-The Goan In the second decade of the 15th century, after the French ruler Charles VI was succeeded by his son bearing his name, a phrase was coined: "The king is dead, long live the king". The phrase literally meant that the transfer of sovereignty occurs simultaneously from the moment of death of an earlier monarch. Over the years, the phrase came to signify superficial change: the more things change,...

-The Business Standard The Planning Commission needs to be replaced by institutions prescribed under the Constitution for the functions it usurped The Planning Commission was a powerful centre of extra-constitutional authority, but not because the Constitution overlooked the need for the roles that it played. The prescription of fiscal flows from Centre to states was assigned under Article 280 to Finance Commissions, set up every five years with what by convention...

-NDTV Meerut (Uttar Pradesh): The BJP's new rhetoric focusing on a communal twist to crimes against women in Uttar Pradesh is not borne out by cold facts. Data accessed by NDTV shows that in western Uttar Pradesh, where vociferous campaigns have highlighted the alleged abuse of Hindu women by Muslim men, women have been assaulted by men from their own community in most rape cases this year. On Sunday, we had reported...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: Treatment for HIV patients across India has taken a hit, especially in Delhi and Mumbai, due to severe stock-outs of life-saving medicines reported at government-owned centres. Shortage of first-line (initial), second-line (advanced) and paediatric HIV drugs, besides crucial diagnostic kits, has prompted patient groups to send a legal notice to the government, pointing to the scarcity, gaps in procurement and supply of these drugs. The treatment and control...

-PTI Stressing that the practice of child marriage was still prevalent in CERTain communities and groups in the country, the UNICEF official held deep-rooted superstitious beliefs as responsible for its slow elimination India has witnessed a decline in child marriage in the last two decades, but going by the slow pace it will require another 50 years to abolish the practice from the country, according to UNICEF. "Child marriage has been declining at...