-The Hoot The coverage given to Thackeray’s death by some television channels was overwhelmingly disproportionate to his contribution to people’s well-being. The comments made by the “experts” were toned by the fear of Sena reprisal, says KALPANA SHARMA. Can Indian news television plumb greater depths? The blanket coverage of Bal Thackeray’s death and funeral on some channels would make any self-respecting journalist hang her head in shame. What were they thinking?...

-The Hindu By not publicly disclosing the reasons for rejecting Ajmal Kasab’s mercy petition, Pranab Mukherjee missed an excellent opportunity to contribute to the rule of law President Pranab Mukherjee’s decision to reject the mercy petition submitted by the lone convict in the 26/11 Mumbai terror Attack, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, is an instance of how public perceptions about a convict’s guilt can camouflage the government’s duty to explain the decision. The...

-The Indian Express The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear the Centre’s plea to review its verdict on amending the RTI Act to ensure that only serving and retired judges of the apex court and chief justices of high courts could head the central and state information commissions. A Bench of Justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar decided to hear the review petition in the open court. Asserting that the court...

-The Times of India CHANDIGARH: Tired of avoiding a visit to Indian Railways toilets reeking with a nauseating stench? Get ready to excuse yourself into natty and fanciful washrooms fitted with airplane-like vacuum toilets. New railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who hails from Chandigarh -- one of the cleanest cities of India -- has put the new aviation style engineering design for railways on a fast track. "We have identified some 55 cities...

-PTI The hanging of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab in a Pune jail comes a day after India opposed a UN General Assembly draft resolution which sought abolition of the death penalty, with New Delhi arguing that capital punishment in India is exercised in case of a crime so heinous that it "shocks" the conscience of society. Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist, had along with 9 other Pakistani gunmen killed over 160 people...