-The Business Standard The Western Ghats need local environmental governance What sets the report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, headed by Professor Madhav Gadgil, apart from most other reports delivered by such government-appointed committees is that it does not view environmental factors in isolation from development imperatives. Nevertheless, its recommendations pay careful attention to the need for protection and preservation of the biological wealth of one of the world’s hot...

-The Telegraph A debate on a bill proposing to speed up Divorces could not be completed in the Rajya Sabha today after several parties opposed the legislation, saying it would make life harder for women. Since the subject was changed abruptly and law minister Salman Khurshid could not reply, the discussion was deemed incomplete. The government is expected to suggest some changes after consulting the Opposition when the discussion resumes, for which no...

-The Economic Times   A bill seeking to make 'irretrievable breakdown of marriage' as a ground for divorce appeared to be in trouble with MPs from within the ruling side as well as the Opposition attacking the changes.  The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, which was taken up passage in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, was seen to be loaded against women by a significant section of the House. In the face of concerns...

After 3 talaqs, woman becomes illegal for husband   Darul Uloom Deoband has ruled that talaq (divorce) given in a state of drunkenness is valid. A fatwa to this effect was issued by Darul Ifta (Fatwa Department) of the Islamic seminary on March 13. The ruling was issued on a question from a concerned brother on February 21, 2012. He wanted to know from Darul Ifta about the fate of his sister's marriage...

Much has been written about divorce being on the rise in India, sometimes accompanied by hand-wringing about the egos and inflexibility of younger couples, who seem less willing than their parents to stay in marriages they are not happy with. National statistics don’t exist on divorce in India, but some local records do show a rise. Still, some experts say the divorce rate in India continues to be artificially low, because...