-The Indian Express Quoting from a speech of former British prime minister Tony Blair who compared the media to a “feral beast”, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday recommended the Centre to put in place a “statutory regulatory body” for controlling the electronic media. A bench led by Justice Pradeep Nandarajog rejected the idea of “self-regulation” by the broadcasters, underlining that the absence of state intervention on its own was no guarantee...

-The Indian Express She was gangraped by 16 boys, nine of them juveniles. She was beaten, cut up and her genitals mutilated. She made it to hospital, but was sent home with first-aid. When she survived to fight, she ran into an indifferent administration and influential accused. Schools denied her admission, and others mocked and threatened her. Chances are you haven't heard this 16-year-old's story. Three days after the brutal attack on...

-The Times of India Asking the government not to keep mercy petitions of death row convicts pending for a long time, Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir on Sunday said execution of death penalty should not be delayed. He also faulted the government for not informing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's family members before he was hanged. "If a death penalty is to be awarded and it is there under the system,...

-The Hindustan Times The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, or anti-rape law, approved by the President on April 3 says the offence is punishable with three years' imprisonment and provides for a fine. But the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill passed by Parliament in February only provides for a penalty and departmental action. The law ministry has said in an internal government note that the women and...

-The Hindu     Drug patents are designed to create profits that enable more research on diseases affecting millions. But in practice, they have often generated super profits for big pharma companies while erecting access barriers for the poor. The Novartis case spotlights much that is wrong with the system. The rejection of the Novartis petition challenging one of the most progressive tenets of the Indian Patents Act (1970), as amended in 2005 by...