-CNN-IBN President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday signed the Criminal Law Amendment Bill which gives India a strong anti-rape law. The Criminal Law Amendment Bill was earlier passed by the two Houses of Parliament. The massive public anger and uproars following the December 16 gangrape of the Delhi braveheart forced the drafting and eventual passing of this new Bill. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013 was moved in the Rajya Sabha by Home Minister...

-The Hindu The Justice Verma Committee report acts as a blueprint for the radical transformation of gender relations within the framework of constitutional guarantees and gender equality. However, the adoption of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2013 by Parliament on March 19, 2013, does not go beyond legal change. Prof. Hasan argues that if political parties are serious about the rights of women, the Women's Representation Bill must be passed...

-Outlook The UPA government seems too keen on giving the press council what Katju seeks Powerful Enough? Among the powers the PCI now wields are the following: Power to censure, warn and admonish on receipt of a complaint, after giving the publication a chance to be heard The same powers as a civil court to summon and enforce attendance, examine persons under oath ...

-The Telegraph The director-general of the National Investigation Agency, Sharad C. Sinha, was today selected member of the National Human Rights Commission at a meeting attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, is understood to have given dissenting notes against two appointments to the NHRC, one being that of Sinha, which was not accepted. No decision has been taken on the other...

-The Times of India KOTTAYAM: In a setback for Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien, the principal sessions court, Thodupuzha, on Wednesday ordered that a notice be issued to him on a criminal revision petition filed by the Suriyanelli rape victim. The Thodupuzha sessions court judge, Abraham Mathew, admitted the plea and issued notices to Dharmarajan, a prime accused in the case, two other accused -- Jamal and Unnikrishnan -- and...