The steering group of the Right to Food Campaign on Wednesday expressed its “shock” at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement asking the Supreme Court not to interfere with policy and said it showed how “completely anti-poor” the government was. In a press release here, the Campaign — a conglomeration of rights and civil society groups — said that when, under the Constitution, people had the Right to Life as well as...

The chief minister Ashok Gehlot said information technology (IT) is an effective tool to deliver sensitive, transparent and responsible administration which would reduce chances of corruption through transparency. Gehlot was addressing participants at the inauguration of the two-day e-Governance Leadership Meet at SMS Convention Centre on Wednesday. The meet has been organised for the state's political and policy officials under the national e-governance programme with the help of the National...

Pratyush Sinha retired as India’s central vigilance commissioner on Monday. During his tenure Sinha, a 1969 Bihar cadre IAS officer, conducted several high-profile investigations such as the ones into the allocation of 2G mobile phone spectrum and preparations for the Commonwealth Games (CWG), among others. In an interview conducted in mid-August, Sinha spoke about issues ranging from the whistle-blower’s Act to the collapse of governance. Edited excerpts: What are the...

The Communist Party of India on Tuesday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remark about the Supreme Court on grain distribution was uncalled for and the court order has to be understood in the proper spirit. “It is not an issue of the Supreme Court exceeding its jurisdiction and transgressing into the domain of the Executive. One has to understand the proper spirit and the language of the order,” the party's central...

“Supreme Court should not go into realm of policy formulation” The government will do all it can to provide affordable food to those below the poverty line but cannot implement the Supreme Court's order to give free foodgrains to the poor, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Monday. In an interaction with a small group of editors at his residence — his first in several years — Dr. Singh handled questions on...