-The Times of India   Minutes after the Congress demanded relief from the steep hike in petrol price, state-run oil marketers on Thursday indicated they could reduce the price by the month-end if the rupee and international oil prices held steady.  "Current trend indicates that prices can come down," IndianOil chairman R S Butola said. He was speaking just after Congress publicly asked for a reduction in the hike.  "We are genuinely sensitive to...

A day after the steepest ever petrol price hike of Rs. 7.54 sparked protests by UPA allies and Opposition parties in several parts of the country on Thursday, there were strong indications that the government would cushion the blow for the common man. Petrol prices may come down by Rs. 3-4 a litre in the next few days as state governments readied plans to slash local taxes and oil companies...

-The Telegraph The Lokpal bill faces further delay with the Rajya Sabha today referring it to a 15-member select committee by voice vote, but not before the Opposition accused the government of playing “games” and trying to bypass House business rules. The select committee, to be made up by members from various parties, is to hand in its report by the last week of the monsoon session. The BJP, CPM and the Bahujan...

-The Times of India Under pressure from Political Parties and women's organizations, the government on Monday deferred passage of the bill that seeks to include "irretrievable breakdown of marriage'' among the reasons for divorce, along with other provisions, which the BJP has opposed on the ground that it could prove detrimental to women in the Indian social context. Law minister Salman Khurshid told Rajya Sabha said most of the concerns raised on...

Institutions the bill proposes to set up are not adequately independent of the government The government is reported to be making efforts to seek a consensus amongst its allies and the opposition parties on the Lokpal Bill that is awaiting approval of the Rajya Sabha. People’s movements and some of the main opposition parties have objected to various provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011, as passed in the winter...