Putting an end to speculations on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Saturday said "track two" dialogue with the Bharatiya Janata Party is in progress.
BJP deputy chief minister's post is expected to be given to state party leader Nirmal Singh
'I have received Rs 5 lakh from the Jammu and Kashmir administration. Is that the price of my innocent son and others killed in cold blood'
A multi-tier security cover has been put in place in the city for the swearing-in tomorrow of the Mufti Mohammed Sayeed-led BJP-PDP government.
Here's a recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours.
Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Chanu Sharmila has rejected an offer from the Aam Aadmi Party to join politics and contest this year's Lok Sabha elections.
The Supreme Court on Friday called for an investigation into the alleged 1528 judicial killings by the army and other security forces in Manipur.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday made it clear that reduction of footprints of security forces and phased withdrawal only needs a "courageous statesman" and not referendum.
The Finance Minister and senior party leader Arun Jaitley said the Congress does not deserve "even a single vote" for its promises, such as doing away with sedition law.
Irom Sharmila, the rights activist who formed a party recently, was unable to garner any significant votes.
The Centre's decision to extend the enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, to 12 districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam and Nagaland, has sparked sharp reactions.
The decision has been taken due to a significant improvement of security situation in the state, a home ministry official said.
The Home Ministry has recommended against repealing the controversial AFSPA, dubbed by its critics as "draconian".
'The Indian armed forces not only ensure protection of human rights of our own people but also of adversaries and deal with Prisoners of War as per the Geneva Conventions'
Captain Bhoopendra Singh had also provided wrong information to his superiors and the police about the recovery made during the staged encounter, the charge sheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police before the chief judicial magistrate in Shopian said.
Minister of State Kiren Rijiju, who looks after the northeast division in the home ministry, seems to have been bypassed in recent decision to declare entire Nagaland as 'disturbed area' under the AFSPA with clear indications emerging of his unhappiness.
Opposition National Conference on Thursday termed the statement of union home minister on the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Jammu and Kashmir as "unfortunate and counter-productive
Stating that incidents of militancy related violence in Jammu & Kashmir have come down by over 70 per cent in the past five years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday asserted that gradual revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act will begin in his present tenure.
The Constitution is a terrific document, but it is also one that has suppressed the Hindu majoritarian sentiment. We are living through times when this suppression is being popularly rejected, notes Aakar Patel.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday distanced itself from the views of its senior leader Prashant Bhushan, who has stated that a referendum should be carried out in Kashmir to decide on the deployment of the army to deal with security threats in the Valley.
Noisy scenes prevailed in Assam assembly on Tuesday with opposition MLAs belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Asom Gana Parishad staging walk-out after the speaker rejected their demand for an adjournment motion to facilitate discussion on the deteriorating' law and order situation in Assam.
During the hearing, the activist had said she loved her life and was using her fast as a weapon to achieve her goal of repealing the AFSPA as it would have 'more impact' and added that this was 'not a crime'.
AFSPA can be safely lifted from almost 90 per cent of Nagaland, argues Shekhar Gupta.
60-year-old Mehbooba Mufti had been under preventive detention since August 5 last year, when the Centre announced abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution granting a special status and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two union territories -- Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
"The villagers came first, and then the Naxalites, dressed in black. They were some 300 Naxalites, all wearing black," a jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force said.
After the bond was furnished it was accepted by the court and a release order was issued. She has now been asked to appear before the court on August 23.
A local court on Tuesday ordered the release of rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, under detention for attempting to commit suicide by fasting for nearly 14 years demanding withdrawal of a tough law that gives sweeping powers to armed forces from Manipur.
Irom's elder brother Singhajit, who has been with her throughout her struggle said he never knew she was going to terminate her fast.
On July 30, the CBI informed the apex court that its had filed two chargesheets before the competent court in connection with the cases.
The Narendra Modi government is understood to have ruled out changes in the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Jammu and Kashmir and favoured its continuation in the present form in the state.
Amid demands for scrapping of Armed Forces Special Powers Act in parts of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states, an article in pro-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh journal 'Organiser' has favoured its continuation in such areas till government trains and prepares state police to contain insurgency.
The apex court directed the state government not to take any coercive steps against army officials.
PDP pitched for revocation of AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir, saying there is "tangible improvement" in the security situation.
The terror infrastructure across the Line of Control has the potential to vitiate the security environment in Jammu and Kashmir and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act should not be withdrawn as it is a "strategic imperative" until the US' pullout from Afghanistan in 2014, Army Chief, Gen Bikram Singh, has said.
A day after being released from jail, rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila was on Friday arrested once again by police under the same charge of attempt to commit suicide by means of her indefinite fast.
The Supreme Court found enough grounds to order a CBI probe into 1,528 extra-judicial killings in Manipur between 2000 and 2012.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohmmad Sayeed on Monday said his government will proceed with phased removal of AFSPA after consulting the Army as they have aired their apprehension over it.
'A major political party has come down on the side of Constitutional freedoms and internationally recognised human rights,' says T N Ninan.
A bench headed by CJI Misra considered the submission that the plea be heard on an urgent basis.
Lt Col Karamveer Singh said his son has been 'wrongly and arbitrarily' named in the FIR.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances