A new notification from the ministry lays out a process by which illegal units can be granted clearance and “brought into compliance” within the next six months. Manju Menon and Kanchi Kohli report.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Bored by the hyperbole and premature celebrations of a new India in the metros, Videh Upadhyay travels to eastern UP, and gets a firsthand look at power cuts, the power brokers, and the despair of the majority who are simply powerless.

While the old town is chaotic and crowded, on the other side the roads are wide and well maintained. There appears to be a complete disconnect between the two halves of Mirzapur, writes Kalpana Sharma.

A recent report by Human Rights Watch, No Tally of the Anguish provides a much-needed exposure of the real story behind averages and official data about maternal mortality, writes Kalpana Sharma.

Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in western Uttar Pradesh had their long standing communal harmony destroyed by the riots that took place there in September 2013. Shoma Chatterji reviews the powerful documentary Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai which looks closely into the how, why and the aftermath of these riots.

Radha. Zahira. Neha. Names and tales that serve to remind us that despite the reams written, laws passed and discourses held on sexual violence in the country, the road to justice for rape survivors remains as arduous as ever. Manjari Singh reports.

While researching suicide data published by the NCRB, Shambhu Ghatak files an RTI enquiry on how the Bureau identifies causes behind suicides and compiles the data across states to arrive at national figures. The response reveals the lack of clarity in the exercise.

Hasmukh Dhumadiya describes the ordeal of residents of Bakshipunch Housing Society in Dwarka, Gujarat, and their efforts in overcoming it.

Entrepreneur and social activist Pradeep Lokhande’s project of setting up a library every day across rural schools in Maharashtra is helping many poor students see the light of a new day. Ramesh Menon reports on this unique initiative.

My Mother, The Gharwali, Her Maalak, His Wife (70 minutes) is a play showcasing a day in the life of people who sell sex for a living. Directed by Sushama Deshpande, it is an unselfconscious portrayal of people in ‘sex-work’ by people in ‘sex work’. Charumathi Supraja has more.

As part of a study on the socio-economic status of women from the ‘Most Backward Castes’, women from the Nayibrahmin or barber community talk of their lives of oppression and deprivation. Akhileshwari Ramagoud recounts their tales.

Sordid living conditions, poor educational and medical facilities, and lack of childcare inevitably characterise the lives of construction workers in the country. Are they ever going to be able to reap the benefits of the growth they facilitate? Kathyayini Chamaraj examines.

As golf declines in popularity, communities across the country are struggling with how to best redevelop the land that’s left behind. WSJ visited the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley where the town is trying to figure out what to do with its municipal course.

Kobe Bryant, the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, NBA officials confirmed to league employees. He was 41 years old. Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also killed in the crash. Photo: Getty Images

Harley-Davidson just debuted the world's first full-size electric sport bike. Auto columnist Dan Neil went to Portland, Ore., to take the LiveWire for a spin. Photo: Harley-Davidson

Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and other traditional food companies are all betting the rise of meatless alternatives could permanently change the way people look at meat. But are they right? WSJ’s Akane Otani explains. Photo: Beyond Meat

Retired Nascar driver Danica Patrick talks to WSJ's Lee Hawkins about her post-racing life as an entrepreneur, which has taken her into the wine, clothing, and cooking businesses, while also maintaining an endorsement relationship with GoDaddy.

After work, Julian Yeo swaps his spreadsheets and balance sheets for knives and a pressure cooker. The NYU accounting professor uses cooking and Instagram as creative outlets that feed his need for human connection.

The White House announced new guidelines Monday to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, and asked the public to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. Photo: Erik S. Lesser/Shutterstock

GoPros on the runway at Rag & Bone, a 4-D fashion show at Ralph Lauren and more from the tech-heavy fifth day of New York Fashion Week.

Wall Street Journal investigative reporter John Carreyrou recounts some of the more unusual experiences he had while uncovering the story of Theranos's business practices.

First lady Melania Trump presented radio personality Rush Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during President Trump’s State of the Union speech. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Kirk Douglas, who built a career in film spanning more than 50 years with iconic roles such as “Spartacus,” has died at age 103. Here’s a look at the life and legacy of the Hollywood movie star. Photo: Ann Johansson/Corbis/Getty Images

Oprah Winfrey, Rex Tillerson, and Abby Wambach were just a few of the notable people chosen to give commencement addresses that stressed integrity, truthfulness, and courage. Here are some highlights from this year's speeches.

LinkedIn's co-founder Reid Hoffman talks to The Wall Street Journal about the best way to run a meeting, his biggest business challenge, and which of the "PayPal Mafia" would win at Settlers of Catan. Photo: Chloe Aftel for The Wall Street Journal

The Massachusetts governor struck a deal for N95 masks from China, but he needed a way to transport them. The New England Patriots plane ended up making the delivery. Photo: New England Patriots

The Netflix documentary series "Tiger King" sheds light on the culture of tiger ownership in the U.S., but doesn’t reveal how prolific this culture really is. This video explains the patchwork of state laws that makes private ownership of tigers hard to regulate. Illustration: Carter McCall/WSJ

President Trump outlined new federal guidelines on April 17 to reopen the country, saying governors should take a "phased and deliberate approach" to restart their state economies. Photo: William Volcov/Zuma Press

Forget artificial intelligence for board games. Alibaba used artificial intelligence to predict the winner of a popular Chinese reality TV singing competition – and got the winner and finalists all correct.

Max Levchin’s financial technology startup Affirm Inc. has raised a $100 million in Series D, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Uber Technologies Inc. this week brought its motorcycle-taxi hailing service to Indonesia, where it will face strong competition from similar apps as startups battle for users in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

Alphabet and Facebook will no longer be part of the tech sector once S&P and MSCI change the way they classify companies.

There's more to being elected from Calcutta North than the ability to turn a phrase around different consonants at the same time, and Mohammed Salim is keenly aware of this fact.

The Left party workers are keenly aware that the election for the 15th Lok Sabha is the severest test for the party ever since it took power in Bengal 32 years ago.

'Why would the Bahujan Samaj Party nominate a Gujjar to fight from South Delhi and the BJP respond by nominating another Gujjar from the same seat?'

'Today's national picture, where the power rests with the states and not with the Centre, is like the picture of India before the British took power in India,' says thinker Dr Ashok Mitra.

'At the moment, we don't visualise any scenario where the support of the Left will be an indispensable factor. The Congress is comfortable with its present allies. We will add to their number in the coming days.'

Therese Tucker, founder and chief executive of BlackLine Inc., tells WSJ's Veronica Dagher how she got her big idea and advanced in the technology industry, and what she's learned about wealth.

A workshop on Citizen’s Participation in the Electoral Processes in Rajasthan culminates in an order by the Election Commission on short-term measures for electoral roll revisions.

He designed the general elections, India’s greatest gift to itself. It is time the Bengali mathematician-turned-civil servant got his due, writes Ramachandra Guha.

Water is a big local concern, but at the national level, it does not seem to figure very high up in the considerations of major parties, at least as seen in their pre-election promises. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.

Underneath the gloss of the UPA victory on 16 May lies a sober reality. Around the country, adivasi women are known for their leadership qualities, and yet, they do not get equal opportunities to contest elections, finds Manipadma Jena.

Continuing the focus on how Members of Parliament from key urban constituencies have fared in the 15th Lok Sabha, Lavanya Donthamshetty shines the spotlight on the leaders from Chennai.

Days before the much-hyped showdown between Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal in Varanasi, Prabhu Mallikarjunan pays a visit to the holy city to know more about the loyalties and concerns of people on the ground.

While the entire country appeared unimpressed by the Aam Aadmi Party and its promises, Punjab not only sent four of its candidates to the Lok Sabha, but also overcame the rural-urban divide in its mandate for the party. Srinivasan Ramani explores why.

The Election Commission of India is introducing The National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPA) with a view to eliminating duplication and erroneous deletions in electoral rolls across the country. Chinmayi Shalya reports.

Forget the first 100 days spiel about what Dr Manmohan Singh will do to kickstart the economy. That's just media hype and, in any case, the economy's on a recovery-path. As has been seen over just the last few days, despite the Congress getting 206 seats in the Lok Sabha and getting support letters from 100 more Members of Parliament, Dr Singh still hasn't been able to form his government -- just 19 ministers were sworn in with him.

By fixing a minimum tenure for secretaries in key ministries, Singh can ensure continuity of policy.

This does not sound like a ministry that is all set to revive the ailing Indian economy in a hundred days flat, as Dr Manmohan Singh vowed, does it?

Details of Fourth Phase Polling