-DNA Union minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday that within one year Amendments will be made to 13 central government laws for the effective implementation of new land acquisition law which came into effect from January 1. "From now onwards no land will be acquired or purchased on the basis of 1894 Act in which government was the sole decider and farmer did not have any say," said Jairam...

-The Free Press Journal Forced evictions to become history after 120 years New Delhi: The New Year ushered a new law replacing the 120-year old Land Acquisition Act 1894, ending to the government's powers of forcible acquiescing and assuring appropriate compensation to farmers with transparency. The Rural Development Ministry on Wednesday notified the rules framed under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act to bring...

-Outlook The much-awaited Lokpal Bill today got the assent from President Pranab Mukherjee, providing for creation of an anti-graft watchdog which will bring under its purview even the Prime Minister with certain safeguards. The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 17 and by the Lok Sabha the next day. The Lok Sabha secretariat had yesterday sent to the Law Ministry a copy of the Bill which has been signed by...

-Association for Democratic Reforms Press Release   New Delhi: The Amendment made in the RTI Act by the Parliament that proposed to keep political parties outside its ambit has been approved by the Parliamentary Committee, entrusted with the task of reviewing it despite much opposition from civil society organizations and citizens. In a landmark decision on June 3, 2013, the Central Information Commission (CIC) pronounced that the political parties (INC, BJP, CPM,...

-The Hindu The Congress has steered clear of any debate on the AFSPA, leaving a politically untenable choice for the next government: repeal the Act or leave it untouched With its recent decision to extend the implementation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur by another year, the United Progressive Alliance's opportunistic posturing on the legislation has come full circle. The UPA's rendezvous with the AFSPA began months after it...