-PTI Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday declined to comment on Press Council chairman Justice Markandey Katju's statement that the press did not enjoy freedom in the state and was harassed if they wrote against the government. "I am not required to offer any comment," Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of the 87th foundation day of the Patna Medical College Hospital here. However, health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who was also...

While welcoming the report of the High Level Expert Group on Universal Health Coverage for India for its comprehensive vision and many well-conceived recommendations, this article focuses on the conditions needed for its promise to bear fruit. Towards this, it explores the political dimension, which comprises the forces and interests that come into play to shape and reconfigure administrative policy and its implementation.   We are grateful to Anand Zachariah and Susie...

-The Hindustan Times   Press Council of Indian chairperson Markandey Katju has warned the Uttar Pradesh government for violating Press Freedom in various ways and acting "arbitrarily and in a vindictive manner". Taking serious note of complaints from journalists in the state, Katju has written in a letter to chief secretary, UP: “Many complaints have been coming from the state of Uttar Pradesh that Press Freedom is being violated in various ways e.g....

Even as “money-chasing” media persons and news organisations are coming up with innovative ways to hoodwink the Election Commission (EC) in its drive to seek out “paid news”, the authority has so far detected as many as 42 instances of alleged paid news in Uttar Pradesh where the Assembly polls are being held. Of these, notices have been served on 38 candidates — on whose favour the writing/telecast have been made...

On December 23, 2011, in a criminal case filed by Vinay Rai, editor of a Delhi-based Urdu daily called Akbari , the Metropolitan Magistrate, Patiala House, directed the Ministry of External Affairs to have summons served on over 21 websites based abroad on the grounds that offences of sale of obscene books and obscene objects to young persons and criminal conspiracy could be made out against these sites under sections...