A project engaging young men as allies against and not as perpetrators of gender-based violence acting as catalysts to bring about a constructive change in and around their community has proved to be an effective approach. Non-government organisation Independent Commission for People's Rights and Development (ICPRD) undertook the project in three Karnataka districts – Ramnagara, Bellary and Mysore – for three years beginning October 2008. An evaluation report of the project...

This essay describes and compares Parliament and the Supreme Court and examines the relationship between them. Parliament may still be a great institution, but its members are no longer great men. How long can a great institution remain great in the hands of small men? The SC has held its place in the public esteem rather better than the Lok Sabha, despite the occasional allegation of financial impropriety. Parliament, the...

-The Hindustan Times   Most of the applications filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act at various government departments bring disappointment instead of the desired information even though the authorities are slapped fines for violation of rules. Raman Sharma, who has filed 274 RTI queries before the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda), pollution control board and other government agencies, said most of the time he has been discouraged by officials concerned. “They...

MUMBAI: Certain provisions in the Right to Education (RTE) Act could be diluted at the time of its implementation in the state. Senior ministers in the state Cabinet, who are affiliated to private aided schools and educational institutes, have expressed reservations regarding certain clauses incorporated in the Act, which was enacted by the centre in 2009 and has since been implemented in over 12 states. The state school and sports department...

-The Hindu   Farmers join hands with Greenpeace to seek ban on the company The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), a farmers' organisation, on Monday joined hands with Greenpeace and sought an immediate ban on all open field experiments of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in the country by Monsanto (a bio-technology company), in the wake of alleged violation of bio-safety norms by the multinational seed firm in Bijapur. The KRRS' demand comes in...