-The Hindu   The film has nothing to do with Mullaperiyar dam, says producer-director Producer-director Sohan Roy on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Tamil Nadu Government's ban on screening of his film Dam 999 in the State. Mr. Roy in his writ petition questioned the subjective satisfaction of the Chief Minister (on whose directions the impugned November 24 order was passed), arrived on by “narrow political objectives.” He said the order had...

With deep pockets and international sourcing capabilities, global retail chains will outcompete domestic players, displace jobs, and undermine livelihoods. In predictable fashion, the Manmohan Singh government chose to ignore voices of opposition and implement its agenda of permitting foreign investment in the retail trade. While Parliament was in session, the Cabinet met to approve the hitherto prohibited foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, with a cap of 51 per cent on...

Indian courts have consistently upheld and championed the fundamental right to free speech and expression enshrined in the Constitution. This includes the right to put forward different and contrary views, right or wrong. A recent instance saw the Supreme Court of India striking down Uttar Pradesh's ban on the film Aarakshan. This article by A.P. Shah, retired Chief Justice of the Madras and Delhi High Courts, sets out key issues...

-The Indian Express   Bihar is ready with the draft for a new Lokayukta Bill, which it plans to finalise by November 26 before getting it passed in the winter session of the Assembly. It is the second state, after Uttarakhand, to have prepared or reworked its Lokayukta laws before the Centre haspassed a Lokpal Bill. Unlike the Bihar Lokayukta Act, 1973, the new law will bring the chief minister under the Lokayukta’s...

-The Times of India   The state government on Friday chargesheeted suspended Bhartpur district collector and superintendent of police in connection with the Gopalgarh violence. The collector, Kunal Krishna an IAS officer of 2003 batch, and IPs officer Hinglaj Dan were suspended for laxity in their duties while controlling the situation in Gopalgarh which claimed 10 lives. On September 14, the small town in Bharatpur district witnessed violent clashes between Meo Muslims and Gujjars...