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.
Kolkata, April 4: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has begun probing the harassment of judicial adjudication officers at Kaliachak in West Bengal's Malda district, will focus in its first preliminary report on whether the incident was driven by spontaneous public anger or was a pre-planned attempt to derail the ongoing judicial adjudication process. The agency's initial findings, to be submitted to the Supreme Court next week, sources say, will focus on whether the incident was a result of the spontaneous public grievance because of the deletion of names of a large percentage of voters referred for judicial adjudication or whether there was any pre-planned method in orchestrating that grievance into the harassment of the judicial officers. 'The Game Is on': Mamata Banerjee Blasts BJP Over Malda Incident, ECI Transfers; Urges 'Broom Protest' on Election Day. Already, the NIA team had started its investigation into the matter after reaching Kaliachak on Friday afternoon. Although the members of the investigating team have refrained so far from speaking to the media on the progress of the investigation, sources aware of the development say that currently they are collecting background information about the 35 persons accused so far in the matter, specially the mastermind Mofakkarul Islam and Maulana Shahjahan Ali, the All India Secular Front (AISF) candidate from Mothabari assembly constituency in the West Bengal assembly polls scheduled later this month. The main investigation team comprises 15 officers, led by a Superintendent of Police-rank officer, drawn from NIA units in New Delhi and Mumbai. However, they are assisted by another team of NIA officials posted in Kolkata, familiar with the local language of the region. A division bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, earlier this week directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hand over the charge of investigation in the matter of harassment of judicial adjudication officers either to the NIA or to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Malda Hostage Incident: 35 Arrested As Probe Into Pre-Planned Conspiracy Deepens, CAPF Deployed for Judicial Security. Later, ECI opted for NIA for that purpose. On Wednesday, seven judicial officers, including three women, were held hostage inside a block office at Kaliachak in Malda district by a group of voters whose names had been deleted during the process of judicial adjudication under the "logical discrepancy" category. At around 1 a.m. on Thursday, a large police contingent led by senior district officials reached the spot, dispersed the protesters, rescued the judicial officers, and escorted them to a safe location. They had been gheraoed for around nine hours. There were also reports that, even while being shifted to a safe location after their rescue, an attempt was made to attack the convoy.
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 >
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 >
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 >
Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal has clarified that he is not in the running for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election. Speaking to the media, Samal stated that the decision on the party's nominee will rest with the BJP parliamentary board. According to Samal, the party parliament board will decide the candidate for Rajya Sabha election. He further said that whatever discussion is doing the round about his possibility to be selected from the party for the Rajya Sabha election is fictitious and the party parliament board will take a formal decision in this regard soon. The Ele ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Atishi on Thursday described Aam Admi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal as a prominent leader and said he is the first leader who understood the pain of women. "Arvind Kejriwal, the prominent leader, is the first leader in the history of this country who understood the pain of women. The biggest concern for women is that they have to stretch out their hands before a man even for their humble needs. In childhood, it is before their parents, before their spous ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: In a new twist to the prevailing potato crisis in Odisha, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Thursday blamed the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for "playing dirty politics over the tuber" to defame the BJP government in the state. Speaking to the media today, Patra alleged that an artificial scarcity of potatoes has been created to defame the state government. Stating that he was clueless about the politics by West Bengal Chief Minister, he said, "I fail to understand why Mamata Banerjee first stopped the supply of potatoes to Odisha and later a ...Read More >
Lalu Yadav was reacting to Nitish Kumar's plans to launch the Mahila Samwad Yatra, an initiative aimed at directly engaging with women in Bihar. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday stoked controversy after passing a sexist remark at Nitish Kumar's upcoming women's rally, saying that the Bihar Chief Minister was attending it to "ogle at women." Yadav was reacting to Kumar's plans to launch the Mahila Samwad Yatra, an initiative aimed at directly engaging with women in Bihar. "Nain sekne ja ra ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet cleared the bill for the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal on Thursday (December 12). This development comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA have been repeatedly advocating for this initiative asserting that it will "strengthen the democracy" by holding simultaneous elections in the country. "Elections are held at different places every few months and it hampers the developmental work and all of you know it. Therefore, it is must to have deep study and deliberation on 'One Nation, One Election'," the PM said. "Only one voters' list should be used f ...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 >
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 >
New Delhi [India], December 6 (ANI): The Lok Sabha as part of the Winter Session of the Parliament has been adjourned until 11:00 am on December 9, as announced by the Speaker on Friday. The proceedings of the lower house were adjourned until 12 pm earlier in the day as disruptions continued for the ninth consecutive day of the winter session, with opposition members raising slogans and creating ruckus over various contentious issues. Also Read | Hashimpura Massacre Case: Supreme Court Grants Bail to 8 Convicts in Infamous 1987 Massacre Case. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made a fervent appeal ...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 >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], December 13 (ANI): AIUDF MLA and Party General Secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam responded to the Union Cabinet's approval of the 'One Nation, One Election' and labelled the bill "very difficult and almost impossible" to implement effectively, questioning its sustainability given the country's vast and diverse political landscape. The AIUDF MLA claimed that the BJP lacks the majority to pass the bill in Parliament and suggested it might be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Also Read | Atul Subhash Suicide Case: Wife Nikita Singhania Absconds, Karnataka Pol ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 15 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Lok Sabha, where he emphasized zero tolerance towards corruption. Raut questioned PM Modi's sincerity, pointing out the presence of allegedly corrupt leaders within the BJP, such as Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde. Raut's criticism also extended to PM Modi's relationship with business magnate Gautam Adani, implying that the Prime Minister's tolerance of Adani undermines his claims of zero tolerance towards corruption. "Ask your 56-inch ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Dec 15 (VOICE) Former Minority Commission Chairman Anwar Manipaddy on Sunday refuted the bribery charge levelled by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying the Congress leaders have been offering him bribes to suppress the Waqf encroachment report. CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday alleged that BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra "tried to bribe" the former Minority Commission Chairperson during the previous government with Rs 150 crore to suppress a probe into the Waqf property encroachment. Speaking to the media, Anwar Manipaddy stated that if Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has any genuine co ...Read More >
New Delhi: The opposition INDIA bloc formed to take on the BJP led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is struggling with internal rift with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah acknowledging the growing discontent among the alliance partners and asking Congress to justify its leadership role instead of taking it for granted. Suggesting the Congress to raise the issue of raise the issue of restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said the leadership "has to be earned" and cannot be taken for granted. "By virtue of being the single largest party in Parliament, and als ...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 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 >
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Lok Sabha, where he emphasized zero tolerance towards corruption. Raut questioned PM Modi's sincerity, pointing out the presence of allegedly corrupt leaders within the BJP, such as Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde. Raut's criticism also extended to PM Modi's relationship with business magnate Gautam Adani, implying that the Prime Minister's tolerance of Adani undermines his claims of zero tolerance towards corruption. Statement Of Shiv Sena-UBT Leader Sanjay Raut "Ask your 5 ...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 >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheeted another accused in the Magadh (Zone) CPI (Maoist) revival attempts case, the agency said in a statement. Binod Shankar alias Vinod Shankar Singh, a resident of Kaimur district of Bihar, is the 6th accused to be chargesheeted in the case, the agency said. The chargesheet was filed on Monday. Also Read | Pune: Doctors Perform Rare Laser Surgery on Woman Pregnant With Monoamniotic Twins To Save Healthy Foetus at KEM Hospital. A supplementary chargesheet has been filed against him under various sections o ...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 >
New Delhi: AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday alleged that the names of a large number of voters had been deleted from the electoral roll ahead of Delhi Assembly polls. Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the BJP filed applications with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to delete the names of thousands of voters in Shahdara, Janakpuri, Laxmi Nagar, and other seats. "The BJP has filed an application to delete the names of 11,018 voters in the Shahdara area, but when we cross-checked that application on 500 names, 75 per cent of people were still living there, but the ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 12 (VOICE) BJP leader Rahul Sinha on Thursday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of not genuinely wanting the INDIA bloc to succeed, amid ongoing speculations about her leadership aspirations within the Opposition alliance. Sinha's remarks came after Mamata Banerjee expressed her willingness to lead the INDIA bloc, receiving backing from some alliance leaders. Following this, Mamata thanked her 'supporters', stating that she is "indebted" to their faith in her and wishes for the alliance's success. Reacting to her statements, Sinha accused Mamata of harbouring pe ...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 >