The Indian media display certain defects. These should ideally be addressed and corrected in a democratic manner. But if the media prove incorrigible, harsh measures may be called for. The time has come when some introspection by the Indian media is required. Many people, not only those in authority but even ordinary people, have started saying that the media have become irresponsible and wayward, and need to be reined in. Only a...

-The Hindu   The Election Commission of India's disqualification of Umlesh Yadav, sitting MLA from Bisauli in Uttar Pradesh, is a landmark order that notches some firsts for India's electoral democracy. Ms Yadav was disqualified on Thursday under Section 10-A of the Representation of the People Act 1951 for a period of three years for failing to provide a “true and correct account” of her election expenses. She had failed to include...

The Election Commission (EC) of India’s historic decision on Thursday to disqualify an elected member of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly from contesting again for three years, for furnishing wrong information on poll expenditure, is expected to have far-reaching ramifications as it becomes the guiding principle for other high-profile cases pending before it. Umlesh Yadav of the Rashtriya Parivartan Dal has been barred from completing the remaining four months of her...

-The Hindu   The Election Commission on Friday adjourned till November 11 the hearing on the complaint that Singhbhum MP and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda did not file his election expenditure account properly. There is also an allegation that he encouraged “paid news” during the 2009 Lok Sabha poll. Interestingly, one TV channel was paid Rs.1.25 crore to telecast news in his favour, according to an Income-Tax department report. The full...

Malaria is a mass killer, taking just under 800,000 lives a year. Most of them are babies and children under five. A significant number are pregnant women. It is an entirely preventable disease, caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquito bite, but the millions who live under its curse are too poor and have too few options to be able to avoid it. The malaria vaccine [ See: “Malaria vaccine partly...