While corruption and inflation have made life difficult for the common man, the government's decision to hike petrol prices has only added fuel to fire, anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare has said. "My activists will support the Bharat Bandh called by the BJP and Left parties on May 30 to protest the petrol price hike," Hazare said while addressing a public meeting.
In a reprieve for Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan parliament's speaker on Thursday ruled out his disqualification in the wake of his conviction for contempt by the supreme court for refusing to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday summoned Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi as a witness in contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and adjourned the high-profile case till March 7.
Rejecting allegations that the government sprung a surprise by referring the Lokpal bill to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said political parties were consulted before taking the move.
In yet another twist, the controversial Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill was on Monday referred to the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha, further delaying the setting up of the anti-graft ombudsman which has been hanging fire for 42 years.
A five-judge bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa issued the show cause notice under Article 204 of the Constitution, which relates to contempt of court, and observed that the premier should comply with the court's repeated orders and approach Swiss authorities to reopen the cases against the President.
Even as Wednesday's serial low-intensity blasts in Pune may have managed to divert attention from Team Anna's ongoing anti-graft protest, police continue to look for clues into the attack.
The Delhi high court on Friday refused to suspend the sentence awarded to former Bharatiya Janata Party President Bangaru Laxman, in a graft case, on his appeal filed against his conviction and sentencing by the trial court.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday insisted that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani should write to Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, saying no one is above the law.
Government sources said that since the allegations were of a serious nature, the CBI has been asked to probe.
Bhartiya Janata Party patriarch Lal Krishna Advani has picked up for his blog this week a new book by the US-based Morgan Stanley executive Ruchir Sharma that identifies "graft driven inflation" and "crony capitalism" among the weaknesses and difficulties that can be a damper for India's high expectations.
Admitting that the Bharatiya Janata Party was facing dissidence in Karnataka due to its "non-tolerance" towards corruption, senior leader L K Advani on Tuesday said he does not regret the way the party dealt with its leaders in the state following graft charges against them.
Pakistan's opposition parties on Thursday sought the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani following his conviction by the supreme court for contempt on the issue of pursuing graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
Addressing a press conference after an hour-long meeting with anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare, the chief minister said the Lokpal Bill was likely to be passed in the current session of Parliament.
Clean Sports India (CSI), a movement for corruption-free sports in the country, on Friday, expressed disappointment at Delhi court's decision to allow sacked CWG Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, accused in a Games-related graft case, to go to the London Olympics.
Sacked CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, accused in a games-related graft case, sought a Delhi court's permission to attend the 2012 Olympics in London.
When Sadananda Gowda met with Karnataka Governor H R Bharadwaj to tender his resignation, there was an interesting conversation between the two. Sources privy to the meeting told Rediff.com that the governor was upset with the political state of affairs and said, it was sad that senior BJP leaders L K Advani did not turn up to Gowda's rescue.
Sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, facing trial in a games-related graft case, has been allowed by a Delhi court to visit Kazakhstan to attend a meeting of 73rd Asian Athletics Association Council.
Pakistan's embattled Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday appeared before the Supreme Court to face a contempt notice for not reopening graft cases against Asif Ali Zardari, saying he was unable to act as the president enjoyed complete immunity under the Constitution.
Special security arrangements have been put in place in Pakistan's Supreme Court for Thursday's appearance by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to respond to a contempt notice issued to him failing to reopen graft cases against the President.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is expected to appear in Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday to face a contempt charge but the government has no plans to reopen graft cases against the President, an aide to the premier said on Monday. "The prime minister is expected to go to the court on Tuesday. However, there is no change in the government's position -- that the cases against President Asif Ali Zardari will not be revived," the aide said.
The AG said that the names for the search committee have not been finalised yet.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk reminded Attorney General Irfan Qadir that former Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani had been convicted for contempt and sentenced for refusing to act on the apex court's orders to revive the corruption cases.
In the wake of framing of charges against Union minister Virbhadra Singh in a graft case, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said he should tender his resignation and if he refuses to do so, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sack him immediately."BJP demands that Vir Bhadra Singh should resign immediately. If he refuses to do so, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sack him," party spokesperson Jagat Prakash Nadda said.
Special Judge B L Soni, who had reserved framing charges on conclusion of arguments on June 6 last said that sufficient evidence existed for framing of charges against Singh and his wife in the "infamous" CD case in which they were allegedly having a conversation with IAS officer Mohinder Lal and some industrialists regarding monetary transactions
The Rajya Sabha Select Committee, chaired by Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi, will have its first meeting in New Delhi on Monday to narrow down differences among political parties on the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill.
Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's social outfit, the Bharat Swabhiman Trust, has initiated a training programme for young volunteers from across the nation to campaign against 'corrupt and tainted' political leaders during the upcoming five-state assembly polls
It is a book Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of Bangladesh's independence, never allowed his daughter Sheikh Hasina to read when he was alive.
Adding to woes of Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday warned him that a second contempt case could be initiated against him if he failed to act on its verdict that annulled a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
Pushing for passage of the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday rejected demands for bringing the Central Bureau of Investigation under the purview of the anti-graft ombudsman, warning that no entity should be created inconsistent with the country's Constitutional framework.
While accusing Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry of holding secret meetings with him, real estate tycoon Malik Riaz has said there is no free judiciary in the country and it is run by 'don' Arsalan Iftikhar, Chaudhary's son, reports Tahir Ali
Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) on Wednesday handed over the first batch of evidence to US authorities for its investigation into alleged bribery schemes for soccer marketing rights.
Team Anna on Thursday rejected the Lokpal bill describing it as "anti-people and dangerous" and demanded that a new bill be brought in Parliament that will make the Central Bureau of Investigation independent and decentralise the proposed anti-corruption body.
Documents on presidential immunity have been stolen from the home of an official of Pakistan's supreme court at a time when the judiciary is pressuring the government to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, the media here reported on Friday.
The deadline set by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare for passing the Lokpal Bill is inching closer, but the government seems to be in no hurry. Sources in the government said that the Union Cabinet is unlikely to discuss the Lokpal Bill on Sunday.
Two key legislations Lokpal Bill and Food Security Bill -- are expected to be taken up by the Union Cabinet on Sunday after which they will be brought to Parliament next week.
With pressure mounting on the Centre for enacting a strong anti-graft legislation, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said the Lokpal Bill will "certainly" be introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament.
India and Pakistan both share the dubious distinction of suffering from the debilitating problem of corruption. This menace has not only crippled Pakistan's economy but also hampered all kinds of developmental activities in the country.
Facing a battle of prestige in the June 12 by-polls, the ruling Congress appears to be going all out to take credit for various welfare schemes launched by late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, while distancing itself from the graft allegations linked to his tenure as chief minister.
A whopping $700 million (about Rs 3,700 crore) is paid annually as bribe in India for land administration services, a joint study by United Nation's body FAO and Transparency International has observed.
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