-PTI The Bihar Lokayukta Bill, 2011, has proposed constitution of a three-member Lokayukta with jurisdiction to probe corruption charges against Public Servants from the chief minister down to employees of the lowest rung of the administration. Public Servants including the chief minister, ministers, members of the state legislature, officials, employees, companies, NGOs and chairpersons of the various boards and corporations in the state would be within the purview of the Lokayukta,...

-The Hindu   The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has demanded that the probe into alleged irregularities in Lavasa be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, the Medha Patkar-led organisation also sought an in-depth enquiry into the involvement of Public Servants and politicians in the “scam.” The NAPM alleged that various rules were bent to grant permission for the multi-crore hill city...

-Express News Service   In what could strengthen the case of those seeking lifting of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from parts of J&K and insurgency-hit North-East, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said the AFSPA “remains in force in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-Eastern States, conferring an impunity that often leads to the violation of human rights”. This (continuation of AFSPA), a report prepared by the NHRC...

India has scored 3.1 (down from 3.3 last year) on a scale - where 10 indicates very clean and zero, highly corrupt - of Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). The CPI focuses on corruption in the public sector, involving public officials, civil servants or politicians.  The data sources used to compile the index include questions relating to the abuse of power and bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, embezzlement of...

Has the time come for an effective Citizens Right to Grievance Redress Bill? Will the government enact a legislation that will truly empower ordinary people? Civil society needs to debate the provisions of the draft bill that is released for public discussion and feedback The Citizens Right to Grievance Redress Bill, 2011 seeks to “lay down an obligation upon every public authority to publish citizens charter stating therein the time within...