-The Times of India Undertrials languishing in jails for long years because of their inability to secure bail may soon be released following the Centre directive to all states and Union Territories to review such cases. Saying only the poor and indigent continued to be in jails for long periods and that too for minor offences, the Centre has asked states to release all such undertrials who have completed half the maximum...

-The Hindu Caste might be cast in stone judging from the way the dominant discourse gets conducted in India “Caste is the most overwhelming factor in Indian life. Those who deny it in principle also accept it in practice. Life moves within the frontiers of caste and cultured men speak in soft tones against the system of caste, while its rejection in action just does not occur to them...” Socialist thinker Ram...

-The Economic Times Justice JS Verma says women remain unsafe because of poor governance, not dearth of laws, in an interview with ET. The former Chief Justice of India, who headed the three-member committee to suggest measures for a safer environment for women, had submitted his panel's report in just 29 days, and wants the government to act in the same time: * Do you expect the govt to implement your recommendations...

-DNA 1. The equality of women, being integral to the Constitution, its denial is a sacrilege and a constitutional violation. Sustained constitutional violations mean that governance is not in accordance with the Constitution. A fortiori, all limbs of the State - the executive, the legislature as well as the judiciary -must respect women’s rights and must treat them in a non-discriminatory manner. 2. As a primary recommendation, all marriages in India (irrespective...

-The Hindu Highlighting the importance of proper audit of the non-government organisations (NGOs), particularly those getting grants from the government, a report based on information received under RTI reveals that the Union and State governments give yearly grants worth Rs.1,000 crore to various NGOs. “At a time when the grants to the NGOs given by the Centre have been increasing — from Rs. 561 crore in 2002-2003 to Rs. 835 crore in...