-The Hindu Commission’s powers under RP Act limited to candidates, agents Ahmedabad: In a stinging indictment, the Gujarat High Court on Friday called “unConstitutional” and “illegal” the searches and seizure of anything over Rs. 2.5 lakh (in cash and kind) from any car by static surveillance teams of the Election Commission. Observing that the action was not only uncalled for as the names of Assembly election candidates had not even been announced, a...

-The Indian Express The Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai told a meeting of the World Economic Forum that the “brazenness” with which government decisions were being taken is “actually appalling”. A day before that, he had told students in Shillong that the “suffering majority had begun to speak up”. In times when corruption is the central issue and the government evidently suffers from a credibility deficit, the statements...

-The Hindustan Times The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) should be given Constitutional status empowering them with appropriate autonomy and independence to make them effective instruments for fighting corruption, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai said on Wednesday. “If you really want some of these institutions to deliver, you must take a risk and ... take courage to make them Constitutional,” he said, while speaking...

-Outlook Ranchi: Demanding protection of tribal land under the fifth schedule of the Constitution, CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat today accused Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda of treating tribals like a "football". "Chief Minister Arjun Munda has taken the tribals for a football, hitting them wherever he wished. Under the 5th Schedule, tribal land cannot be snatched away," Karat said while addressing a rally organised by Adivasi Adhikar Rastriya Manch here. Accusing Congress...

-Outlook The Supreme Court today granted two more months to the Income Tax department to transcribe the entire intercepted telephone conversations of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia. A Bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya said that the department must place the transcript of entire 5,800 conversations, running into more than hundred hours, on January 8. "Complete the exercise in two months. Not possible to give you more time," the bench...