-Outlook Kokrajhar: The Assam government and the Bodoland Territorial autonomous District administration today decided to rehabilitate 12000 refugee families affected in the recent violence. The 12000 refugee families would be rehabilitated in the first phase while in subsequent phases the remainder of those in relief camps would return home, BTAD chief Hagrama Mohilary told reporters after a meeting with a group of ministers (GOM). The rehabilitation would be done on the basis of...

-The Hindu More than a political consensus, it is hard data on the absence of marginalised sections from the higher bureaucracy that will give legitimacy to the measure The decision to amend the Constitution to ensure reservation in promotions for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes has been the subject of much scrutiny without paying sufficient critical attention to the discourse of the Supreme Court on the issue. While the Court...

-Frontline The NDTV suit against a media research firm highlights the need for an independent, neutral system of monitoring TV viewing.  AS a legal battle between NDTV and TAM Media Research is about to take off in the New York Supreme Court, broadcasters and advertisers in India are going all out to voice their criticism of the methodology adopted by TAM. NDTV filed a suit in the New York State Supreme Court...

-People's Democracy IT seems the Sheila Dixit government of Delhi, backed by powerful elements in the UPA-2 central government, will let nothing stand in the way of water privatisation in the capital. Several earlier attempts going back many years to fully or partially privatise distribution of water, especially the big loan application to the World Bank in 2005, were foiled by vigilant community organisations, public interest groups, trade unions and political...

-The Hindu The government was unable to get approved in the Rajya Sabha a Bill for setting up AIIMS-like premier medical-cum-educational institutions across the country, with the Left parties protesting against a legislation being passed without discussion. The Bill hence couldn’t be taken up for discussion, as the house was frequently adjourned with din on the coal blocks allocation scandal. As soon as Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, S....