Social Issues

Parliament on Wednesday passed a Bill removing leprosy as a ground for divorce under five personal laws, including the Hindu Marriage Act. The Rajya Sabha on the last day of the Budget session passed the Bill without debate after consensus on the issue. The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 sought …

The Centre’s failure in tabling the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday triggered euphoria across the North-Eastern states. As soon as the news of the lapsing of the Bill came in, people across Assam and the neighbouring States took to the streets bursting firecrackers, singing, dancing …

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, that had set off a series of violent protests across the northeastern States, lapsed on Wednesday as the government failed to push it through Rajya Sabha despite a last- ditch effort on Tuesday. Along with the Citizenship Bill, the triple talaq Bill that criminalises instant …

More than 82% voters want more women in the next Lok Sabha, according to a survey by a citizen’s collective called Shakti. The survey was conducted among 10 lakh voters across 24 States on a mobile application called Neta app. The application has more than two crore verified users and …

Non-governmental organisations (NGO) working to eliminate tuberculosis have urged the government to ensure that the National Strategic Plan for 2017-2025 is fully funded and effectively implemented to eliminate tuberculosis. ‘Invest substantially’ Several NGOs and stakeholders, including TB survivors, have urged the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and …

The Assembly on Thursday passed the Bills for 5% reservation each for the Kapus (Kapus, Telaga, Ontari and Balija sub-castes) and other Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the general category on Thursday consequent to the 103rd amendment to the Constitution. The Bills are the A.P. Economically Weaker Sections of Citizens …

An expert committee of the Union Environment Ministry has “deferred” clearance to a Rs. 100 crore proposal by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited (ANIIDCL) to develop an island resort, as well as put up “premium tents” and “tree houses”, on the grounds that it doesn’t take …

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State to respond to a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to restrict the working hours of retail alcohol outlets, bars and pubs. The petitioner, advocate B. Ramkumar Adityan, pointed out that even minors were getting …

Raising concern over the acute drinking water problem in his constituency; Nagathan, and in other parts of the district, MLA Devanand Chavan, asked in an angry tone district in-charge Minister M.C. Managuli to keep officials in control to ensure adequate supply of drinking water in the rural areas. Participating in …

Greenpeace has been forced to close two of its regional offices and “considerably” reduce its staff in India because of a government crackdown on allegedly unlawful foreign funding of NGOs. The organisation has been campaigning on environmental issues in India for nearly two decades but has clashed in recent years …