India’s transparency law – Right To Information – will not change but the government wants to restrict its applicability through other laws. Two new draft laws --- National Sports Development Bill and National Nuclear Safety Authority --- have specific provisions prohibiting disclosing information in addition to the exemption clauses already in the RTI law. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday wanted a “critical look” at these exemption clauses asking to examine changes...

-The Hindu   Contrary to prevailing scientific opinion, a Climate Change conference organised by the University of Mumbai and the Liberty Institute, New Delhi, and INSTUCEN India study centre on Friday claimed that the sea levels were not rising and carbon dioxide did not pose a special threat to the climate. Sea levels in the Indian Ocean were not rising and cities like Mumbai, islands like Maldives or Tuvalu would not be...

Why were two tribals and the Essar group framed by the Chhattisgarh police? Why are Soni Sori and Linga Kodopi being systematically silenced? This chilling story of one family reveals more about India's Naxal crisis than any official document can. AS I sit to write this, at 12.20 pm on 4 October 2011, an SMS pops up on my phone: “Soni Sori has been arrested by the Delhi Crime Branch.” The...

-The Times of India   Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday endorsed the concerns of his ministerial colleagues over Right To Information (RTI), saying the transparency enabler should not adversely affect deliberations in the government and deter honest officials from expressing their views on file. While hailing RTI's extensive use and underlining his government's intent to strengthen the law, the PM said there was a need to strike a fine balance between the...

-The Economic Times   When it comes to Indian women, the picture is largely unchanged; depressingly so, going by the World Development Report 2012, released by the Bank on Wednesday. The latest report focusing on Gender Equality and Development makes dismal reading. No doubt the lot of women in India has improved over the years but not commensurately with the progress made by their country. As a result, women today might be better...