.27 million tonnes. We are growing more wheat than ever before. The earlier record of 80.8 million tonnes of wheat production was achieved in 2009-10. Estimates show that foodgrain production including wheat, rice, pulses...