Page 2 - President Of India

President Murmu urges safe, responsible and green Diwali celebrations

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday greeted fellow citizens on the eve of Diwali and urged everyone to celebrate the festival safely, responsibly and in an environment-friendly manner. Murmu said this festival is also an opportunity to help and support the deprived and the needy, and to bring joy into their lives. Diwali, one of India's most popular festivals, is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm, she said in a message. "The festival symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Celebrated across the country with immense fervour, the auspicious occasion of Diwali gives the message of mutual affection and brotherhood. On this day, devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity," Murmu said. This festival of joy is also an occasion for self-reflection and self-improvement, the President said. "I urge everyone to celebrate Diwali safely, responsibly and in an environment-friendly manner. May this Diwali bring

President Murmu extends greetings to citizens on eve of Vijayadashami

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday greeted citizens on the eve of Vijayadashami and wished that the festival inspires us to build a society where all people move ahead together, inspired by the ideas of justice, equality and harmony. The festival of Vijayadashami, symbolising the victory of "dharma over adharma", inspires us to follow the path of truth and justice, she said in a message. Celebrated in various parts of the country as "Ravana Dahan" and Durga Puja, this festival reflects our national values, Murmu said. This festival also teaches us to renounce negative tendencies like anger and ego, and embrace positive ones like courage and determination, the president said. "May this festival inspire us to build a society and country where all people move ahead together, inspired by the ideas of justice, equality and harmony," she said. The president extended warm greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, to be celebrated on

71st National Film Awards: Check full list of winners and top honours

Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi is hosting the 71st National Film Awards, which recognise the top talent in the Indian film industry. The winners will receive their honours from President Droupadi Murmu

SC reserves verdict, asks if it can act when governor withholds assent

Calling itself the custodian of the Constitution, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked if it could sit idle if a constitutional functionary like Governor failed to discharge duties as it reserved the verdict on the presidential reference on grant of assent to bills. In the marathon hearings spanning 10 days, a Constitution bench of headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai heard legal luminaries including Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Gopal Subramanium, Arvind Datar and others on the presidential reference which centered around Article 200 and 201 and the key issue whether constitutional court can impose timelines for governors and President to assent to bills. On the last day, the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar, interjected Mehta when he referred to the separation of powers as one of the basic structures of the Constitution and said the court shoul

Guv bound by ministers' advice on prosecution sanction: Telangana tells SC

The Congress-ruled Telangana government on Wednesday said ordinarily the governor is bound by the aid and advice of the council of ministers even while dealing with grant of prosecution sanction except for the instance where a minister or the chief minister is involved in a criminal case. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai was told by senior advocate Niranjan Reddy, appearing for the Telangana government, that the apex court while answering the Presidential reference will also have to look into the inherent bias on part of the governor by sitting over the bill. Referring to the instance of Tamil Nadu, where the governor sat over the bill, passed by the assembly for removing the governor from being chancellor of state-run universities, Reddy on the ninth day of hearing on the Presidential reference said the court will have to look into it. The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar, was told by th

President Murmu on three-day visit to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu from Monday

President Droupadi Murmu will be on a three-day visit to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu from Monday, her office said. On September 1, the President will grace the diamond jubilee celebrations of the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing in Mysuru, Karnataka, it said. Murmu will grace the 120th foundation day celebrations of City Union Bank in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on September 2, the President's office said. "On September 3, the President will grace the 10th convocation ceremony of the Central University of Tamil Nadu at Thiruvarur," it added.

Public Sector Enterprises are catalysts of growth: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu presented the SCOPE Eminence Awards 2022-23, lauding PSUs for driving growth, fostering inclusive development and shaping India's future

SC questions governors' authority to withhold assent to money bills

Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said Article 207 requires a governor's nod for introducing a money bill. So there's no scope for withholding by the governor once introduced

President gives assent to Income-tax Act 2025, replacing 1961 law

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Income-tax Act, 2025, which will replace the archaic Income Tax Act, 1961. The Income Tax Act, 2025, will come into effect from the next financial year, beginning April 1, 2026. The new Act will make tax laws simple and reduce wordage in the legislation, making it easy to understand. "The Income-tax Act, 2025, has received the Hon'ble President's assent on August 21, 2025. A landmark reform replacing the 1961 Act, it ushers in a simpler, transparent & compliance-friendly direct tax regime," the Income Tax department said in a post on X. The Income Tax Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament on August 12. The new Act does not impose any new tax rate and only simplifies the language, which was required for understanding the complex Income Tax laws. The new law removes redundant provisions and archaic language and reduces the number of Sections from 819 in the Income Tax Act of 1961 to 536 and the number of chapters from 47 to 23. Th

President Murmu extends greetings to citizens on eve of Krishna Janmashtami

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday greeted citizens on the eve of Krishna Janmashtami and asked all to take a pledge to make the nation stronger. The life and teachings of Bhagwan Shri Krishna inspire us towards self-development and self-realisation, she said in a message. Bhagwan Shri Krishna enlightened humanity about attainment of ultimate truth by following the path of 'dharma', the president said. This festival inspires us to adopt eternal values embodied by Lord Krishna, Murmu said. "On this occasion let us all take a pledge to follow the teachings of Bhagwan Shri Krishna and make our society and nation stronger," she said. Murmu extended best wishes to all the Indians living in India and abroad on the festival. "On the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, a festival filled with joy and enthusiasm, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all the Indians living in India and abroad," she added.

President Murmu honours Partition victims, says India 'mother of democracy'

The President said India's successful transition to democracy was a natural reflection of its ancient ethos

President Murmu urges MES officers to adopt green tech, build smart

As emerging leaders in the field of military construction, young Military Engineer Services (MES) officers have a crucial responsibility "not only to build but to build with responsibility", President Droupadi Murmu said on Wednesday. The MES plays a vital role in strengthening the operational readiness of the country's armed forces, she said. "By providing comprehensive engineering support, MES ensures that our troops are equipped with world-class infrastructure and facilities, enabling them to remain mission-ready under all conditions," Murmu said, addressing a group of MES probationers, who had called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here. Murmu further called on the officers to focus on adopting renewable energy sources to promote sustainable development and reduce the carbon footprint of defence infrastructure. The President noted that MES is actively promoting the use of indigenous materials and technologies under the Make in India initiative, aligned with the national vision

Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns as Vice President of India, citing medical reasons

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has resigned with immediate effect, citing health reasons and medical advice, thanking the President, Prime Minister, and Council of Ministers for their support

BJP set to reach century mark in Rajya Sabha with latest nominations

With four new nominations to the Rajya Sabha, including key figures like Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Ujjwal Nikam, the BJP is on the brink of reaching the century mark in the Upper House

Presidential Estate in Doon Valley opens to public as eco-heritage hub

Nestled in the Doon Valley, the 172-acre Presidential Estate here has undergone a transformationfrom an exclusive retreat to a vibrant public space that celebrates biodiversity, heritage, and sustainability, a Rashtrapati Bhavan official said on Friday. On the day of her 67th birthday, Murmu on Friday opened the Rashtrapati Tapovan and Rashtrapati Niketan for the public. She also inaugurated public amenities, including the visitor facilitation centre, the cafeteria, and the souvenir shop, and laid the foundation stone for Rashtrapati Udyan. The Rashtrapati Tapovan and Rashtrapati Niketan will be open for public viewing from June 24 and July 1, 2025 respectively. Established in 1838 as a camp for the Governor General's Bodyguard, the estate later served as a secluded retreat for India's presidents. For decades, its serene orchards, colonial stables, and forested paths remained out of reach for ordinary citizens, visited only by those in the highest offices of the state, said Navika

Watch: President Murmu moved to tears as visually impaired children wish her

President Droupadi Murmu, who is on a three-day visit to Uttarakhand, was moved to tears on Friday as a group of visually impaired children sang a song to wish her on her 67th birthday.

PM Modi wishes Prez Murmu on birthday, praises her efforts to empower poor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted President Droupadi Murmu on her 67th birthday on Friday, and said her life and leadership continue to inspire crores of people across the country. "Warmest birthday wishes to Rashtrapati Ji. Her life and leadership continue to inspire crores of people across the country. Her unwavering commitment to public service, social justice and inclusive development are a beacon of hope and strength for everyone," Modi said on X. "She has always worked to empower the poor and downtrodden. May she be blessed with a long and healthy life in service of the people," he added. Murmu is India's first tribal president and assumed the office in 2022.

Corporate sector vital to India's growth, progress: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the corporate sector is a key pillar of the nation's economic growth and development. While addressing officer trainees of the Indian Corporate Law Service, she noted that their decisions would influence not only policies and regulations but also the trust that citizens and investors have in the country's institutions. As officers entrusted with the implementation and enforcement of corporate laws, "your role will be central in nurturing a business environment that is transparent, accountable, and conducive" to innovation and entrepreneurship, the President said. "The corporate sector is a key pillar of our nation's economic growth and development," Murmu told the trainees, who had called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here. Referring to the Companies Act of 2013, she highlighted their responsibility to ensure that the law is not only enforced but also understood, respected, and applied in a way that promotes justice, fairness, and

Prez Murmu's MP visit on June 18-19 cancelled; was to attend state event

President Droupadi Murmu was scheduled to participate in a state-level programme on the occasion of World Sickle Cell Day to be held in Taloon Gram Panchayat, MP

State legislatures are in a rush, spend little time in scrutinising Bills

Their record in debating and scrutinising legislation and Budgets is weak as Governors are accused of stalling