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, December 17: The Supreme Court on Wednesday modified its August 12 order, which barred coercive action against diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the Delhi-NCR, and said that action can be taken against such vehicle owners who meet emission standards below BS-IV. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi passed the order at the request of the Delhi government. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Delhi government, sought action against older cars in view of the air quality crisis in the national capital. The government sought a modification of the order passed on August 12, 2025, to permit action against vehicles up to BS-III. Bhati said, "Older vehicles, their emission standards are very poor, and they are adding to the pollution." Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, the amicus curiae in the air pollution matter, also said, "BS-IV came in 2010, and BS-III models are before that." It also directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to consider the temporary suspension of toll collection at nine toll plazas at Delhi's entry points, after it was informed that vehicles were being stuck for hours at the borders, which was contributing to air pollution. Delhi Air Pollution: 'Very Poor' Air Persists in National Capital As AQI Recorded at 378 (Watch Videos). "MCD is directed to cooperate on the issue and to consider suspending operations at these nine toll plazas for a temporary period. A decision in this regard shall be taken within one week and placed on record," ordered the bench. The apex court also asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to examine the possibility of shifting the nine toll collection booths operated by the MCD in Delhi to locations that can be manned by the NHAI. The order came on an application filed by the NHAI alleging congestion at the borders due to MCD's toll collection, and that such traffic jams were adding to air pollution in Delhi. The top court also said that the air pollution crisis has become an annual feature, and a long-term plan needs to be evolved by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and given effect in a phased manner. It asked the CAQM to revisit its long-term measures to deal with the air pollution issue. The bench asked the CAQM and the NCR governments to consider issues such as urban mobility, incentivising farmers to stop stubble burning, increasing green cover in Delhi, regulating construction activities, and provision of alternative employment when construction work is halted. While hearing an application challenging the notification to physically close down primary schools, the bench declined to intervene, considering that the winter break starts next week. Delhi Air Pollution: Government Directs Schools To Shift to Online Mode for Students Upto Class 5 As Air Quality Deteriorates in National Capital. Another advocate raised the issue of providing compensation to the construction workers affected by the GRAP measures currently in place to improve air quality. The bench said that it should be ensured that the payment is actually received by the beneficiary worker, and also asked for a plan to provide them with alternative work. It called for a report on payment of compensation to the workers and posted the matter for further hearing on January 6.
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 >
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, 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 >
Delhi's air pollution continues to worsen, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting a hazardous 490, despite the government's 21-point plan to tackle the issue. The city’s residents are struggling to breathe, even indoors, and hospitals are overwhelmed with patients facing respiratory problems. The pollution crisis is exacerbated by the lack of cooperation among Delhi and neighboring states, and the central government, with each blaming the other. This pollution not only threatens public health but also jeopardizes Delhi's economic future, as it could drive away professionals and harm business ...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 >
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 >
Listening to the sounds of nature such as birdsong reduces stress levels - but the sound of traffic increases them, new research shows. The research lends support for anyone who is a firm believer in the curative powers of a walk in the countryside or through a forest. In a study, 68 volunteers listened to three three-minute soundscapes: a nature soundscape recorded at sunrise in West Sussex, the same soundscape combined with 20 mile per hour road traffic sounds, and the same soundscape with 40 mile per hour traffic sounds. General mood and anxiety were assessed before and after the soundsc ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Lieutenant governor VK Saxena has given his approval to the reconstitution of Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, paving the way for govt to prepare a scheme to provide compensation to the construction workers who lost work due to the implementation of GRAP IV provisions. The board was not in place for the last couple of years. While giving his nod to its reconstitution, LG directed that immediate steps should be taken to implement Supreme Court directions to provide subsistence allowance to workers affected due to restrictions on construction activities be ...Read More >
For the second consecutive day on Monday (December 2, 2024), Delhi's air quality showed a slight improvement although it remained in the 'poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 273 in the morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's 24-hour average AQI on Sunday stood at 285, an improvement to the 'poor' category and a welcome relief following 32 consecutive days of 'very poor' and 'severe' air quality (AQI over 400). The city's air quality was last recorded in the 'poor' category on October 29 with an AQI of 268, according to the CPCB. Farm fires ris ...Read More >
Vadodara: About seven people died in four separate incidents of road mishap in Gujarat on Wednesday. Three people died and two others-all from Surat-sustained serious injuries after the tyre of a car going full speed bursted on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Express Highway near Nadiad and it collided with a truck. While two people have been injured. The accident caused a traffic jam of approximately 15 kilometers on the NH-48. About The Nadiad Accident A horrific accident took place on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Express Highway near Nadiad in the wee hours of Wednesday morning near Bilodara Bridge. A c ...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 >
Delhi residents breathed easier Thursday as air quality improved to 'moderate' after a month of severe pollution. The AQI dropped to 161, though some areas still experienced 'poor' air quality. Cooler temperatures and mist accompanied the improved air, with the minimum temperature reaching 9 degrees Celsius. The Supreme Court maintained GRAP-IV restrictions, demanding compensation for construction workers from NCR states.Residents in Delhi took a sigh of relief on Thursday as the air quality inde ...Read More >
New Delhi: The BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicle ban has been lifted in Delhi after the Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to the moderate category. The Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ease restrictions due to the improvement in the national capital's air pollution situation. Delhi had been facing high pollution levels, which led CAQM to enforce Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The court has now asked the commission to apply GRAP Stage 2. ...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 >
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 >
Delhi is facing worsening pollution and erratic weather patterns, with the air quality regularly reaching dangerous levels. This is partly due to climate change, with temperature rises and unpredictable rainfall patterns caused by global warming. The industrial revolution has played a significant role, contributing to the rise in global temperatures. The effects are already being felt, with 2024 witnessing record-breaking heat in India. Despite this, there is little action from society or leadership, with courts repeatedly stepping in to address issues like pollution and farm fires. The need f ...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 >
The Supreme Court on Monday (December 2, 2024) refused to relax emergency measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) dealing with air pollution in the national capital till it noticed a downward trend in the AQI level. A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih further sought the presence of the chief secretaries of NCR states to appear through video-conferencing to inform it whether or not any compensation was paid to the construction workers who were without work owing to the restrictions. Delhi air pollution: Air quality in Capital plunges to 'very po ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said accelerated the trial against former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee facing money laundering probe in the teacher recruitment scam, while directing his release on bail on or before February 1, 2025. The apex court's judgment came on the bail plea of Chatterjee in the money laundering case arising out of the West Bengal cash-for-jobs scam. A bench led by Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said a suspect can be held in custody indefinitely. The apex court decided to grant bail to Chatterjee, prime accused in teach ...Read More >
At Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, on Monday, a teacher played the role of a vegetable seller, complete with props, while students acted as buyers. "How much is this vegetable for?" asked the teacher, setting off lively exchanges -- all over a laptop screen. Advertisement https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.png This roleplay session, part of an online lesson about markets and vegetables, is one of many such creative strategies teachers are adopting as schools across Delhi shift to remote learning due to hazardous air pollution levels. The air quality in Delhi plummeted to "se ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Election Commission (EC) on a PIL challenging its decision to increase the maximum number of voters per polling station from 1,200 to 1,500, saying it is "concerned".A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar asked senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the poll panel, to file a short affidavit explaining the rationale behind the decision. ...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 >
New Delhi: In an important direction, the Supreme Court on Thursday restrained all the courts in the country from entertaining and passing any effective interim or final orders on any lawsuits seeking relief including a survey of religious places under the 1991 law. The direction of a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan came on a batch of pleas and cross pleas relating to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday granted conditional future bail to former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case related to the cash-for-job scam. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said that Chatterjee shall be released on February 1, 2025 subject to the trial court framing charges before the winter vacation and examination of vulnerable witnesses by the second and third week of January 2025. The top court said upon his release Chatterjee shall not hold any public office but can continue as MLA. The bench said that a suspect canno ...Read More >