Page 67 - Delhi

EC's home voting facility for elders, PwDs kicks off for Delhi LS polls

The home voting facility for the elderly voters and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in all seven parliamentary constituencies of Delhi kicked off on Thursday. The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi has started the facility that will continue till May 24, marking the first time such a facility has been made available in Lok Sabha elections, said a statement from the poll body. The home voting facility is available to voters above 85 years of age and PwDs, offering them the option to cast their votes from their homes, it said. Veteran BJP leader V K Malhotra was among those who used the facility to exercise their franchise. Delhi CEO P Krishnamurthy said their goal is to make the electoral process accessible to all and to encourage greater participation. "By providing the home voting facility to senior citizens and PwDs, we express our care and respect towards them," he added. In Delhi, 5,472 voters who are either above 85 years of age or are Persons with Disabil

Air pollution: Delhi's AQI turns 'poor'; experts cite unfavourable weather

The national capital's air quality dipped to the 'poor' category on Wednesday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and stubble burning and forest fires in neighbouring states, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said. The city's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) rose to 243 by 4 pm, prompting the CAQM, a statutory body tasked by the Centre with planning and implementing air pollution reduction strategies in Delhi-NCR, to convene a review meeting with experts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. The 24-hour average AQI noted on Sunday was 183 in the 'moderate' category, after which the index entered the 'poor' category with a reading of 227 on Monday and 234 on Tuesday. At the review meeting, the experts told the CAQM panel that the wind direction and speed are rapidly changing due to high convection rate and completely dry conditions, along with high temperatures, are leading to continued suspension

After Mumbai billboard tragedy, MCD to audit conditions of Delhi hoardings

Fourteen people died in the Mumbai billboard accident on Monday when a massive illegal hoarding uprooted and fell on a petrol pump in the Ghatkopar area

Several Delhi hospitals get bomb threat emails, search operation underway

Several bomb hoaxes have been reported in recent weeks, coinciding with heightened security measures due to the ongoing elections

SC quashes plea for Kejriwal's removal as Delhi CM, says it is up to L-G

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking removal of Arvind Kejriwal as the Delhi chief minister after his arrest in a money laundering case, holding that the petitioner had no legal right to seek his ouster. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said resignation in such circumstances is a matter of propriety but there is no legal right to seek removal of Kejriwal as the chief minister following his arrest. "What is the legal right? On propriety you may certainly have something to say, but there is no legal right. It's up to the LG (Lieutenant Governor) to take action if he wants to. We are not inclined to entertain this (petition)," the bench told petitioner Kant Bhati's counsel. The bench, while dismissing the appeal challenging the April 10 order of the Delhi High Court said, "When the matter (Kejriwal's petition against arrest) was being heard, we had posed the same question to them. Ultimately, it is a matter of propriety and there is no legal right."

SC rejects plea to remove Kejriwal as CM, says it is up to Delhi L-G to act

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking removal of Arvind Kejriwal from the post of chief minister after his arrest in a money laundering case related to excise policy scam. "It is up to Delhi LG to act if he wants to but we will not interfere," a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said. The court said it is a matter of propriety but there is no legal right seeking removal of Kejriwal as chief minister following his arrest. When the matter was being heard we had posed the same question to them. Ultimately, it is a matter of propriety and there is no legal right, the bench told the petitioner. The top court was hearing a plea of petitioner Kant Bhati challenging the Delhi High Court's order dated April 10 by which his plea was dismissed.

7 people injured in fire at chemical factory in Delhi's Bawana: Police

At least seven people were injured following a blast and a massive fire in a chemical factory in Delhi's Bawana area on Sunday, police said. The condition of three of the injured is critical, they added. "A call regarding a fire at a factory in Sector 1, Bawana industrial area was received at 3:04 pm. Twenty fire-tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames," Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said. Nine people were rescued from the factory and rushed to a nearby hospital, he said, adding that the fire has been brought under control. Police said they were informed about seven medico-legal cases (MLCs) by the hospital and three of the patients were stated to be in critical condition. A police officer said the three critically injured people have been identified as Kuldeep (18), Bablu (25) and Mastram (20). "All of them have been referred to the Safdarjung Hospital for further treatment. The other injured people have been identified as Suresh, Rakesh, Pankaj Pal and

Delhi CM Kejriwal will hold meeting with AAP councillors on May 13

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a meeting with AAP councillors on Monday, the party said. On Sunday, he met party MLAs and praised them for not breaking down despite the BJP's efforts after his arrest. Kejriwal said AAP "became more united instead of breaking apart" after his arrest. "He will hold a meeting with the AAP councillors at the party office in Rouse Avenue on Monday," the party said. The AAP chief, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam, was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on Friday.

Delhi Mayor asks MCD to act on illegal parking, seeks report in 5 days

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has written to the MCD Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti demanding action against illegal parking plaguing the city, according to an official statement. Oberoi has asked the commissioner to give directions to the officials concerned to identify and prepare a list of all the illegal parking spots in the city, take action against them and submit a comprehensive report to her within five days, the statement released on Sunday said. "It has come to my notice that so many illegal parkings are being run in various parts of Delhi. These illegal parkings are creating nuisance and inconvenience to the public due to traffic jams and also tarnishing the image of the corporation. Apart from this, it has also resulted in huge revenue loss to the corporation...," the letter written by Oberoi read. "In view of the above, it is desired that necessary direction may be given to the concerned officer to identify various illegal parkings running in Delhi, to prepare a list of all th

Delhi's maximum temperature settles at 39.8 degrees Celsius, says IMD

Delhi's maximum temperature settled at 39.8 degrees Celsius on Sunday, normal for this time of the year, the India Meteorological Department said. The relative humidity during the day oscillated between 37 per cent and 53 per cent. The weather office has forecast generally cloudy skies on Monday, with light rain or drizzle towards the evening. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle at 40 and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Delhi's lone third-gender candidate makes 'sauchalay se, Sansad tak' pitch

In the national capital's South Delhi constituency, 26-year-old Rajan Singh has been reaching out to the electorate with the slogan "sauchalay se, Sansad tak". The poll plank for Singh, the lone third-gender candidate in the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, is the lack of basic amenities for the transgender community such as separate public toilets. "I am participating in the Lok Sabha election to address our community's basic needs which are so fundamental and necessary. Yet we still have to fight for them," Singh told PTI. "Beginning with the demand for separate toilets to advocating for seats for transgender people in Parliament, our journey ahead is long. It begins with the motto 'sauchalay se, sansad tak,'" the candidate said. A native of Bihar, Singh who lives in the Sangam Vihar area of the city, is fighting the election on the polls symbol "bucket" and plans to take out a march in the constituency on May 12 with a few people. While filing poll nomination on May 3, Singh had said

Windy surprise: Sudden, huge sandstorm hits Delhi; 'stay indoors,' says IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that this might be followed by light rain, offering much-needed relief for the city

Kejriwal only out on bail, remains main culprit in liquor 'scam': Delhi BJP

Getting interim bail does not mean Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was declared innocent in the alleged multi-crore liquor scam, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said on Friday. His remark came after the Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Kejriwal till June 1 for campaigning in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Sachdeva said that while the BJP respects the top court's decision, he hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party for trying to portray that Kejriwal was acquitted. "Sometimes even criminals are released on parole, and this is a legal process, so it does not prove that Kejriwal, who was the main culprit in the multi-crore liquor scam, is innocent today," he said. AAP leaders are once again misleading the people of Delhi and betraying them, he said. "AAP has no local issues for the elections because as a state government, they have done nothing in the last 10 years, so they created a stir in the name of Kejriwal being jailed and are now trying to create a deceptive ...

LS polls: Delhi voters to get free bike taxi ride to booths on voting day

The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi has tied up with a bike taxi company under which eligible voters will be provided a free ride from the polling booths to their homes on voting day. As Delhi prepares for Lok Sabha polling day on May 25, the collaboration between the office of Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and Rapido aims to address transportation barriers and encourage citizens to exercise their democratic right to vote, said a statement by the Delhi CEO's office. As per the arrangement with Rapido, eligible voters in Delhi will be provided with an option to avail a free of charge ride from the polling booths to their home on the day of voting. On the day of polling, voters after casting their vote can conveniently book and avail a complimentary bike ride using the Rapido app. A dedicated rider will pick up the elector from the polling station and ensure their safe return to home, the statement said. Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi P. Krishnamurthy said, "By offering opti

'Electioneering not fundamental right': ED opposes interim bail to Kejriwal

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday opposed in the Supreme Court the grant of interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam, saying the right to campaign in elections is neither fundamental nor constitutional. In a fresh affidavit filed in the top court, the ED said no political leader has ever been granted interim bail for campaigning even if he is not contesting polls. "It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right," the agency said. It added that to its knowledge, "no political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning even though he is not the contesting candidate. Even a contesting candidate is not granted interim bail if he is in custody for his own campaigning". On Wednesday, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who headed the bench that heard Kejriwal's petition against his arrest in the case

CBI busts bribery racket at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, 9 arrested

CBI has filed an FIR implicating several doctors and employees of RML, accusing them of accepting bribes from patients and medical equipment suppliers

EC establishes 4 special polling booths for Kashmiri migrants in Delhi

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has set up four special polling booths for the Kashmiri migrant community at various locations in Delhi, officials on Wednesday said. Over 1.13 lakh Kashmiri migrants are registered to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for the Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla constituencies in the Kashmir Valley, they said. Polling for the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency will be held on May 25 followed by Srinagar on May 13 and Baramulla on May 20. "To facilitate the Kashmiri migrants residing in Delhi to cast their votes in person on the polling days during the Lok Sabha elections for seats across Jammu and Kashmir, the ECI has established special polling booths for the community at four different locations in the capital," an official spokesman said. These booths are located at the Kashmir Resident Commission on Prithviraj Road, Kashmir Kisan Ghar in Shalimar Bagh, Arwachin International Public School in Dilshad Garden and GGSSS Paprawat in Najafgarh,

Supreme Court may pass interim order on Arvind Kejriwal's bail on May 10

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and is currently detained in Tihar Jail under judicial custody in connection to a money laundering case

'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se': AAP workers detained for slogans at IPL match

Watch: 12 workers from the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP's) student wing raised slogans at an IPL match to protest Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest

Over 15 million eligible to vote in Delhi's Lok Sabha elections on May 25

Lok Sabha elections 2024: All 7 Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will go to polls in a single phase on May 25