-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The total period of trial in corruption cases will not exceed four years with a special judge initially required to wind up proceedings in two years itself. Thereafter the trial can be extended, subject to six-month extension, states the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2015 currently before the Rajya Sabha. The bill also stipulates recording of reasons for any delay in trial beyond two years and includes...

-The Hindu The observation by the Supreme Court that political leaders should not take criticism as a personal insult highlights a particular kind of intolerance that is rarely referred to in the ongoing debate on the subject: the inability of public figures to tolerate criticism and their repeated resort to criminal defamation proceedings to stifle adverse comment. Nothing exemplifies this as much as the 100-odd prosecutions launched by the government of...

-The Indian Express According to National Crime Records Bureau data, a total of 24,771 dowry deaths have been reported in the country in past three years while 3.48 lakh cases have been registered under Section 498-A. Have the higher courts whittled down the severity of the anti-dowry harassment law by diluting mandatory FIR and Arrest provisions, which now compel women to settle their cases rather than fighting it out? The Supreme Court...

-The Times of India Businessman Rajesh Varkharia thought he was waging a lonely legal battle till a chance meeting with two other dowry accused at the Bangalore trial court. "I was totally in the dark. I would just sign where the lawyer asked me to," he says, describing his five days in prison as an accused under the section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, the dowry harassment act. Varkharia and three others...

-The Indian Express Since appointment of Dalit cook, 100 have left Kagganahalli school in Kolar. Kagganahalli (Karnataka): Every day Radhamma takes out a diary she is required to maintain as part of the mid-day meal scheme in government schools in Karnataka and writes four words, “No one ate today.” Every day for the past five months. Radhamma is a Scheduled Caste, and the condition that she not make food is the only way...