-Live Mint/ The Wall Street Journal Contributions more than doubled between 2004 and 2009 polls; experts say published figures just tip of the iceberg  Contributions, including money from top companies, to the country’s two largest political parties, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), more than doubled between the 2004 and 2009 general elections. This revelation affirms a trend of companies, most of which are listed, opting for a transparent route to...

-The Business Standard Make politicians' asset disclosures clearer, and follow up In an important move towards transparency, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last year reminded his council of ministers to declare their assets, movable and immovable, and said that the declarations would be put up online. Declarations for 2012 are now online and these should be welcome. But they also reveal that many lacunae remain in terms of full and clear disclosure. The...

-The Indian Express Its report on the allocation of coal blocks is marred by a major legal error The legal fraternity celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court of India in 2000 with a book, Supreme, But Not Infallible. The unusual title of the book was a powerful way for the legal fraternity to remind itself, and the public, that the highest court in the land is fallible, that it can...

-The Times of India LUCKNOW: The major source of the income of political parties in India is through donations and voluntary contributions. However, majority donations comes from undisclosed contributors. According to the study conducted by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), an umbrella body of non-governmental organizations working across the country for transparency in political and electoral system, the top five political parties with the highest total income between financial year (FY)...

-The Times of India KUDANKULAM: Police lathicharged and fired teargas shells on villagers protesting against Kundakulam nuclear plant at Vairavikinaru shore to chase them away on Monday morning. The villagers, men and women ran helter-skelter from the shore, some of them into the sea as police personnel began to chase them. Some of the villagers also retaliated by throwing stones at the police. The incident sparked fresh round of tension in the...