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 [India], April 7 (ANI): The Supreme Court has commenced hearing in the long-pending Sabarimala temple entry review along with a batch of connected matters, which raise significant constitutional questions concerning the scope of religious freedom, the doctrine of essential religious practices and the limits of judicial intervention in matters of faith. The nine-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and comprising of Justices Joymalya Bagchi, B. V. Nagarathna, R. Mahadevan, M. M. Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, A. G. Masih and Prasanna B. Varale, will examine issues including -- the scope and ambit of the right to freedom of religion under Article 25; the interplay between individual rights under Article 25 and denominational rights under Article 26; whether Article 26 rights are subject to other provisions of Part III beyond public order, morality and health; the meaning and extent of "morality" under Articles 25 and 26, including whether it encompasses constitutional morality; the scope of judicial review over religious practices; the interpretation of the phrase "sections of Hindus" in Article 25(2)(b); and whether a person outside a religious denomination can challenge its practices through a public interest litigation. Earlier, in 2018, a Constitution Bench of the apex court permitted the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, striking down the centuries-old practice that barred women between the ages of 10 and 50. On November 14, 2019, a five-judge Constitution Bench led by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi, by a 3:2 majority, held that the issues arising in the review petitions against the Sabarimala judgment were not confined to the temple alone, but raised broader and recurring questions of constitutional interpretation concerning the interplay between the right to equality and the right to freedom of religion. The Court identified a set of overlapping constitutional issues that also arose in other pending matters. These included: (i) the permissibility of restricting the entry of Muslim women into mosques, particularly the challenge to practices that bar women from offering prayers in certain Islamic places of worship; (ii) the validity of the practice of Female Genital Mutilation among the Dawoodi Bohra community, examined in light of dignity and essential religious practices and (iii) the rights of Parsi women who marry outside the community to enter Parsi Fire Temples. Subsequently, a nine-judge Constitution Bench on February 10, 2020, upheld the decision of the Sabarimala Review Bench to refer to a larger Bench broad questions concerning the interplay between essential religious practices, equality, and constitutional morality across faiths. In February 2026, the top court had, while fixing a schedule for the hearings, noted,"A nine-judge bench shall commence hearing in these matters on April 7, 2026 (Tuesday) at 10:30 AM. The review petitioners or the parties supporting them shall be heard from April 7-9, April 2026. The original writ petitioners opposing the review petitioners shall be heard on April 14-16, 2026. The rejoinder submissions, if any, will be heard on April 21, 2026, followed by the final and concluding submissions by the learned amicus, which is expected to be over by April 22." (ANI)
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 >
Filmmaker Jayan K Cherian; stills from his latest film 'Rhythm of Dammam', on the Siddi Community of Yellapur in Uttara Kannada (north Karnataka). The stunningly shot and evocative Rhythm of Dammam, in Siddi Bhasha, is the first fictional feature ever to be made on the Indian Siddi community that traces its ancestry to Africa. In the film, the pre-teen Jayaram, who lives in Karnataka's Yellapura, is afflicted by his dead grandfather's visions, as his impoverished family fights over supposed buried treasure. But Jayaram is a chosen one, the visitations will lead him to discover his community's ...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 >
Hindus and members of other minority groups say they have faced more attacks than ever since an interim government replaced the ousted prime minister, as Islamist groups have become more prominent and demoralized security agencies have left a security vacuum. The government says the threat to Hindus has been exaggerated. Around 91% of Bangladeshs population is Muslim, with Hindus making up almost all of the rest. Officials, witnesses and local media reports said that Krishna Das Prabhu, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, was arrested in Dhakas main airport on Monday while traveli ...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 >
New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Responding on the arrest and denial of bail of Chinmoy Krishna Das the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday urged Bangladeshi government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus. "We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote", the statement said. "This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There are several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities' ho ...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 >
Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. IMAGE: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant hands over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira. Photograph: @DrPramodPSawant/X Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Ame ...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 Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country. "What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale. Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters d ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): The Supreme Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition on Tuesday seeking the reintroduction of the physical paper ballot voting system in elections in India. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and PB Varale dismissed the plea filed by evangelist KA Paul seeking physical ballot voting in India. During the hearing, the petitioner said that even leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had questioned Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering. To this the bench said what happens is, if you win the elections, EVMs are not tamper ...Read More >
ISKCON Bangladesh has strongly condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader, and spokesperson for the "Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot" and also issued a list of demands to the Muhammad Yunus-led government for subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh. The organisation has also issued a statement and called upon the government authorities to promote peaceful coexistence. ISKCON Bangladesh made note of the above points and more matters in a statement issued, regarding the current situation in Bangladesh and the arres ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...Read More >
Dhaka: A writ petition has been filed in the Bangladesh High Court seeking a ban on the broadcast of Indian TV channels in the country citing growing concerns over the impact of Indian media on Bangladeshi culture and society, Dhaka Tribune reported. Lawyer Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan, who filed the petition on Monday, is seeking a directive under the Cable Television Network Operation Act 2006 to prohibit the broadcast of Indian TV channels. It also asks why a rule should not be issued instructing a ban on Indian TV channels in Bangladesh, as per Dhaka Tribune. The hearing on the application may ...Read More >
Panaji, Dec 10 (PTI) Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Shane is the second person from the coastal state to receive the certificate, after Joseph Francis Pereira, another Pakistani citizen who was granted Indian citizenship in August this year. Shane, originally from Demello Wado ...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 >
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 >