-EPW   The ruling party and the opposition have become partners in the crime of destroying Parliament. The first nine days of the winter session of Parliament were completely lost due to repeated disruption of the house and adjournments. Most of the blame can be put at the door of the opposition parties which seem to have taken a decision not to allow the smooth functioning of Parliament, though some ruling party members...

Employment Guarantee Scheme experts in the state have slammed Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s proposal of giving a break of three months to the scheme during the farming season every year. Activists claimed that the Pawar’s own state has been implementing this suggestions for years now. The proposal also has been termed as ‘pro-capitalist and pro- industrialist’ by critics. Pawar, in his letter to the prime minister, had suggested that since the...

-Live Mint The news that a parliamentary committee has rejected its proposed Bill must come as a jolt to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Reports say that the committee was concerned about duplication with the National Population Register (NPR), the technology, data protection, and the cost. This comes closely on the heels of the home ministry’s contention that UIDAI does not meet the “degree of assurance” required for NPR,...

-The Times of India   The government has endorsed a recommendation of Parliament's standing committee to Restrain judges from making baseless comments against constitutional and statutory bodies and their functionaries even in cases which don't concern them directly. The decision forms part of the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill that is to be discussed by the Union Cabinet on Tuesday. The government has also expanded the standing committee's recommendation that close relatives of judges...

Just when the government felt it had sorted out all the wrinkles in the Nuclear Liability Act, eminent jurist Soli Sorabjee has said the crucial rule Restricting the liability of supplier to just five years in case of an accident is ultra vires and invalid. Mr. Sorabjee was answering questions from international environment activist group Greenpeace on the detailed guidelines for the Nuclear Liability Act, announced on the eve of last...