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.
Jodhpur, Mar 30 (PTI) In a significant ruling on affirmative action for transgender persons, the Rajasthan High Court's Jodhpur bench has held that the state's policy of including them under the OBC category offers no meaningful benefit, and granted interim relief by directing 3 per cent additional marks weightage in recruitment and admissions. A Division Bench of Justices Arun Monga and Yogendra Kumar Purohit passed the order while disposing of a writ petition filed by Ganga Kumari, who had challenged a January 12, 2023, notification of the state government. In its order pronounced on Monday, the bench directed the state to constitute a high-level committee to undertake a detailed study on the socio-economic marginalisation of transgender persons across categories and recommend a suitable reservation framework. The government has been asked to take a policy decision based on the committee's findings. Ganga Kumari had sought quashing of the 2023 notification and a direction to provide horizontal reservation in public employment and education, relying on the Supreme Court's mandate recognising transgender persons as a distinct class entitled to affirmative action. She argued that inclusion within the OBC list without a separate quota rendered the benefit ineffective and, in some cases, detrimental. Her counsel contended that transgender individuals belonging to SC/ST or other backward categories were forced into a disadvantageous choice -- either retain their caste-based reservation or opt for the transgender category -- without any additional benefit. It was also pointed out that the policy had not benefited any transgender person since its introduction. The state opposed the plea, maintaining that reservation structuring falls within the executive's domain and that transgender persons were already covered under the OBC reservation, along with welfare schemes and skill development initiatives. After examining the material, the court found merit in the petitioner's grievance, observing that the impugned notification was "an exercise in form without substance" and failed to translate constitutional guarantees into meaningful outcomes. It noted that the state's own affidavit confirmed the absence of any tangible benefit to the community. The bench also highlighted the anomaly whereby transgender persons from SC/ST backgrounds could lose more advantageous reservation benefits due to their blanket categorisation under OBC. However, the court declined to mandate horizontal reservation at this stage, citing limitations on judicial intervention in policy matters and practical concerns, including the small population share of transgender persons and complexities in roster implementation. As an interim measure, the court ordered that transgender candidates be granted 3 per cent additional weightage in marks in all state-run recruitment processes and admissions to educational institutions until a comprehensive policy is framed. PTI COR RHL
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday instructed officials to formulate proposals for constructing an iconic Deep-Technology building in the capital city of Amaravati. "I had built Hi-Tech City structure in Hyderabad to promote information technology. Now, it is time to embrace Deep-Tech and Artificial Intelligence to take advantage of the opportunities arising out of the latest technology," he underlined while reviewing the New IT Policy at the state secretariat. The Chief Minister announced that the state government will provide Rs 25 lakh as seed fundin ...Read More >
Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan has called for the replacement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with ballot papers, citing concerns over the legitimacy of election results. Ranjan raised doubts about the EVM's accuracy, suggesting that the results may be influenced and advocating for a ballot paper system like many other countries. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also echoed similar sentiments, accusing EVMs of wasting votes from marginalized communities. This comes after the Congress' defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly election. The Supreme Court, however, dismissed a petition seeking th ...Read More >
Lucknow, December 3: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday, emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on using the term "Divyang" and respecting their sentiments has inspired persons with disabilities to advance in life and various fields with dignity. He highlighted that whenever Divyangjans have been given opportunities, they have consistently demonstrated their exceptional talents and abilities. Speaking at a state-level award ceremony at Lok Bhavan on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Chief Minister celebrated the achievements of Divyangjans and reaffi ...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 >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Large-scale illegal stone mining is taking place in the hills of Karbi Anglong in violation of the Supreme Court order. The SC had banned mining in and around K ...Read More >
Jaipur, Jun 5 (PTI) Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Thursday called upon people to adopt an environment-friendly lifestyle and said that the conservation of nature is the moral responsibility of all. He was addressing a state-level programme organised here on the occasion of World Environment Day and Ganga Dussehra. Sharma said that the conservation of nature is not just an option but a dire necessity. Environmental conservation and preventing the ill effects of climate change is our moral responsibility and duty. Water conservation in Rajasthan has been an integral part of the state's c ...Read More >
Srinagar: The Centre on Tuesday announced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh, reserving 85% jobs for locals and one-third of the total number of seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women. Both Kargil Democratic Alliance (KBL) and Apex Body Leh (ABL), which are fighting for implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the Union Territory (UT), statehood, a separate public service commission and two Lok Sabha seats for Ladakh, welcomed the noti ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- India will start counting its vast population in a mammoth exercise starting next year. The first census in 16 years will be conducted digitally and include controversial questions about caste for the first time since independence. The Home Ministry announced plans to conduct a two-stage count ending March 1, 2027, in a statement Wednesday night. India's last official census in 2011 counted 1.21 billion people. The country's population is now estimated to be well over 1.4 billion, making it the world's most populous country, according to the U.N.'s Department of Economic an ...Read More >
Rajgir (Bihar), Jun 6 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar over the law and order situation, alleging that the state has turned into "the crime capital of India". Addressing the 'Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan' in Nalanda's Rajgir, Gandhi also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "remaining silent" on US President Donald Trump's claims of brokering peace between India and Pakistan during the military conflict. "Bihar, once considered the land of peace and justice, has now turned into the crime capital of India," the former ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: BJP leader Amit Malviya on Tuesday accused Rahul Gandhi of being "so arrogant that he did not even greet the President" during the 75th Constitution Day event held in Parliament. This comes as the grand old party has often voiced its criticism against the saffron party for not inviting President Droupadi Murmu at the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building last year and Ram Temple consecration this year. "Rahul Gandhi is so arrogant that he did not even greet the President. Just because she comes from the tribal community, is a woman and Rahul Gandhi is the prince of ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Dec 11 (PTI) The National Law School of India University, which has pioneered and developed an integrated five-year BA LLB (honours) degree that transformed Indian legal education, has now come up with a three-year (honours) BA course with an option of an additional fourth year. The first cohort of the programme will be admitted in July 2025, the NLSIU said. "We are looking to develop something that is responsive to 2025, but is completely different," the NLSIU Vice Chancellor Sudhir Krishnaswamy said at the launch of the programme. He said the university will teach the social sc ...Read More >
Jharkhand supplementary budget: The Jharkhand Assembly on Thursday (December 12) passed the second supplementary budget of Rs 11,697.45 crore for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Following the budget's passage, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato adjourned the four-day session of the assembly sine die. Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore tabled the second supplementary budget, with the largest allocation of Rs 6,390.55 crore directed to the Women, Child Development, and Social Security Department. This significant funding aims to enhance the government's flagship initiative, the Maiyan Samman Yojana. Und ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI): Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday lashed out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar, saying that he can't "bulldoze" Ambedkar's legacy which remains a voice for the oppressed communities. "Yesterday, Amit Shah who believes in Manuwaad and who is a follower of Savarkar has expressed his anti-mindset of Ambedkar (anti-Ambedkar mindset)...We will try to say to him 'Ambedkar Jai'...because he can't just bulldoze Ambedkar's legacy. Ambedkar legacy means voice for those oppressed communities of OBCs, SCs and STs, and all othe ...Read More >
Kerala TET 2024 Admit Card: The Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan will issue admit cards for the Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test (KTET) today, January 8, 2025. Applicants can get the Kerala TET admit card from the official website, ktet.kerala.gov.in. The Kerala TET 2024 exams will take place on January 18 and 19, 2025. The first shift will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by the second shift from 2 p.m. The Kerala TET exam is administered twice a year to verify candidates' ability to teach in lower and upper elementary schools throughout the state. Also Read:- NBE FMGE Admit Card Dece ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday demanded an immediate apology from the Opposition Congress over the remarks of party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on President Droupadi Murmu and said those were insults for the people of Odisha and the Santal community also. Majhi expressed his opinion on the ongoing debate over the alleged disrespect to the country's first tribal woman President through a long post on X. "Sonia Gandhi's comment, 'Poor lady President Murmu got tired at the end,' and Rahul Gandhi's 'boring' remarks are not just insults to I ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 6: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, is expected to announce the AIIMS BSc Nursing Result 2025 soon. Candidates who appeared for the B.Sc (H) Nursing examination can check and download the results on the official website of AIIMS at aiimsexams.ac.in when declared. It must be noted that the AIIMS B.Sc Nursing written exam was held on June 1. The board is likely to declare the results today, June 6. That said, the institute has not yet shared any official results. The AIIMS B.Sc Nursing exam consisted of one paper, which lasted two hours. The exam p ...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 >
Patna (Bihar) [India], December 15 (ANI): Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lallan) Singh on Sunday accused the Congress of insulting the Constitution since Independence and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken about this in his address to the Lok Sabha. Speaking to mediapersons, Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said, "The Congress party has disrespected the Constitution since Independence and PM Modi showed them the mirror in Lok Sabha." On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of constantly disrespecting the Constitution. Responding to the two-day discussion in Lok Sabh ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (VOICE) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack at the Congress party, accusing it of indulging in every possible dirty trick to obliterate the legacy of Dr. Ambedkar and also humiliate the SC/ST communities. PM Modi's tirade came on back of Congress's demand for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah, whom they accused of disrespecting Dr Ambedkar during his speech in the Rajya Sabha. In a series of posts on X, PM Modi lambasted the Congress, claiming the party had a long history of undermining Ambedkar's contributions. "In Parliament, HM ...Read More >
Mhow (M.P), Jan 27 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday urged party workers to unite in saving the Constitution, saying the Dalits, backwards, tribals and poor will suffer otherwise. Addressing the "Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan" rally here, he also branded the BJP-RSS people as "traitors" and said the Congress will never tolerate the exploitation of the poor in the name of religion. Taking a swipe at BJP leaders taking holy dip at the Maha Kumbh, Kharge said taking a dip in the holy Ganga will not help remove poverty. He, however, stressed that he does not wish to hurt ...Read More >
Kochi, Feb 3 (PTI) The opposition Congress-led UDF on Monday intensified its criticism of Union Ministers George Kurian and Suresh Gopi over their recent controversial statements, calling their remarks "immature" and accusing BJP leaders like them of having contempt for Kerala. Addressing reporters here, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, strongly criticised the "backward" remark made by Kurian, the Minister of State for Minorities and Fisheries, on Union Budget day, and stated that Kerala has only sought the funds it rightfully deserves from the centre. Taking a ...Read More >
Ranchi, Dec 12 (PTI)The Jharkhand Assembly on Thursday passed the second supplementary budget of Rs 11,697.45 crore for the 2024-25 fiscal. After this, the four-day session of the assembly was adjourned sine die by Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato. Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore tabled the second supplementary budget, allocating a maximum outlay of Rs 6,390.55 crore to the women, child development and social security department to boost the government's flagship scheme Maiyan Samman Yojana. Under this scheme, the state government initially provided Rs 1,000 per month to women between the ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 17 (PTI) Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday launched a veiled attack on party president Ajit Pawar over his exclusion from the new council of ministers, claiming Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was in favour of his induction in the cabinet. He said Ajit Pawar, the NCP president, makes decisions for the party like Fadnavis for the BJP and Eknath Shinde for the Shiv Sena. Amid speculation over his "Jahan nahi chaina, wahan nahi rehna" remark a day before, Bhujbal said he would speak on Wednesday after discussing with NCP workers and people from the Yeola cons ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Efforts of ACB officials to weed out corrupt officials are being affected by bureaucratic delays, in some cases influenced by the accused officials, resulting in delayed prosecution and justice. The conviction rate in the cases involving bribery and disproportionate assets, registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), is low because of the delayed clearances from the vigilance and enforcement for prosecution, and the department concerned. Director-general Vijay Kumar said the ACB had registered 152 cases and arrested 223 accused in 2024. Of these, 129 were trap cases involving ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 17 (PTI) CPI(M) MP and former Kerala Minister K Radhakrishnan on Tuesday attributed the non-availability of an ambulance to transport a tribal woman's body to a failure by lower-level officials and assured appropriate action against those responsible. Radhakrishnan said the state has "sufficient facilities and systems in place" to handle such situations, but incidents like this occur when officials fail allegedly to act promptly. "The state government will intervene effectively in the matter. Appropriate action will be taken against those who failed to perform their d ...Read More >
New Delhi, January 31: The unveiling of the Economic Survey on Friday sets the stage for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present the Union Budget for 2025-26 in Parliament on Saturday (February 1), which is expected to continue the government's policy of giving a big push to economic growth with equity. The government has prioritised improving the quality of life in rural areas to ensure equitable and inclusive development, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25. The survey highlights financial inclusion as a key focus, with rural households and small businesses getting easier access ...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, Feb 3 (PTI) As the Delhi Assembly polls draw closer, AAP leader Satyendar Jain has said the people must decide whether they want to follow the governance model of developed nations like Sweden and France or end up like "failed states" such as Pakistan and Uganda. In an interview with PTI ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Jain defended the AAP's welfare-driven policies, arguing that free healthcare, education and basic utilities are essential for national progress. "If we are wrong in providing free welfare schemes, then developed countries like Sweden, France and Denmark are ...Read More >
The Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) has shared the notification for the Common Eligibility Test (CET) 2025. The registration began on May 28 and will continue till June 12. The application process will be submitted online through the official website, hssc.gov.in. The CET exam will be held to recruit eligible candidates for various Group C and Group D posts in the state government. The last date to register for the HSSC is June 12. The commission has not shared any exam date so far, but it is expected to take place in June or July. How to apply for Haryana CET 2025? Here are the ...Read More >
Census 2027: India's largest data exercise returns with digital tools and caste focus | Illustration: Binay Sinha After a nearly six-year delay, India's decennial census is finally back on the agenda. It would be conducted in two phases along with the enumeration of castes. India's population census is expected to be released on March 1, 2027. Here is everything known so far. What is the census and why it matters India's census is the largest population count in the world, conducted every 10 years by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, under the Ministry of Home Aff ...Read More >