-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Challenging repromulgation of land acquisition ordinance by narendra modi government, three Delhi-based NGOs and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Thursday told the Supreme Court that government was trying to "govern the country by ordinance raj" which was not permissible. Appearing before a bench headed by Justice JS Khehar, senior advocate Indira Jaising said that the govt is making mockery of the constitution by bringing ordinances when...

-Hindustan Times With the key Land Acquisition bill stalled by political differences with the Opposition, the Centre may change tack and get states to enact their own land legislation, enabling it to push along the economic reform process.   Finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that the states that wanted speedy development could take the lead in framing such laws with the Centre's backing, while Prime Minister narendra modi said “political considerations”...

-Business Standard This could help bypass central legislation and break the land Bill deadlock Ten big states, most of those ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partners, on Wednesday sought to unshackle themselves from the logjam over amendments to the contentious land acquisition Bill, 2013, by proposing to bring their own laws for boosting infrastructure development. At a NITI Aayog meeting to discuss the land Bill (the Right to...

-Reuters NEW DELHI: A leading global charity has frozen $4 million in funding to India, squeezing aid to the poor, after a clampdown by Prime Minister narendra modi on donors deemed to be meddling in domestic politics that has raised concern in Washington. The government restrictions on the US-based Ford Foundation relate to a $250,000 grant to a vocal Modi critic, but a top official at the charity said the fallout has...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The narendra modi government has asked all central ministries and departments to furnish data on recruitment of minorities during 2014-15, and give reasons for any decline in percentage of such recruitment. This is part of the review of the prime minister's new 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities. Though the ministries/departments were scheduled to submit such data to the department of personnel and training by...