• NATIONAL

Women's Reservation Bill introduced

The Women's Reservation Bill which provides for 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures has been introduced on International Women's Day, 8th March. The bill would require a constitutional amendment and therefore, has to be passed by two-third majority.

High court scraps Government Order giving project to Maytas Infra

The AP High Court struck down a Government Order issued by the state government awarding a road project worth Rs 120 crore to Maytas Infra Limited, a company promoted by founder of Satyam Computers.

IIM aspirants file RTIs, mulling legal action

Many IIM aspirants who got very low scores in the Common Admission Test (CAT) are raising a "transparency" issue due to technical glitches during the CAT. At least five students have filed applications under the Right to Information (RTI) law and many are mulling legal action.

Supreme Court upholds SEBI power

The Supreme Court while setting aside the ruling of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) in the case of Ajay Agarwal, joint managing director of Trident Steel Ltd has upheld the power of the Securities Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to bar executives of a company from accessing the security market and prohibiting them from buying, selling or dealing in securities.

Arbitration tribunal cannot award interest on interest

The Supreme Court has ruled that an arbitral tribunal has no power to direct payment of compound interest or interest on interest on the award amount from the date of the award to the date of payment. The Apex Court so ruled in appeal case of State of Haryana vs SL Arora & Co.

Punjab Government announces amended building bylaws

The Punjab Government had announced amendment to building bylaws in order to strike a balance between changing needs of society and emerging urban development scenario. Accordingly, the minimum plot size required for group housing is to be reduced to 2,500 square yard as against minimum plot size of 3,500 square yard at present.

• INTERNATIONAL

Protest against amendment to Spanish abortion law

Thousands of Spaniards protested against the recently approved amendments to Spain's abortion laws which will allow abortion up to 14 weeks in most cases as against the previous law which allowed abortions only in the case of rape, up to 12 weeks, severe fetal malformation, up to 22 weeks, or if the woman's physical or mental health was in danger.

Malaysian Appellate Court rules removal of opposition leader from office constitutional

The Malaysian Federal Court ruled that the 1998 removal of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as deputy prime minister was constitutional. Anwar had challenged his removal on the grounds that the removal was unconstitutional. The three-judge panel of the Federal Court unanimously rejected Anwar's claim, reasoning that the constitutional monarch, has very limited powers to appoint ministers, and that his role is only a formality. The judges also emphasized that no provision in the laws specifies procedures to remove a minister. The judgment renders the prime minister's powers akin to those of a dictator.

European rights court hears case against Russia by bankrupt Yukos oil company

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) heard an unlawful prosecution case brought by bankrupt oil company Yukos against the Russian government for allegedly illegally prosecuting the company for tax violations on ground that they did not receive a fair hearing in a Russian Court.