The proposed liberalisation of the mining and minerals sector is an assault on the rightful owners of the land and its resources. Tribal and indigenous communities across the world have been asserting their rights to the mineral wealth often found under the land they own or possess or have traditional rights to. They have been historically denied even a share of that huge wealth, leave alone legal rights of ownership. Under...

Pawar’s Report Card The Negatives     Per capita availability of cereals and pulses has fallen in last eight years     No improvement in irrigation, 60% of agriculture still dependent on monsoons     Farmers growing cereals, sugarcane, oilseeds and pulses assured higher MSP, but majority don't benefit     Production up, but not productivity. Farmer suicides are on the rise.     Poor market advisory on exports being misused to buy cheaply from farmers and make profits overseas     Pawar...

-The Times of India As part of its mandatory obligation under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the government has invited expression of interest (EoI) from registered Indian law institutions\firms, academic or research organizations to undertake the self-evaluation study. Selected agency will be required to complete its works - assessment of compliance of domestic laws\measures vis-a-vis requirements under UNCAC provisions - within 36 weeks. India had ratified the global convention to...

Alarmed by its proactive role, the three ‘pillars’ of our democracy set out to weaken the fourth estate Fundamentalisms do not necessarily announce their arrival by banging a hammer on our heads. Freedoms are often lost in little steps. The process creeps in quietly but insidiously. The path is often complex and defies a simple narrative. But here’s a straightforward fact: a concerted attempt is being made to censor, control...

-The Telegraph The Supreme Court today appeared to be considering whether to lay down norms for court reporting that, if violated, would cost a journalist the right to cover court cases. The idea came from senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, who has been pushing for media curbs, and seemed to find favour with Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia. Venugopal suggested that journalists wishing to cover the courts be made to apply for formal...