>>The headline of the story regarding the passage of a Constitutional Amendment Bill providing for a National Commission for Backward Classes as a Constitutional body (Aug. 3, 2018) should have been: “Constitutional status for BCs panel.” >>A sentence in “Congress stance on NRC affects India’s sovereignty: Jaitley” (Aug. 2, 2018) …

Now, a fresh memorandum of procedure for judicial appointments must be agreed upon Good sense seems to have prevailed at last. The Centre has cleared the elevation of Justice K.M. Joseph to the Supreme Court, seven months after the five-member collegium first recommended his appointment. The Centre had no option …

Zimbabwe needs to move on quickly from the post-election violence this week His victory as President in this week’s general election confers popular legitimacy on Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s military-installed leader since November 2017. The two-thirds majority for the ruling Zanu-PF party in Parliament will tighten its control over state institutions. …

The U.S. experience shows that anti-lynching laws are not enough — this must be a political battle Dismayed by the increasing number of cases of lynching across the country, the Supreme Court observed last month that “it is the responsibility of the States to prevent untoward incidents and to prevent …

The victory of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the recent general elections in Pakistan poses both challenges and opportunities for India. The challenge would be to engage a newly minted Pakistani Prime Minister who is yet to reveal his way of conducting diplomacy. The opportunity, even so, lies in …

West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district has become a hub from where girls are trafficked into the commercial sex trade. Shiv Sahay Singh reports on thestruggle for compensation and dignity of those fortunate enough to have been rescued Serina (23) was rescued from a brothel in Kalyan, a Mumbai suburb, …

Company to sell CNG in 11 cities, piped cooking gas in six Billionaire Gautam Adani’s group on Friday emerged as the biggest winner of gas retailing licences, winning rights to sell CNG in 11 cities, including Allahabad. Adani won the rights to retail CNG to automobiles and piped cooking gas …

Increase in new business strongest since June 2017; inflation pressures still ‘high’ India’s services sector activity remained in the growth territory for the second consecutive month in July, as business activity witnessed the strongest growth since October 2016, amid improved demand conditions, said a monthly survey. The seasonally adjusted Nikkei …

Italian firm developing CNG, LPG and battery-powered vehicles to help meet 5 million sales target Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (PVPL), a unit of Italy’s Piaggio Group, is focussed on developing vehicles powered by alternative fuels such as CNG, LPG and electrically charged batteries to achieve its target of selling 5 …

Beijing warned on Friday that it was prepared to impose new tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods if Washington ups the ante in the escalating U.S.-China trade war. The Commerce Ministry issued a statement saying the new duties would be applied if Washington pulled the trigger on President …

Sri Lankan Minister says talks on the airport joint venture are ‘progressing’ Days after Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha told Parliament that there was no proposal for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to acquire a controlling stake in Sri Lanka’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, a Sri …

Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra told the government on Friday that cases of constitutional importance and social matters of constitutional gravity, even if heard by a three-judge Bench, should be beamed live to the masses. The Chief Justice, heading a Bench of three, was assuaging apprehensions raised by the …

UGC had sought graded punishment for the offence Student researchers found guilty of plagiarism may lose their registration and teachers could lose their jobs as the Human Resource Development Ministry approved new regulations on plagiarism drafted by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The Ministry had notified the UGC (Promotion of …

Need to raise productivity: RS members Rajya Sabha members have sought that the sittings of Parliament be extended to a minimum of 120 days a year, and suggested that the salary and allowances of members who disrupted proceedings should be deducted on that particular day. Congress MP Husain Dalwai said …

“They are presumed backward,” Mr. Venugopal submitted, saying the State needs to show “affirmative action” by giving them equality of opportunity. The government objected to a creamy layer concept among the SC/ST. “You cannot dissect the SC/ST and see those who are worthy (of quota) and those who are not,” …