India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Former Supreme Court judge Justice (retd) Sanjay Kishan Kaul said that the judiciary must perform the role of a catalyst for the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons. He was speaking on Saturday at the launch event of a policy document on recommendations for queer inclusion in India's legal and social landscape, organised by Keshav Suri Foundation and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. "The judiciary must perform the role of a catalyst. India's legislative landscape for LGBTQIA+ recognition has evolved, but significant gaps persist. The term queer is not defined in Indian law, and asexual individuals are invisible in policy frameworks," Justice (retd) Kaul said. During his keynote address, the former apex court judge also referred to the tennis player Radhika Yadav's murder case. "The challenge that we face in our country, and actually across the world, I think, (about discrimination). See a thing as simple as a man-woman relationship, where a woman chooses on her own -- forget the cities, look at how it dealt with at different levels, inter-caste marriages; people let loose the process which destroy the lives of their children -- the recent episode two days ago where a father shoots her own daughter -- when we talk of problems; please look at the society all around; this also has to change," Justice (retd) Kaul said. He said that in February this year, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment introduced certain administrative measures for queer couples, including access to ration cards, joint bank accounts, and the right to claim a partner's body in case of death (if no next of kin existed). "These measures, prompted by the Supreme Court's (earlier) judgment, are a step forward but remain limited, as they are not enshrined in statute and do not address comprehensive rights," he said. Justice (retd) Kaul said that anti-discrimination law was more crucial in today's age, where access to capital was the requisite for access to capital. "Starting a business, buying a house or even otherwise bridging personal needs is wholly dependent on factors such as ease of availing loans or finances, opening bank accounts. Undoubtedly, there are barriers to access for LGBTQIA+ persons to even something as routine as opening a bank account, which requires one to carry a document which conforms to gender identity," he said. "An almost existential difficulty faced by LGBTQIA persons is access to goods, financial services and access to public infrastructure," the ex-top court judge added. He said the future of queer rights required action in the realm of the legislature and the executive, with a coordinated effort across various ministries and departments. "There is also, a degree of legislative inertia on the rights and entitlements of queer persons, which risks prolonging the legal limbo for same-sex couples seeking marriage, adoption, or inheritance rights. A conservative attitude still persists across a large populace of the country, which hinders acceptance," said Justice (retd) Kaul. He said that the country was on a path of progressive recognition of the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons and that urban areas and younger generations showed greater openness, even while the rural and conservative communities remained hostile. "I truly believe that the future is more promising than what is behind us, and in the words of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, 'Hope will never be silent," said Justice (retd) Kaul. PTI MNR MNK MNK
Story so far: India celebrated its 75th year of adoption of its Constitution on Tuesday (November 26, 2024) with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint session of parliament. While the Constitution of India hits its diamond jubilee this year, event commemorating is as 'Constitution Day' was started only in 2015. Prior to this, it was called 'National Law Day' -- first initiated by former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Laxmi Mall Singhvi in 1979. "The Indian Constitution is a live, progressive document," said Ms. Murmu adding, "I urge all citizens to imbibe the constitutio ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Karnataka government and the Centre should resolve the issue in connection with the release of financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the state for drought management. The matter came up before a bench comprising justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan. Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, requested the bench that he needed some time to file an affidavit in the matter. "You should resolve it," the bench said. During the hearing, the bench queried, how much amount has been released so far? ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Congress on Wednesday gave a notice to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the Lok Sabha to discuss the recent statements made by a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court. "I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely:- The recent statements made by a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court..." said K. Suresh, Congress MP and party's Chief Whip in the Lower Hosue. He said in the notice ...Read More >
Jamshedpur, Dec 17 (PTI) Tata Steel has operationalised an all-women shift at its Noamundi iron mine in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, an initiative introduced in the country for the first time, a company statement said. Women employees were engaged in all the mining activities of the shift, including heavy earth moving machinery, shovel, loader, drill [...] Jamshedpur, Dec 17 (PTI) Tata Steel has operationalised an all-women shift at its Noamundi iron mine in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, an initiative introduced in the country for the first time, a company statement said. Wome ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Dec 18 (PTI) Noise levels exceeded the prescribed limits during singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh's concert here on Saturday, the Chandigarh administration told the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday. The submission was made by the administration before a division bench of the high court. "Strict action" has been recommended against the violators, the court was further informed. On December 13, the high court had allowed Dosanjh's event scheduled to take place the next evening, with a direction that the organisers comply with the noise pollution regulations. While greenlighti ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jan 27 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Monday suggested Abhishek Lodha and his brother Abhinandan Lodha to try and amicably resolve the issue over the use of 'Lodha' trademark. The Abhishek Lodha-promoted Macrotech Developers Ltd earlier this month filed a suit in the HC against Abhinandan Lodha's real estate firm, House of Abhinandan Lodha, claiming the name 'Lodha' was their trademark and no one else could use it. The suit sought Rs 5,000 crore as damages from Abhinandan Lodha's company. In an interim application, Macrotech Developers sought a perpetual injunction against the defen ...Read More >
Guwahati: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a massive healthcare infrastructure overhaul for Assam, while inaugurating the Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Childcare Centre (NBWCC) in Guwahati here on Thursday.During the event, the Assam CM revealed plans to invest Rs 4000 crore in expanding the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) into a 5000-bed facility.He also praised the newly-inaugurated NBWC centre saying that he was happy that the group had invested in Assam " I am sure that the people of Assam, along with other northeastern states, will immensely benefit from this venture o ...Read More >
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 26, 2024), indicated a level of hypocrisy attached to criticism about Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), saying ""EVMs are tampered when you lose and fine if you win". The oral remark was made by Justice Vikram Nath before dismissing a petition filed by evangelist K.A. Paul, who urged for a judicial order to return to paper ballots. Also read:EVM-VVPAT case | Cannot disclose 'source code' of EVMs, will result in misuse: Supreme Court Justice Nath, during the hearing, asked Mr. Paul whether he wanted to turn the court into a political arena. Mr. Paul sa ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jan 13 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court has dismissed on Monday an appeal by J Deepak and J Deepa, the legal heirs of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, seeking the release of her assets confiscated in a 2004 disproportionate assets case. Jayalalithaa was convicted by a special court in 2014 for amassing wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income during her tenure from 1991 to 1996. Following her conviction, her properties were confiscated by the authorities. Although she was acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in 2015, then congress government in Karnataka ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], May 21 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) trainee officer Puja Khedkar, accused of forging her documents to obtain eligibility for the 2022 Union Public Service Commission test. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma asked Khedkar to cooperate in the probe. Also Read | Security Scare in Kolkata: Police Launch Probe After Drone-Like Objects Spotted Over Sky, Centre Seeks Report From West Bengal Govt. During the hearing, the bench said, "What is the grave crime she has committed? ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Fintech firm BimaPay Finsure on Thursday said it has entered into corporate insurance financing and aims for Rs 20 crore in premiums in 2025-26. Launching the pilot phase with insurance partners, BimaPay said the initiative will allow businesses to pay premiums in easy equated monthly instalments (EMIs) instead of bearing the burden of full upfront costs. Also Read | Who Is Pinaki Misra? From Age to Family Background and Net Worth, Here's All About BJD Leader With Whom Mahua Moitra Reportedly Married. The company aims to finance over Rs 20 crore worth of premiums by t ...Read More >
Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh govt has launched a statewide crackdown to detect and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, an official said on Thursday.Acting on directives issued by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), the state has instructed all districts to immediately constitute district task forces (DTFs) to identify undocumented immigrants and ensure strict enforcement of Inner Line Permit (ILP) provisions.The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by advisor to home minister Mutchu Mithi and DGP Anand Mohan on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by senior police offi ...Read More >
Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the third edition of Nayi Chetna - Pahal Badlaav Ki, a national campaign against gender-based violence, at Rang Bhawan Auditorium, New Delhi yesterday. Delivering his address, Shri Chouhan stated that the Government has taken a slew of initiatives for women's economic and social development. He stressed that gender-based violence is not an issue that persists in rural areas, but in urban areas as well. He said with the presence of Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smt. Annpurn ...Read More >
Noida: Police on Tuesday arrested more than 160 protesting farmers, including the president of Bharatiya Kisan Parishad Sukhbir Yadav 'Khalifa', who were holding a sit-in at the 'Dalit Prerna Sthal' in Noida after their march to Delhi on land compensation and other demands was stopped a day earlier. The protesters, who had gathered in Gautam Buddh Nagar from different parts of Uttar Pradesh on Monday on the call of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), had threatened to resume their march to the national capital if their demands were not met within a week. Condemning the police action, the SKM said it ...Read More >
The Supreme Court overturned a Madras High Court decision. The high court had refused to dismiss defamation charges against Union minister L Murugan. Murugan faced these charges over statements made in 2020. The Supreme Court accepted Murugan's argument. He said he did not intend to defame the Murasoli Trust. The case is now closed.The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed criminal defamation proceedings against Union minister L Murugan on a complaint filed by the Chennai-based Murasoli Trust for his ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jan 31 (PTI) The Gauhati High Court has issued notices to the Assam government and its various departments over rampant rat-hole coal mining and asked them to furnish what steps they have taken to stop the unlawful activity. Taking suo motu cognizance of the Dima Hasao coal mining tragedy, the high court registered a public interest litigation on Monday and issued notices the next day to seven government departments, including the office of the chief secretary. "The court has taken note of various reports which suggest that around more than 200 rat-hole mines are in operation in Um ...Read More >
Mumbai: The driver of the BEST bus Sanjay More on Tuesday was sent to police custody till December 21. The bus that rammed into pedestrians and multiple vehicles in Kurla West on Monday evening, claimed seven lives and left 42 others injured, As many as 22 vehicles were damaged in the incident at around 9.30 pm on Monday on the SG Barve Marg in Kurla (West). The bus operated by the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking hit several vehicles and pedestrians following which More, was detained. The injured persons were undergoing treatment in various medical f ...Read More >
Kottayam (Kerala), Dec 12 (PTI) The historic struggle for equality that took place in Vaikom a century ago, popularly known as the Vaikom Satyagraha, was not a movement confined to Kerala but marked the starting point for various other struggles for social justice, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday. In his address at Vaikom in this district after inaugurating the renovated Thanthai Periyar Memorial and Periyar Library, Stalin said that while impressive strides have been made in areas of social justice and economy in 100 years, a lot more has to be achieved. Stalin inaugur ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Thursday said India has continuously aspired to become a hub of international arbitration by building a progressive legislative framework, a pro-enforcement judiciary and robust institutional support. In his keynote address on "Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes" as part of the London International Disputes Week, the CJI said India and the United Kingdom shared a rich history, bound by a common legal heritage rooted in the principles of common law. He referred to the July 2018 memorandum of understanding signed between India and ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved bills to implement 'One Nation, One Election', and the draft legislations are likely to be introduced in Parliament in the ongoing Winter session, sources said. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government is keen on holding wider consultations on bills which are likely to be referred to a parliamentary committee. Sources said the government was also keen to consult the Speakers of various state legislative assemblies through the committee. Moving ahead with it ...Read More >
Kolkata: BJP on Saturday criticised urban development minister Firhad Hakim over a video where the Kolkata mayor is purportedly heard making a comment on minorities. Hakim had made the comment while addressing an educational conference recently. Hakim said BJP was using his quote out of context and he was only referring to the gulf between the educated and the uneducated. "As education spreads, the gulf will be bridged and there will be one identity," said Hakim. Saying that he would never play ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to grant anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination. The matter was heard by a bench consisting of justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma. "What is the grave crime she has committed? She is not a drug lord or a terrorist. She has not committed 302 (murder). She is not an NDPS offender", said the bench. "You should have a system or software. You complete the investigation. She has lost everything and will not ge ...Read More >
Kolkata: On the 13th day of teachers' protest outside Bikash Bhavan, the protesting teachers split among themselves and formed a new platform. At least 2,500 protesters stood by the chief minister, as stated in a press conference by education minister Bratya Basu on Monday. Reacting to a question from media, Basu said in Titagarh, "I will trust those who have written to me expressing their faith in the chief minister."The new organisation formed was named the West Bengal Untainted Teachers Associ ...Read More >
New Delhi, November 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the government at the Centre has strengthened the spirit of the Constitution over the last 10 years. Addressing the Constitution Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, PM Modi highlighted that in the last 10 years, more than 53 crore bank accounts were opened, more than 4 crore pukka houses were given and more than 10 crore free gas connections were given. "In the last 5-6 years, by providing tap water facilities in more than 12 crore houses, the government made the lives of citizens easy, particularly of women," he sai ...Read More >
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 2 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) President Farooq Abdullah claimed that Muslims are feeling unsafe and stated that there is no discrimination based on religion, as guaranteed by the Constitution. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir also said that the government should treat Muslims without any discrimination. "...There is no doubt that Muslims are feeling unsafe. I will ask the govt of India to stop that. 24 crore Muslims cannot be thrown into the ocean. They (the govt) should treat Muslims equally, there is no di ...Read More >
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna affirms the Supreme Court will not revert to the old method of adjournment requests via circulated letters, noting it as inefficient. He acknowledges the Indian legal system's evolution and emphasizes the Constitution's role in India's democratic growth during the Constitution Day celebration. In a bid to maintain judicial efficiency, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna declared on Tuesday that the Supreme Court will not revert to its earlier practice of handling adjournment requests through letter circulation. Speaking at the Constitution Day event hosted by the ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the Modi government over its economic policies and asserted that real development is when everyone progresses, there is a fair environment for business, a fair tax system and the income of workers increases. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "The truth of Modi Ji's developed India: Your hard work, whose profit? The wheel of the country's economy is turning with your sweat and blood, but are you getting your fair share in it? Just think." The share of the manufacturing sector in the economy has gone down to the lowe ...Read More >
The Supreme Court has directed all states and union territories to form internal complaints committees in all government departments and undertakings by specific deadlines. This directive aims to ensure uniform compliance with the POSH Act across the country, highlighting lapses in its enforcement and mandating surveys and reports on adherence.With a view to ensure a nationwide compliance of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all states and union territories to constitute an internal complaints co ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Dec 18 (PTI) Noise levels exceeded the prescribed limits during singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh's concert here on Saturday, the Chandigarh administration told the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday. The submission was made by the administration before a division bench of the high court. Also Read | 'Vapas Ja Rahi Hu Dubai': 'Karan Arjun' Actress Mamta Kulkarni Promises She'll Be Back to India for Shahi Snan at Kumbh Mela 2025 (Watch Video). "Strict action" has been recommended against the violators, the court was further informed. On December 13, the high court had allowed ...Read More >
New Delhi: Activist short-seller Nathan Anderson, known for his high-profile campaigns against the likes of Adani Group, said the decision to shut his firm, Hindenburg Research was not because of any legal or any other threat, but due to workload. And that he stands by all its reports including the one against Adani Group. Anderson told PTI that Hindenburg's January 2023 report accusing Adani Group of "the largest con in corporate history" was a result of following "red flags" raised against the conglomerate in media reports. Adani Group had repeatedly denied all allegations in the report. ...Read More >