-The Times of India JAIPUR: Social activist Aruna Roy and Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan activist Nikhil Dey have announced a daylong protest on August 6 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the proposed amendment of RTI Act to keep political parties out of its ambit. Roy demanded that all political parties spell out their stand in public on the proposed amendment before the commencement of monsoon session on August 6. "None...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: When the Union cabinet yesterday decided to amend the Right to Information Act to exempt political parties from its ambit, it argued that citizens already have several legal avenues to find out about the Donations the parties receive and details of their poll candidates. The cabinet approved the draft bill to be introduced in the coming Parliament session to amend the 2005 act, excluding political parties from the...

-The Hindu Surely something is amiss when ideologically diverse political parties reach a consensus on anything in quick time. Without even waiting to legally challenge the order of the Central Information Commission bringing parties under the ambit of the Right to Information Act, the Union Cabinet has decided to amend the Act to nullify the effect of the order. Political parties will have to accept the fact that they are...

-The Hindu Building on the work by RTI activists, India needs to set up a mechanism that can make for accountability on the sources and utilisation of party funds Throughout the world, political parties collect funds to build and sustain the organisation, to train party cadres and fight elections. Recognising that they are the main link to the citizens (as voters) and, by implication, the mainstay of democracy, many countries, including India,...

-The Indian Express Dehradun: This horse has spent his entire life ferrying pilgrims to and from Kedarnath Dham. And since December 16 -- when the first rush of water brought with it untold devastation for the region -- this horse has been stuck on a rocky bed across river Mandakini, without a blade of grass to graze on. We shall call him Hope. ''All attempts, by NGOs and even the Army, to...