-The Times of India One of India's most unusual experiments with citizen participation in governance is set to come to an end on Friday, when central information commissioner (CIC)Shailesh Gandhi retires. Gandhi, a noted Right To Information (RTI) activist from Mumbai, was appointed to the central information commission in 2008. Under the RTI Act, there is a state information commission in every state for its laws, and a central information commission for...

-The Hindu Once a Bill is tabled in Parliament after CABinet nod, there can be no bar on disclosing the contents The Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that once a Bill has been tabled in Parliament, the CABinet decision and file notings relating to it can be made public. Ordering the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to produce the CABinet note, papers and file notings relating to the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority...

Days after he broke away from the NDA over choice of the presidential poll nominee, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has managed to get the Centre to double the special assistance package to Rs 20,000 crore during the 12th five year (2012-17) plan. The state will get Rs 4,000 crore every year as central package. Although the assistance was promised at the time of its separation from Jharkhand, it was pegged at...

-The Telegraph Trinamul Congress leaders today criticised governor M.K. Narayanan for saying that “legal advice” from the administration did not talk of seeking presidential assent for the Singur law. “I thought we did not require the president’s approval. That was the legal advice also. If the high court felt otherwise, it’s fine. That’s ok. What can we do?” the governor had said in response to a question yesterday. A Calcutta High Court division...

-The Business Standard   Lopsided fertiliser policy is damaging farm output Even as the indifferent monsoon is threatening to affect crop sowing in the current season, the recent spike in the prices of some fertilisers and related developments in the fertiliser sector are adding to disquiet over kharif production prospects. The government’s move to slash subsidies on non-urea fertilisers early this year, coupled with the rupee’s depreciation, has led fertiliser companies to substantially...