BJP ministers skip Cabinet meet called by Nitish Kumar Patna: Bihar BJP ministers on Sunday skipped the Cabinet meeting called by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Senior BJP leader CP Thakur said that the ministers will resign if Nitish breaks away.

Meanwhile, the BJP ministers are holding a separate meeting at Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi's house.

BJP state president Mangal Pandey said that there was no meaning in attending the Cabinet meeting when JD(U) leaders were trying to lure other legislators in a bid to form their own government.

The JD(U) and BJP, who have been allies for 17 years, are at loggerheads over the BJP's decision to give a larger role to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who Nitish Kumar says is unacceptable to his party....more    
11:59 AM, Jun 16, 2013

Suspense mounts over ordinance on Food Security Bill New Delhi: Suspense mounted over whether the government will promulgate an Ordinance on Food Security as it appeared hesitant to take this route amidst differences within the Cabinet as well as opposition from some allies and other parties. The government is keen on enacting this landmark law at the earliest but there are voices within it who disfavour the Ordinance route. The bill, a pet project of Congress chief Sonia...  
10:14 PM, Jun 04, 2013

Cabinet clears Real Estate Bill, discussion on Food Bill on Friday New Delhi: The Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the Real Estate Regulator Bill, but did not take up the Food Security Bill, saying it will be discussed on Friday. Sources said the Congress is likely to push for an ordinance on the Food Security Bill, despite divisions within the government. While ministers like Kamal Nath want an ordinance, others such as Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar want the bill to be discussed...  
07:35 PM, Jun 04, 2013

Government divided over ordinance on Food Bill: Sources New Delhi: The government is divided over bringing an ordinance on the Food Security Bill, say sources. Meanwhile, the Law Ministry has approved an ordinance note but has questioned how beneficiaries will be determined. The Law Minister has sent a note to the Cabinet Secretary approving the ordinance. Some ministers like Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Food Minister KV Thomas want the Bill to be discussed in Parliament. While some...  
12:36 PM, Jun 04, 2013

Government likely to discuss ordinance on Food Security today New Delhi: The government is likely to bring in an ordinance on the Food Security Bill in the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Sources say the government has spoken to all the allies on the proposal and that it prefers an ordinance instead of bringing a bill in Parliament as it can reduce the rollout time for the scheme. The government was earlier reportedly divided on whether to hold a special...  
09:47 AM, Jun 04, 2013

Pawan Bansal skips Cabinet meet at PM's residence New Delhi: Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal skipped a Cabinet meet at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence on Thursday even as Law Minister Ashwani Kumar attended it. Both Bansal and Ashwani are under fire over the Railway Board bribery case and the coal scam probe respectively. Sources had earlier said that the Congress wanted the PM to decide on Ashwani's fate. Sources said the PM was seriously considering the possibility...  
06:12 PM, May 09, 2013

India gets a new anti-rape law as President signs the Bill New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday signed the Criminal Law Amendment Bill which gives India a strong anti-rape law. The Criminal Law Amendment Bill was earlier passed by the two Houses of Parliament. The massive public anger and uproars following the December 16 gangrape of the Delhi braveheart forced the drafting and eventual passing of this new Bill. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013 was moved in the Rajya...  
12:58 PM, Apr 03, 2013

Cabinet raises age of consent to 18, anti-rape Bill in LS on Tuesday The Cabinet at its meeting in the evening on Monday agreed to raise the age of consent to 18. The new legislation was cleared after the Cabinet failed to achieve consensus on the anti-rape bill at the two all-party meetings held on Monday. Emerging from the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister said that the Cabinet had agreed to raise the age of consent and also made some changes to the Bill,...  
07:26 PM, Mar 18, 2013

I support 16 years as age of consent: Activist Kamla Bhasin

There is headway in the anti-rape Bill draft, which is all set to be cleared by the Cabinet after much debate within the ministries. The Cabinet will take it up on Thursday evening. ...
03:47 PM, Mar 14, 2013

Anti-rape Bill: Age of consent likely to be brought down After differences in the Cabinet over the proposed changes in the new anti-rape Bill, the government has finally made some headway. A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram is likely to finalise the Bill for Cabinet approval on Wednesday. ...  
11:17 AM, Mar 13, 2013

Cabinet defers anti-rape Bill again as differences remain The Cabinet has yet again deferred the anti-rape ordinance due to lack of unanimity. A group of ministers along with lawyers will now look into the points of differences and will come back to the Cabinet. ...  
11:01 AM, Mar 12, 2013

Cabinet likely to discuss new anti-rape law today The Delhi gangrape case of December 2012 triggered the government's proposed new anti-rape law. The Cabinet is likely to take up the new law on Tuesday. But consensus has eluded the government specifically on clauses relating to the use of the term 'rape', voyeurism, and reducing the age of consent from 18 to 16 years. ...  
08:36 AM, Mar 12, 2013

Why is there a delay in bringing a tougher anti-rape law in India? Differences, multiple opinions and oppositions yet again seemed to have delayed the Criminal Law Amendment Bill. The anti-rape Bill which promised strong legislation to curb crime against women, seems to be drowned under the Cabinet dithering. ...  
11:20 AM, Mar 07, 2013

Cabinet approves Bill to provide time-bound delivery of services The Cabinet has given in-principle approval to a bill providing for time-bound delivery of services. This effectively means that bureaucrats will now have to face the music for delay in dispensing services like pensions, passports, caste certificates, ration cards, tax refunds and police procedures. ...  
11:04 AM, Mar 07, 2013

Anna says govt cheated people on Lokpal Bill Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare has criticised the government for not bringing the CBI and CVC under the ambit of the Lokpal Bill. He said the government cheated on the public by not holding proper consultations. "I call it cheating because the government had issued a gazette and formed a committee which did not meet for even three months," Anna Hazare said. ...  
03:18 PM, Feb 01, 2013

Cabinet to meet today to bring ordinance on sexual harassment The Cabinet will meet on Friday to decide on a stringent law to deal with sexual harassment. Sources had indiacted to CNN-IBN earlier that the government was considering the feasibility of an ordinance instead of waiting for the Budget Session to legislate on the recommendations made by the Justice Verma Committee. ...  
02:24 PM, Feb 01, 2013

PM likely to take a call on diesel, LPG price hike today: sources A decision on raising diesel and LPG prices is expected on Thursday. Sources have told CNN-IBN that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to take a call on raising diesel and LPG prices at the cabinet meet on Thursday. ...  
10:15 AM, Jan 17, 2013

Proposal to withdraw amendments to RTI Act accepted New Delhi: The proposal to withdraw the amendments proposed to the Right to Information Act in 2006 has been accepted in the Cabinet meeting on Thursday. With the proposed amendments dropped, the Right to Information Act will not be diluted much to the delight of social activists. The move came after Congress President Sonia Gandhi opposed the amendments. The amendment suggested was that the government exempts file notings from disclosure...  
12:13 PM, Nov 01, 2012

Govt not to go for amendments propsed to RTI Act in 2006 New Delhi: The government will not go for amendments proposed to the Right to Information Act as mooted in July 2006, according to sources. The amendment suggested was that the government exempts file notings from disclosure except for development and social issues. The amendment also suggested that the exam selection process be exempted from the RTI ambit. The amendments were seen as dilution of the RTI Act and Congress President...  
04:02 PM, Oct 31, 2012

Union Cabinet to meet today New Delhi: The Union Cabinet will be meeting on Thursday and the pricing of excess spectrum is likely to be approved. The AG could be asked to come to Cabinet. Also on agenda are measures to control the spread of Japanese Encephalitis in UP and Bihar, the 78-day productivity linked bonus for railway employees and the Rajiv Gandhi pension scheme. The Cabinet is likely to consider a Rs 4,000-crore multi-pronged...  
09:53 AM, Oct 18, 2012