Wayanad landslide Death toll climbs to 123

WAYANAD, July 30: The death toll in the Wayanad landslide tragedy climbed to 123 on Tuesday evening. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting to coordinate rescue operations in Wayanad and discuss further steps.

The landslides have destroyed several houses, uprooted trees and made water bodies swell, hampering the rescue work.

Speaking at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayan said the landslides were triggered by intense rainfall.

He said 93 bodies had been found. However, sources reported 123 deaths. 128 people were in hospitals undergoing treatment.

He said apart from bodies, several body parts were also found in the debris. "Children who went to sleep last night, including infants, are among those who lost their lives in this disaster and are now buried under the earth. The floodwaters swept away many people.
Sixteen bodies were recovered from the Chaliyar River in Pothukallu in Malappuram district (neighbouring Wayanad), and body parts were also found," Vijayan said.

He said it is one of the most severe natural disasters Kerala has ever witnessed. More than 3000 people have been shifted to 45 camps.

"There are still people trapped under the earth and swept away by the floodwaters. Efforts to find them will continue. All possible resources and methods will be used to continue the rescue operations," Vijayan said.

The Army, Navy and NDRF have been pressed into the rescue operation. Furthermore, the Navy's River Crossing Team from the Ezhimala Naval Academy in Kannur was set to join the rescue efforts, following a request made by the Kerala government.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi may visit Wayanad on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued a red alert for Wayanad, indicating that extremely heavy rainfall is expected in the region.

While the IMD issued a red alert for eight districts, an orange alert was issued for Tuesday for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts.

The red alert was issued for Tuesday in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts in northern Kerala, as well as Idukki and Thrissur in central Kerala.

Rahul Gandhi's family's caste is 'martyrdom': Congress's reaction to Anurag Thakur's remark

NEW DELHI, July 30: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday attacked BJP MP Anurag Thakur for allegedly seeking to know Rahul Gandhi's caste, saying 80 per cent of the population of the country was abused in the Parliament today.

During the discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Anurag Thakur today remarked that those whose caste is unknown talk about the caste census. After his remark triggered an uproar, he clarified that he didn't name any person.

"A socio-economic caste census is the demand of 80 per cent of the people of this country. Today, it was said in Parliament that those whose caste is not known talk about a caste census," Priyanka said in a Hindi post on X.

Will 80 per cent of India's population be abused in Parliament now, she said.

"(Prime Minister) Narendra Modi should clarify whether this happened at his behest," she added.

Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the caste of Rahul Gandhi's family is "martyrdom".

"The real face of the BJP has come to the fore. This mindset can only be of the BJP that such abuses are used for a person who is the son of a family of martyrs. He is told that your caste is not known. We will tell you what his caste is. Rahul Gandhi's father is a martyr and this family's caste is martyrdom. This the RSS, the BJP and Thakur can never understand," Khera said in a video statement.

Rahul Gandhi today claimed that he was insulted and abused by Anurag Thakur.

"Whoever raises the issues of Adivasi, Dalit and the backward, is abused. I will happily accept these abuses...Anurag Thakur has abused me and insulted me. But I do not want any apology from him," Rahul Gandhi said.

Earlier, Thakur had said: "Those whose caste is not known, talk about the caste census. I want to remind the Speaker that in this House itself, a former prime minister RG-1 (Rajiv Gandhi) had opposed reservation for OBCs".

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, an ally of Rahul Gandhi, said how could Anurag Thakur ask about the former's caste.

India's Most Advanced Nuclear Reactor Approaches Finish Line

NEW DELHI, July 30: India's atomic energy program has crossed a big hurdle, the country's most advanced and most complex nuclear reactor the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) located at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu has finally got approval from India's atomic regulator to start loading the nuclear fuel and then to go ahead and initiate the controlled chain reaction.

"It is a huge milestone for India's self-reliant atomic energy program," confirmed Dinesh Kumar Shukla, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board who added that the "PFBR is an inherently safe reactor".

This development now marks the use of plutonium as a nuclear fuel and more importantly the first steps at using thorium as an atomic energy source.

India has limited reserves of uranium and all plutonium is anyways generated in atomic plants as natural plutonium does not exist, on the other hand, India has huge reserves of thorium and hence the country is mastering and developing complex technology to use thorium as fuel.

Experts say if India can tap thorium as a fuel, the country can be assured of energy independence and find the potential 'akshay patra' for energy that will last for more than three centuries.

A fast breeder reactor is very unique and to a layperson these defy basic logic since breeder reactors produce more fuel than they consume and that is why some describe these reactors as an endless source of energy.

The word 'fast' in these reactors comes from the use of high-energy fast neutrons. India has a functional Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at Kalpakkam that has been functioning for the last 39 years.

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board or AERB said, "This permission marks a significant step towards operationalization of PFBR. The 500MWe sodium-cooled Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) being commissioned by BHAVINI at Kalpakkam is a significant milestone in country's nuclear power programme".

"The AERB had been carrying out extensive safety review and assessment through multi-tier safety review mechanism. The safety reviews are complemented with periodic inspections and observation by resident site observer team," it added. If all goes well, it could become operational in a few months.

In 2003, the government approved the creation of Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) to construct and operate India's most advanced nuclear reactor-Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), which is a 500 MW liquid sodium cooled reactor. As per BHAVINI it "got clearance for fuel loading, first criticality, and also low power physics experiments at one go".

The initiation of fuel loading at PFBR marks the entry of India into its second stage of the atomic energy program. Here spent fuel from India's existing reactors is used. Incidentally, the moniker 'fast' is not about quick construction but because it uses 'fast neutrons' as part of the fission reaction. It uses the man-made element plutonium as fuel.

The PFBR has been in the making for the last 20 years and being a first-of-kind reactor, delays were expected and since no country shares such complex technology, it had to be mastered indigenously. BHAVINI estimated it has cost ₹ 6,840 crore and over years cost overrun did happen from its earlier approved cost of ₹ 5,677 Crore.

In line with the true spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the PFBR has been fully designed and constructed indigenously by BHAVINI with significant contributions from more than 200 Indian industries including MSMEs. Once commissioned, India will only be the second country after Russia to have commercially operating Fast Breeder Reactor.

The Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) will initially use the Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel. The Uranium-238 "blanket" surrounding the fuel core will undergo nuclear transmutation to produce more fuel, thus earning the name 'Breeder'. The use of Throium-232, which in itself is not a fissile material, as a blanket is also envisaged in this stage. By transmutation, Thorium will create fissile Uranium-233 which will be used as fuel in the third stage. FBR is thus a stepping stone for the third stage of the program paving the way for the eventual full utilization of India's abundant thorium reserves.

On March 4, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself inspected the PFBR and witnessed the 'core loading' since then activities have accelerated. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) says in terms of safety, the PFBR is an advanced third-generation reactor with inherent passive safety features ensuring a prompt and safe shut down of the plant in the event of an emergency. Since it uses the spent fuel from the first stage, FBR also offers a great advantage in terms of a significant reduction in nuclear waste generated, thereby avoiding the need for large geological disposal facilities.

According to the DAE, notably, despite the advanced technology involved, both the capital cost and the per unit electricity cost is comparable to other nuclear and conventional power plants.

The growth of the Indian nuclear power program is imperative to meet the twin goals of energy security and sustainable development. As a responsible nuclear power with advanced technology, India remains committed to expanding peaceful applications of nuclear technology, both in the power and non-power sectors, while ensuring the security of nuclear and radiological materials.

Once the DAE gains confidence, two more Fast Breeder Reactors will be constructed at Kalpakkam.

Hyderabad Software Engineer Invites 2 Friends To Celebrate New Job, They Rape Her

HYDERABAD, July 30: A software engineer and a married woman were raped in two separate incidents in Telangana. The software engineer was gang-raped by her childhood friend and their common friend at a hotel in Hyderabad while the other woman was sexually assaulted by the driver of a bus she was travelling in.

The software engineer told the police that she was offered a job and joined her childhood friend, Gautham Reddy, and a common friend to celebrate at a bar in Hyderabad's Vanasthalipuram on Monday evening.

Vanasthalipuram Police Inspector D Jalender Reddy said, "They went to a bar and restaurant attached to a hotel. After Reddy and their friend got drunk, both of them took her to a room in the hotel and gang-raped her. The girl and Reddy studied together from Class 2 to Class 10."

Arvind Kejriwal bail: Delhi HC reserves order in CBI case related to liquor policy; here’s what Abhishek Singhvi argued

NEW DELHI, July 29: Delhi High Court on Monday reserved an order on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's regular bail plea in the CBI case related to the excise policy case.

Senior advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi opposed the CBI's arguments that Kejriwal should move the trial court for bail.

Advocate DP Singh, representing the CBI, informed the court that they had filed a chargesheet against Arvind Kejriwal in the trial court. However, Abhishek Manu Singh argued that merely filing a chargesheet did not entitle Kejriwal to regular bail.

Concluding its probe, the CBI filed its final charge sheet in the case against Kejriwal and others on Monday.

CBI informed the Delhi High Court that as their investigation progressed, they discovered more evidence implicating Arvind Kejriwal. The chargesheet filed today named six individuals, including Kejriwal, but five of them have not been arrested yet, submitting Advocate DP Singh said, reported ANI.

The CBI counsel further submitted that C Aravind, an IAS officer under Manish Sisodia, testified that Vijay Nair brought a copy of the excise policy to be entered into the computer, and Arvind Kejriwal was present at that time. This, according to the CBI, indicated Kejriwal's direct involvement in the matter.

Here is what Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued
— Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail thrice in the ED case.

— He pointed out that since Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI, there have been no confrontations or new developments.

— He argued that the distinction between bail and writ petitions did not impact the case's merit.

— There is no direct evidence against Arvind Kejriwal.

— CBI frequently refers to Vijay Nair as a central figure in the case, but Nair was granted bail in the CBI case a long time ago.

— The policy was the result of nine inter-ministerial committees involving officials from various departments and was published in July 2021 after a year of deliberation.

— While Arvind Kejriwal signed the excise policy, so did 15 other people, including the Lieutenant Governor. By the CBI's logic, the Lieutenant Governor and the 50 bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary, should also be considered co-accused, ANI quoted Singhvi as saying.

However, countering Singhvi, Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh, representing CBI, said that it was not an approval by LG. “All the officers have given statements. They manipulated the entire script,” he said.

— They refer to AAP spending ₹4 crore on publicity. I wonder how much money the ruling party has spent on publicity. I wonder if the CBI will ask them the question. There, the money is not ₹4 crore but ₹4,000 crore. Today, there is no direct evidence, no recovery. There is pure hearsay, reported Bar and Bench, quoting Singhvi.

Mamata Alleges Political Discrimination at Niti Ayog meet

NEW DELHI, July 27: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged "political discrimination" at a key NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi held to allow states to present their concerns to the Prime Minister.

Ms Banerjee was the only Chief Minister from a non-BJP ruled state who attended the meeting, as all other INDIA bloc leaders boycotted the event.

After storming out of the meeting, the Trinamool Congress chief claimed that her microphone was muted and she was allowed to speak for only five minutes. The allegation was dismissed by the Centre through the fact-check handle of the Press Information Bureau.

"I said you (Centre) shouldn't discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak, but my mic was muted. I was allowed to speak only for five minutes, while people before me spoke for 10-20 minutes," Ms Banerjee told reporters.

"I was the only one from the opposition who was participating but I still was not allowed to speak. This is insulting," she added.

Despite INDIA bloc chief ministers boycotting the meeting, Mamata Banerjee had said that she wanted to raise 'political discrimination' meted out to Bengal in the Union Budget.

The Centre refuted Ms Banerjee's claims and said that her mic wasn't muted.

"It is being claimed that the microphone of CM, West Bengal was switched off during the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog. This claim is Misleading. The clock only showed that her speaking time was over. Even the bell was not rung to mark it," the Press Information Bureau said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

After reaching Kolkata on Saturday, Ms Banerjee spoke to reporters and said the bell was rung repeatedly. She said she was the only opposition chief minister who attended the meeting and that she had done so in the spirit of cooperative federalism.

"I thought I would speak on behalf of opposition-ruled states. We have no objection to others getting money, but you cannot deprive us. States have to manage everything. If you handicap states, then the Union will be handicapped," the Bengal chief minister fumed.

"(Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister) Chandrababu Naidu spoke before me for 20 minutes. Four other chief ministers spoke for more than 15 minutes but, as soon as I crossed five minutes, they asked me to stop. So I said I will boycott if you don't want to hear... I was the only opposition chief minister and I should have been given 30 minutes. I am not undeserving that I won't follow time. I am a senior politician. I have been a six-term MP. I wanted to speak. Is it not insulting to keep pressing the bell?" she asked.

The chief minister said she and her party will "have to think" if such meetings should be attended in the future. "This a deliberate attempt to malign the opposition," she said.

Other Opposition leaders had refused to attend, citing the "raw deal" meted out to states ruled by them in the Union Budget. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin initiated the boycott, followed by Congress-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh's Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka's Siddaramaiah, and Telangana's Revanth Reddy. The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and the Jharkhand and Kerala chief ministers, Hemant Soren and Pinarayi Vijayan respectively, have also decided to skip the event.

Income tax benefits, capital gains tax hike, cheaper phones in Union Budget

NEW DELHI, July 23: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday proposed the much-awaited change in the income tax slabs as she tabled the first Union Budget of the new Narendra Modi government.

The government increased the standard deduction from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000, providing tax relief to millions of taxpayers who opted for the new tax regime. On the other hand, the government increased both short-term and long-term capital gains taxes. It also discontinued the indexation benefit for property sales.

The government raised the short-term capital gains tax (for less than a year) from 15 percent to 20 percent. The rate for those who hold their investments for longer than 12 months has risen from 10 percent to 12.5 percent.

Sitharaman said the main focus of the Budget was on employment, skilling, small businesses and the middle class.

She said the government proposed “incentives for companies to train staff”. It also promised cheaper loans for higher education. Corporate tax for foreign companies was cut to 35% from 40%.

The finance minister announced a revised tax slab for the new tax regime. "Under the new tax regime, tax rate structure to be revised as follows - ₹0- ₹3 lakh -Nil; ₹3-7 lakh -5%; ₹7-10 lakh-10%; ₹10-12 lakh-15%; ₹12-15 lakh- 20% and above ₹15 lakh-30%," she announced.

She said salaried employees under the new tax regime would save up to ₹17,500 annually in taxes due to changes proposed in the Budget. She also announced that the deduction on family pension for pensioners would be enhanced from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000.

She said over four crore salaried taxpayers and pensioners would benefit from the changes.

Meanwhile, Sitharaman on Tuesday evening dismissed the Opposition's criticism that the Budget gave preferential treatment to states run by supporting parties, saying that those whose alliance got less than 230 seats have no right to question the Centre.

On the issue of ₹60,000 crore projects announced for Bihar and a pledge to get multilateral assistance for the state and Andhra Pradesh, she said, ₹1.5 lakh crore assistance has been promised for all states.

"The Indi alliance (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) together could not cross 230 seats while BJP alone has reached 240 and with the pre-election alliance, we have formed government comfortably under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is historic," she said in a customary post-budget media briefing.

Here are the highlights of Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget:

Three cancer drugs -- TrastuzumabDeruxtecan, Osimertinib and Durvalumab -- fully exempted from customs duty

Customs duty on mobile phones, mobile Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) and mobile chargers was reduced to 15 percent.

Customs duties on gold and silver were reduced to 6 percent and that on platinum to 6.4 per cent.

Security Transactions Tax on futures and options of securities increased to 0.02 per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively.

Income received on the back of shares to be taxed in the hands of the recipient

Angel tax for all classes of investors abolished to boost startups

The corporate tax rate on foreign companies was reduced from 40 to 35 per cent.

Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme, 2024 for resolution of income tax disputes pending in appeal

Monetary limits for filing direct taxes, excise and service tax-related appeals in tax tribunals, high courts and Supreme Court increased to ₹60 lakh, ₹2 crore and ₹5 crore respectively.

20 percent tax on short-term gains on certain financial assets.

12.5 pc tax on long-term gains on all financial and non-financial assets.

Long-term capital gains up to ₹1.25 lakh from listed equities are exempted.

TDS rate on e-commerce operators reduced from one to 0.1 per cent.

Delay for payment of TDS up to the due date of filing statement decriminalized.

I-T assessment can be reopened beyond 3 years up to five years only if the escaped income is ₹50 lakh or more.

In search cases, the time limit reduced from 10 to 6 years before the year of the search
Government to complete comprehensive review of the Income-tax Act, 1961 in six months
GST to be simplified and rationalised to expand to remaining sectors

Fiscal deficit pegged at 4.9 per cent of GDP in FY25, to be cut further below 4.5 pc next year

The budget outlines 9 priority areas, including manufacturing and services, and next-generation reforms, in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

The budget focuses on employment, skilling, MSME, and middle class, and allocates ₹1.52 lakh crore for agriculture and allied sectors.

FY25 capex pegged at ₹11.11 lakh crore.

₹11,500 crore financial support to certain irrigation and flood mitigation projects in Bihar.

₹15,000 crore special financial support to Andhra Pradesh through multilateral development agencies.

No NEET Re-Exam, Supreme Court Says 'Can't Conclude Sanctity Breached'

NEW DELHI, July 23: There will be no re-test for the 2024 NEET-UG exam, the Supreme Court said Tuesday, reasoning there is no data to suggest a "systemic breach" or that the "sanctity" of the examination, following two localised leaks of the question paper, had been affected.

The court admitted the fact the question paper was leaked is "not in dispute", but said there is no material on record at this time to conclude "the result of the exam was vitiated or (that) there was a systemic breach in the sanctity of the exam".

"Data on record is not indicative of a systemic leak of the question paper, which would lead to the destruction of the sanctity of the exam..." the court said.

The court was hearing a clutch of petitions demanding the NEET-UG test - a qualifying examination for undergraduate medical courses - be either held again or cancelled.

The bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, said an order, therefore, to order a re-test for 23.33 lakh aspiring medical professionals, many of whom would travel hundreds of kilometres from hometowns to exam centres - would have "big consequences".

"The court is mindful of the fact directing a fresh exam would have serious consequences on students, including destruction of admission schedule, effects on education, and impact on availability of medical professionals in the future."

The court also pointed to a "serious disadvantage to marginalised students".

Delivering the order today, the Chief Justice referred to an interim ruling this month, in which the court advised petitioners seeking a re-test it would be the "last option".

The court said then certain circumstances - specifically a limited time lag between the leak and exam - would argue against a re-test. "If students were asked to memorise (leaked questions) on the morning of the exam, leak might not be widespread..."

The court had said it was, therefore, loathe to order a re-test.

However, the court then did also suggest the exam's "sanctity" had been affected. "One thing is clear... questions were leaked. Sanctity of exam was compromised..." it said.

Today, the Chief Justice acknowledged an incontrovertible fact - the question paper had been leaked for at least two exam centres, in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh and Patna in Bihar.

The Hazaribagh leak has been flagged as 'Ground Zero' by the CBI, which has been tasked with investigating a nation-wide 'solver gang' racket that leaks question papers. The agency has made multiple arrests since, including a man called Rakesh Ranjan, alias Rocky, the alleged kingpin.

In earlier hearings the court was told question papers were available on social media, including popular messaging apps like Telegram, at least 24 hours before the exam.

The court also referred to reports filed by the CBI - on July 17 and July 21 - to say that at least 155 students from centres in Hazaribagh and Patna seemed to be beneficiaries.

The court had earlier discussed the possibility of segregation, i.e., identifying students who had benefitted from the paper leak and removing them from the admission process.

The controversy over the 2024 NEET-UG exam, held on May 5, broke last month when results were declared. Red flags were raised over the number - 67 - of perfect scores, including a coaching centre in Haryana's Bahadurgarh that produced six on its own.

There were also questions over the award of 'grace marks' for 1,563 students.

A retest for those 1,563 was held, but hundreds did not appear and many of those who did scored significantly fewer marks. This included candidates from the Haryana centre who scored a perfect 720 last time but got only 682 this time.

The questions put the focus on the National Testing Agency, which is a central government body that conducts competitive exams like NEET-UG and UGC-NET.

The NET exam, for appointment to professorial posts in colleges and universities, was voided after inputs indicated "integrity of the exam may have been compromised".

Controversy over the NEET-UG exam also triggered a massive political row with the opposition ripping into the government inside and outside Parliament.

Supreme Court Pauses Kanwar Yatra Food Stalls Order

NEW DELHI, July 22: The Supreme Court has stayed, till Friday, a controversial order by the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments directing eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display names of owners and staff, noting police could not enforce this and, at most, can only ask them to display food items.

The order had been slammed by the opposition; AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi - who has claimed this move is to ensure no 'kanwariya (pilgrim) buys from a Muslim-owned shop - had compared it to Apartheid in South Africa and the boycotting of Jewish business in Nazi Germany.

The court, directing the UP government order be paused, referred to the "... implication of directives" and served notice to the UP, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh governments. Crucially, it also noted "... the threat of police action in the event of non-adherence to the directives..."

"...until returnable date we deem it appropriate to pass interim order prohibiting enforcement of directive. Food sellers must not be forced to display names of owners, staff..." the court ordered.

The bench of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice SVN Bhatti also made some strong observations this afternoon, noting "it is permissible for authorities to ensure kanwariyas (pilgrims) are served vegetarian food conforming to their preferences (and) maintaining hygienic standards".

"Compelling all proprietors to display names and address, also of their staff, can hardly achieve intended objective..." Justice Roy reasoned, also adding, "...without support of provisions, if the directive is permitted to be enforced... it will infringe the secular character of Republic of India."

The court was hearing petitions challenging the directive issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarnagar, in Uttar Pradesh, to shop owners to display their names outside shops during the Kanwar Yatra season. The police had said that the decision was in the interest of law and order.

Food, and who cooks and serves at restaurants, was at the core of arguments this morning.

"You go to a restaurant depending on the menu, not who is serving. The idea of this directive is exclusion by identity. This is not the Republic of India we envisaged in Constitution..." senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the petitioners, said forcefully.

"There are a lot of 'pure vegetarian' restaurants run by Hindus... but they may have Muslim employees. Can I say I won't eat there? Because food is somehow 'touched' by them?"

The petitioners also flagged a "worrying situation where police are taking it upon themselves to create a divide... minorities would be identified and subject to boycott..." The reference was to the enforcement of what the authorities had said was a directive to be followed "voluntarily".

"It has never been done before... has no statutory backing. No law gives police power to do this. The directive is for every hath-gaadi (hand-cart), tea-stall... giving of names of owners and employees does not serve any purpose..." Singhvi said, hitting out at the "camouflaged order".

Singhvi underlined, for the court, the element of coercion in the directive. "News reports show a Municipal Corporation directive... that fines of ₹ 2,000 and ₹ 5,000 will be imposed..."

There was also a discussion on food safety and standards, to which Justice Bhatti had a humorous and telling anecdote. "There is one vegetarian hotel run by a Hindu and one by a Muslim in Kerala. As a judge in that state I used to go the one run by the Muslim. He had international standards..."

The petitioners also countered authorities' insistence that the Kanwar Yatra directive is voluntary, claiming UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had "made a public statement that the directive must be enforced... so far as Uttarakhand, there was a similar statement (by Pushkar Singh Dhami)".

"This is being endorsed at the highest level in both UP and Uttarakhand... the effect is that employees of certain community have been fired after this," the petitioners argued.

Last week police in UP's Muzaffarnagar mandated all food joints along the route to prominently display names of owners. "This is being done to ensure there is no confusion among kanwariyas, and no allegations are raised in the future, leading to a law and order situation," the cops said.

"Everyone is following this of their own free will..." the police said at a press conference.

Shortly afterwards the UP government extended this order across the state.

The opposition has slammed the directive and at least three allies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose support at the centre is crucial to the BJP, and union ministers Jayant Chaudhary (Rashtriya Lok Dal) and Chirag Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party).

Meanwhile, extensive arrangements have been made across states for the yatra that started this morning, as the month of Sawan begins in the Hindu calendar. During this time lakhs of Shiva devotees carry holy water from the Ganges in Haridwar to their homes and offer it at temples on their way.

Three BJP Allies Question UP Order To Eateries For Kanwar Yatra, Demand Rollback

NEW DELHI, July 21: The dissent against the Uttar Pradesh government's order to eateries to display names of owners during kanwar yatra has spread to the ruling alliance. Two Union ministers who are BJP allies have appealed to the state to roll back its decision.
A third party, NItish Kumar's Janata Dal United, has also criticised the order, calling it an example of discrimination.

After Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan -- who handles the Food Processing industries portfolio at the Centre -- Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary today said kanwariyas ask no-one their religion when they seek service. Neither should the matter (serving kanwariyas) be linked to any religion, he added.

"It seems that the order was taken without much thought and the government is adamant on it because the decision has been taken," Chaudhary -- junior minister for education who has independent charge of skill development -- was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.

"There is still time. It (roll back) should happen or the government should not put much emphasis on (implementing) it," he added.

Chaudhary also questioned if one should wear a name tag on one's clothes to identify one's religion. "Where all one would be made to place these identifiers! Should we now wear name tags too? So that one knows who to shake hands with?" said Chaudhary, whose party has its stronghold in western Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, Union minister Chirag Paswan had unequivocally opposed the order, saying he would "absolutely… never support or encourage" any divide in the name of caste or religion.

Another BJP ally, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), has also criticised the move. Party leader KC Tyagi has said the order should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tension. There should be no discrimination based on religion or caste, he said.

The Muzaffarnagar Police order to eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display owners' names, has now been extended across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The order has been hugely criticised by the Opposition parties, who maintain it targets Muslim traders.

The matter came up in the traditional all-party meet held ahead of parliament's budget session today. The Opposition parties made it clear that this will be one of the issues that will come up during the session.

Congress leader K Suresh said the party's senior leader Gaurav Gogoi and Aam Aadmi Party's Sanjay Singh criticised the decision at the meeting.

3 Passengers Die As 12 Coaches Of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express Derail In UP

LUCKNOW, July 18: Three passengers have died and 20 are injured after several coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh express train derailed in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda today. The incident took place in Pikaura which is located between Gonda and Jhilahi in Uttar Pradesh.

A rescue team has been sent to the site for relief operations. Some people are reportedly injured and visuals show passengers standing on the sides of the track with their luggage. Train number 15904 was heading to Dibrugarh in Assam from Chandigarh.

Out of the 12 coaches, four coaches of the AC compartment derailed a few kilometres before the Jhulahi railway station. Several trains have been impacted on the route and a few trains have been diverted, Pankaj Singh, CPRO, North Eastern Railways said.

The route of the Katihar-Amritsar Express and Guwahati-Shrimata Vaishnodevi Katra Express has been diverted.

Publish NEET-UG Results City-Wise And Centre-Wise, Supreme Court Tells NTA

NEW DELHI, July 18: NEET-UG exam results are to be published in their entirety by noon Saturday, the Supreme Court told the National Testing Agency - which is under-fire over allegations of leaked question papers and violation of marking protocol - on Thursday afternoon.

The full results are to be published on the NTA's website. However, the identities of the students will be masked, the court instructed the NTA.

Amid Huge Row, Karnataka Pauses Bill For Reservation In Private Sector Firms

BENGALURU, July 17: The Karnataka government has paused, and will further study, a bill directing private firms in the state to reserve jobs for Kannadigas. The bill, cleared Monday, requires firms in India's IT capital to prioritise local hires for 70 per cent of non-management roles and 50 per cent of management-level jobs.

"The bill intended to implement reservation for Kannadigas in private sector institutions, industries and enterprises is still in the preparation stage. A final decision will be taken after comprehensive discussion in the next cabinet meeting," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has posted on X.

The quota announcement was first made by the Chief Minister Tuesday evening.

The Chief Minister said his "pro-Kannada government" would ensure all "Kannadigas (get) an opportunity to lead a comfortable life in the motherland... and avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada". However, his X post said the bill mandated 100 per cent reservation at certain levels.

Fury and outrage followed Siddaramaiah's post, with business leaders like Biocon's Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and the opposition, led by the BJP, targeting the Congress government.

Major Crackdown Launched On Terror Network In J&K After Doda Encounter

SRINAGAR, July 17: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched a major crackdown on terror network after a deadly encounter in the Union Territory's Doda in which four personnel of the army including an officer were killed in action on Monday.

The police say several overground workers and supporters of terrorists have been arrested and the crackdown has been intensified. Meanwhile, a counter-terror operation is underway in the Desa area of Doda.

A large number of troops from the army and para-military forces are conducting search operations and area domination in the region.

The firing was first reported in the Kalaan Bhata last night and then near Panchan Bhata at 2 am during the ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the Desa forest area, where four Army personnel were killed in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

Four Indian Army soldiers, including an officer, were killed in action during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

Captain Brijesh Thapa, Naik D Rajesh, Sepoy Bijendra, and Sepoy Ajay laid down their lives in the line of duty.

This was the second major encounter in the Jammu region after five soldiers were killed in action in Kathua last week.

The attack, in which five soldiers were also injured, was a coordinated strike on two trucks carrying at least 12 troops.

The terrorists targeted the trucks, which were around 500 metres apart, with grenades and, in worrying signs, used armour-piercing bullets (those tipped with hardened steel) and an M4 assault rifle.

Terrorist attacks, which started in Poonch and Rajouri districts, have now spread across Jammu, the region that was free from terrorism till a few years ago.

Over the last 32 months, 48 soldiers have been killed in action in the Jammu region.

Officer Among 4 Soldiers Killed In Action In Encounter With Terrorists In J&K

JAMMU, July 16: Four Indian Army soldiers, including an officer, have been killed in action during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Monday.

Captain Brijesh Thapa, Naik D Rajesh, Sepoy Bijendra, and Sepoy Ajay laid down their lives in the line of duty, the Army said in an online post.

"General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of army staff, and all ranks of the Indian Army convey their deepest condolences to the brave hearts, Captain Brijesh Thapa, Naik D Rajesh, Sepoy Bijendra and Sepoy Ajay, who laid down their lives in the line of the duty, while undertaking a counter-terrorist operation in Doda in order to ensure peace in the region. Indian Army stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," the post read.

According to officials, a joint operation by the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched in the Desa area of Doda based on specific information about the presence of terrorists.

"Contact with terrorists was established at about 9 pm in which heavy firefight ensued. Initial reports suggest injuries to our bravehearts," the Army had posted on X on Monday night.

At least five soldiers were critically injured in the encounter, officials had said.

According to sources, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has spoken to the Indian Army chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, and taken stock of the ground situation and ongoing operation in Doda.

Singh said he was deeply saddened by the loss of the soldiers and that his heart goes out to the bereaved families. "The Nation stands firmly with the families of our soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. The Counter Terrorist operations are underway, and our soldiers remain committed to eliminate the scourge of terrorism and restore peace and order in the region," he said.

This was the second major encounter in the Jammu region after five soldiers were killed in action in Kathua last week.

The attack, in which five soldiers were also injured, was a coordinated strike on two trucks carrying at least 12 troops.

The terrorists targeted the trucks, which were around 500 metres apart, with grenades and, in worrying signs, used armor-piercing bullets (those tipped with hardened steel) and an M4 assault rifle.

Terrorist attacks, which started in Poonch and Rajouri districts, have now spread across Jammu, the region that was free from terrorism till a few years ago.

Over the last 32 months, 48 soldiers have been killed in action in the Jammu region.

There are reports over 60 foreign terrorists - trained in jungle warfare - may be operating in the Jammu region alone, even as the shadow of fear has spread across all 10 districts of the province.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked the Army to deploy the full spectrum of its anti-terrorist capabilities to eliminate terrorism in the Jammu region.

CRPF Soldier Killed In Attack By 'Suspected Kuki Insurgents' In Manipur's Jiribam: Police

IMPHAL, July 14: A soldier of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was killed in action after a joint patrol with the state police was ambushed by "suspected Kuki insurgents" in Manipur's Jiribam district, the police said in a statement today. Two police commandos were injured, the police said.

The police said the joint patrol came under heavy fire from the suspected insurgents in the district bordering Assam. The CRPF soldier was inside a patrol SUV when the suspected insurgents opened fire.

Visuals of the ambush site shows the SUV with several bullet holes and a shattered rear windshield. Two police commandos who were inside the vehicle were also hit.

"We returned effective fire. The insurgents took cover of the forest and ran away. A combing operation is going on," a senior police officer told NDTV on phone from Jiribam, 220 km from the state capital Imphal.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in a post on X condemned the attack by who he called "suspected Kuki militants".

Before today's ambush, tension in Jiribam had been high in recent weeks following clashes between the Meitei community and the Hmar tribes.

The district didn't see violence for over a year since Meitei-Kuki ethnic clashes began in May 2023; however, clashes erupted in Jiribam last month, forcing over a thousand people from both the communities to live in relief camps, some in neighbouring Assam.

Kuki civil society groups alleged Meitei insurgents have been attacking their villages in Jiribam.

The Kuki Inpi in a statement today said the only solution to the ongoing conflict is to grant the Kuki-Zo tribes a separate administration. "We have been observing the precarious situation and the rationality of the central government where we are being cornered as though the Meiteis and its associates are above the law. It would be a shame on the Indian government to fail to protect the lives and rights of the minorities as the largest democracy in the world," the Kuki Inpi said in the statement signed by Jangminthang Singson, Khupneh Dimngel, Boisy Singson and Paominngam Haokip.

Meitei groups have refuted the allegations, and said nearly a dozen Kuki-Zo insurgent groups that have signed the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement have been attacking civilians and security forces in violation of ground rules.

"We are shocked to see some Kuki groups blaming the death of the CRPF jawan on the action by the security forces against them. This is an insult to the sacrifice of the soldier who was killed in the cowardly attack by suspected Kuki militants, which also left three policemen," the Meitei Heritage Society (MHS) said in a statement today.

"The SoO agreement must be scrapped to allow security forces to effectively counter these militant activities and restore peace in the region. The MHS calls upon the government to prioritise the safety and security of its citizens and take all necessary steps to bring those responsible for these killings to justice," the MHS said.

Manipur's second lifeline National Highway 37 which connects Imphal with Assam's Cachar passes through Jiribam. The other lifeline that connects Manipur with the rest of the country is National Highway 2, which remains blocked in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district. This highway goes to Assam via Nagaland. The Kuki tribes also allege the Meitei community has blocked all essential items and cargo trucks from going to the hill areas where they live.

The ethnic violence between the valley-dominant Meitei community and nearly two dozen tribes known as Kukis - a term given by the British in colonial times - who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 220 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.

Armed people on both sides call themselves "village defence volunteers", a definition of the belligerents that has become the most controversial since nothing stops these "volunteers" from killing people under the insurance provided by "in self-defence".

The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the nearly two dozen tribes that share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar's Chin State and Mizoram want a separate administrative carved out of Manipur, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.

INDIA Bloc Wins 10 Seats, BJP 2 In Key Polls Across 7 States

NEW DELHI, July 13: The Opposition INDIA bloc won 10 of the 13 seats that went to polls across seven states, backing up their strong show in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP, which returned for a record third term at the Centre last month, managed to claim only two seats.

In Punjab, AAP's Mohinder Bhagat scored a decisive victory in the Jalandhar West constituency, with a margin exceeding 23,000 votes. Meanwhile, in West Bengal, the TMC showcased its dominance by capturing all four seats contested.

Himachal Pradesh witnessed a notable debut as Kamlesh Thakur, wife of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, secured victory in the Dehra constituency. The Congress further strengthened its position by claiming the Nalagarh seat, while the BJP managed to secure a win in Hamirpur.

Chief Minister Sukhu, after the win said that people of Himachal Pradesh have given a befitting reply to those hatching "conspiracies to topple the government".

"People of Himachal gave us 40 seats in 2022. People have given a befitting reply to the kind of poaching that happened in state politics in the past," Sukhu said.

"This also gave the message that the people of the state are aware and awake and that such poaching will not work. Three independent MLAs had no reason to resign. They could have simply allied with the BJP, but even they learned their lesson," he added.

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK's Anniyur Siva won the Vikravandi assembly seat by a significant margin of nearly 60,000 votes. The Congress won both seats in Uttarakhand, while the BJP's Kamslesh Pratap Shahi won the Amarwar seat in Madhya Pradesh.

Independent candidate Shankar Singh won the Rupauli assembly bypoll in Bihar's Purnea, defeating JDU's Kaladhar Prasad Mandal by a margin of 8,246 votes.

These bypolls were the first since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which saw the BJP winning 240 seats - 32 short of the majority. The NDA, however, managed to cross the halfway mark of 272 with a total tally of 293 seats. The Congress-led INDIA bloc clinched 232 seats.

Supreme Court grants interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal in ED case, to remain in jail in CBI probe

NEW DELHI, July 12: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is facing prosecution by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case in connection with now-scrapped excise policy scam, saying it has referred to a larger bench certain questions of law relating to the need and necessity of arrest.

The ruling came on a plea by Arvind Kejriwal challenging the legality of his arrest by ED in the case registered in connection with the Delhi excise policy ‘scam’.

However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener will remain in jail as he is still in judicial custody in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s corruption case linked to the Delhi excise policy.

“As we are referring the matter to a larger bench, we have, despite our findings on reasons to believe, considered whether interim bail should be granted to Arvind Kejriwal. Given the fact that right to life and liberty is sacrosanct and Arvind Kejriwal has suffered incarceration for over 90 days and the questions referred above, require in-depth consideration by a larger bench, we direct Arvind Kejriwal will be released on interim bail…”, said a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta.

Reading out the operative part of the judgement, Justice Khanna also said it was up to Kejriwal to decide whether he should continue to remain in office as the Delhi chief minister.

“We are conscious that Arvind Kejriwal is an elected leader and the chief minister of Delhi, a post holding importance and influence. We have also referred to the allegations. While we do not give any directions since we are doubtful whether the court can direct an elected leader to step down or not function as a chief minister or as a minister, we leave it to Arvind Kejriwal to take a call,” said the bench.

The bench said it had made it clear it is “not examining the question of bail but we are only going into the question of what are the parameters of Section 19 (of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act), what is the jurisdiction of the court to go into the grounds of arrest?”

“We have explained the difference between sections 19 and 45. As far as Section 19 is concerned, it’s subjective opinion of the officer, but amenable to judicial review…Whereas Section 45 is concerned, it’s an exercise undertaken by the court itself and not by the officer. So, the power of the court is different from the power of the officer,” Justice Khanna said reading from the order.

“The power of the court under Section 19, while exercising the power for examining the reasons to believe is different from the power of the court under Section 45,” said the bench.

“On the aspects of Section 19… after a detailed discussion, we have held that as far as reasons to believe are concerned, they meet with the parameters of Section 19,” added the bench.

“But having said, so, we have raised an additional ground, which relates to need and necessity of arrest…we felt that this question whether it can be read into section 19, issue of need and necessity of arrest, especially in view of the principle of proportionality…we have referred that question to the larger bench”.

The court said it framed three questions in this regard.

“Whether the need or necessity of arrest is a separate ground to challenge the order of arrest passed in terms of Section 19(1) of PMLA? Whether need and necessity of arrest refers to the satisfaction of common parameters of arrest…or relates to other personal grounds and reasons regarding the necessity to arrest a person in the facts and circumstances of the case?” And if the two questions are answered in affirmative, “what are the parameters and facts that have to be taken into consideration by the court by while examining the question of need and necessity to arrest?”

LS Speaker Om Birla pitches for reforms in UNSC at BRICS parliamentary forum meet

ST. PETERSBURG, July 11: Lok Sabha Om Birla on Thursday pitched for reforms in the United Nations Security Council and emphasised that parliaments could play a key role in “advancing the agenda of progress and sustainable development.”

“BRICS member countries represent the interests of developing countries and in this context, we have collectively emphasised the need to reform international organisations such as the United Nations Security Council, World Trade Organization, and to make global governance more democratic,” Om Birla told the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum at St. Petersburg, his first foreign visit after getting re-elected as the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha.

Birla was speaking at the forum’s first plenary session on the theme of “The BRICS Parliamentary dimension: prospects for strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation”.

Birla also welcomed the four new members -- Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- into the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, saying India believes that the addition of new members to the BRICS family will not only strengthen BRICS as an organisation but will also give impetus to our future efforts towards a better and sustainable future.

“As members of our parliaments, we can play an important role in advancing the agenda of progress and sustainable development. Under parliamentary diplomacy, we exchange ideas, innovative laws and best practices through inter-parliamentary forums such as the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU),” he said.

“Inter-parliamentary cooperation is vital to promote inclusive growth. Parliaments play a central role in protecting the interests and expressing the concerns of emerging markets and developing countries and the role of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum should be seen in this light. We are happy that today BRICS is striving to establish a more inclusive global governance system,” Birla added.

The speaker added that climate change, inclusive socio-economic development, food and nutrition security, and attainment of SDG goals are challenges for the present world whose immediate solution is necessary to secure the common future of humanity. “The role of our parliaments and mutual cooperation among them is very important in formulating the necessary policies and programs to achieve these and in monitoring their implementation,” he added.

5 Armymen Killed In J&K; Terrorists Threw Grenade On Truck, Then Opened Fire

SRINAGAR, July 8: Five Army personnel were killed and six injured after terrorists attacked a military convoy in the remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Monday afternoon. The Army vehicles were on a routine patrol on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar road when attacked about 150 km from Kathua.

The injured have been shifted to a hospital for treatment.

After the initial attack - terrorists threw a grenade and then opened fire - the security forces retaliated but the terrorists fled into the nearby forest, officials said.

Reinforcements were then rushed in and a search op was launched to track down the terrorists.

Officials said there is intermittent firing going on between the terrorists and the security forces.

This is the second attack on the Indian Army in the Jammu region in the past 48 hours.

On Sunday an Army camp in Rajouri district was attacked. One soldier was injured.

Today's attack came 24 hours after six terrorists were killed across two separate encounters in J&K's Kulgam district. The encounters, which began on Saturday, also claimed the lives of two soldiers, including a para-trooper, while another soldier sustained injuries, police said.

'Retest Our Last Option, Panel Must Probe Paper Leak': Supreme Court On NEET

NEW DELHI, July 8: The Supreme Court on Monday advised caution as it heard a clutch of petitions for a re-test of the May 5 NEET-UG exam, the results of which were released last month and have been marred by leaked questions and the award of 'grace marks', or preferential marking, for 1,563 students.

The court said certain circumstances - specifically "(if) the time lag between the leak and exam is limited" - would argue against a re-test. "If students were asked to memorise (leaked questions) on the morning of the exam, the leak might not have been so widespread..." the court said this morning.

The three-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said it therefore was loathe to order a re-test for nearly 24 lakh students - many of whom come from poor families and could ill-afford to spend money travelling to exam centres - unless necessary. A re-test is the "last option", it said.

"One thing is clear... questions were leaked. The sanctity of the exam has been compromised... this is beyond doubt. Now we have to establish the extent of the leak," the Chief Justice said, "We have to be careful while ordering a re-test. We are dealing with the careers of lakhs of students."

"You don't cancel because some students cheated. We must be careful..."

The Supreme Court said a re-test could only be ordered if there was sufficient time (the court did not specify how much this should be) between the leak of the questions and conduct of the exam.

"... or if we can't identify candidates who are guilty of wrongdoing, then a retest has to be ordered."

On the subject of the time lag, the court also sought details about the printing process and, in a humorous aside, reminded the NTA (the National Testing Agency, the central body that conducts the exam) to not reveal details. The NTA had been served a notice by the court two weeks ago.

Therefore, instead of ordering an immediate re-test, the court advised the constitution of a multi-disciplinary panel to probe this issue, which is already being investigated by the CBI and the police.

The CBI's investigation spans multiple states and has already led to the questioning of individuals and several arrests connected to the case. The next hearing in this case has been set for Thursday.

The court, meanwhile, also rapped the government for being in "denial" and said it should be "ruthless" in dealing with candidates who paid for the leaked exam and those who supplied the question paper.

"Let us not be in self-denial about what happened..." the bench, also including Justice JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said, adding, "Assuming we do not cancel, what will the government do to identify the beneficiaries? You have to be ruthless... bring some sense of confidence to the process."

Last week the government said it does not intend to cancel the May 5 exam or hold a re-test, and insisted there were no large-scale irregularities in the conduct of the NEET-UG test.

'I Am Here As Your Brother': Rahul Gandhi's Message Of 'Peace' For Manipur

IMPHAL, July 8: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had a message of "peace" for the people of Manipur after he visited relief camps in the violence-hit state. "I want to tell Manipur, I come here as your brother. I want to work with you to bring back peace in Manipur," he said.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, while addressing a press briefing, claimed that there was not much improvement in the situation in the state: "It's the third time I have come here since the problem started and it has been a tremendous tragedy. I expected some improvement in the situation but was disappointed to see no marked improvement."

Rahul Gandhi landed at the Imphal airport this afternoon and visited the relief camps in Jiribam and Churachandpur districts and offered support to the victims of violence there.

He also called on Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey during his visit. "We had a conversation with the Governor and we expressed to the Governor that we would like to help in whatever way we can. We also expressed our displeasure and we said that we are not happy with the progress that has taken place here," Mr Gandhi said.

"I don't want to politicise the issue," he insisted.

He will stay in Imphal tonight and hold meetings with Manipur leaders.

This was Gandhi's third visit to the state and first after the Lok Sabha elections, in which the Congress won both constituencies in the ethnic violence-hit state.

Manipur's two Lok Sabha MPs - Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (Inner Manipur) and Alfred Kanngam S Arthur (Outer Manipur (ST) - and other senior party leaders including AICC General Secretary, KC Venugopal were accompanying Rahul Gandhi.

During his visit, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) urged Gandhi for an immediate political solution to the ethnic hostilities.

Top Hizb commander among two slain in Madergam Kulgam encounter

SRINAGAR, July 7: Two terrorists including a top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) commander were killed in an encounter in Madergam area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Sunday.

A top police officer confirmed Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Scroll that on Saturday afternoon following inputs about the presence of terrorists, a joint team of forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Madergam.

As the joint team of forces zeroed in on the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired on the team, which was retaliated, triggering a gunfight.

During the gunfight, two terrorists were killed who both are residents of Shopian district, he said.

He said that one among the slain was HM commander Aadil Hussian Wani, resident of Kutipora Shopian, while the second was identified as Faisal Bashir Lone of Kanipora Shopian.

He said that search operation in the area is still going on.

2 Soldiers Killed In Action, 4 Terrorists Shot Dead In Jammu And Kashmir's Kulgam

KULGAM, July6: Two soldiers were killed in action today in separate encounters with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. Four terrorists were subsequently gunned down by the forces, while four others are believed to be hiding.

The back-to-back encounters began after security forces launched anti-terrorist operations based on specific information about the presence of terrorists at two separate places in the district.

At Modergam village, one soldier was killed after troops came under heavy terrorist fire during a massive assault by joint forces of the CRPF, Army, and local police on a target house where at least two terrorists are believed to be trapped.

The situation escalated quickly as the forces descended upon the village, swiftly establishing a cordon to trap the terrorists. In the initial gunfire, a soldier sustained injuries and later died during treatment.

In another encounter in Kulgam's Frisal area, drone footage showed the bodies of four terrorists killed in a fierce gun battle. One army soldier was killed in action and another was injured.

The bodies of terrorists could not be retrieved amid heavy fire coming from the target site. Two more terrorists are present at the encounter site, they suspect.

The region has recently seen a surge in terrorist activities, with several encounters reported across different districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Just last month, security forces successfully neutralized three terrorists in the Gandoh area of district Doda.

Bihar Suspends 16 Engineers After 10 Bridges Fall In Quick Succession

PATNA, July 5: Sixteen engineers of the water resources department in Bihar have been suspended after 10 bridges collapsed in the last 15 days across the state, a statement by the department said.

Bihar Development Secretary Chaitanya Prasad told reporters the state government is serious about the issue. He said the contractors responsible for building the bridges will be traced and held to account.

The 10th bridge that collapsed in the state was reported from Saran district on Thursday. It was also Saran district's third bridge to fall in a span of 24 hours.

The 10 bridges that collapsed were in Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj districts.

"The Chief Minister [Nitish Kumar], after a review meeting on Wednesday, instructed officials to conduct a survey of all old bridges and identify those that require immediate repairs," Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary told reporters, adding investigation is going on.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, however, alleged 12 bridges have collapsed in Bihar since June 18.

"Twelve bridges have collapsed in Bihar since June 18... Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are silent over these incidents in Bihar. What happened to the claims of good governance and a corruption-free government?" Yadav said in a post on X. "These incidents show how corruption is rampant in every department of the state government," he alleged.

The Bihar road construction department has prepared a bridge maintenance policy and asked the rural works department to finalise its plan as soon as possible.

Rural works department minister Ashok Choudhary criticised Mr Yadav for allegedly doing nothing to remedy the situation when he held this portfolio for over 15 months.

"The RJD leader [Tejashwi Yadav] must remember that he held the portfolio for more than 15 months during the previous mahagathbandhan government. What was he doing then? The previous RJD-led Bihar government and he should be held responsible for this mess," Choudhary said.

Out On Parole, Amritpal Singh, Engineer Rashid Take Oath As Lok Sabha MPs

NEW DELHI, July 5: Jailed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who were granted parole to take oath as members of the Lok Sabha, were sworn in as MPs on Friday amid heavy deployment of security personnel in and around the Parliament complex.

While Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, was in Delhi's Tihar jail in a terror funding case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Singh was lodged in a prison in Assam's Dibrugarh district for offences under the National Security Act.

They were brought to the Parliament complex by security personnel this morning.

The MPs-elect took oath in the chamber of the Lok Sabha Speaker after completing formalities, a source said.

Singh, 31, and Rashid, 56, won the recent Lok Sabha elections from Khadoor Sahib in Punjab and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, respectively, as Independents while being incarcerated.

They could not take oath as members of the 18th Lok Sabha on June 24 and 25 along with the other winning candidates.

As Sensex, Nifty Surge, Chief Justice Of India Advises SEBI To Be Cautious

MUMBAI, July 4: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud today advised market regulator SEBI and the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) to exercise caution amid a significant surge in equity markets and pitched for more tribunal benches to ensure that the "backbone is stable".

Inaugurating the new SAT premises, CJI Chandrachud pitched for authorities to consider opening up new benches of the SAT given the higher workloads because of higher quantum of transactions and newer regulations.

Referring to newspaper articles calling the crossing of the 80,000 points milestone by the Bombay Stock Exchange as an ecstatic moment, where India is entering a "stratospheric domain", the CJI pointed out that such events emphasize the need for regulatory authorities to ensure that everyone holds their "balance and nerves" amid the wins.

"The more you see the surge in the stock market, the greater the role, I believe, for SEBI and SAT, as institutions which will exercise caution, celebrate the successes but at the same time, ensure that the backbone is stable," the CJI said.

He added that SEBI and appellate fora like SAT assume "immense national importance" in fostering a stable and predictable investment environment, and explained how this can benefit in economic growth for the country.

"When investors feel assured that their investments are protected by law and that there are effective mechanisms for dispute resolution, they are more likely to invest in the country's markets. This influx of investment can lead to better economic outcomes such as increased capital formation, job creation and overall economic growth," the CJI said.

The role of SAT in the "dog eat dog" world of finance is that of a referee in ensuring that everybody plays by the rules, he said, stressing on the need to be updated by keeping pace with new developments.

With the rapid growth in the number of market participants and transaction volumes, there is a likelihood of an increase in disputes and may be even instances of regulatory non-compliance, he said.

In addition, issues like market conduct and corporate governance have increased appeals filed with SAT "manifold", the CJI said, pitching for an early filling up of the vacancies at SAT to ensure that the tribunal functions effectively and at full capacity.

CJI Chandrachud, who called the event as a "homecoming" because he had appeared in the tribunal first as a lawyer, also pitched for more SAT benches pointing out that the statutes allows for it.

He later told reporters that creating additional benches is a "policy issue" and he has flagged the issue as the Chief Justice of India given the growth in the work. "It is an aspect which should be considered by those who have responsibility for taking these decisions," he said.

SAT's presiding officer Justice PS Dinesh Kumar said there are 1,028 pending appeals in the SAT and it has disposed of over 6,700 appeals since its inception in 1997.

The CJI said timely actions and correction of aberrations is very important in the financial sphere, and cited a 5-bench judgement on a critical matter recently which came within a month of the original order as a case in point.

The CJI also shared the thinking during the selection of the SAT head recently to point out that there is a perception in the "highest level of government" that it is a key tribunal in terms of economic regulation.

"Therefore it is necessary to have a person who may not necessarily be someone who has practiced securities law or presided over securities cases but who has the basic and robust approach to regulation," he said.

He also launched a new website of the SAT on Thursday which has been created by the National Informatics Centre, and stressed on the need to devote adequate attention to the issue of technology.

With the advancements in the digital arena, there is a need to reimagine the concept of access to justice, he said.

Hemant Soren Back As Jharkhand Chief Minister After 5 Months In Jail

RANCHI, July 4: Hemant Soren was sworn in as Chief Minister of Jharkhand this evening, completing a five-month political arc stretching from January - when he quit minutes before his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, which has accused him in a land fraud worth crores - to June - when he was given bail by a High Court that said records do not indicate his "direct involvement" in the alleged scam.

After taking oath Soren said, "From 2019 the present 'mahagathbandan' government has done all the work as per interests of people here. During political ups and downs, Champai Soren took forward those initiatives... because I was in jail. (Now)... because of the court's order, I could come out..."

The Chief Minister's wife, Kalpana Soren, once seen as a possible temp for her husband's job, said he would "continue to work for (the) people... like he has always", but fired a warning (of sorts) to the party ahead of a state election just months away. "... we have less time now," Mrs Soren told the press.

Hemant Soren was sworn in at 5 pm in Raj Bhavan with his father, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha patriarch and two-time former Chief Minister, Shibu Soren watching. Shortly before he was sworn in, the son had met the father. "Met respected baba and took his blessings to deal with upcoming challenges," he said.

Champai Soren Quits As Jharkhand Chief Minister, Paves Way For Hemant Soren

RANCHI, July 3: Setting the ball rolling for Hemant Soren to take over as the Jharkhand chief minister again, his close aide, Champai Soren, has resigned from the post just five months after taking oath.

Champai Soren, who is seen as the number three in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, was sworn in on February 2, two days after then chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a land scam.

He was released on bail on June 28 by the Jharkhand High Court which noted that there was reason to believe that he was "not guilty of the offence".

After handing over his resignation to Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday evening, Champai Soren, who was earlier reported to be upset over being asked to leave the post, said in Hindi, "When the leadership had changed, I was given responsibility. You know the sequence of events. After Hemant Soren came back, we (the coalition) picked him as our leader and I have resigned. I am following the decision taken by the coalition."

Asked when he would take oath, Hemant Soren, who was standing next to Champai Soren, said more details would be given later.

Jharkhand is ruled by a coalition consisting of the JMM, Congress, RJD and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.

Earlier on Wednesday, the JMM had elected Hemant Soren as the legislature party leader, paving the way for him to take over as chief minister. The move defied a very strong buzz that Champai Soren would retain the post and Hemant Soren would return as chief minister only after the Jharkhand Assembly elections, due later this year, if the coalition won.

Leaders of the ruling coalition reached a consensus on Hemant Soren's return during a meeting at Champai Soren's residence. Among the attendees were Congress' Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir, state president Rajesh Thakur and Hemant Soren's wife and MLA Kalpana Soren.

Sources said the decision was taken to ensure that the elections were fought with Hemant Soren as the face of the party. JMM has 27 MLAs in the 81-member Assembly, the Congress has 18 and the RJD and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation have one each.

116, Including Children, Killed In Stampede At Religious Event In UP

HATHRAS, July 2: At least 116 people, including 108 women and seven children, were killed after a stampede broke out at a religious event in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Tuesday, officials have said.

The stampede occurred during a 'satsang' (prayer meeting) which was attended by thousands. Visuals from the Community Health Centre showed several bodies being brought there in buses and tempos in the presence of crying relatives.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken note of the incident and, on his directions, a committee has been set up to investigate the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu also expressed their condolences to the families of those who were killed and said they were praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said that, according to numbers received from the community health centre, 50-60 people were killed. Officials in Etah district confirmed the deaths of an additional 27.

Later in the evening, Inspector General (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur, said the number had gone up to 116.

"The stampede broke out in Phulrai village within the Sikandra Rao police station limits in Hathras. This was a private event and permission had been given by the sub-divisional magistrate. Security arrangements were made by the administration but the other arrangements were supposed to be made by the organisers," Kumar said.

IG Shalabh Mathur said a case is being registered and the names of the people who took permission for the event will be added. Prima facie, it appears that there were more people than were allowed.

A woman who attended the 'satsang' said it was organised in honour of a local guru, Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari, and the stampede broke out as the crowd began to leave. Sources said devotees were stopped from leaving until the self-styled guru's car left, causing a big crowd build-up in a small area.

A compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each has been announced for the families of the dead and ₹ 50,000 for the injured. Officials said a case will be registered against the organisers.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also extended his condolences and requested workers from the INDIA alliance to help with the rescue and relief efforts.

Jailed J&K MP Engineer Rashid Can Take Oath: Anti-Terror Agency NIA

NEW DELHI, July 1: The anti-terror agency NIA has granted consent for jailed Kashmir leader Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh to take his oath as an MP. The matter now awaits a final order from a Delhi court, which is expected to rule on the conditions of his oath-taking tomorrow.

Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, won the Baramulla seat as an Independent candidate in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Rashid has been imprisoned in Tihar Jail since 2019. The NIA charged him in a terror-funding case, preventing him from taking his oath alongside his peers in the 18th Lok Sabha.

Despite his detention, Rashid managed to secure a remarkable win, defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by a margin of over 2 lakh votes.

On Saturday, Additional Sessions Judge Kiran Gupta mandated the NIA to respond to Rashid's application for interim bail to facilitate his oath-taking. The court directed the anti-terror agency to file its reply by July 1.

Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi, representing Rashid, argued that his client's electoral victory signifies the strong democratic mandate given by the people of Baramulla. "He won with a vast majority. People love him and want him to fight for their rights in Parliament democratically," Oberoi stated.

Rashid's legal team drew parallels with a similar case involving AAP MP Sanjay Singh, suggesting that Rashid, who is under court custody, should be allowed to take his oath. They argued that the NIA's role should be minimal in facilitating this process, referencing the procedural handling of Singh's case where court custody did not obstruct parliamentary participation.