-The Hindu India Against Corruption should realise the ‘aam aadmi’ needs not only decentralised power but also a lofty vision There are two underlying themes of India Against Corruption’s new party: the induction of good people and “people’s power” through consummate decentralisation. The vision document sets out a quest for “swaraj,” people’s right to self-determination. This ideal of self-determination has been conflated with direct democracy. Thus the vision document indicates that “as...

-The Telegraph Guwahati/ Kokrajhar/ Dhubri: Chief minister Tarun Gogoi today announced a judicial inquiry into the riots that began in Kokrajhar on July 20, leaving 77 dead and over four lakh displaced. The judicial probe will be over and above the inquiry to be conducted by the CBI, which has taken over seven cases on their own, Gogoi added. He, however, did not announce details of who will conduct the probe or its...

-The Telegraph Meghalaya’s agitating social organisations today exhorted the state’s political leaders to ask the Election Commission to “exempt clauses” as far as enrolment of voters is concerned in view of the presence of a minority indigenous population. “It is a matter of political will. If our politicians are really concerned about the state, they should approach the Election Commission and seek exemption from the guidelines as far as registration of...

-The Hindu The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has called for legal measures to protect the rights of Bengalis from erstwhile East Bengal (now Bangladesh) and a solution through judicial process to the problem of suspected foreigners living illegally in Assam. In a resolution adopted at its 20th party congress that concluded here on Monday, the party urged the government to honour the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's promise of sympathetically considering the...

The Election Commission's model code of conduct notwithstanding, liquor flowed freely on the eve of assembly polls in Punjab on Sunday, as campaign managers of different political parties sought to lure voters.  This was especially the case in and around the industrial city of Ludhiana, where more than a million migrant workers abound in Sherpur, Samrala Chowk, Mullanpur and Dhaka colony, among other areas.  Residents in the city said liquor was brought...