-The Indian Express Ten kilometres from Jodhpur city, on a sultry afternoon under a flapping tent, a baby girl is born to Sadhu and Radha. People crowd around and peer into the tent to congratulate the couple. Someone in the crowd says, “The first Indian among us, she should be named Bharati.” The suggestion is met with nods of approval and cheers of “Bharati”. Over the last one month, the makeshift tent...

-The Indian Express Patna: In a first, Bihar’s State Information Commission has asked the Home department to produce before it a “defiant” Block Development Officer, who has failed to respond to as many as nine summons sent over two years. The SIC has been hearing the case of a BDO, who, despite being the designated public information officer, has not replied to a query by an applicant on why and how many...

-The Hindu PM’s statement that seven States are naxal-affected is at variance with Home Ministry’s figure How many States are affected by left-wing extremism? The answer could vary, if one is to go by official statements made at different times. Addressing the annual conference of the DGPs/IGPs in Delhi on Saturday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said seven States were affected. He spoke about the “ability of left-wing extremists in increasing their numbers and...

-The Hindu ‘Important to have dedicated website, to be networked across country’ Concerned over a large number of children going missing in the country, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has sought a report from the States on creation of websites for reporting cases. Pursuing the October 12, 2011 Supreme Court order, the Commission has said the issue of missing children and trafficking in children within and across States requires...

-The Hindu “Give them identity cards, ban begging” The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has recommended issuing identity cards with unique serial numbers for the abandoned and destitute women who make Vrindavan their home. Submitting a rehabilitation plan before the Supreme Court on Monday for the destitute women living under pitiable conditions in Vrindavan, NALSA also demanded a ban on their begging. The proposal says it is first necessary to improve the condition of...