-The Indian Express On the surface, the sugar crisis in Uttar Pradesh may seem to be inching closer to a resolution. But cane farmers may have unwittingly mortgaged their land, signing up for crop loans from public sector banks, with the money so raised being used by the mills to pay arrears of a different set of farmers. This model, of mills rotating working capital loans from banks, to deliver pending payouts...

-The Business Standard Expenses such as employment guarantees and loan waivers are, in effect, subsidies that are classified differently in government accounts Over the last few years, the government announced many policy initiatives that purportedly help the weaker sections of our society. Schemes initiated under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) or the distribution of free and affordable food items under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) are examples...

-The Hindu "Tehelka" tried to conceal the gravity of its Editor-in-Chief's alleged sexual assault, which is rape under the amended IPC. It tried to divert attention to an inquiry by an in-house committee mandated by a 2013 law meant to protect women in workplaces. This Act deals with sexual harassment of a lesser degree, the offences under it are non-cognisable, and it is in limbo since the government has failed to...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has viewed seriously ineffective implementation of series of directions to curb custodial deaths and sought explanation from the Centre and states after being informed that nearly 12,000 persons died - either in jail or in police stations - in last five years. A bench of Justices S S Nijjar and F M I Kalifulla was pained when amicus curiae A M Singhvi moved...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: At a time when 16,000-odd trial courts, 21 high courts and the Supreme Court are battling with over three crore pendency, a nationwide simultaneous holding of lok adalats opened on Saturday by Chief Justice P Sathasivam achieved a world record by disposing of 35.1 lakh cases within eight hours. "What is important is that these cases will be settled and reach a finality without litigants going...