Page 3 - Centre

Centre forms high-level panel on demographic change to tackle infiltration

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced that the Centre has constituted a high-level committee under retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar to assess demographic changes across India due to "illegal immigration and other unnatural causes". In a message on 'X' in Hindi, he said infiltration and other reasons are causing "unnatural" demographic change, which poses a significant challenge to the present and future of any nation. "To address this very challenge, on August 15, 2025, Prime Minister @narendramodi ji had announced the 'high-level committee on demographic change'. I am delighted to inform you that the government has now constituted this committee," Shah said. The home minister said the committee will be chaired by Justice Naolekar (retd) and will also include the census commissioner, along with retired IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, ex-IPS officer Balaji Srivastava and Dr Shamika Ravi as members. "The joint secretary (foreigners-l), ...

HC sets aside stay on eviction proceedings against Delhi Race Club

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside an order staying a show-cause notice issued to the Delhi Race Club in relation to its proposed eviction from the 84-acre premises in Lutyens' Delhi. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia allowed the Centre's appeal as it refused to uphold the single judge order passed on April 26 on a petition by the Delhi Race Club. "The instant appeal is allowed and the order dated April 24, 2026, of the single judge so far as it directs the estate officer not to proceed further with the show-cause notice is hereby set aside," the bench said. A detailed copy of the order is awaited. The Centre issued a notice to the Delhi Race Club on March 13, claiming that it was in continued unauthorised occupation of the premises and sought its peaceful possession on the grounds that the land was needed for public purpose. Subsequently, on April 17, the authorities initiated proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised ...

No forceful possession of Gymkhana Club land on June 5: SG to Delhi HC

The central government will not take forceful possession of the Delhi Gymkhana Club Land on June 5, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday. Followings the submission, Justice Avneesh Jhingan said no interim order was required on the lawsuits by members and staff of the club against the Centre's May 22 order asking the club to hand over the premises. The top law officer submitted before Justice Jhingan that the Centre's notice to the club was to terminate the perpetual lease in favour of the club and seek re-entry. However, any proceedings for eviction from the premises will be initiated as per the law after giving due notice to the occupants, SG Mehta assured. The judge issued summons to the Centre and the club's management on the lawsuits and sought their written statements, Mehta also informed that the club's present governing body, which comprises nominees of the Centre, has already written to the authorities to raise their grievances. The Centre h

SC agrees to Reliance plea for conciliation with Centre in KG basin dispute

The Supreme Court has agreed to a fresh request from Reliance Industries Ltd to resolve the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute amicably with the Centre. A bench of Chief Justice of India and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of mentioning by senior advocate Kapil Sibal. Sibal told the court that a plea for conciliation has been made, after which Attorney General R Venkataramani said the government is willing to consider the request. The top court agreed to adjourn the hearing to the third week of July after Venkataramani said the government was not averse to exploring the bilateral dispute resolution process. "We will be most happy if the dispute is resolved through conciliation. If you come out with a settlement, we will dispose of the appeal," the CJI said. On May 20, the apex court had declined a submission by Reliance Industries to put the hearing in the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute on hold for the time being as the company and t

SC seeks Centre's response on plea to ban child employment in orchestrax

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, child rights body NCPCR, and the NHRC on a PIL seeking an absolute ban on the employment of children and adolescents in orchestras, dance troupes, massage parlours, and spas. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submissions of senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for child rights collective 'Just Rights for Children Alliance' (JRCA), and issued the notices to Union ministries of labour and law and justice. Phoolka argued that minor girls aged 10 and 11 years were being employed in orchestras and dance bars. "For spas and massage parlours, some states have made rules of 18 years as the minimum age," he said. Terming the situation "serious", the bench also issued notices to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the PIL. "Issue a writ of mandamus or appropriate directions ..

Delhi Gymkhana Club to write to L&DO seeking clarity on handover order

The Delhi Gymkhana Club on Saturday said it will write to the Land and Development Office seeking clarity on several issues after the Centre asked the club to hand over its premises by June 5. In an official communication to its members, the club said the Centre has asked it to hand over its premises in Lutyens' Delhi to "strengthen and secure defence infrastructure" and for other public security purposes. The club said it received the notice on May 22 from the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, seeking "re-entry and resumption" of the 27.3-acre land parcel, which is located on 2, Safdarjung Road, adjacent to the prime minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. "Pursuant to the sudden development, the Gymkhana Club met today on an urgent basis and after detailed deliberation decided to file an immediate response to the L&DO requesting clarity on several issues in the interest of the members and employees of the club," it said. The

Ahead of nationwide rollout, Centre releases draft rules on VB-G RAM G Act

Provides labour budget for 45 crore persondays of work in June 2026 ahead of rollout

Centre, Rajasthan pitch ₹76,000 crore semiconductor push to investors

Highlighting incentives, policy support and infrastructure push for the sector, the Centre and the Rajasthan government on Saturday pitched the state as a key destination for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, urging investors to set up units while assuring full support. Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Rajasthan has "immense potential" to emerge as a major hub in electronics manufacturing, noting that the sector has seen rapid growth under the leadership of Narendra Modi. He said the groundwork for setting up around 450 factories has been laid in the past two years, while 75 factories have been approved under the Electronic Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) in the last year. Addressing an interactive session on the electronics and semiconductor sector along with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma at the Chief Minister's Office, Vaishnaw urged investors to set clear targets for establishing manufacturing units, assuring that the "double-engine ...

Centre launches Bhavya scheme to set up 100 industrial parks across country

According to the minister, the Centre expects states to provide a favourable environment to encourage industrial development

'Crackdown' on CJP, access to all accounts lost: Founder Abhijeet Dipke

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday alleged a crackdown on the satirical digital outfit, saying it does not have access to any of its social media accounts following a series of takedowns and hacking incidents. In a post on X, he claimed his personal Instagram account has also been hacked. This comes a day two days after the CJP's account on X was withheld in India and Dipke created a new one. The outfit on Friday launched a campaign seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged systemic failures in the education sector and the NEET-UG 2026 paper "leak". Later in the day, Dipke claimed that he was receiving death threats and shared screenshots of the threat messages. In a post on X on Saturday, Dipke listed what he described as coordinated action against the movement. "Crackdown on Cockroach Janta Party. Instagram page hacked. My personal Instagram hacked. Twitter account withheld. Back up account also taken down," he ...

Govt asks Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate premises by Jun 5 for defence needs

The Centre has asked Gymkhana Club in Lutyens' Delhi to hand over its premises by June 5, citing that the land was required for strengthening defence infrastructure. The order, which was issued by the Land and Development Office under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, stated that the land is essential to fulfil urgent institutional needs, governance infrastructure and public interest project. "The premises shall be taken over by the Land & Development Office on June 5," the order stated.

SC seeks Centre, states reply on PIL seeking 30% quota for women lawyers

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre, all states and union territories on a PIL seeking 30 percent quota for women lawyers in government panels and law officer positions. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submissions of senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh and issued notices to the Centre and others on the PIL filed by the Ladli Foundation Trust. The PIL sought a direction to the Centre, state governments, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to implement a minimum 30 percent quota for women across all legal tiers, from the Supreme Court panels to local legal aid authorities. The plea refers to startling empirical evidence to say that while women are entering law schools in record numbers, they are systematically blocked from professional advancement. "The petitioner, Ladli Foundation Trust ('the Trust') is filing the present PIL under Article

KG-basin dispute: RIL, others seek mediation, SC refuses to halt hearing

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and two other foreign firms on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that they would write to the Centre for mediation in the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute. The matter was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi. "All the petitioners will be writing to the Government of India today seeking mediation... We are submitting that let us attempt mediation," the counsel appearing for the firms told the apex court. The counsel urged the bench that hearing in the case may be stopped till the mediation outcome. However, Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, requested the court to continue with the hearing in the case listed today. "If, in the meantime, anything will happen, we will inform the court," the top law officer said. The bench declined to stop the hearing and said the parties may inform it about the outcome of mediation. "If you come with a successful .

A look at India's measures to cushion oil shock amid soaring prices

From curbing gold imports and raising fuel prices to tightening currency-market rules, authorities have stepped up efforts to conserve dollars, with the rupee hitting a new low Tuesday

Govt weighs $1 bn aid for private electric buses, trucks amid energy crisis

Centre is accelerating efforts to cut fossil-fuel dependence after supply disruptions linked to the West Asia crisis

Centre appoints 4 officials in NTA amid NEET-UG paper leak controversy

The Centre on Saturday appointed two each joint secretaries and joint directors in the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is under the heat over the NEET-UG paper leak. Anuja Bapat, a 1998-batch officer of Indian Statistical Service, and Ruchita Vij, a 2004-batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes), will be new joint secretaries in the NTA for five years, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said. Akash Jain, an Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer, and Aditya Rajendra Bhojgadhiya, and Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer, have been named joint directors in the NTA, the ministry said in a separate order. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case and formed teams to probe the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test- Undergraduate (NEET-UG) paper leak that resulted in the cancellation of the exam held on May 3. Nearly 23 lakh candidates had registered for the test, which was administered by the NTA across the country.

Prez Murmu, PM Modi extend greetings to people of Sikkim on Statehood Day

Sikkim became the 22nd state of India in 1975

Govt considers reducing taxes on bond investments by foreign investors

Deliberations to ease the tax burden have gathered pace as authorities try to curb the rupee's depreciation

No parity between Agniveers, regular soldiers on pensionary benefits: Govt

The Union government has informed the Bombay High Court that Agniveers are not "similarly situated" as regular soldiers and hence, cannot claim parity in pensionary benefits for their next of kin in the event of death in action. In an affidavit filed last week against a petition by the mother of a deceased Agniveer, the Centre argued that the differentiation is constitutionally valid, as the Agnipath scheme is a short-term engagement designed for present-day national security needs. The government filed its affidavit in response to a petition by Jyotibai Naik, mother of Agniveer Murali Naik, who was killed in cross-border shelling in Jammu & Kashmir during Operation Sindoor in May last year, seeking benefits similar to those of regular soldiers. The petition, filed last year through advocates Sandesh More, Hemant Ghadigaonkar and Hitendra Gandh, stated that the Centre's Agnipath scheme creates an "arbitrary" distinction between Agniveers and regular soldiers, and questioned the ...

Centre appoints Shashi Shekhar Vempati as new chairperson of CBFC

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, former CEO of the Prasar Bharati, was on Wednesday appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) by the government. Official sources said that Vempati will succeed Prasoon Joshi, who has been appointed as the chairman of the Prasar Bharati recently. An alumnus of the IIT Bombay, Vempati is an author and also the co-founder of the AI4India Org, which works towards democratising access to Artificial Intelligence technology. "Shashi Shekhar Vempati, former CEO of the Prasar Bharati, has been appointed by the government as the chairman of the CBFC," the sources said. Joshi, a well-known lyricist-poet, served as the CBFC chairperson for over eight years. The CBFC is a statutory body under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952. Films can be publicly exhibited in India only after they have been certified by CBFC. The Board consists of