When it comes to property rights in matrimony, gender matters. The issue of property rights for women within a marriage has long been an area of concern across the world. While Maharashtra is now considering the idea of granting women equal rights in their husband's property, women's rights were being asserted in the US way back in 1771. Almost two-and-a-half centuries ago, New York brought in a law preventing a...

For the first time in the country, the Andhra Pradesh government is launching special courts for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) on November 1 to try cases of misappropriation and fraud being committed by staff during its implementation. The special courts can impose a two-year jail term apart from ordering recovery of the amount defrauded by the accused officials if proved guilty. The courts, to be set...

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) will have powers to investigate and prosecute corporate entities under the Companies Bill, 2011, expected to be cleared by the Union Cabinet before Diwali.  The bill also envisages rotation of company auditors for higher accountability, corporate social responsibility, a more effective regulation of related party transactions and stricter provisions to prevent siphoning of funds through subsidiary and associate companies.  The government expects the bill to modernise,...

-The Telegraph   Union law minister Salman Khurshid today said there was no proposal for a re-look at the RTI law but if there were “hiccups”, they should be examined. “I know of no such proposal.... If there are any hiccups anywhere, should we not examine them, should we not talk about them, should we not debate them and see what’s to be done?” he said, when asked if the government was contemplating...

The Union government's desire to give the Lokpal constitutional status will not in any way delay the proposed Legislation on the subject, Law Minister Salman Khursheed said on Tuesday. Expressing surprise at the response of the Opposition and Team Anna — that it was a delaying tactic — he said that while the government was totally committed to getting the Bill passed, eventually it was the responsibility of Parliament to...