Continuing our focus on regulation in India, here is a powerful critique of the recent governmental proposal to revamp power sector regulation in India (Thanks to Promod Nair for the link to the piece which appeared in the Hindu on Oct 05). Though the piece tends to be quite technical in places, it deserves close analysis because the issue of regulation, as Sudhir reminds us, is going to be of pivotal importance in the years ahead.

Today’s Hindu carries a column by a person involved with the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information. Reminding readers that the central Right to Information Act comes into force on Oct 12, the piece sets out powerful examples by which the right can be used, and concludes:

“A few million applications across the country by concerned citizens on issues that interest them will bring a major change in India and be a determined move towards the Swaraj we desire. There is a great need to spread the usage of this countrywide, so that transparency and good governance triumph. We now have the power; we only need to use it. It is simple to use, and the benefits are immense.”

Lastly, today’s Indian Express carries a column by Saeed Naqvi analysing the ongoing process of constitutional change in Kenya. Commenting on the forthcoming referendum to increase the powers of the Kenyan Presidency, Naqvi provides insightful background notes on the ethnic, religious and tribal politics of contemporary Kenya. The piece is an affirmation and illustration of the concept that trying to analyse constitutional law without a grounded understanding of the local politics of a culture, is an exercise in futility.