LIVE: No bail for Disha Ravi, Patiala court reserves order for Tuesday

Ahead of Tamil Nadu election, Chennai metro rail has brought down the maximum fare from Rs 70 to Rs 50 on Saturday, while the minimum fare continues to remain at Rs 10. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

11:55 PM

Karnataka CET examinations will be held on July 7 & 8

Karnataka Examination Authority will conduct the Common Entrance Test (CET) for professional courses on July 7 and 8, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Saturday, according to IANS.

11:21 PM

PM Modi to address meeting of BJP national office-bearers on Sunday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s national office-bearers here on Sunday, according to ANI.

A BJP release on Saturday said the meeting will be held at the NDMC convention centre in the national capital from 10 am to 5 pm.

 

10:49 PM

UGC finalises draft for Indian, global institutions offering joint or dual degrees

Indian and foreign higher education institutions may soon be able to offer joint or dual degrees and twinning programmes with the University Grants Commission (UGC) finalising a draft for the regulations of these programmes, according to PTI.

However, a final decision in this regard will be taken following evaluation of feedback received on the draft, which has been put in public domain.

10:20 PM

Guj civic polls: Shah to vote in Ahmedabad, Rupani in Rajkot

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in Gujarat on Sunday to cast his vote in the municipal corporation election in Ahmedabad, according to PTI.

Shah will cast his vote in Naranpura ward of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, currently under treatment for coronavirus at Ahmedabad's UN Mehta Heart Hospital, will cast his vote in a polling booth in Anil Gyan Mandir School in his hometown Rajkot.

 

 

9:38 PM

Centre reconstitutes NITI Aayog governing council with PM as head

The Centre has reconstituted the governing council of the NITI Aayog with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its chairperson, a report from PTI said.

According to a notification of the Cabinet Secretariat, chief ministers of all states and those of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Puducherry are full time members of the council.

 

8:51 PM

Mahila Congress workers hold protest over LGP gas price rise in Goa

8:45 PM

FM Sitharaman says Centre, states must work together to lower fuel prices

Amid an outcry over record high petrol and diesel prices, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the Centre and state governments will have to together work out a mechanism to bring retail rates to reasonable levels. As much as 60 per cent of the retail price of petrol, which shot above Rs 100-mark in some places in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and is at an all-time high elsewhere in the country, is made up of central and state taxes. Taxes make up for about 56 per cent of the record high diesel rates. Read more

8:18 PM

NITI Aayog meet: Baghel seeks special economic package for Chhatisgarh

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday said the Centre must provide a special economic package for industrial development in the forest and mineral- rich state of Chhattisgarh, according to PTI. Speaking during a virtual meeting of the NITI Ayog chaired by Modi, Baghel sought assistance for the proposed Bodhghat multipurpose irrigation project on Indravati river in Bastar. "Chhattisgarh is a forest and mineral-rich, tribal- dominated state and therefore, a special (economic) package is expected (from the Centre) for industrial development here," he said, as per PTI.

The state has been deprived of the benefits of coal blocks despite having abundant reserves, he said, seeking that coal blocks be allotted to the state's public sector units. The royalty rates of minerals have not increased after 2014, causing irreparable loss to the state government, the chief minister pointed out, demanding a revision in the royalty rates.

 

7:56 PM

ITBP, DRDO teams to submit report on artificial lake formed after Uttarakhand floods

7:35 PM

EPFO net new enrolments grow 24% to 1.25 million in December

Net new enrolments with retirement fund body EPFO grew by 24 per cent to 1.25 million in December compared to the same month in 2019, according to the payroll data released on Saturday, providing a perspective on formal sector employment amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The Labour Ministry in a statement said that the provisional payroll data of Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) highlights a positive trend for net subscribers base growth with addition of 1.25 million subscribers in December, 2020. It stated that year on year comparison of payroll data shows 24 per cent growth for December 2020, indicating return to the pre-Covid levels of subscriber growth for the EPFO. Read more

7:34 PM

Air India plane hits electric pole at Vijaywada airport, all passengers safe

6:43 PM

Tamil Nadu govt issues order to withdraw 308 cases linked to Jallikattu protests

Tamil Nadu government issues an order to withdraw 308 cases registered against 26,460 people in connection with the Jallikattu protests in 2017, according to ANI

6:11 PM

Air quality in Ghaziabad, Greater Noida recorded 'very poor'

Average air quality in Ghaziabad and Greater Noida recorded in "very poor" category on Saturday, while it was "poor" in Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon, according to data issued by a government agency (ANI reported)

5:57 PM

Delhi Police releases photos of people involved in R-Day violence

5:34 PM

Country lagging behind in manufacturing, it will create jobs: Kejriwal

If state & Central govts set up manufacturing hubs, give tax breaks & all necessary facilities to manufacturers especially to medium & small industries so that they can make products cheaper than China, then it'll create jobs & we can leave China behind in manufacturing. We didn't focus on manufacturing in last 70 years. Our country is lagging behind in manufacturing. The way Chinese products are replacing India products, it is necessary that we aggressively pursue manufacturing, says Delhi CM Kejriwal, according to ANI.Delhi govt directs schools in national capital to grant 30-day relaxation to students in age criteria for nursery admissions

5:13 PM

Toolkit case: Patiala court reserves order on Disha Ravi bail plea for Tuesday

4:33 PM

Toolkit case: If highlighting farmers' protest is sedition, I am better in jail, says Ravi's counsel

No evidence to link Disha Ravi with Sikhs For Justice, a banned organisation. Even if 'I' meet someone, there is no symbol on him that he is secessionist. If highlighting farmers’ protest globally is sedition, I am better in jail: Her counsel to court hearing her bail plea, according to PTI

 

4:27 PM

Naomi Osaka tops Brady at Australian Open for 4th Grand Slam title

Osaka won her fourth title in her past eight appearances at a Slam, emerging from what initially was a tight Australian Open final and pulling away by grabbing six consecutive games to beat Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday. With strong serving that produced six aces, Osaka improved to 4-0 in major finals, the first woman to start her career that way since Monica Seles did it 30 years ago. For Osaka, that is part of a 12-0 record so far in the quarterfinals and beyond at the majors.

The 2020 AP Female Athlete of the Year is also on a 21-match winning streak that dates to last season. That includes a championship at last year's U.S. Open. She also won the U.S. Open in 2018, and the Australian Open in 2019. The 23-year-old Osaka was born in Japan and moved to the United States with her family when she was 3. Brady is a 25-year-old American who was playing in her first Grand Slam final. She had to go through a hard quarantine for 15 days when she arrived in Australia in January because someone on her flight tested positive for Covid-19 when they arrived. (PTI reported)

 

4:23 PM

Disha Ravi not a rebel without a cause: Counsel to Patiala court on bail plea

Disha Ravi not a rebel without a cause; There's a cause of environment, of agriculture and interlink between them, her counsel to court on bail plea, according to PTI.

4:22 PM

Toolkit case: Patiala Court pulls up Delhi Police regarding collection of evidence in Jan 26 violence

While hearing on Disha Ravi's bail plea in toolkit case, Patiala House Court asks ASG SV Raju, "What evidence you have collected regarding connection of toolkit with Jan 26 violence".  Delhi Police say the probe is on & 'we have to discover the things', ANI reported.

4:17 PM

All judges of Delhi HC to hold physical court hearings from March 15

The Delhi High Court on Saturday issued an office order stating that from March 15 all its judges would hold physical hearing of cases, according to PTI.The high court said the existing system under which only 11 benches - two division benches of two judges each and nine single-judge benches - hear matters via the physical mode would continue till March 12. The office order issued by Registrar General Manoj Jain said, "The Full Court has been pleased to order that the existing system of hearing the matters in this court shall continue up to March 12, 2021.

"It has further been ordered that all benches of this court shall hold physical courts, on a daily basis, with effect from March 15, 2021 and shall continue to take up the matters as per the existing arrangement of listing." The order also said that in exceptional cases, the high court might permit any of the parties and/or their lawyers to join the proceedings through video conferencing, subject to the availability of requisite infrastructure.

At present, 11 benches of the high court hold physical courts everyday on rotation basis and some of them also hold hybrid proceedings, wherein lawyers have the option to attend the hearing via video conference instead of appearing in person, as per PTI report.

3:39 PM

Hearing underway for Disha Ravi bail plea, Delhi Police says Vancouver a hotbed for ant-India actvities

Vancouver is a hotbed for anti-India activities with regard to Khalistan, says Delhi Police regarding Toolkit case. It adds that an organisation named Kisan Ekta company is in touch with another organisation in Vancouver. Delhi Police says before the court that these organisation operated from Canada & wanted someone to hoist a flag at India Gate, Red Fort. They wanted to carry out such activities in the garb of farmers protest and that is why Poetic Justice Foundation is involved. Hearing underway in Disha Ravi bail plea case, before additional sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana at Patiala House Court. Delhi Police says that Sikhs for Justice, a banned org announced on Jan 11 a reward for anyone who hoists Khalistani flag on India Gate, Red Fort. (ANI reported)

3:36 PM

Uttarakhand disaster: 62 bodies found so far, 142 more missing, says UDMA

A total of 62 bodies found so far in Uttarakhand. Out of these, 34 have been identified & 28 are yet to be identified. 142 more missing: Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority, according to ANI.

2:32 PM

Petrol at Rs 97 per litre in Mumbai, diesel crosses Rs 88-mark

Petrol price on Saturday touched an all-time high of Rs 97 per litre in Mumbai while diesel rate crossed Rs 88 -mark, according to PTI. Petrol price was hiked by record 39 paise per litre and diesel by 37 paise a litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. This the 12th straight day of price hike and the largest daily increase since oil companies started to revise rates on a daily basis in 2017.

The increase pushed the petrol price to Rs 90.58 a litre in Delhi and to Rs 97 in Mumbai. Diesel now comes for Rs 80.97 a litre in the national capital and for Rs 88.06 in Mumbai. The increase follows a spurt in oil prices in the international market, on which India is dependent to meet its 85 per cent of the needs. Brent oil crossed USD 65 a barrel this week as a worsening US energy crisis took out almost 40 per cent of the nation's crude production. In 12 days, retail petrol prices have risen by Rs 3.63 a litre, a record since the pricing was deregulated in 2010, and diesel rates have gone up by Rs 3.84, PTI reported.

2:28 PM

Coal scam: ED files fresh chargesheet against Jharkhand firm, promoters

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet here under the anti-money laundering law in a coal blocks allocation scam probe case against a Jharkhand-based company and its directors.

 

The central probe agency said in a statement that the supplementary chargesheet or prosecution complaint was filed before a special courtagainst Domco Pvt Ltd, its directors Binay Prakash, Rita Prakash and their two other firms. The first chargesheet in this case was filed in December, 2018. Read more

1:56 PM

Central forces reach Bengal as assembly poll preparation begins

At least 12 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) reached West Bengal on Saturday morning as the state prepares to go to elections, officials said, according to PTI. Two companies of the central forces reached Durgapur by train, one company got down at Burdwan and five companies reached Dankuni in Howrah, they said. Another four companies reached the Kolkata railway station in the Chitpore area by train, officials said.

"The forces were brought in from Jammu and Kashmir. They will be heading towards the areas where they have been assigned to," a poll panel official told PTI. At the railway stations, senior officers of the CRPF and the West Bengal Police were present to welcome the forces. The Election Commission has decided to deploy 125 companies of central forces in West Bengal by February 25 for the upcoming assembly elections, PTI reported.

1:29 PM

Delhi HC orders that all its Benches will hold physical Courts with effect from March 15, 2021

Delhi HC orders that all its Benches shall hold physical Courts, on a daily basis, with effect from March 15, 2021

12:50 PM

Maharashtra: Onion prices reach Rs 4500 per quintal in Nashik's Lasalgaon Mandi

"Onion prices rising due to rains. They are expected to go up in the coming days. Today's rate ranged between Rs 3500 to Rs 4500 per quintal", said a trader.

11:59 AM

Puducherry Legislative Assembly will reassemble for a Special Session on February 22: R Mounissamy

Puducherry Legislative Assembly will reassemble for a Special Session on February 22: R Mounissamy, Secretary, Legislative Assembly

 

Puducherry Lt Gov Tamilisai Soundararajan has ordered floor test in the legislative assembly on February 22 by 5 pm.

11:57 AM

Farmers' protest LIVE: Congress takes out a march on foot and tractors in Jaipur against BJP-led Centre