-The Times of India BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition on Wednesday accused the state government of perpetrating irregularities in the centrally-sponsored rural job guarantee scheme leading to embezzlement of an alleged 50% of the money earmarked for expenditure. Panchayati Raj minister Kalpataru Das rejected the allegations, saying Odisha was faring better than most states in implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme launched in 2005. He said so far 100.33 lakh families...

-The Hindu Alleged involvement of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien KOTTAYAM: The victim in the Suryanelli sex-scandal case and those close to her are considering taking legal recourse seeking further investigation into the alleged involvement of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien in the case. Those close to the victim say they have two options before them, one being to approach the court at Munnar, where the original case was registered, invoking...

-The Times of India Three Rajiv Gandhi assassinshave opposed the execution of the death sentence awarded to them by pointing to the 12 year-lag between the Supreme Court's confirmation of the high court's order to send them to the gallows and the rejection of the mercy petition by President. Behind this argument, it turns out, is a well-organized campaign by LTTE cadres, sympathizers and human rights groups opposed to death penalty...

-The Hindu With fresh evidence surfacing of his involvement in the Suryanelli gang rape case, P.J. Kurien should step down as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson, the CPI(M) said on Sunday. In a statement here, the CPI(M) said if he did not step down, he should be removed from the post, in the background of the Supreme Court annulling the Kerala High Court order acquitting 35 accused persons and ordering re-examination of the...

-Economic and Political Weekly The proposed legislation on the National Food Security Act has been steadily watered down since it was fi rst mooted in 2009. The Parliamentary Standing Committee that examined the 2011 Bill has disappointingly continued with "targeting". If the government passes the bill incorporating the committee's suggestions, a historic opportunity to combat hunger and malnutrition would be lost. Ankita Aggarwal (aggarwal.ankita87@gmail.com) is a Research Scholar at the Centre for...