-The Hindustan Times The controversy over on-screen smoking seems to have intensified, with the Centre on Tuesday saying Indian tradition does not promote smoking by women, in the Supreme Court. Referring to Madhur Bhandarkar's forthcoming movie Heroine, senior advocate V Shekhar, representing the health ministry, told the SC that the notification allowing on-screen smoking with riders would be issued on September 14. The film's producer, UTV Productions, had questioned the proposed rule before...

-The Hindu The Madhya Pradesh government has said the filling of the Omkareshwar dam poses no threat to human life even as the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) directed the government to ensure the safety of the protesters. The government’s statement comes in the wake of the ongoing jal satyagraha protest of the project affected people of the Omkareshwar dam in the East Nimaar region (Khandwa district), where oustees have been...

-The Hindu Following resistance to the ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves by several States, NGOs and interested parties, the Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted the Centre to review existing norms and come up with comprehensive guidelines on ‘Tiger Project’ and ‘sustainable tourism.’ A Bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar gave this permission after Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati drew the court’s attention to the objections received and...

-The Hindu Supreme Court to hear Ajay Dubey’s application The Supreme Court will hear on August 29 an application from the head of an NGO, Ajay Dubey, for a direction to restrain the Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers and senior officers of Madhya Pradesh from giving public statements criticising the order banning tourist activities in core areas of tiger reserves. A Bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar has also agreed to hear...

-The Hindu The West Bengal government got a major relief on Friday when the Supreme Court extended the Interim Order of suspension of the Calcutta High Court judgment that struck down the law intended to reclaim Singur land leased out to the Tatas and to give a part of it back to farmers who were yet to receive compensation for it. The High Court, while delivering judgment on June 22, suspended the...