Among the new entrants to the Union cabinet, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been given the agriculture and rural development portfolios, Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda the health portfolio and former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar the power portfolio.
In view of the 'unidentified illness' in Rajouri's Badhal village, the village has been declared a containment zone, and the affected families' homes sealed; a few patients brought to Government Medical College (GMC) in Rajouri on Thursday.
The Indian government has informed Parliament that there are currently over 10,000 Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign jails. The Ministry of External Affairs shared country-wise data, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE having the highest number of Indian prisoners. The government has assured that it prioritizes the safety and well-being of Indians abroad and provides consular assistance, legal aid, and financial support to those imprisoned.
The possibilities of this serviceable thriller are immense but the makers prefer to play it safe and hold back the daredevil in the diplomat's clothing, observes Sukanya Verma.
A five-member team of experts from AIIMS Delhi, including specialists in toxicology, is investigating a mysterious illness that has claimed 17 lives in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. The team has spoken to 11 patients undergoing treatment and will collect samples from affected homes and surrounding areas to determine the cause of toxicity. Meanwhile, no new cases have been reported in the past nine days, and the village has been declared a containment zone with strict measures in place to prevent further spread.
Presidential secretariat seeks appropriate action on the issue
'The home ministry has made a serious allegation to the media without providing a scrap of evidence to back it up. We think this shows how worried the ministry has become.'
Notwithstanding opposition from coastal states, the Union home ministry has asked them to hire ex-naval officials to strengthen policing along the shores.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said on Friday that the Union home ministry would decide on the file pertaining to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's mercy petition.
Bangladesh has summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka over border tensions, accusing India of violating a bilateral agreement by constructing fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border. The development comes after Bangladesh officials alleged that India had halted construction of barbed wire fencing due to strong opposition from the Border Guard Bangladesh and local residents.
The latest extension will allow Bhalla to stay in the post during the general elections due early next year.
A group of Bhopal gas tragedy survivors staged a demonstration in front of the North Block office of Home Ministry where the meetings of Group of Ministers on the issue was taking place.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was brought to India on Thursday after being "successfully extradited " from the US, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said. The 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin landed in Delhi in a special plane on Thursday evening, ending days of speculation of when and how he will be extradited, officials said. The NIA said in a statement that it had secured the successful extradition after years of sustained and concerted efforts to bring to justice the key conspirator behind the 2008 mayhem that claimed 166 lives. Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the the three-day terror siege of India's financial capital.
India has successfully evacuated all of its citizens who wished to return home from Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad's government by rebel forces. The evacuation process, which began on Tuesday, saw 77 Indian nationals brought back to safety. The Indian Embassy in Syria continues to function and is monitoring the situation closely, advocating for a peaceful and inclusive political solution.
Infighting within West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) came to the fore after a video of an alleged verbal spat between party MPs and screenshots of heated exchanges from its official WhatsApp group for parliamentarians went viral. The incident reportedly involved a public altercation at the Election Commission headquarters, followed by a heated exchange on the party's WhatsApp group, leading to accusations of misconduct and leaked screenshots. The controversy has triggered calls for action against the party chief whip, Kalyan Banerjee, who is accused of misbehavior and tarnishing the party's image.
The DG-level border talks between India and Bangladesh, scheduled to be held in Delhi next month, have been postponed following a change in plan by the neighbouring country, official sources said on Friday.
A form carrying questions as part of the NPR exercise will be finalised soon, ministry officials said. The information available on the website of the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, however, says the NPR database would contain demographic as well as biometric details.
The home ministry on Saturday slapped show cause notices on former Haryana Director General of Police S P S Rathore, convicted in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, asking why his police medal should not be taken away and pension reduced for allegedly abusing power. The notices were served on Rathore, who has been sentenced by a court to six-month imprisonment for molesting teenager Ruchika 19 years ago, home ministry sources said.
Anil Goswami, a 1978 batch IAS officer, will join the Union home ministry as an officer on special duty on Saturday in keeping with the government's decision to appoint him as the next home secretary from June 30.
The ministry, while suspending the newly-formed WFI panel under president Sanjay Singh on December 24, three days after he was elected its head, had cited the office running from Brij Bhushan's residence as one of the reasons for taking the stringent action.
Anand Joshi, Under Secretary in the Union Home Ministry who was under scanner for issuing Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act notices to NGOs, on Wednesday went missing from his Ghaziabad residence.
The deportation of 104 Indian nationals from the US, followed by another 119 set to arrive in Amritsar on Saturday night, has sparked controversy in India over the treatment of returnees. The US government's intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants has led to criticism of the use of handcuffs and shackles for deportees, even those who have committed no crimes beyond immigration violations. The issue has led to heated debates in the Indian Parliament, with opposition leaders demanding an inquiry into the deportation process. The Indian government is engaging with US officials to ensure the humane treatment of deportees, while also facing the challenge of reintegrating returnees into Indian society. The deportations highlight the ongoing tension between border control and human rights, and the complexities of US-India relations.
'It may take some time for them to get down to the details, such as the location and capacity.'
Notwithstanding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's strong opposition, senior bureaucrat Dharam Pal remains Delhi's home secretary.
The Indian government has sanctioned the creation of the first all-women Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) reserve battalion, consisting of over 1,000 personnel. This move addresses the increasing demands on the force at airports and other vital installations. The new unit will be formed from existing CISF personnel and will be led by a senior commandant-rank officer.
A 65-year-old Pakistani man, Nadir Munir Khan, has been residing in a room at the Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Marg police station in Mumbai for the past four months, awaiting deportation after serving a sentence for illegal entry into India. He was arrested in April 2024 for being found roaming suspiciously near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus without a visa or necessary documents. Khan claims he was cheated in Nepal, assaulted, and robbed, leading him to enter India illegally. The police have contacted Pakistani authorities and are awaiting their response for Khan's deportation.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar acknowledged that some ministers are unhappy with the portfolios assigned to them in the new cabinet, which includes a high number of ministers. Pawar said that the work on pending projects will begin soon after the ministers take charge of their respective ministries. The budget session of the Maharashtra legislature will commence on March 3.
The Home Ministry sat over Afzal Guru's mercy petition and did not send its recommendation to President A P J Abdul Kalam till his last day in office, it has been disclosed. Putting a lid on speculative reports that Kalam had deliberately kept the petition pending, P M Nair, who was Secretary to the President, said till July 25, 2007, Kalam's last day in office, no recommendation had come from the Home Ministry on the issue.
The fate of properties worth Rs 15,000 crore inherited by actor Saif Ali Khan and his family from Bhopal's erstwhile rulers hangs in the balance due to uncertainty over filing an appeal against an order of the Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property. If an appeal is not filed by the Bhopal Nawab's successors, the properties could fall under the Centre's control, lawyers have said. The matter stems from a 2015 ruling that declared the Bhopal Nawab's property "Enemy Property" due to the eldest daughter, Abida Sultan Begum, migrating to Pakistan after the Partition. However, a 1962 order recognized Sajida Sultan Begum, the second daughter, as the sole successor to the properties after the death of Nawab Hamidullah Khan. The dispute is currently with the Mumbai-based Office of the Custodian of Enemy Property, following a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that directed the filing of a representation within 30 days. The high court's order also raised the issue of limitation as the appeal was filed after a significant period. The properties include Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace and Flag Staff House. The Enemy Property Act was passed in 1968 to regulate properties left behind in India by those who emigrated to Pakistan.
To make the process of conferring Padma awards more transparent, the home ministry has issued a revised proforma for people who wish to apply for the prestigious civilian honours.
The government has revoked the suspension of Thomas Mathew, a director in the Union home ministry who was chargesheeted by the CBI under the Official Secrets Act for leaking documents to tehelka.com
'Our Constitution as well as the Right to Education Act do not make any distinction between Indian or foreigner; it only talks about 'child'.' 'It says that every child has the right to get education.'
The Supreme Court on Wednesday deprecated the practice of announcing freebies prior to elections, and said people were not willing to work as they were getting free ration and money.
Introducing the bill, Rijiju said the consultation process of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was the largest ever exercise carried out by a parliamentary panel in India's democratic history.
A batch of Indian nationals, who returned to their homeland on Saturday after being evacuated from crisis-hit Syria, recalled the panic situation they faced in that country but praised the Indian Embassy there for being in 'constant touch' with them.
The high commission of India in Dhaka and the assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna have been assisting in the voluntary return of Indian nationals, he said.
The IOA president maintained the conference will serve as a platform where global expertise meets Indian innovation through discussion on urban transformation, technological advancements, sustainability and inclusive governance.
'The irony of this country is that the party in Opposition and the party in power both depend on Muslims.'
The Union Home Ministry in North Block in New Delhi plans to install a surveillance system. With the introduction of biometric tracing system, every move the employee makes can be tacked.
The Indian government has sent an additional 50 CAPF companies, comprising over 5,000 personnel, to Manipur to address the challenging security and law and order situation in the northeastern state. This comes after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) deployed 20 additional CAPF companies to the state following violence in Jiribam district. The deployment brings the total number of CAPF companies in Manipur to 218. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also meet to review the security situation in Manipur and strategize to handle the volatile situation in the state.
