-The Times of India   Anna Hazare's anti-corruption agitation and the UPA government's poor handling of it have cost the Congress dear, shaving off one-third of its support while boosting the popularity of its principal rival BJP. An opinion poll conducted by market researcher Nielsen for a TV channel has found that BJP has gained a 12-point lead since May, when it lagged behind the Congress. Nielsen, which gauged support for different parties...

-Express News Service   As the Parliamentary Standing Committee starts its meetings to debate the Lokpal Bill and Anna Hazare’s team meets MPs, the National Campaign for Peoples’ Rights for Information (NCPRI) has launched its strongest broadside ever against the government as well as the non-governmental members of the drafting committee on the Bill for their inability to stick to their promise of ‘pre-legislative consultation’. Aruna Roy, a prominent member of the Sonia...

The need for the media to take voluntary, not paid, ownership of creating awareness for better participation of voters in the election process was recommended at a roundtable on the “Role of media in building voters' awareness” here on Friday. The recommendation was part of a national consultation on voters' participation organised by the Election Commission (EC). Other roundtables at the consultation pertained to fighting urban apathy, connecting with youth in...

Mamata Banerjee today told Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee over the phone that she wanted the amended land acquisition act to be sent to a standing committee, a move that will effectively delay its tabling till the Bengal elections are over next year. The Congress wants to table the bill in the winter session. “Given the sensitivity attached to land acquisition in Bengal, we don’t want to take any risk during the Assembly...

It is presumed that the industrial development in Bihar is hampered by lack of investments. Is it because of 'unproductive' government policies or an unpredictable law and order situation? And how to increase the flow of investment in the state? In order to find out answers to all such questions and debate these issues, Business Standard Hindi recently organised a roundtable in Patna. The seminar was attended by various small...