-The Telegraph   No one can accuse the Bengal government of mixing the personal with the professional — even when it comes to reading habits. “Believe me, Anandabazar Patrika, The Telegraph and Bartaman are among my favourite newspapers,” state mass education and library services minister Abdul Karim Chowdhury said today. Newspapers should be wary of unalloyed praise from those in power but Chowdhury’s statement stands out because of a curious detail that testifies to...

A Supreme Court-appointed panel on illegal mining has recommended an investigation into alleged kickbacks paid to companies linked to the family of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. The Central Empowered Committee wrote in a report on Wednesday that payments of 6 crore by a mine owner to two companies controlled by the close kin of the former Chief Minister must be "investigated in public interest". The Supreme Court's forest bench will...

-The Financial Express   After months of public debate, Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda today announced that 'Made-Snana', a controversial ritual practised in some temples of the State for centuries, would be banned in two months. "The practice of Made-Snana will be stopped within two months," Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said in a suo motu statement in the Legislative Council, where Tontadarya (BJP) raised a question on various temple...

The Judiciary is the third branch of government. As with the Executive and Legislature, the public has a right to see and know and understand the functioning of this branch. That is why India, like every other democracy, has embraced the concept of open court proceedings and trials, except in those situations where, for security or other compelling reasons, in camera hearings are required. In the Mirajkar case ( Naresh Shridhar...

-DNA The Karnataka government will introduce an ordinance to make it mandatory for MBBS undergraduates and postgraduates to serve one year in rural areas, immediately after successful completion of the course. In the legislative assembly, Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda accepted the suggestion of Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil (Congress), who highlighted the issue of shortage of doctors in Mudhol community health centre in Sedam taluk and the number of vacant posts. Gowda said the...