A joint parliamentary committee tasked with examining the 'One Nation One Election' bill has been granted an extension until the end of the Winter session to submit its report. The 41-member committee is reviewing the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and is conducting nationwide consultations on implementing simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies by 2029.
Former Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) chairperson L Khiangte has been arrested by the state CID in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. His arrest follows the resignation of all three JPSC members amidst widespread protests over the exam irregularities. Khiangte, an ex-IAS officer, had resigned from his post in July.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government on Wednesday allotted over Rs 1,000 crore to provide gifts of gold coin, ring and milch cows to beneficiaries to fulfill the election promise made by the party ahead of the assembly election this year.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk urged Devendra Nath Mahto, who is on a hunger strike against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations, to drink water, which Mahto heeded. This comes as other protesters also began an indefinite hunger strike, intensifying demands for the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission examination and a CBI inquiry.
Students in Jharkhand are intensifying their protests against alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, demanding Chief Minister Hemant Soren's resignation and planning to gherao his residence on August 20, while the CM assures impartial investigations and systemic reforms.
'They want to sabotage the caste census and bury Muslim backward classes, Hindu backward classes, Sikh backward classes and Buddhist backward classes.'
Tamil Nadu Minister C T R Nirmal Kumar has rejected calls for an all-party meeting to discuss the ongoing Cauvery water dispute with Karnataka, citing a previously passed unanimous resolution in the Assembly. He accused DMK and Karnataka CM D K Shivakumar of working against Tamil Nadu's interests and criticised the DMK's "hasty" Supreme Court petition.
Karnataka's two-month-old government saw its first cabinet expansion with 19 MLAs sworn in as ministers, leading to immediate discontent and the resignation of one Congress legislator over his exclusion.
Students in Jharkhand are protesting alleged irregularities in various recruitment examinations, including JPSC and JSSC. A student leader has launched an indefinite hunger strike, demanding a federal probe and cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination. The Cockroach Janta Party has extended support, and a march to the Assembly is planned for August 7.
Kiren Rijiju has strongly criticised the Congress for allegedly 'unfairly disrupting' the recent monsoon session.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticised the Centre's new mandate requiring the full rendition of the National Song, Vande Mataram, alongside the National Anthem at official functions. Tharoor argues that the extended duration could lead to a decrease in respect rather than an increase, citing practical considerations for audiences. The amendment bill, which grants Vande Mataram equal statutory penal protection as the National Anthem, recently received presidential assent.
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishore has accused the ruling BJP and the state government of using police to harass his party workers, alleging that over 16 leaders were detained ahead of the Bankipur Assembly by-election. Despite the alleged intimidation, Kishore expressed "200 per cent" confidence in his victory.
Newly appointed Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon has outlined his plans to strengthen the party in the state, aiming for a majority in the 2027 assembly elections. He criticised the ruling AAP government and promised to address key issues such as crop diversification and law and order.
A Delhi court has sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four others to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots. The court found Hussain to be part of a heavily armed mob that committed rioting, arson, and murder. Delhi Police had sought the death penalty for the accused, citing the brutal nature of the crime.
The Lok Sabha's monsoon session concluded on Thursday, marked by relentless opposition protests over critical issues like the NEET paper leak and police action on students, yet saw the passage of several key bills without extensive debate. Home Minister Amit Shah expressed readiness to debate the student protest issue, urging the speaker to allocate time.
JCD Prabhakar of the TVK party has been unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay emphasised the Assembly's role in transforming public expectations into effective policies and laws.
Clashes erupted during the first phase of legislative assembly elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) claiming 14 deaths, a figure disputed by law enforcement. India condemned the elections as an attempt by Pakistan to legitimise its illegal occupation and human rights abuses in the region, while ongoing JAAC protests highlight deep-seated grievances.
Organisers of the upcoming Badminton World Championships in New Delhi are employing an unusual method to prevent monkey intrusions: hiring professional mimics to imitate langur calls.
Four student protesters in Ranchi, on hunger strike against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, are in stable condition at Sadar Hospital. Two state ministers, Irfan Ansari and Shilpi Neha Tirkey, visited the students, urging them to end their fast and assuring government intervention, while students continue to demand resolution for alleged exam scams.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart, Pema Khandu, to order an inquiry into a recent firing incident along the inter-state border that injured 12 people from Assam. The incident occurred amidst ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing boundary disputes between the two northeastern states, with Sarma emphasising the need for cooperation despite the setback.
Mithunda is expected to be discharged from hospital soon.
The Congress party has strongly condemned the 'purification' of a rally venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after a public meeting addressed by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging it reflects an 'anti-Dalit' mindset of the BJP and RSS.
Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition, Udhyanidhi Stalin, has courted severe political backlash and condemnation for an offensive double entendre remark alluding to actor Trisha during a protest gathering in Thanjavur, prompting calls for action from the National Commission for Women.
A fresh clash erupted between protesters from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in Dhemaji district, leading to police firing in the air, as an indefinite economic blockade against Arunachal Pradesh entered its second day over land encroachment issues and an earlier firing incident.
The West Bengal government has revoked the Banga Bibhushan award from Rajya Sabha MP Ananta Maharaj following his controversial remarks describing Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as a 'war criminal' and questioning the Azad Hind Fauj's role in India's freedom struggle.
All India Students' Association president Neha Bora was attacked with ink during a protest march in Ranchi against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment exams. The attacker, identified as Amarnath Pandey, accused her of being "anti-national" due to her support for Umar Khalid. Bora, who has previously faced police action during protests, remained defiant, alleging the incident was orchestrated by BJP-RSS to suppress student movements. The protests against exam irregularities have been ongoing for 14 days, with students demanding re-examination and dialogue with the government.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's dismissal and arrest on August 9, 1953 marked a decisive shift in the Centre-J&K power equation. Seven decades later, the erosion of the state's special constitutional position culminated in the August 5, 2019 changes, notes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal sustained a minor injury to his right hand after being attacked with a kirpan by a Nihang member inside a gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra. The assailant has been arrested, and SAD leaders are demanding a CBI probe into what they term an intelligence failure.
Change of guard in some states and evolving El Nino dynamics are triggering fresh actions on raging water-sharing disputes in several states.
'We thought if we made the show, people could get into it.'
A former IPS officer and two individuals injured during a recent protest in Delhi have filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a ban on the use of pellet guns by law enforcement agencies for crowd dispersal. The petitioners argue that pellet guns are an arbitrary and dangerous tool, violating the right to freedom of assembly and failing the test of necessary and proportional force. They also seek compensation and medical treatment for victims.
Underlining that students are the "architects of India's future," President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said the government is taking comprehensive steps to reform public examinations to completely curb paper leaks and unfair means, making the system transparent, secure, and trustworthy.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a charge sheet against 11 accused people, including two Bharatiya Janata Party workers, in connection with the killing of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's aide Chandranath Rath, officials said Thursday.
Home Minister Amit Shah has offered to hold a comprehensive debate in Parliament on student protests and other pressing issues, but Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has swiftly rejected the proposal, demanding accountability for actions against students.
Prashant Kishor and Dr Jahnavi Das first met while working on a United Nations public health initiative.
A student leader on a hunger strike in Ranchi, protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment exams, was hospitalised after his health deteriorated. The protest, now in its 14th day, demands cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe.
Students and job aspirants in Jharkhand, protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, have formed an 11-member delegation to engage in talks with the state government. This decision follows Chief Minister Hemant Soren's offer for dialogue to resolve the ongoing impasse, which includes demands for exam cancellation, an independent probe, and comprehensive reforms in the JPSC and JSSC.
Tata Steel more than doubled its Indian capacity through acquisitions and expansion, strengthening cash generation as it pursued a costly restructuring of its European operations.
The Supreme Court has granted Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee permission to travel abroad for three weeks for eye treatment, dismissing the West Bengal government's concerns about his return due to 16 pending cases.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed confidence that the party would eventually capture power in the state, drawing parallels to the party's growth in West Bengal.
