-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In a jolt to hundreds of builders who have completed housing projects without environment clearance, the Supreme Court on Friday termed such constructions illegal, conceding that it might have committed a mistake by previously staying a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order halting construction of these projects. The NGT had struck down the UPA government's 'office memorandum' (order) in 2012 and the amendment to it in 2013,...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Manipur government how long the Army should be deployed in the state and enjoy unaccountable power under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and whether 35 years of the Army's presence had improved the law and order situation. The court had appointed a high-level inquiry committee headed by an ex-judge of the SC to inquire into allegations that...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday blamed the faulty driver licencing regime for India's notorious distinction of registering maximum road fatalities across the globe. In other countries, applicants need to undergo stringent tests and clearing them in the first attempt is rare. "It's easiest to get a driving licence in India and so we have the maximum number of road deaths in the world estimated...

Representatives of around 20 civil society organizations and NGOs met the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley as part of pre-budget consultation on social sector on 12 January, 2016. Immediately after the pre-budget consultation, a press conference was held by some of these organizations to convey the media persons what demands/ suggestions were made.   Subrat Das, Executive Director of Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA, http://www.cbgaindia.org/) informed us that during...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Calling child rape cases "atrocious, inconceivable and cruel crimes", the Supreme Court on Monday favoured tougher punishment for offenders but said it was for Parliament to consider harsher measures, including chemical castration. Hearing Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association's plea seeking chemical castration of child rapists, a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and N V Ramana was unequivocal on harsher punishment but stopped short of issuing a...