-The Times of India NEW DELHI: While superstar Salman Khan secured bail in barely three hours after his conviction in a hit-and-run case, for majority of ordinary undertrials in the country it takes a minimum of over three months to get bail. According to government data, over 60% of undertrials spend more than three months in jail before they can secure release. The prolonged incarceration is due to the inability of...

-Economic and Political Weekly   The High-Level Committee set up by the Narendra Modi government to review the major laws relating to environment protection has, in its recommendations, worked towards two sets of objectives: one, to separate business from the messiness of governance, and, two, to redraw the line of demarcation between the judiciary and the executive. Manju Menon (manjumenon@namati.org) and Kanchi Kohli (kanchikohli@namati.org) are with the Centre for Policy Research - Namati...

-The Hindu NCRB officials blame it on old pro forma used to collect data Bangalore: The only official nationwide data of incidence of crimes, published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), shockingly does not reflect data on cases registered under many of the new laws enacted and laws amended by Parliament since 1998. NCRB officials blamed the anomaly on an old pro forma that they use to collect and collate data from...

India has witnessed many fiery debates on poverty estimates. Equally contentious has been the issue of inequality. Now a new report on exclusion offers a fresh perspective on poverty, inequality and social justice. (See below a summary of the report) Based on data and knowledge resources available in the public domain, India Exclusion Report 2013-14 highlights the systematic discrimination faced by women, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Muslims, persons with...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Responding to growing allegations of wrongful arrests of Muslim youth in terror cases, the government is planning to provide legal assistance to those who have been jailed on prima facie "doubtful" charges. Sources in the home ministry said that officials have been asked to formulate norms for identifying those who may have been wrongly booked. The development follows the decision of the Centre to set up 39...