IPA Webdesk
4158 stories by IPA Webdesk
Karnataka Backlash Over Religious Symbol Restrictions
Allegations have emerged that Brahmin students appearing for the Common Entrance Test in Shivamogga and Bidar districts were instructed to remove sacred threads and other religious symbols before entering examination centres. The Karnataka government has pledged to investigate the matter and take appropriate action. The Karnataka Examination Authority had...
Delhi Lifts Budgetary Spending Cap, Reinstates 2019 Financial Protocol
The Delhi government has rescinded its earlier directive that limited departmental expenditures for April to 5% of the 2025–26 budget estimates. Effective immediately, all departments are instructed to adhere to the financial powers delegated through a 2019 order issued by the then Lieutenant Governor. The initial spending cap, introduced...
Supreme Court Affirms Urdu Signage as Integral to Hindustani Heritage
The Supreme Court has upheld the inclusion of Urdu on the signboard of the Patur Municipal Council in Maharashtra’s Akola district, emphasising that language is a facet of culture and should not be a source of division. The court described Urdu as “the finest specimen of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb,” highlighting...
Supreme Court Scrutinises Waqf Law Amidst Mounting Legal Challenges
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, presiding over a pivotal Supreme Court hearing, has urged the Union government to address critical constitutional concerns surrounding the Waqf Act, 2025. The legislation, which has ignited widespread debate, is under intense judicial scrutiny following a series of petitions challenging its validity. The Waqf Act,...
Abdullah Rebuts Dulat’s Claim of Article 370 Support
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has categorically denied assertions made by former Research and Analysis Wing chief A.S. Dulat, who alleged in his latest book that Abdullah privately endorsed the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Abdullah dismissed the claim as “completely wrong,” emphasising that he was under detention...
Alliance Talks Stir Tamil Nadu’s Political Landscape
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has reignited speculation about a potential alliance with the BJP for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, stating that a decision will be made in six months. This marks a significant shift from the party’s earlier stance of contesting the elections independently. The...
Murshidabad Unrest Spurs Legal Scrutiny and Federal Intervention
Violent protests erupted in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district following the enactment of the Waqf Act, 2025, leading to multiple fatalities, injuries, and significant property damage. The Calcutta High Court has since directed the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces and instructed the National Investigation Agency to assess whether the...
Uttarakhand’s Madarsas Embrace State Curriculum with Optional Sanskrit
Madarsas across Uttarakhand will now follow the state education board’s curriculum, integrating subjects such as science and mathematics. The initiative, spearheaded by the Uttarakhand Waqf Board, aims to align madarsa education with mainstream academic standards. Sanskrit will be offered as an optional subject alongside Arabic, reflecting a broader educational...
Supreme Court Signals Temporary Halt on Key Waqf Act Amendments
The Supreme Court has indicated its intention to issue an interim order maintaining the status quo on certain provisions of the Waqf Act, 2025, following a series of petitions challenging the law’s constitutionality. During a hearing, the bench highlighted three specific procedural areas—registration, management, and adjudication of Waqf properties—where...
Uttarakhand Seals Over 170 Unregistered Madrasas
Authorities in Uttarakhand have sealed at least 173 madrasas across the state, citing their failure to register with the Madrasa Board or the education department. The move, described by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami as a “historic step,” aims to address institutions allegedly promoting radicalism under the guise of...
Budgam Court Orders Hizbul Chief Salahuddin to Appear in 2002 Case
A court in Budgam has issued a formal proclamation notice against Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, directing him to appear within a month in connection with a 2002 murder and Arms Act case. Failure to comply will initiate proceedings to declare him a proclaimed offender. The proclamation, dated April...
Telangana Legislates Internal Reservation for Scheduled Castes
Telangana has become the first state to legislate internal reservation for Scheduled Castes , dividing the existing 15% quota among 59 sub-castes based on their socio-economic status. The Telangana Scheduled Castes Bill, 2025, passed unanimously in the state assembly, aims to address disparities in the distribution of benefits among...
Supreme Court to Scrutinise Waqf Law Today
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a series of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf Act, 2025, today. A special three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, is expected to take up the matter around 2 PM....
Gandhis Face Criminal Charges in National Herald Financial Probe
The Enforcement Directorate has formally filed a prosecution complaint against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, marking a significant escalation in the National Herald money laundering investigation. The complaint, submitted to a special court in New Delhi on April 9, accuses the Congress leaders of orchestrating a complex financial scheme...
Murshidabad Unrest Sparks Widespread Arrests
Over 200 individuals have been detained and 11 First Information Reports filed following violent protests in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, against the Waqf Act, 2025. The clashes, which erupted on 8 April, have resulted in three fatalities and significant disruptions to public infrastructure. The unrest began with demonstrations opposing...
Governor’s Call for Religious Chant Sparks Political Storm in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi’s reported exhortation to college students to chant “Jai Shri Ram” has ignited a political firestorm, drawing sharp criticism from educational bodies and political leaders who accuse him of breaching constitutional norms and secular principles. The Secular Progressive Confederation of State Scholars-Tamil Nadu ,...
Paras Severs Ties with NDA Amid Seat-Sharing Dispute
Pashupati Kumar Paras, leader of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party and former Union Minister, has formally announced his party’s withdrawal from the National Democratic Alliance . This decision follows the RLJP’s exclusion from the NDA’s seat-sharing arrangement in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. At a press conference...
Trump Targets Drug and Chip Imports with Tariff Investigations
The Trump administration has initiated formal investigations into imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, signalling potential new tariffs on these sectors under national security provisions. On April 1, 2025, the Department of Commerce launched Section 232 investigations under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, examining whether the importation of pharmaceutical...
