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: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has conducted surprise inspections at 15 schools in Delhi, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh to verify suspicions that they were violating affiliation norms by enrolling "non-attending" or dummy students in Classes 11 and 12. A total of 15 teams consisting of a board officer and principal of schools affiliated with the board conducted the inspections in a synchronised manner "to get accurate information about working and operations of the schools," the board said in a statement issued on Friday. Eight of the 15 schools were in Delhi, two in Maharashtra, and one each in Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jharkhand. "The primary objective of the surprise inspections was to probe, scout out and ascertain that whether the schools were functioning in compliance with the board's norms as per the bye-laws of the board and are not enrolling non-attending students while maintaining the academic and physical infrastructure in the school," the statement said. The statement did not immediately indicate the findings of the inspections. It said necessary action would be taken after considering the reports of the inspection committees. A senior CBSE official said schools were selected for surprise inspections after analysing the data of 30,000 schools. "The number of students, and their variation, were studied and we found that the enrollment in Class 11 and 12 in these selected schools as per records, was disproportionately high compared to Class 9 and 10, respectively. In many schools, dummy students were found during inspections," he said. Sudha Acharya, the principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka in New Delhi, who has been part of CBSE's inspection committee in the past, said that the board uses the data and information from its OASIS (Online Affiliated School Information System) portal and LOC (List of Candidates) to select schools for inspections after finding discrepancies. "OASIS is the portal where schools update data on infrastructure, staff, enrollment, class sections, and safety. LOC is used to register Class 10 and 12 students for board exams. CBSE cross-verifies both to spot irregularities. If a school shows only 40-50 students in Classes 9 and 10 but suddenly reports 450-500 in Classes 11 and 12, it raises suspicion. Such schools are shortlisted for surprise inspections in batches of 15-20. During visits, inspection teams often find far fewer students than recorded in the LOC. Inspection reports are submitted by inspection teams within 2-3 days of the inspection," she said. According to officials, based on inspection reports, CBSE issues show-cause notices to schools found to be violating the Affiliation Bye-Laws 2018. Each school receives a copy of its inspection report and is required to submit a response within 30 days of receiving the notice. According to information available on CBSE's website, the board has 30,984 affiliated schools. In March, CBSE officials said that the board was planning to amend its examination bye-laws to prohibit students attending "dummy schools" -- where pupils are enrolled on paper but skip regular classes to focus on private coaching for engineering and medical entrance examinations -- from appearing for Class 12 board examinations from next year, and require them to take the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) exam instead. In January, the Delhi High Court called the dummy schools a "fraud" and directed the Delhi government and CBSE to take action against them. The CBSE counsel informed the court that action had been taken against over 300 "dummy" schools across the country. In November last year, CBSE withdrew its affiliation from 21 schools of Rajasthan and Delhi after the board found a significant number of non-attending students of Classes 9 to 12 in these schools during surprise inspections in September. The board also downgraded the affiliation of six schools in Delhi.
New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the stand of comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) on a PIL seeking its 14 reports on city administration to be made public. A bench of Justices Yashwant Varma and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar asked CAG to explain why its report could not be made public, and posted the hearing on January 24. Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Woman Throws 4 Children Into Canal in Vijayapura Allegedly Due to Financial Distress, 2 Bodies Recovered. Brij Mohan, a retired civil servant, who filed the PIL said the voters in Delhi must be aware of ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, June 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The MSC IRINA, recognised as the world's largest container ship by TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) capacity, is set to dock at the Adani Group's Vizhinjam International Seaport on Monday and will be berthed till Tuesday. The monumental arrival marks a significant milestone for the seaport, which was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2. The MSC IRINA boasts an impressive capacity of 24,346 TEUs, making it a formidable player in global shipping. With a length of 399.9 metres and a width of 61.3 metres, the vessel is approximate ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Thursday quashed 16 cases against 70 Indian nationals for housing foreign attendees of Tablighi Jamaat congregation in March 2020 allegedly in violation of COVID-19 norms. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna said, "Chargesheets quashed." Also Read | BJP Blasts Rahul Gandhi's Stealing Charge of 'Election Chori' at EC Regarding 'SIR' Exercise in Bihar, Scoffs at Jail Swipe on Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. The court passed the judgment on 16 petitions relating to 70 Indians, who were represented by advocate Ashima Mandla, seeking quashing of FIRs regist ...Read More >
New Delhi: The CAG report, which Aam Aadmi Party leaders are denying as false, was indeed accepted as true by the Delhi government lawyer in the High Court when he blamed the LG office for leaking it to the public. Justice Sachin Datta of the Delhi High Court, who was hearing a petition by the BJP MLAs, said the government should have promptly placed the CAG reports before the house for discussion. "The way you dragged your feet raises doubts about your bonafides. You should have promptly forwarded the reports to the speaker," Justice Datta said, "and had a discussion in the house. The timel ...Read More >
New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to hear a plea against the nomination of AAP candidate and Delhi minister Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat in the February 5 assembly elections. Justice Subramonium Prasad observed the petition was not maintainable. "How is this petition even maintainable in law? Either you challenge (his previous) election on whatever grounds ... this is not maintainable," said the court. The plea was then withdrawn by the petitioner. The petitioner, who lives in Sultan Puri, said Ahlawat contested previous elections by concealing and withholding certain f ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday staged a protest against the Maharashtra government's decision to allot Mother Dairy's land in Kurla for rehabilitating ineligible slum-dwellers who will be displaced by the Dharavi redevelopment project. City Congress president Varsha Gaikwad, who led the demonstration, targeted the state government's decision with a "surrender" barb, alleging that the opposition by local people was ignored. Also Read | Encroachers Can't Claim Right To Continue Occupying Public Land, Says Delhi High Court. "The market value of this land is in the hundreds of crore ...Read More >
Noida: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has approved a twice-board exams policy from 2026, but most schools in Noida don't see it as a wise move. Principals noted that the two-exam policy will pose a challenge to the academic calendar. The main or first examinations will begin from mid-Feb while the second examination will be held in May. So, teachers will be engaged in evaluations and invigilation from Feb-June, leaving limited time for regular academics, according to principals."The introduction of two board exams warrants a very honest scrutiny. While the NEP mandates implementin ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Wednesday apprised the Delhi High Court that the alleged offending portions of the film 'Udaipur Files' have been removed. A Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Daya was hearing a batch of pleas, including a plea filed by Maulana Arshad Madani, the President of the Islamic cleric's body Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, seeking a prohibition on the release of the film based on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. The movie, slated to be released worldwide this Friday, revolves around the brutal murder of Kan ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: In a significant bureaucratic overhaul, the Delhi government has proposed the creation of an independent engineering cadre within the Public Works Department (PWD), ending its long-standing reliance on officers deputed from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). Once the proposal secures cabinet approval, which is still in nascent stage, the PWD will begin the recruitment process and implement a structural realignment to ensure that every position, from Junior Engineer to Chief Engineer, is filled by officers directly under the control of the PWD. According to the department, ...Read More >
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Friday directed the officials to constitute an expert panel comprising retired bureaucrats and domain specialists to examine the nature of cases involving Delhi govt pending in district courts and recommend strategies to eliminate unnecessary litigation.The govt stated that these panels would also assist in formulating systemic solutions for quicker resolution and better case management. The decision was taken in a review meeting with the law, justice and ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi High Court has agreed to examine a plea challenging the city government's policy to penalise and prosecute the petrol pump owners if they refuel 'end-of-life' (EoL) vehicles -- petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. A bench of Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice and sought responses from the Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on the plea filed by the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association. As per the petition, the "arbitrary" and "irrational" SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) iss ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) The Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.5 per cent in the current financial year, despite geo-political tensions and trade policy uncertainties, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) Chairman S Mahendra Dev said on Tuesday. In an interview with PTI, Dev further said that domestic growth will be driven by low inflation, resulting from good monsoon and benign interest rate regime, triggered by three back-to-back rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India. "There are significant global headwinds like the twin shocks of geo-political tensions and trade ...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 >
Leh, July 2: Pursuant to putting in place a comprehensive legal framework to ensure fair, inclusive, and transparent recruitment to public services, the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has initiated a large-scale recruitment drive for 359 Gazetted posts through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This marks the first-ever recruitment of Gazetted posts through UPSC since the formation of the Union Territory. This milestone follows the establishment of a unique and dedicated legal framework specifically designed for Ladakh. The framework ensures maximum local representat ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi government to seriously consider framing a standard operating procedure (SOP) or issuing clear guidelines to prevent forensic science laboratories (FSLs) from being overwhelmed by avoidable referrals during criminal investigations. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal passed the direction while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) that flagged how, in several cases, viscera and other forensic samples were being routinely sent for testing even when such analysis was not necessary. The ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) With 65 per cent of the country's population below the age of 35 years, substance abuse poses one of the gravest threats confronting India's youth, trapping them at a pivotal stage of life and posing a challenge to national progress. Keeping this in mind, Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Mansukh Mandaviya will be leading the special edition 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat' of nationwide 'Fit India Sundays on Cycle' on July 20 from the Banaras Hindu University campus in Varanasi. The 32nd edition of the Fit India Sundays on Cycle will be organised at 60 ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: To modernise Delhi's ageing water supply system, the Delhi government has launched a new Water Master Plan, which includes replacing old water pipelines, Water Minister Parvesh Verma announced on Saturday. During a visit to his constituency, Verma highlighted that many existing pipelines -- some 40 to 80 years old -- are a major cause of water contamination and frequent supply disruptions. "There are several areas in Delhi where people are receiving polluted water, and the primary reason is the decades-old pipelines," he stated. Verma criticised the previous administration, allegin ...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 >
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The High Court verdict quashing the KEAM engineering entrance rank list has come as a major setback to the state government that carried out an eleventh hour attempt to rectify the "disadvantage" faced by state syllabus students due to the standardisation of marks of various Plus Two boards. Though stung by the adverse verdict, the government indicated that it will appeal against it before a division bench. "The cabinet will take an appropriate decision on the course of action in the wake of the verdict. The government does not have any vested interest other than ensuring ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 20 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, on Sunday highlighted the benefits of cycling, describing it as a tool for both personal health and environmental protection. She made the remarks while participating in the Sundays on Cycle campaign at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, led by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya. Addressing the youth, Khadse said the initiative was gaining momentum across the country and emphasised its long-term impact in promoting fitness and drug-fre ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party, accusing it of stalling Delhi's development while treating the city as its "political ATM" to fund its ambitions in other states and using the "looted" money for its own publicity. Addressing a public rally in Dwarka here, he urged people to vote for the BJP in the Assembly polls and allow him to serve them. Modi stressed that Delhi does not need a confrontational government but one that works in coordination with the Centre. The prime minister urged voters to elect a "double-engine go ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 1 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside the decision refusing the premature release of the convict serving life term for the rape and murder of law student Priyadarshini Mattoo in 1996, saying the convict's reformative conduct was not considered. The high court said it found an element of reformation in convict Santosh Kumar Singh and referred the matter back to the sentence review board (SRB) to consider afresh his plea for premature release. "No effort was made to evaluate the petitioner's (Singh) demonstrable reformative progress, including advanced educational qu ...Read More >
Chennai: Preliminary investigations attribute the fire on the goods train near Tiruvallur to a possible spark from overhead electrical equipment (OHE) igniting fuel leaking from a derailed wagon.The incident paralysed services on the busy Chennai-Arakkonam route and left nearby residents engulfed in thick black smoke. The disruption left thousands of rail passengers stranded, many of whom were unable to get updates as railway helplines went unanswered for hours. The train carrying diesel from Chennai Harbour to Walajah Road Siding was exiting Tiruvallur station around 5.30am on Sunday, when a ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jul 17 (PTI) To curb illegal mining and transportation, the Uttar Pradesh government is deploying advanced technologies under the Integrated Mining Surveillance System (IMSS), a release said on Thursday. Mining activities are already being monitored through drones, geo-fencing, RFID tags, and AI-powered check gates. Now, the state is set to introduce 'Weigh-In-Motion' (WIM) technology to accurately track vehicle overloading. Also Read | 'Arvind Kejriwal Used Government Funds to Buy Mobiles Costing Up to INR 1.63 Lakh', Claims Delhi Minister Ashish Sood. According to the official re ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday urged citizens to treat tree plantation as a shared responsibility and join the government's green campaign with commitment and pride. She was speaking at a tree plantation event - 'Van Mahotsav 2025' - held at Willingdon Crescent, Rashtrapati Bhavan. On this occasion, she urged residents of Delhi to take part in the movement by planting more trees in their homes, neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, and community spaces. She announced that under Van Mahotsav 2025, the Delhi government has set an ambitious target ...Read More >
BENGALURU: BBMP marshals deployed at lake security and supervision wing, ward monitoring and Indira Canteens are working without salaries since March. The situation has arisen after Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited was carved out of BBMP for garbage management. Their salaries are usually given through the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society and each marshal is paid Rs 17,500 monthly. "Supervisors say the delay is due to a set of procedures. Earlier, the amount was given to the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society towards payments from BBMP. Now the files have to be cleared from BWSML to ward mars ...Read More >
RAIPUR: An engineer and her sister have been arrested for allegedly cheating in the Chhattisgarh VYAPAM Sub-Engineer recruitment exam in Bilaspur on Sunday, police said. Electronic devices including a hidden camera, miniature earbuds and a walkie-talkie set that were used to transmit images of the question paper and receive answers, have been seized from the two sisters identified by the police as Annu Surya, who had an engineering degree from the state's Korea district, and her sister Anuradha Surya. The case came to light after members of the Congress's students wing, National Students' Un ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has issued a notice in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the alleged unlawful construction of Urban Extension Road II through the village pond land in Goyla Khurd, located in the Southwest District of Delhi. The construction, which took place between 2018 and 2024, is visible in Google satellite images and raises concerns about the loss of natural resources crucial for environmental sustainability, especially as the city grapples with pollution, heatwaves, groundwater depletion, and climate change, plea stated ...Read More >
Dimapur, Jul 18 (PTI) Two persons have died of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Nagaland, a health department official said on Friday. Chief Medical Officer, Dimapur, Dr Yartenla Jamir, said that of the seven JE cases detected in Dimapur, Chumoukedima, and Niuland districts, two persons have died so far. She expressed concern over the rise in Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases in the three districts, especially during the monsoon season, which increases the risk of transmission. The Health department has urged district administrations to issue a public advisory on JE prevention measures and to i ...Read More >