The draft Bill on communal violence finalised by the National Advisory Council has been described by the Bharatiya Janata Party as “dangerous,” “draconian,” “discriminatory” and “damaging” to India's federal policy. Senior party leader Arun Jaitley on Thursday circulated a note on the draft Bill clearly indicating that not only would the BJP not support it in Parliament but that it would fall foul of the Constitution for, if it were to...

-The Times of India   National Commission for SCs may summon officials of Gautam Buddh Nagar, claiming that two dalit boys were missing since the police action on Bhatta Parsaul. NCSC chief P L Punia's day-long visit on Thursday to the villages hit by farmer-police clashes appeared an extension of Congress's CAMPAign against UP chief minister Mayawati, starting with Rahul Gandhi 's sensational charge of mass murder and rape. Punia said dalit boys...

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who heads the Lokpal Joint Drafting Committee, on Wednesday promised effective public consultations before finalising the draft Lokpal Bill. Responding to concerns raised by the National CAMPAign for Peoples' Right to Information (NCPRI), Mr. Mukherjee gave assurance that while deliberations of the meetings were not being made public on a routine basis, the basic principles and the draft Lokpal legislation, when ready, would be placed in...

-The Telegraph   India’s gains in literacy and prosperity are, contrary to expectations, driving an increase in the number of female foeticide cases with selective abortion after a first child highest in wealthy, educated households, says a study released today. The study by a team of Indian and Canadian researchers has shown a steep decline in the ratio of girls to boys in India when the first-born child is a girl. And...

Union Finance Minister and chairman of the Lokpal Bill Joint Draft Committee (JDC) Pranab Mukherjee has invited the National CAMPAign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) to forward to him “directly” any suggestions/feedback on the Bill. He was responding to a letter written by Nikhil de of the NCPRI to him, seeking information on the procedures being followed by the panel and on public consultations. It is understood that in the...