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, Oct 16: Amid demands by some opposition parties that the Election Commission withdraw its direction to verify identity of burqa-clad women at Bihar's polling stations, the EC on Thursday defended its move saying it is implementing a decision taken as back as 1994 when T N Seshan was heading the poll authority. The Samajwadi Party has demanded withdrawal of EC's decision to check burqa-clad women during voting in Bihar. An EC spokesperson said that in October 1994, the poll body had ordered a dignified method of identifying burqa-clad women electors at polling stations. "...to protect the sensitivity regarding privacy of women voters, separate enclosures for identification of 'purdahnasheen' women should be provided in the polling station with locally available but absolutely inexpensive devices and using local ingenuity, such as use of charpoys or cloth such as bed spreads," the October 21, 1994 order read. In 1994, the EC had issued the order while expressing anguish over low turnout of women voters due to customs and traditions. The EC has said that special arrangements are being made at polling stations in Bihar for "dignified" identification of women voters in burqa or purdah. In a statement last week, the poll authority said that to encourage participation of 'purdanasheen' (in burqa or purdah) women, "special arrangements" will be made at the polling stations as per its instructions for their "dignified identification" in the presence of lady polling officers or attendants while ensuring their privacy. Addressing a press conference here on October 6 to announce the schedule for Bihar Assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said Anganwadi workers will be present at all polling booths in the state to help verify the identity of burqa-clad voters. Responding to a question about 'ghungat' and burqa-clad women, Kumar had said there are clear guidelines of the Election Commission about the verification of identity inside polling booths and they will be strictly followed. "Our Anganwadi workers will be deployed at all polling booths for verifying the identity of burqa-clad women. The guidelines of the commission are very clear about this -- that how identity is verified inside a polling station and they will be strictly followed," he had said. Meanwhile, the EC on Thursday termed the Bihar SIR "accurate" and told the Supreme Court that the petitioner political parties and NGOs are merely content with making "false allegations" to discredit the exercise. The poll body also told the apex court that not a single appeal has been filed by any voter against name deletion since the publication of the final electoral roll. It denied the allegation of the petitioners that there was a "disproportionate exclusion of Muslims" from the final electoral roll of the state prepared after the months-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. "This communal approach is to be deprecated," the poll panel said. (PTI)
IMPHAL, Nov 17: The NPP on Sunday withdrew support from the BJP-led Government in Manipur, even as violence continued to rock the state as offices of the Congress and the saffron party were ransacked in the hill district of Jiribam where an unidentified body was found earlier in the day, officials said. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A BJP MLA's ancestral house was vandalised in Imphal Valley while a building owned by Ashab Uddin, the Independent legislator of Jiribam, was ransacked, officials said. The incidents occurred a day after irate mobs set fire to the residences of ...Read More >
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong disapproval over the repeated doubts raised by political leaders regarding the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The court criticised the tendency of some political figures to question the integrity of the EVM system when they lose elections, while conveniently accepting its legitimacy when they win. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, pointed out the inconsistency in the stance taken by several leaders. "When they win, there is no issue with EVMs, but when they lose, questions are raised abou ...Read More >
Mr. Rana's daughter-in-law, Sumbul Rana, had contested the Meerapur Assembly by-election as a Samajwadi Party candidate but was defeated by BJP's Mithlesh Pal Former Member of Parliament Kadir Rana was granted bail in two separate cases of alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct during the Meerapur Assembly by-election, his lawyer said. Mr. Rana appeared before the Special MP/MLA Court in Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday (November 27, 2024) where the presiding officer, Devender Singh Fauzdar, approved his bail plea after he furnished a surety bond of ₹25,000 for each case. Mr. Rana, along ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) "On the face of it you are a corrupt person. Crores of rupees were recovered from your premises," the Supreme Court on Wednesday told former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, held in an alleged cash-for-job scam in the state. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, which reserved its verdict on the bail plea of Chatterjee, questioned the enforcement directorate (ED) over his continued incarceration saying he cannot be kept inside for an indefinite period. "On the face of it you are a corrupt person. Crores of Rupees were recovered from your premises. Wha ...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 >
In a regulatory filing on Thursday, the company stated that the NCLAT, through its order dated December 12, 2024, has "appointed NBCC (India) Limited as Project Management Consultant for the completion of 16 projects of Supertech Ltd." NBCC will oversee the completion of these projects, which include 49,748 housing units spread across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Karnataka. The projects include Ecovillage-2, Romano, Capetown, Czar Suites, Eco-Village 3, Sports Village, and Eco-Citi ...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 >
The Congress leadership was aware it was losing ground to the ruling Mahayuti following the gains made during the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, several party leaders privy to an internal survey less than a month ahead of the November 20 elections have said, adding that the outcome shouldn't exactly come as a shock. As per a report in The Indian Express, several party leaders it spoke to admitted that a survey conducted in 103 "strong MVA seats" showed the Maha Vikas Aghadi ahead in only 44 seats out of 54 it was ahead in during the Lok Sabha elections. On the contrary, the Mahayuti, wh ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Jacobite Syrian Church to hand over the administration of six churches in Kerala to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church faction. The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan. The bench said that the members of the Jacobite Syrian Church were in contempt for "wilfully disobeying" the 2017 judgment. The bench directed the Jacobite faction to hand over the administration of three churches each in Ernakulam and Palakkad districts to the Malankara faction. The bench also asked the Jacobite faction to file a ...Read More >
Assam Beef Ban: A political row has erupted over the Assam government's decision to ban the public consumption of beef in the state with the Opposition labelling it "against the right to freedom" while the ruling BJP lauding the state Cabinet's call. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced on Wednesday that his government has decided to ban the consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places, drawing sharp reactions from the Opposition. Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan ...Read More >
New Delhi, [India], December 11 (ANI): The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the growing tendency to misuse Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which penalises cruelty by husbands and their relatives against married women. While quashing a Section 498A IPC case against a husband and his parents, a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh said that the Section became a tool for unleashing personal vendetta against the husband and his family by a wife. Also Read | RBI Will Remain Alert and Agile to Meet Challenges, Says New Governor Sanjay Malhotra (Watch Video). " ...Read More >
The Supreme Court of India has said that mere harassment is not sufficient to hold someone guilty of the offence of abetting suicide, and there must be clear evidence of direct or indirect incitement. Photograph: ANI Photo The observations came from a bench of justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale which delivered its verdict on an appeal challenging a Gujarat high court order which refused to discharge a woman's husband and her two in-laws for allegedly harassing her and driving her to suicide. ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (VOICE) The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders of the Apex Court. A Special Bench headed by CJI Sajiv Khanna asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the clutch of petitions challenging the validity of the 1991 Act, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. The Bench, also c ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 26: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to introduce ballot paper in place of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines). A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale rejected the prayer to return to the ballot system due to the alleged manipulability of EVMs. "When you lose, EVMs are tampered with; when you win, EVMs are fine," remarked the apex court, when the petitioner referred to the statements made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his predecessor Jagan Mohan ...Read More >
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition is now gearing up for a national protest after losing Maharashtra state elections. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which suffered a crushing defeat in last week's Maharashtra state elections, is now gearing up for a national protest against the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which it blames for its loss. The MVA, led by the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (led by Sharad Pawar), is planning to challenge the use of EVMs in court and demand a return to ballot paper voting. Fo ...Read More >
BUDAUN: A court hearing a plea of a Hindu outfit, which had sought permission to worship at Jama Masjid Shamsi here claiming it was a temple, on Tuesday asked the Muslim side to complete their arguments by December 10. Arguing his case, the lawyer for Shamsi Shahi Jama Masjid Intezamia Committee and Waqf Board Asrar Ahmed questioned the locus standi of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha to file the petition in the matter. Urging the court to dismiss the plea, the counsel submitted that the mosque is about 850 years old. He stated that there is "no existence of a temple" there and worship by Hin ...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 >
Muzaffarnagar (UP), Dec 6 (PTI) A teacher who asked other students to slap a Muslim boy in a school here surrendered at a POCSO court and was released on bail, an official said on Friday. Tripta Tyagi was caught last year in a video asking children to slap a boy in a school where she taught. Additional District Judge (POCSO) Alka Bharti on Thursday granted her bail and ordered her to furnish two sureties of Rs 25,000 each. She posted the matter for further hearing on Friday. Kapil Ahlawat, Tyagi's lawyer, told PTI that Tyagi had surrendered in the Special POCSO court on Thursday and sought ...Read More >
The Supreme Court halted new temple-mosque legal battles. The court will review the 1991 law impacting religious site status. This law froze the status of religious sites as of August 15, 1947. Several cases, including Gyanvapi and Shahi Idgah, challenge this law. The law's validity is being questioned. The court's decision impacts ongoing and future disputes.In its ruling on the keenly-watched Place of Worship Act case, the Supreme Court said on December 12 that no new Mandir-Masjid suits are to ...Read More >
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 12 (PTI) Tensions flared in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday as BJP MLAs barged into Speaker U T Khader's chamber, expressing strong objections to his handling of the proceedings. The confrontation came amidst heated debates over the recent police lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters, with the ruling Congress and opposition BJP trading accusations. The issue arose when Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, himself a leader of the Panchamasali Lingayat community, criticized the decision of previous BJP government to scrap the 4 per cent Muslim reservati ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has directed that no new lawsuits related to places of worship (temples, mosques, or shrines) can be filed until further notice. This decision was made during the ongoing hearing of petitions challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The ruling prohibits the lower courts from issuing any survey orders or interim orders that might alter the status or nature of any religious site. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice K.V. Vishwanathan, issued this order while hearing sev ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong disapproval over the repeated doubts raised by political leaders regarding the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The court criticised the tendency of some political figures to question the integrity of the EVM system when they lose elections, while conveniently accepting its legitimacy when they win. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, pointed out the inconsistency in the stance taken by several leaders. "When they win, there is no issue with EVMs, but when they lose, questions are raised abo ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh administration has imposed restrictions on the entry of outsiders into violence-hit Sambhal until December 10, with officials urging leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi to reconsider his planned visit on Wednesday. Moradabad divisional commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said there is a need for calm in the region, and that "any provocation could escalate the situation" in the district. "The situation in Sambhal is normal right now, but tensions persist," Singh said. "The District Magistrate has banned the entry of people from outside until 10 December ...Read More >
The Sena UBT chief spokesperson was reacting to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's comment that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee should be allowed to lead the INDIA bloc. Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said that his party was open to discuss if someone outside of the Congress party should lead the Opposition INDIA bloc. Speaking in New Delhi Delhi, Raut said that all the constituents of the INDIA bloc are willing to have a discuss ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, Dec 11 (PTI) The 6th Edition of 'Abhivyakti - The City Arts Project', Gujarat's longest art and culture showcase and an endeavour of UNM Foundation of Mehta Family's Torrent Group, concluded with an assemble of art admirers from different walks of life enjoying the art performances across genres. The 16-day Project, which had begun on November 21, received an unprecedented footfall of over 3.24 lakh art lovers of different age groups and from varied walks of life, a press statement issued by the organisers said. Apart from the lakhs of art lovers of the city, the project was also ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Dec 12 (PTI) Ride-hailing app Uber on Thursday launched 'Uber Moto Women,' a first-of-its-kind service in Bengaluru offering women-only bike rides, the company said. In a statement, Uber said that this on-demand two-wheeler service connects female riders with female drivers and is designed to address women's safety and mobility needs while "empowering female drivers with flexible earning opportunities". "Developed based on feedback from women riders and drivers, Uber Moto Women offers a safe, affordable, and convenient commute option for women who prefer to ride with female driver ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: A political slugfest erupted after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was stopped from visiting violence-hit Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, with the BJP accusing the Congress leader of attempting to incite communal tensions. BJP leaders criticised Gandhi's visit as a desperate political move, driven by competition with the Samajwadi Party (SP) to reclaim vote banks. Meanwhile, Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, slammed the government's actions as undemocratic and an assault on constitutional rights. BJP spokesperson Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi described the visit as a "sign of h ...Read More >
Kuldeep Singh Sengar is also serving a 10-year jail term in connection with the custodial death of the Unnao rape victim's father. Kuldeep Singh Sengar sought interim bail on the grounds that he was suffering from various ailments The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted a two-week interim bail on medical grounds to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar who is serving life term for raping a minor in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao in 2017. A bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh suspended the sent ...Read More >
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to eight convicts in the infamous 1987 Hashimpura massacre case of 38 persons by the personnel of the Provincial Armed Constabulary. IMAGE: File photograph of Muslims in Meerut staging a protest demanding justice in the 1987 Hashimpura massacre case. Photograph: PTI Photo/Rediff archives A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih took note of the submissions of senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for four convicts, that t ...Read More >