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Bhubaneswar/Jharsuguda: Jharsuguda police on Wednesday released 25 individuals from a group of 444 detained on suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi nationals. Their release followed the presentation of valid passports and birth certificates, which confirmed their Indian citizenship.A senior police officer said, "As per the law, these documents unequivocally establish their Indian citizenship. Consequently, they were sent back to their homes."The verification process for the remaining detainees is going on, with many possessing other forms of identification such as voter cards, ration cards and Aadhaar cards. Authorities are currently cross-referencing these documents with records from their respective places of issue, a process expected to take several days.The detention had sparked concern among Bengali-speaking workers in the area, prompting many to return to their home states. A construction contractor from West Bengal's Murshidabad, speaking on the condition of anonymity, highlighted the economic challenges driving migration. "In our place, there is a lot of poverty and no proper employment opportunities. If we don't go out to work, our families can't survive," he said.The contractor, who has been working in the area since 2000, expressed frustration over the prolonged detention. "We don't have any problem with verification. If the authorities check our documents and let us go, that's fine. But keeping us detained for long hours is troubling. Our families back home are frightened," he said.Another worker, preparing to leave the area, emphasised the demand for skilled labour in Odisha. "There's a high demand for construction workers here because we complete work on time, ensure good finishing and the pay is significantly better," he said.The situation has caused anxiety among the families of detained workers, leading many to urge their relatives to return home. "Our families asked us to come back, and we're left with no choice but to return," one worker lamented.As the verification process continues, most of the workers have left Jharsuguda, seeking employment opportunities elsewhere.
The Election Commission introduces new rules for voter enrollment. Voters enrolled after 2003-04 must now provide proof of citizenship. This includes a self-attested declaration and supporting documents. The move aims to remove illegal immigrants from the electoral roll. Bihar will be the first state to implement the special intensive revision. Other states will follow soon.In a move to identify and remove illegal immigrants wrongly included in the electoral rolls, the Election Commission has man ...Read More >
Sivasagar (Assam) [India], June 29 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced an exception for tea garden workers in the state's new Aadhaar card issuance policy, aiming to address the challenges faced by this community while maintaining stringent measures against illegal immigration. Speaking during a review visit to the Rang Ghar beautification project in Sivasagar, Sarma detailed the policy, which requires adult applicants to obtain Aadhaar cards only after satisfying the District Commissioner, except for tea garden workers, among whom nearly 50,000 adults are yet ...Read More >
Kolkata: Bengali-speaking migrant workers were facing "persecution" in BJP-governed states and being branded Bangladeshis, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Samirul Islam said on Monday."These migrant workers are being detained without any police records. Authorities are not even contacting the state govt to verify their citizenship. What, then, is the motive of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah?" Samirul, who is also chairman of West Bengal Migrant Worker Welfare Board, said on X.Trinamool posted the same from its official X handle."Do they intend to punish Bengal in this illegal way -- bypassi ...Read More >
In this edition of Frontline Conversations, former Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare discusses how the Ladki Bahin scheme, which provided direct cash transfers to 2.35 crore women, transformed both the economic landscape and political dynamics of the State. The programme, which distributed Rs.7,500 across five instalments to women earning less than Rs. 2.5 lakh annually, not only empowered women with financial independence but also proved to be a decisive factor in Mahayuti's electoral victory, marking a shift in Maharashtra's traditionally male-dominated political ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Congress on Thursday launched a blistering attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its recent directive to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's voter list within just one month. With the state elections drawing closer, senior Congress leaders alleged that the move is a "deliberate attempt to delete names of the poor, Dalits, backward communities, and migrant workers." At a press briefing held at the new Congress headquarters in Delhi, Congress Media and Publicity Chairman Pawan Khera, Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram, and ...Read More >
Mangaluru: As part of the nationwide 'justice at your doorstep' initiative, the National Lok Adalat will be held across Dakshina Kannada district on July 12, with the aim of resolving civil and criminal disputes quickly and amicably. Adalats will be held in 37 benches across the district.Principal district and sessions judge and chairman of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Basavaraj, said the public should make use of the opportunity to settle disputes through mutual consent and thereby avoid prolonged litigation. He told reporters here on Friday that at a Lok Adalat held on March ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Thursday orally observed that the clutch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to revise electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar raises an issue which "goes at the very roots of democracy", involving the right to vote. After the petitioners' side presented their oral submissions, a Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi remarked, "There is no question that the issue raised goes at the very roots of democracy -- the right to vote". "They (petitioners) are challenging not only the powers o ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has emphasized the need for a nationwide document, similar to the National Register of Citizens (NRC), to distinguish between Indian citizens and infiltrators. Speaking to reporters after offering prayers at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Biswa Sarma stated that the Assam government has decided to make NRC registration mandatory for obtaining an Aadhaar card, with applicants' names not featured in the NRC being ineligible for the card. "I desire that NRC-type documents should be prepared so that we can easily differentiate who are Indian ...Read More >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
With the deadline for free Aadhaar updates approaching on December 14, 2024, the UIDAI is urging those who received their cards over 10 years ago to update their details. However, updating is recommended, it is not mandatory. To prevent fake identities, Aadhaar assigns a unique number to each person, linked to their biometric data, making duplication impossible. Although updating is optional, it helps improve services, ensures accurate authentication and simplifies daily life. Aadhaar is a vital identification document for every Indian citizen due to its reliability, legal compliance, and ea ...Read More >
After December 14, updates will incur a fee of Rs 50 per request at Aadhaar centers. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has extended the deadline for free Aadhaar updates to December 14. This initiative allows individuals to update their Aadhaar details, such as name, address, or date of birth, online and at no cost. The process is simple and can be completed from the comfort of your home. UIDAI recommends updating Aadhaar details if it has been over 10 years since the last update. Keeping Aadhaar information updated ensures that your records are current, facilitates seamle ...Read More >
NEW DELHI - Human rights groups and legal experts have condemned India for carrying out what they call illegal and discriminatory deportations of Muslims to Bangladesh, many of whom claim to be Indian citizens. The alarming reports have sparked fear among India's 200 million Muslims, especially in the eastern states where Bengali is widely spoken. According to officials from both countries, hundreds -- possibly over 2,500 people -- have been forced across the border since May. Many victims say they were pushed into Bangladeshi territory at gunpoint without trial or proper documentation checks ...Read More >
VIJAYAWADA: The State government on Friday accorded approvals to a slew of industries. Among those are Krishnapatnam Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), which is set to establish a 350 MW Solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Thamminapatnam and Mommidi villages of SPSR Nellore district with a Rs 1,225 crore investment, creating 575 jobs. Furthermore, the government also waived off a Rs 54 crore extension of time fee, contingent on project completion within two years as per the Andhra Pradesh Integrated Clean Energy Policy-2024. The government also allocated 22.80 acres at MPSEZ in N ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Amid protests by opposition parties, the Election Commission on Monday said the special intensive revision is needed as the electoral roll keeps changing due to a variety of reasons and the Constitution mandates it to ensure that only eligible citizens are part of the voters' list and those not, do not get to vote. Several opposition parties have said that the intensive revision carries the risk of willful exclusion of voters using the state machinery. In a statement, the poll panel said the revision of electoral rolls is must as it is a dynamic list which keeps chang ...Read More >
Upendra Kushwaha, RLM leader and NDA ally, voiced concerns about the ECI's SIR exercise in Bihar, emphasizing the need to ensure no genuine voter is excluded. He suggested the ECI should have started the revision earlier, given the large population and migrant worker base. Kushwaha highlighted fears among migrant voters and those lacking required documents about potential voter list exclusion.Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) leader and NDA ally Upendra Kushwaha on Friday raised concerns regarding the S ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) recent directive mandating large sections of voters in Bihar to furnish proof of citizenship in order to remain on the electoral rolls. Filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, the petition seeks to quash the ECI's June 24 order initiating a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar. The plea argues that the directive violates constitutional provisions inclu ...Read More >
Agartala, July 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tipra Motha Party (TMP) leaders would soon meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to urge him to take drastic steps against infiltrators, party supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma said on Sunday. Debbarma, a former royal scion, said that illegal infiltrators would jeopardise the socio-economic and customary aspects of the state's indigenous people, especially the tribals. "The Government should take stringent steps to prevent the illegal infiltrators from entering India. Those already illegally staying in Tripura and other states must be pu ...Read More >
Guwahati: Manipur has established stringent protocols for issuing Aadhaar cards to adults, implementing comprehensive authentication processes and enhanced security protocols under which each adult Aadhaar application has to be mandatorily scrutinised and approved only at the level of state headquarters at the office of the special home secretary.State home commissioner N Ashok Kumar issued a statement noting, "One of the UIDAI officials present at the meeting (chaired by the governor at the Raj Bhavan) observed that Manipur's adult Aadhaar process is perhaps the most stringent in the country. ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 6: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India (ECI) decision to order Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, apprehending that such a second revision of the voters list could be replicated in West Bengal. In her petition, filed through advocate Neha Rathi, Moitra claimed that she has information that the "said (SIR) exercise is stated to be replicated in West Bengal from August 2025 for which instructions have already been given to EROs". Bihar Electoral Roll Revision Row: P ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare & Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday inaugurated the 11th edition of the India Maize Summit, organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in association with (IIMR) Indian Institute of Maize Research. Speaking at event, Chouhan emphasized that 'Farmers' sewa is our mool mantra,' reaffirming the government's commitment to farmer-centric policies. He outlined a multi-pronged strategy to boost maize production, and increase farmer incomes, while ensuring environme ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 9 (ANI): Following the violent protest at Kerala University, a case has been registered against 27 activists of the ruling CPM's Students Federation of India (SFI), including its state secretary P S Sanjeev, who has been named the prime accused, police said. The case also names 1,000 identifiable protesters who have been accused of damaging public property, forcibly entering the university campus, and assaulting police and university staff, police said on Tuesday. Also Read | Nobel Peace Prize 2025: From Mahatma Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru, Check Full ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday questioned the independence of the Election Commission amid revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, accusing it of acting in favour of the ruling party. This comes amid the ongoing row over the electoral roll revision in Bihar and the Opposition-led Bihar Bandh.. Also Read | Amit Shah Shares 'Retirement Plan', Pledges To Take Up Vedas, Upanishads and Natural Farming in Later Years (Watch Video). Taking to the social media platform X, Khera wrote, "Baba Saheb Ambedkar on the role of 'Central Election Commission' in prote ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 10: The Supreme Court on Thursday orally observed that the clutch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to revise electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar raises an issue which "goes at the very roots of democracy", involving the right to vote. After the petitioners' side presented their oral submissions, a Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi remarked, "There is no question that the issue raised goes at the very roots of democracy -- the right to vote". "They (petitioners) are challenging not only the powers of the Election Co ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Election Commission of India on the timing of the Special Intensive Revision drive in poll-bound Bihar saying it went to the "root of democracy and power to vote" while rejecting the argument that the poll panel did not have any power to carry it out. The ECI also justified the exercise and said Aadhaar wasn't a "proof of citizenship". A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi questioned Dwivedi over the exclusion of Aadhaar card in the SIR drive in Bihar and said the ECI had nothing to do with citizenship of ...Read More >
Haridwar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sakshi Maharaj on Sunday demanded that hotel, dhaba and eatery owners on the Kanwar Yatra routes should display their names and identities on boards outside their business establishments. The owners, who hide their identities under fake names, on the Kanwar Yatra routes should not be spared, he told reporters here. "Tampering with faith of the Hindu devotees during the Kanwar Yatra will not be tolerated," said the Unnao MP. The food shops on the Kanwar Yatra routes should have a board outside with the names of their owners clearly written on them, h ...Read More >
Imphal, Jul 2 (PTI) Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday asserted the urgent need for strict verification mechanisms and close coordination between Aadhaar issuing authorities, ILP enforcement agencies, and local administrative bodies to ensure that identity documents are issued only to those who are rightfully entitled. In a post on X, Singh wrote: "I appreciate the enhanced measures undertaken by the State Government to strengthen and streamline the Aadhaar issuance process in Manipur. These efforts are critical to safeguarding our integrity and identity." Also Read | H ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Election Commission of India to continue with its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar calling it a "constitutional mandate". A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi, however, questioned the timing of the exercise besides offering its prima facie view that Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration cards could be considered during the SIR in Bihar. "We are of the prima facie view that Aadhaar cards, Voted ID cards and the Ration cards be allowed in the special intensive revision of electora ...Read More >
NEW DELHI - Indian election officials have launched a strict voter registration drive in Bihar, demanding proof of citizenship from millions of residents. The move has sparked concerns of mass disenfranchisement, especially among Muslims, Dalits, and poor communities. The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced in June that all voters in Bihar must submit citizenship documents by July 25. Officials say the revision aims to remove "illegal immigrants" from electoral rolls. However, critics argue that many people simply do not have the required documents, especially in states with low lite ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharshtra) [India], May 29 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday (CBI) arrested two accused, including a Junior Passport Assistant working at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Lower Parel, Mumbai, and an agent, in connection with a corruption case involving the issuance of passports based on fake documents in exchange for bribes. A case was registered by CBI against the Office Assistant/Verification Officer at PSK Lower Parel and other private persons working as passport agents. The FIR alleges that during 2023-2024, the accused public servant entered into a criminal c ...Read More >