-The Indian Express Will not halt research but not rushing through decision, says Javadekar. HELPING THE government buy peace with activists protesting against granting clearance to the first transgenic food crop in the country, the biotechnology regulator on Friday deferred a decision on allowing the cultivation of a genetically-modified (GM) hybrid mustard. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), a body under the Environment Ministry that regulates the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs),...

-Hindustan Times Raipur: In Kawardha, the home district of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, a woman sarpanch has decided to delegate all her responsibilities to her nephew, citing her busy household routine as the reason. In an affidavit, sarpanch Santoshi Bai has handed over her powers to nephew Kaushal Nishad, saying she remains too engrossed in her household work. “At home, I am preoccupied with work and that diverts my attention from...

-The Telegraph The Narendra Modi government's decision to abolish the National Development Council is a further blow against the federal structure of our republic. True, the NDC did not have a constitutional status, and differed in this respect from the Inter-State Council, whose activation was often demanded by the Left, precisely because it was a constitutional body, for deciding inter alia on the composition and terms of reference of finance commissions....

-The Indian Express Jaipur: Kanwar Lal, BJP MLA from Aklera who allegedly beat up members of a civil society group during an accountability march last month, has 20 criminal cases registered against him at two police stations in his constituency. He was also arrested once. Of these, in nine investigations, most involving breaking into houses and tearing up copies of a religious book, his name was later removed, six are pending in courts,...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: Delhi High Court today stayed a ban on management quotas in private schools clamped by the Arvind Kejriwal government, paving the way for admissions to resume in 2,500-odd institutions. In its interim order, the court referred to an earlier judgment that such quotas could only be abolished by passing a law, not through an "office order" of the kind the AAP government had issued. The court also upheld 11...