-The Hindu The appointments of Vijai Sharma as Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and K.V. Chowdary as Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), which have been a long time coming, also raise some concerns about the Narendra Modi government’s level of engagement with institutions that form the life breath of Indian democracy. The CIC presides over the Right to Information, crucial to a participatory democracy in making institutions accountable, while the CVC is tasked...

The fifth CMS VATAVARAN Young Environmental Journalism Awards is now inviting entries from journalists representing print, broadcast and online media. The last date for receiving the entries is July 31st 2015. The fifth CMS VATAVARAN Young Environmental Journalism Awards is now inviting entries from journalists representing print, broadcast and online media. The CMS VATAVARAN Young Environmental Journalism Awards aim to recognise and reward excellence in environmental journalism by young journalists...

-The Hindu The apex court, however, permitted the use of photographs of the President, Prime Minister and CJI in the advertisements. In a historic judgment holding that taxpayers' money cannot be spent to build "personality cults" of political leaders, the Supreme Court on Wednesday restrained ruling parties from publishing photographs of political leaders or prominent persons in government-funded advertisements. The apex court said such photos divert attention from the policy of the government,...

-Newsclick.in The government in India continues to kow-tow to corporate lobbies at the cost of the environment and public health including occupational health. While always an integral part of ruling class politics in India, as witnessed in the seemingly never-ending saga of the Bhopal Gas Disaster, this has reached new heights under the BJP government led by PM Narendra Modi which is rapidly dismantling even the already weak environmental regulatory structure....

-The Hindu The Law Commission has recommended that newspaper advertisements on the eve of elections be banned. In a report released on Thursday, the commission wanted Independent candidates to be barred from contesting elections, and paid news made an electoral offence leading to disqualification. Headed by Justice A.P. Shah, the commission submitted its 255th report, on the issue of electoral reforms, to the Union Law Ministry. Noting that the ban on broadcast...