Page 3 - National News

SC delivers split verdict on Section 17A of anti-graft law, refers to CJI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict on the constitutional validity of a 2018 provision of the anti-graft law which mandates prior sanction for initiating a probe against a government servant in a corruption case. While Justice B V Nagarathna said Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act is unconstitutional and needs to be struck down, Justice K V Viswanathan held the provision as constitutional while adding that sanction must be decided by an independent authority like the Lokpal or the Lokayukta. Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, introduced in July 2018, bars any enquiry or inquiry or investigation against a public servant for recommendations made in discharge of official duties without prior approval from the competent authority. The case will now be placed before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for forming a larger bench to hear the matter for a final decision. "Having regard to the divergent opinions expressed by us, we direct th

Over 3,500 EWS applicants not admitted to Delhi schools in 2025-26: Govt

Over 3,500 applicants under the Economically Weaker Sections category could not be admitted to Delhi schools in the 2025-26 academic year, largely due to factors such as parents declining seats because of distance from schools and non-completion of documentation, according to official data. The data from the Directorate of Education (DoE) stated that 29,706 EWS students were admitted in 2025-26 against 33,212 applications, while 3,506 cases of non-admission were recorded. In the preceding academic year, 202425, 26,197 students secured admission out of 28,799 applicants, with 2,603 students not admitted, the data revealed. The department said that non-admission in several cases occurred as parents declined allotted seats due to long commuting distance, children were already enrolled in other schools, or required documents were not submitted within the stipulated time. Some applicants were absent during regional-level document verification or could not produce valid certificates, ...

Cold wave persists in Delhi for third day; IMD issues orange alert

Cold wave conditions prevailed over the national capital for the third consecutive day on Tuesday as temperatures dipped further and are likely to persist over the next day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The IMD said that Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 21.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, which was 1.7 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 3.0 degrees Celsius, plunging 4.4 notches below the seasonal average. According to the weather department, the minimum temperature of around 3 degrees Celsius recorded at several stations made it the coldest January morning in the national capital in three years. Delhi had last recorded a lower minimum temperature of 1.4 degrees Celsius on January 16, 2023. Station-wise data recorded at 5.30 pm showed that Safdarjung Observatory, the city's principal weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 21.6 degrees Celsius. Lodhi Road logged the highest maximum at 22.0 degrees Celsius, while Ayanagar

SC directs govt to frame rules to implement 25% EWS quota under RTE Act

Observing that granting admissions to poor kids in educational institutions "must be a national mission", the Supreme Court directed authorities on Tuesday to frame rules to ensure that the 25 per cent quota in admissions for children from economically and socially weaker sections in private unaided non-minority schools is implemented. The court said the grant of admission to kids from the EWS category is "an obligation of the appropriate government and the local authority. Equally, courts, be it constitutional or civil, must walk that extra mile to provide easy access and efficient relief to parents who complain of denial of the right". The bench was dealing with aspects relating to difficulties faced by EWS category students in getting admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which has mandated 25 per cent reservation for such children in private unaided non-minority schools. A bench of Justices P M Narasimha and Atul S Chandurkar was hearing a special leave petition fil

Haryana govt asks to avoid use of 'Harijan', 'Girijan' in official comms

The Haryana government has asked all its departments, public and educational institutes and others to "strictly avoid" using the terms 'Harijan' and 'Girijan' in official communications in respect of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) respectively. The Haryana Chief Secretary's Office issued a letter in this regard on Tuesday. Mahatma Gandhi had named the SCs as 'Harijans', meaning 'people of God'. However, BR Ambedkar was against the use of 'Harijans' and he preferred to call them Dalits. "The Haryana government has issued directions to all Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Boards, Corporations, Public Sector Undertakings, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Officers (Civil) and Registrars of Universities in the State to strictly avoid the use of terms such as 'Harijan' and 'Girijan' in all official matters and correspondence," an official statement said. It has been reiterated in the letter that the Constitution of India d

No advance payment under 'Ladki Bahin' scheme after SEC stand: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said his government will not release the January instalment under the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' for eligible women in advance in compliance with a directive from the State Election Commission (SEC). Practice so far has been to give an advance instalment during major festivals to poorer women under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, but monthly stipend under the scheme (Rs 1,500) will now be credited in their accounts after January 16, the day when votes polled in 29 civic corporations are counted, he told reporters in Pune. The SEC on Monday barred the government from releasing the January instalment under the scheme (Rs 1,500) in advance, citing the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the January 15 elections to 29 municipal corporations in the state. The SEC's clarification came after it received several complaints following media reports claiming that beneficiaries of the scheme would receive Rs 3,000 - covering the December and ..

India, China work to restore military trust amid push for border stability

In recent meetings with Chinese counterparts, Indian officials have made peace and stability along the 3,488-kilometer (2,167 miles) disputed Himalayan border central to efforts to normalize ties

Wife's high qualification no ground to deny maintenance: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that a wife cannot be denied maintenance under Section 125 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) merely because she is highly qualified or possesses vocational skills. Setting aside a family court order rejecting a woman's application seeking maintenance from her husband, Justice Garima Prashad observed that it is "misplaced for a husband to rely solely on the qualifications of his wife to evade his legal obligation to maintain her". The court said a wife's mere potential to earn is distinct from actual gainful employment. It emphasised that this is a reality faced by many women who despite their education find it difficult to join the workforce after years of domestic duties and childcare responsibilities. The court set aside an order of the additional principal judge, Family Court, Bulandshahr, who had rejected the wife's application moved under Section 125 CrPC seeking maintenance from her husband. The family court had rejected the wife's plea for

Delhi govt to upgrade ITIs with industry partners under PM-SETU scheme

The Delhi government has started the process of upgrading its Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), seeking to engage industry partners under the PM-SETU scheme, officials said. The Department of Training and Technical Education of the Delhi government is the implementing body of the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme's hub and spoke model for the transformation of the ITIs in the city. The Dheerpur-ITI cluster comprising Dheerpur-ITI (hub) and four constituent spoke ITIs at Jail Road, Narela, Sirifort and Jaffarpur has been chosen for the implementation of the PM-SETU scheme in Delhi, the officials said. In such a cluster, the hub ITI might specialise in high-end advanced manufacturing trades, while the spoke ITIs provide foundational courses feeding into the hub. A cluster special purpose vehicle (SPV) led by an industry partner would upgrade the infrastructure across all five ITIs, introduce the latest course like ...

Two suspected Nipah cases detected in Bengal; Centre sends response team

Two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease have been identified at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), ICMR, AIIMS Kalyani, West Bengal.Taking immediate action, the central government has deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team to support the State Government in containment and public health response measures, according to official sources.The team comprises experts from the All India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene, Kolkata; the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune; the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai; AIIMS Kalyani; and the Department of Wildlife, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.The Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, held discussions with the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Health), Government of West Bengal, to review the situation and ensure swift and coordinated action.Central Government guidelines on Nipah Virus Disease under the Communicable Disease ...

Delhi HC flags plight of patients' kin, seeks PIL on night shelters

The court noted that the article highlighted distressing conditions for people waiting for treatment in hospitals who have no place to stay

Banks must ensure year-round operational discipline: RBI deputy governor

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Swaminathan J has asked banks to put in place stronger operational discipline and data governance throughout the year, as supervision needs to shift from periodic snapshots to continuous awareness. Speaking on 'Issues and Challenges in Banking Supervision in the Digital Era', the deputy governor said for decades, supervisors were trained to read balance sheets and inspect processes, and it is still being done the same way. But today, he said a bank can look perfectly healthy on paper and still be one incident away from severe disruption. "The reason is that the centre of gravity is shifting from the 'branch and product' to the 'pipes and code'," he said. In other words, stability now depends as much on operational resilience, data integrity, and third-party dependencies as much as it does on capital and liquidity, Swaminathan said at the at the Third Annual Global Conference of the College of Supervisors here on Friday. In a digital ...

Lok Sabha Speaker hints at action over alleged e-cigarette use in House

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday did not rule out "exemplary punishment" over the alleged use of e-cigarette in the House, asserting that maintaining the dignity of Parliament was non-negotiable. BJP member Anurag Thakur had sent a complaint to the Speaker alleging that one Trinamool Congress (TMC) member was "openly using" e-cigarette in the House during the proceedings despite such devices being banned across the country. "No one has the right to undermine the sanctity of the House," the Lok Sabha Speaker told reporters here. Birla said the matter was under investigation and would be later referred to an appropriate committee of the House for further action. "We will act on the recommendation of the committee. Everyone will have to maintain decorum in the House. A member could even lose his membership," the Lok Sabha Speaker said. "Nobody will be allowed to lower the dignity of the House," Birla said. "It is a responsibility. You will have to maintain decorum inside the Hou

Goa economy grew 14.94% in FY24, 'Viksit' state target set for 2037: Guv

Goa's economy has shown a positive growth trajectory of 14.94 per cent in 2023-24 (provisional) as per estimates received from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Governor P Ashok Gajapathi Raju said on Monday on the first day of the Winter Session of the state assembly. In his first address in the House since taking over as governor in July last year, Raju said the preparation of Vision Document 'Viksit Goa @ 2037' is in its final stages, adding it would act as an all-inclusive, long-term blueprint by aligning with the vision of Prime Minister Modi of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. "I am happy to state that Goa's economy continues to show a positive growth trajectory of 14.94 per cent in 2023-24 (provisional) as per the estimates received from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 28," he said. Based on the enthusiasm and passion with which the state government was functioning, Raju said he was confident that the target of Goa becoming a developed state would

Punjab orders major IPS cadre reshuffle, officers promoted across ranks

According to orders issued by the Department of Home Affairs, several senior officers have been transferred, while many have been promoted to higher ranks, including ADGP, IGP and DIG

SIR in MP: Voter list update reunites man with mother after 22 years

A man who left his home in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district 22 years ago after his family opposed his marriage was reunited with his mother because of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, police said on Saturday. Police said it all started after Vinod, alias Vinod Gairi, who is settled in Rajasthan, tried to get his name included in the voters' list during the ongoing SIR exercise. An official said Gairi was asked to get the details of his parents' EPIC (Election Photo Identity Card) numbers as part of the process. He then reached out to the panchayat at his native place. After learning about the matter, Gairi's mother approached the police to trace her son. Under the direction of Mandsaur Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar Meena, a team led by Nai Abadi police station in-charge sub-inspector Kuldeep Singh Rathore, was formed to track down Gairi, a police statement said. The MP police eventually traced Gairi to the Nagaur district of Rajasthan, where he has been

Our civilisational courage shines in Somnath: PM Modi at Swabhiman Parv

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described Somnath as a symbol of "our civilisational courage" as he landed in the famous temple town to attend 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv' events. Starting his three-day visit to Gujarat, he witnessed a drone show and presided over a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust as its chairman. "Feeling blessed to be in Somnath, a proud symbol of our civilisational courage. This visit comes during #SomnathSwabhimanParv, when the entire nation has come together to mark a thousand years since the first attack on the Somnath Temple in 1026. Grateful to the people for the warm welcome," the PM said in a post on X after his arrival. "In Somnath this evening, chaired a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust. We reviewed various aspects relating to infrastructure upgradations in the temple complex and ways to make the pilgrimage to Somnath even more memorable," he wrote in another post after the meeting. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and deputy CM Harsh ..

Gulshan Kumar murder case convict serving life term dies of heart attack

A 60-year-old convict in the music mogul Gulshan Kumar murder case lodged in Harsul prison in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has died of a heart attack, an official said on Saturday. Mohammed Rauf Dawood Merchant, a resident of Amrut Nagar in Mumbra in neighbouring Thane district, was serving a life sentence at Harsul prison, some 350 kilometres from here, since 2002 after his conviction in the sensational case, he said. "On the morning of January 8, while offering namaz inside the prison barracks, Merchant had severe chest pain and fell unconscious. He was rushed to a government hospital where he died. The post mortem report put the cause of death as severe heart attack. His kin in Mumbra took possession of his body the same evening and performed the last rites," he informed. An accidental death case has been registered at Harsul police station, the official added. Gulshan Kumar, a cassette baron and among Bollywood's most prominent producers, was shot dead outside a ...

Election Commission directs micro-observers to report lapses during SIR

The Election Commission on Saturday instructed micro-observers deployed for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to closely monitor field-level activities and report any irregularities or deviations from prescribed procedures through designated channels, an official said. In an advisory, the poll body said micro-observers must function independently and objectively during the exercise, with strict adherence to transparency, accuracy and neutrality. "They have been directed to observe processes relating to verification, claims and objections, and ensure that instructions of the commission are followed in letter and spirit without any external influence," he said. The commission noted that the SIR is a crucial exercise aimed at producing error-free and inclusive electoral rolls, and any lapse at the grassroots level could undermine public confidence. "Observations submitted by micro-observers will serve as vital inputs for senior election authorities to assess the

Assam Cong sets up legal panel to track investigation in Zubeen Garg case

The Assam Congress on Saturday announced that it has constituted a committee of advocates to closely monitor the investigation and the judicial proceedings into the death case of singer Zubeen Garg. The opposition party made the decision, which was taken on Thursday, public a day after the state Cabinet approved a five-member team of special public prosecutors (PPs). "Hon'ble President, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Shri Gaurav Gogoi has constituted a committee comprising the following senior Advocates to closely monitor the progress of the investigation and judicial proceedings in the death case of Late Zubeen Garg," the party's general secretary (organisation) Bipul Gogoi said in a statement. The members of the committee are Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, Ram Prasad Sarmah, Dilip Choudhury, Hamidur Rahman, Hemanta Kalita and Rubi Gogoi. The state government has named Brojendra Mohan Chaudhuri as additional public prosecutor, and Kishor Dutta, Pranjal Dutta and Vikash Jam