-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The debate over Section 377 (unnatural sex) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) continues to dominate discussions in public forums. Author Vikram Seth, who has been vocal about his views since the Supreme Court verdict recriminalized gay sex last week, on Saturday used the platform of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to slam Section 377. In the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee on the dais and senior leaders...
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Anu Aga's lone dissent note on excluding political parties from RTI-Kavita Chowdhury
-The Business Standard Says she considers political parties to be public authorities because they get substantive financial funding from the government of India While a parliamentary Standing committee today supported the move to keep political parties outside the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, committee member Anu Aga, (former chairperson of Thermax Ltd) was the lone voice of dissent on the 29 member panel. Aga who is a nominated member...
More »Ending ‘VIP culture’ in public governance-TS Krishnamurthy
-The Hindu The political executive and the permanent executive should realise they are public servants first and work in harmony to achieve the constitutional objectives There is a need to arrest the ‘laal batti' [red beacon] culture in public governance. The Supreme Court of India has been delivering a variety of judgments on matters of public governance, and these have been the subject of debate and discussion. Some of these related to...
More »‘Pass whistleblower bill’ -Vidya Subrahmaniam
-The Hindu The National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) has sought the simultaneous passage of the Lokpal Bill, the Grievance Redress Bill and the Whistleblower Protection Bill, contending that these laws formed a basket of inter-linked measures that constituted the much required accountability regime. Addressing a press conference, the NCPRI's Nikhil Dey, Anjali Bharadwaj and Shekhar Singh said that though the Lokpal Bill was not entirely to their satisfaction and...
More »Lokpal must probe private firms bribing government: CPI-M
-IANS The Communist Party of India-Marxist Tuesday said private firms giving bribes for government contract should also be probed by the Lokpal. Participating in the Rajya Sabha debate on the amended Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, CPI-M member Sitaram Yechury said "supply side" of corruption should be addressed along with the "demand side" to curb corruption. "There is always a demand side and a supply side. Lokpal addresses the demand side of corruption, but...
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