-The Times of India NEW DELHI: After a 46-year wait, India is set to get a lokpal after the Lok Sabha on Wednesday took barely an hour to pass the landmark legislation to create a powerful anti-corruption ombudsman amid sustained disruptions by anti-Telangana MPs. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi introduced a note of urgency in the proceedings right at the start, crisply asking law minister Kapil Sibal to "keep it short" as he...

-Outlook New Delhi: As they bask in the post-poll glory, issues like water, education and unauthorised colonies figure high on the winning candidates' agenda. 26-year-old Prakash who left a managerial job in a private company to join the Aam Aadmi Party credited his win to "lack of works done by his predecessors". Prakash dealt a severe blow to Congress and BJP in the polls by amassing 51,646 votes from Deoli constituency in south...

-The Hindu Hyderabad: There are an estimated 4,000 homeless persons in the city, whose 13 shelter homes come a cropper in November's chilly nights Every night, for the last one week, Kumar Subramanyam (45) has been roaming the pavements of Padmarao Nagar, trying to find a warm spot to nestle in. He is homeless, and the winds are not too kind in November. This has been his ordeal, year after year. Like him,...

-The Indian Express Arwal (Bihar): Baudh Ram paused while laying out clothes to dry, to spew expletives. Then he said, "Go look at the memorial. That is all that is left now." Anger and frustration provide a not-so subtle cover for fear in Subash Nagar of Laxmanpur Bathe village of Arwal district - site of the December 1, 1997 killing of 58 people by upper-caste men - after the 26 convicted...

-The Hindu     Governments have ritually abused the latitude granted by the Indian Penal Code and the Constitution to harass, intimidate and arrest scores of writers, journalists and artists It is common knowledge that Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian Constitution lays down that "all citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression"; it is also common knowledge that this fundamental right is not absolute, as the immediately following...