-The Hindu While the people of Jammu & Kashmir have a deep-rooted mistrust of state institutions, there are also substantive and unacceptable provisions in the proposed legislation While much of the country is focused on the budget and its implications for the economy and individual pocketbooks, Kashmir is focused, with much trepidation, on a draft police reform bill. This in itself gives one a sense of the disconnect that exists between Kashmir...

-The Hindu ‘If the protector of women’s rights becomes a mute spectator where can I go?’ Mumbai: She faced sexual harassment at a reputed multinational company and was terminated from services after she sought an enquiry as per Vishakha guidelines (norms laid down by the Supreme Court for the employers to deal with such cases at workplace). A heart patient who has undergone open heart surgery, she has been fighting a long-drawn, bitter...

-The Times of India PATNA: Bihar human rights commission (BHRC) has issued notices to state DGP Abhayanand and Nawada district SP Lalan Mohan Prasad, seeking their response within two weeks on two news reports which "reveal a concerted attempt on the part of Nawada police to undermine the dignity of a lawyer and the primacy of the judiciary" and "to muzzle the press for bringing the matter in public domain". Taking suo...

-FeministsIndia.com Saluting Professor Lotika Sarkar who fought to make the country’s laws uphold gender justice and women’s rights Professor Lotika Sarkar who played a central role in several path-breaking and crucial legislations for gender justice and empowerment of women during 1975-2005, passed away at the age of 90 on 23rd February 2013. In the women’s rights movement, she was known as Lotikadee. When other stalwarts of women’s studies touched our hearts with...

-The Hindu Instead of the present opaque system, a high-level, broad-based Committee should be formed to choose the country’s “most important” constitutional functionary In May this year, the present Comptroller and Auditor-General will retire on completing 65 years of age. Given the Government of India’s exasperation with him, it seems very probable that for the next CAG, it will look for someone who is likely to be bland and ignorable, and quite...