The commerce ministry will announce rules to simplify and rationalize procedures to revive special economic zones, hoping to draw investors to these enclaves once touted as centres of export excellence.  The changes, which will be notified in a week, could include a reduction the minimum-area requirement, easier vacancy and contiguity norms and allowing multi-product SEZs in sector-specific zones.  "There will be reforms and changes in policies pertaining to SEZs mainly to simplify...

-PTI Issues concerning the regulation and development of real estate were discussed today by the government with various stakeholders including representatives of state governments, industry associations, consumer welfare groups, and technical and legal experts.  The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, headed by Kumari Selja, held consultations here with stakeholders on Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2011 on which the government had invited suggestions from the public a few months...

After a little over two months of lull following the Allahabad High Court’s verdict in the Noida and Greater Noida land acquisition case, farmers’ groups are set to join the existing case before the Supreme Court. Yesterday, the apex court issued notices to the state government and the Greater Noida Authority (Gnida) as to why the recent HC ruling in the case should not be quashed. This was on a petition...

-The Telegraph   The main points agreed upon in the Durban talks: Kyoto protocol extension After the failure of Copenhagen in 2009 to come up with a new, internationally-binding deal and only incremental progress a year later in Cancun, a partial legal vacuum had loomed as drafting a new UN treaty is extremely time-consuming. Sunday’s deal extends Kyoto, whose first phase of emissions cuts run from 2008 to the end of 2012. The second commitment...

Despite criticism of the appointment process, and pendency , the Supreme Court appears to enjoy public confidence like no other institution As the Supreme Court of India approaches its final week of hearings for the year, a look back shows it has dominated the national consciousness by ruling on myriad issues. The court was conceived by the framers of the constitution to deal mainly with fundamental questions of law. But India’s top...