-The Hindu Bangalore: Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency that was carved out from Yelahanka ahead of the previous Assembly elections has become a hot destination for real estate developers. Its proximity to the international airport and the six-lane highway that passes through this constituency providing smooth connectivity to the central parts of the city have put real estate development on a fast track here. But this has unleashed its ugly impact as real estate...

-Down to Earth Two developments in the last week essay the progress of panchayatiraj in the past 20 years. The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj issued public notifications asking village panchayats to hold the next village council meeting in April/May. It is an irony that the highest unit of government i.e. the union government decides the dates of meetings for the lowest tier of governance. The notification violates the letter and...

-Live Mint The experience of Kerala and Tripura shows how panchayati raj can help in the empowerment of women Chulubari (Tripura)/Kanjikuzhy (Kerala): Her relatives warned Hena Das, a resident of Chulubari in Tripura, against taking up political office because it wasn't "meant for women". Das disregarded the warnings. Two years on, she has no regrets. She also has no male colleagues; her fellow representatives on the board of an 12-member panchayat are all...

-The Telegraph Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today flagged a four-member panel headed by a retired judge, a task force and an ordinance in her first comprehensive comments on the Saradha Group collapse that has triggered fears of a default contagion in Bengal. It was not clear if it was a stray remark or addressed at those seeking immediate relief for depositors but the chief minister also said that "ja gechhey ta...

-The Hindu Business Line After the 1980s, special interest groups have preferred to knock on the doors of the judiciary. In India today, matters of public interest seem to get their due only when the Supreme Court has added its two cents. Interest groups, representing both general and special interests, petition the judiciary actively. In an era where virtually all Institutions in India have been vulnerable to political capture, the judiciary seems like...