-The Hindustan Times The vexed issue of West Bengal panchayat polls has finally had an "amicable settlement" - which gives more time to the Mamata Banerjee government to prepare for the polls and upholds her demand for the use of state police for security. Instead of June, the state gets time till July 15 and the three-phase poll will be held with the help of the state armed police, said a division...

-The Indian Express Mumbai: To prevent humiliation and trauma that victims of sexual assault often face during their medical examination, the Maharashtra government has issued a Government Resolution (GR) doing away with archaic and irrelevant practices, including the 'finger test'. The GR states that doctors, paramedics and medical officers of the state health department would have to adhere to a new manual that details the manner in which the medical examination should...

-The Indian Express Law on land acquisition will reduce distortions in the use of a scarce resource Land records are in a mess in most states. While satellite imagery can yield an authentic image of the plots, it cannot determine ownership. The land acquisition issue is nearing the end of its first phase. With the government accepting key BJP demands, a consensus has been evolved and the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill...

-The Hindu   Union Cabinet gives nod for Street Vendors Bill which will see certificates being issued to at least one crore hawkers across the country On Labour Day, the Union Cabinet announced a bonanza for street vendors - an end to ‘licence raj' - by giving its Consent to the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2013. The Bill which is aimed at regulating street vending and shielding...

-The Telegraph Ranchi: Sluggish economy and soaring personal aspirations are teaming up to create fertile ground for quick-rich chit fund schemes and non-banking finance companies such as the now-infamous Saradha to mushroom, but rules to give Jharkhand investors the much-needed safety net are hanging fire since over a year. Jharkhand Assembly had early last year forwarded rules framed by the state's institutional finance department for the President's consideration under The Chit Funds...