If the malnourished in India formed a country, it would be the world's fifth largest — almost the size of Indonesia. According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 237.7 million Indians are currently undernourished (up from 224.6 million in 2008). And it is far worse if we use the minimal calorie intake norms accepted officially in India. By those counts (2200 rural/2100 urban), the number of Indians who cannot afford...

—PTI A woman cannot be denied her right to residence in the house of her in-laws or husband under the law against domestic violence on mere allegation that she is having an extra-marital affair, a Delhi court has observed. “Simply because the petition for divorce is filed against the spouse and the husband alleges that his wife has relations with another person, the wife does not become disentitled to right of residence,...

Concerned over the spate of crimes allegedly for the sake of "honour", a government panel wants a comprehensive standalone law to punish those who kill or harass young couple from exercising their right to choose their partners.  The recommendation for a comprehensive legislation to stop honour killings stems from the recognition of the absence of specific provisions in the Indian Penal Code, which deal with acts of harassment in the name...

-The Indian Express   As they were produced before the media following their surrender before the police at Kanker on Monday evening, top Naxals for the first time admitted publicly what has been an unconfirmed rumour in Bastar — the insurgents are forced to undergo vasectomy by their leaders, mostly based in Andhra Pradesh. All the four men who surrendered on Monday had undergone the operation. Three women Naxals also surrendered on Monday. “This...

In a move aimed to protect victims of sexual abuse from further mental trauma, a high powered government committee has recommended abolishing the "two finger test" for determining rape or sexual assault. Rape survivors are routinely subjected to forensic examination that include the "finger" test. Social activists have for long been demanding a ban on the "archaic and outdated" practice. They termed the test "unscientific and degrading". In a bid to protect...