Page 640 - Politics
SC adjourns hearing in Rafale review petitions till May 10
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till May 10 hearing in the review petitions filed against the top court's December 14 judgment on the Rafale deal.A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi adjourned hearing in the review petitions challenging the December 14 order of the top court where it had given a clean chit to the Rafale deal.On Saturday, the Centre had filed an affidavit before the top court and claimed, "Monitoring of the progress by PMO of government process cannot be construed as interference or parallel negotiations. The then Hon'ble Raksha Mantri had recorded on file that ...it appears that PMO and French President's office are monitoring the progress of the issues which was an outcome of the summit meeting."Centre had also claimed that the court's judgment upholding the procurement of 36 Rafale jets from France was correct. It said that unsubstantiated media reports and internal file notings, deliberately projected in a selective manner, cannot form the
China won't participate in trilateral talks on nuclear disarmament with Russia, USA
China on Monday dismissed the probability of holding any trilateral talks on nuclear disarmament with the USA and Russia, which were proposed by US President Donald Trump recently."China opposes any incidents of anybody speaking on China's behalf and will not participate in any talks on a trilateral agreement on nuclear disarmament," Sputnik quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Geng Shuang as saying.This comes after Trump proposed to hold talks with Russia on a new nuclear arms control treaty, adding that the negotiations could eventually include China as well.While Russia has welcomed the proposal while seeking more information, China has outrightly dismissed any probability.This comes as both the United States and Russia have suspended their obligations towards the Cold Era-dated Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The accord was aimed at arms control and was signed between former US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.The two sides ...
On polling day, Rahul Gandhi missing from Amethi
As his constituency Amethi went to the polls on Monday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi was conspicuous by his absence, providing a handle to his rival Smriti Irani of the BJP to declare him a "missing MP".
77% polling witnessed in Telangana civic polls: SEC
: Nearly 77 per cent of the over 59 lakh people exercised their franchise in the first phase of elections to mandal parishad territorial constituencies (MPTCs) and zilla parishad territorial constituencies (ZPTCs), official figures said Monday. The first phase polling was held for 2,097 MPTCs and 195 ZPTCs. A total of 7,072 candidates for MPTC and 882 for ZPTC was in the fray. The poll percentage stood at 76.80 per cent, according to the figures given by the State Election Commission. The elections were held from 7 AM to 5 PM, while in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas, it started at 7 AM and concluded at 4 PM, they said. Unanimous elections had earlier been held for 69 MPTCs and two ZPTCs. The Telangana State Election Commission had last month released the election schedule for 5,817 MPTCs and 539 ZPTCs and announced that the first phase polls would held on May 6, the second on May 10 and the third on May 14. Around 1.56 crore voters are eligible to exercise ...
Media chasing Pragya Thakur shall also talk about corruption
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said that the media chasing cases against Pragya Thakur should also ask questions to leaders who indulged in corruption in the past. "I tell the media to bring the issue of corruption done in the past before the people of the country and it must tell the Congress is hanging around the corrupt politicians (Lalu Yadav and Madhu Koda)," Modi said. He said media is chasing every small and big BJP leaders and asking questions about cases related to Pragya Thakur. Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon blast case. Thakur is pitted against Congress candidate Digvijay Singh on Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. Taking on the Congress, Modi said that its manifesto, which is a "dhakosla patra (sham paper)" wants to scrap laws which protects the security forces and also promises to do away with the sedition law. Modi said his government at the Centre and the Raghubar Das government in Jharkhand have worked to eradicate naxalism and tightened the screw against ..
AAP seeks votes at meeting with religious leaders in Matia Mahal; probe ordered
The Delhi poll body has found that Aam Aadmi Party members attended a meeting without prior approval at a banquet hall in Matia Mahal to seek votes and has issued a show-cause notice to the hall owner, asking whether it was organised by AAP, officials said Monday. On Saturday, the Delhi BJP filed a complaint with Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer against AAP members and its MLA Amanatullah Khan, accusing them of hosting meetings inside mosques and seeking votes. Vijender Gupta, the leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly, filed the complaint. He alleged that one such meeting was held at a banquet hall in Lal Miyan on May 4 at 9pm. The complaint was forwarded to the returning officer of Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat. A flying squad went to the banquet hall where the meeting was being held allegedly with Muslim religious leaders but the team was not allowed entry, an official said. The flying squad asked for additional police force and entered the premises. It found that the meeting was
Top BJP leaders to criss-cross Haryana as campaigning ends on May 10
A galaxy of top BJP leaders will criss-cross Haryana over the next four days as campaigning for the May 12 polls on 10 Lok Sabha seats in the sixth phase of the ongoing general elections ends on May 10. Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leaders will be holding a series of rallies and roadshows during the four days, State BJP chief Subhash Barala said on Monday. The star campaigners include Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol. Modi will address three rallies in the state on May 8 (Wednesday) and May 10 (Friday)-- the last day of campaigning. On Wednesday, he will address rallies at Kurukshetra in Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency, from where BJP has fielded Nayab Saini, and Fatehabad in Sirsa Lok Sabha seat, where the party has nominated Sunita Duggal as its candidate. On Friday, Modi will address a rally at Rohtak in Rohtak parliamentary seat, from where the BJP has ...
Kejriwal should reflect who opened doors for BJP: Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the party would form government in Delhi in the next assembly polls and took potshots at Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, saying he should rather contemplate who lied about the Congress in 2014 and "opened the doors" for the BJP.
Kejriwal, Sisodia get poll panel's notices after BJP complains of violations
The Delhi poll panel issued notices on Monday to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia on two separate matters following complaints against them for violating the Model Code of Conduct. BJP's Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari had complained to the Chief Electoral Officer, accusing Kejriwal of "intentionally insulting" his profession and the Poorvanchali community on Saturday. The CEO office had also received a complaint against Sisodia from BJP's Girish Sachdeva, claiming the Aam Aadmi Party was issuing letters, asking voters to vote for the party by highlighting the achievements of the government, which was a violation of the poll code. Following the complaints, the Delhi poll panel issued the notices, seeking Kejriwal and Sisodia's reply by Tuesday noon, officials said. An official of the poll body said they have asked Sisodia whether such letters have been issued. At a public meeting in support of AAP's North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey last week, Kejriwal .
Over 62 per cent turnout in 5th phase; Violence in J-K and West Bengal
Two explosions at polling stations in Pulwama in Kashmir and clashes between TMC and BJP in West Bengal were reported during the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls on Monday across seven states in which over 62 per cent turnout was recorded. According to the Election Commission, over 57.33 per cent of 2.47 crore eligible people cast their vote in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, where political heavyweights like Congress' Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani were in the fray. In Rajasthan, 63.78 per cent polling was recorded in 12 seats, while it was 63.88 per cent in seven constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, 57.86 per cent five seats in Bihar and 63.72 in four seats in Jharkhand that went to polls on Monday. The voter turnout was 74.42 in seven seats in West Bengal, where incidents of Trinamool Congress and BJP workers attacking each other, hurling of bombs, injury to a candidate due to lathicharge by central forces, manhandling of a contestant and ...
Hans Raj Hans case: Kejriwal replies to showcause notice; says 'no violation' of poll code
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Monday said his office has received responses from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on show cause notices issued to him recently in the wake of complaints filed by BJP leader Vijender Gupta and party's northwest Delhi candidate Hans Raj Hans. In the Hans Raj Hans case, besides Kejriwal, notices by the CEO Office were also sent to AAP minister Rajendra Pal Gautam and its candidate Gugan Singh, who were to send their replies by Saturday 5 pm. "In Hans Raj Hans case, we have received the reply from Kejriwal, and in the response, he has said that 'there was no violation of the model code of conduct'," Delhi CEO Ranbir Singh told reporters. "We have forwarded the response to the Election Commission," he said. The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer had sought the replies of Kejriwal and others for accusing Hans of converting to Islam in 2014 and claiming he cannot contest the election as the seat is reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) category, officials had said ...
Telangana CM calls on Kerala CM
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Monday night called on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the latter's residence here.
T'gana BJP leaders to meet top leaders on Inter exam fiasco
The BJP in Telangana would meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other top leaders in Delhi later this week on the alleged goof-up in Intermediate exam results that led to widespread protests in the State. State BJP president K Laxman told reporters here that a party delegation would meet Singh during a visit to the national capital on May 9 and 10. The party leaders were also likely to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, he said. The party would also meet National Human Rights Commission representatives. On May 7 and 8, four teams of BJP leaders, led by Laxman, party general secretary Muralidhar Rao, former MLA G Kishan Reddy and party MP Bandaru Dattatreya, would meet the families of 26 students who allegedly committed suicide upset over the intermediate exam results. BJP would undertake one-day fast by involving parents on May 11 and 12 to mount pressure on the government, he said. The party would hold meetings with parents of children who appeared for Intermediate ..
Israel responds to a cyberattack with air strike
For the first time, a nation has retaliated with immediate physical action to a cyber attack. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched an airstrike on a Gaza Strip building believed to house Hamas digital warfare operatives.As Engadget reports, the militant group failed in the attempted cyber offensive, but the IDF hit the building, claiming it wiped out Hamas' cyber operational capabilities.In 2015, the US also retaliated with drone strike to kill ISIL hacker group in-charge Junaid Hussain. However, Israel's response is seen as immediate and questions the future warfares in the digital era.
62.56 per cent voter turnout in Phase 5: EC
The fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections witnessed a 62.56 per cent turnout as 51 constituencies in seven states votes Monday, the Election Commission said. Over 8.75 crore electors were to decide the fate of 674 candidates, including top leaders like Congress president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in this phase. The Election Commission set up over 96,000 polling booths, which included a maximum of 28,072 in Uttar Pradesh, for smooth conduct of polls.
AIADMK expels 2 party members for supporting DMK candidate in Ottapidaram
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Monday expelled two party workers for allegedly supporting DMK candidate in the by-election to Ottapidaram assembly constituency.According to a statement, AIADMK said that MC Murugasan, party's Ilavelangal village Panchayat secretary and M Savithiri, Airavanpatti village branch secretary, have been expelled from all their present posts and party's primary membership for supporting DMK candidate from Ottapidaram constituency.The statement was jointly issued by AIADMK co-ordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamiand and co-coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.AIADMK has fielded P Mohan against DMK's MC Shanmugaiya in Ottapidaram, where the bye-election will take place on May 19.
Will form a strong government: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav warned on Monday that if the Congress or the BJP come to power, the two parties would deprive the common people of basic necessities. "The BJP had promised good days, respect for farmers, security and safety of women. We have come up with a big alliance to make a strong government," Yadav said at rally in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district. "Let's join hands and construct a new India." The SP president blamed the Congress for the backwardness of the country even after seven decades of Independence. "The BJP and Congress are not good. If these parties are elected, they will construct their houses and toilets, while common people will be deprived of everything," Yadav said. The former chief minister also hit out Prime Minister Narendra Modi after former BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav's nomination from the Varanasi constituency was rejected. "He (Modi) came as a tea seller and became a watchman. The government kneeled in front of a soldier in ...
India-US trade in goods and services registers 12.6% growth in 2018
Bilateral trade between India and the United States in goods and services grew 12.6 per cent from USD 126 billion in 2017 to USD 142 billion in 2018, according to an official release.The growth in trade was welcomed by both the countries, which held a bilateral meeting here on May 6. The Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, along with the US Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, co-chaired the meeting.Both the sides appreciated the "strong, robust and growing bilateral ties between India and the US across the entire spectrum of trade and commerce," as per an official press release.Apart from this, the two countries discussed various outstanding trade issues, agreeing to regularly engage on various levels to resolve them."Both sides agreed to deepen economic cooperation and bilateral trade by ensuring greater cooperation amongst stakeholders, including Government, businesses and entrepreneurs," the release said.They also commended a string of other ...
5th phase over, efforts begin for forming non-BJP, non-Congress alliance
With elections completed in 425 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies on Monday, efforts appear to have begun to cobble up a non-BJP, non-Congress front amid projections that the existing NDA may find it difficult to form the next government.
Over 75% polling in Telangana local body polls
Over 75 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the first phase of rural body elections in Telangana on Monday amid tight security, officials said.