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Supreme Court notice to ED on Soren’s plea against arrest
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a petition filed by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). A bench hearing the case posted the matter in the week commencing from May 6 stating that, in the meantime, it shall be...
Delhi Cong chief resigns, cites rift with party on AAP alliance
Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely today resigned as the chief of the party’s Delhi unit over its alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Arvinder Singh Lovely said that several AAP ministers have been jailed over corruption charges, still the Congress formed an alliance with them for the Lok...
Modi says Cong taking support of banned PFI in Wayanad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting India’s Rajas and Maharajas, but remaining silent on the atrocities committed by Nawabs, Nizams, Sultans and Badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics. He also continued his attack against the Congress on the “inheritance tax” issue...
Supreme Court dismisses pleas for 100% VVPAT verification
The Supreme Court today rejected petitions seeking 100% verification of votes cast on Electronic Voting Machines with paper slips generated through the VVPAT method. The two-judge bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta delivered concurrent but separate judgments. “While balanced perspective is important, blindly doubting a system...
Congress in firefighting mode amid row over Pitroda remarks
In a stunning own goal that has pushed the Congress on the backfoot, senior party leader Sam Pitroda today stoked the debate over the BJP’s allegations that the Congress is planning a redistribution of wealth. Mr Pitroda’s example of an inheritance tax in the US added fuel to the...
Supreme Court asks EC 4 questions on how VVPATs work
The Supreme Court will today pronounce its verdict on a batch of petitions seeking directions to tally Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with votes cast through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the elections. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta this morning asked a senior official...
Questions over credibility of Election Commission: Brinda
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat raised questions about the credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) following what she calls “a shocking statement” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to Ms Karat, the Prime Minister’s words violated Indian laws against inciting communal enmity and hate...
Kejriwal administered insulin in jail after sugar levels soar
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was today administered insulin at Tihar jail after his blood sugar level soared, reaching 320. The AAP chief yesterday accused the Tihal jail administration of not providing him with insulin despite repeated requests. Kejriwal’s accusations were met with a rebuttal from the Tihar jail...
Storm over Modi’s remark on Muslims as national burden
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election speech in Rajasthan’s Banswara has raised a controversy over his references to Muslims, with leaders of the Opposition bloc INDIA calling the speech an attempt to divert attention from “real issues”. “This ‘urban Naxal’ mindset, mothers and sisters, they will not even leave your...
Musk attributes India visit change to ‘very heavy Tesla obligations’
Tesla chief Elon Musk this morning said he has postponed his planned trip to India due to “very heavy Tesla obligations”, a day before his visit was expected to begin. Musk, who owns Tesla and SpaceX, was to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit and announce...
Iran warns Israel of ‘maximum level’ response
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Friday that Iran will respond at an immediate and “maximum level” if Israel acts against its interests. “If Israel wants to do another adventurism and acts against the interests of Iran, our next response will be immediate and will be at the...
Gunfire exchange near Manipur polling booth
Gunshots were fired near a polling booth in Manipur this morning. A 25-second video circulating online shows commotion and people shouting before two shots are heard in quick succession. A third shot is then heard, presumably in response to the first two. After this a volley of gunshots –...
Missionary school attacked after students object to saffron attire
A mob vandalised a missionary school in Telangana’s Mancherial district and manhandled the institution’s staff after the principal questioned some students wearing religious attire to campus. Following a complaint from the students’ parents, police have registered a case against two staff members, including the principal, under sections related to...
US cautious over Modi remark about terrorists being killed
The US has encouraged India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday. Asked whether the Biden administration is concerned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks that India will not hesitate to...
Cong protests envoy’s ‘single dynastic party’ jab
The Congress has objected to an Indian envoy accusing a “single dynastic party” of corruption in remarks published in a leading Irish daily. Akhilesh Mishra, the Indian ambassador to Ireland, made the remarks in a rejoinder after the embassy termed an editorial published in The Irish Times “highly biased...
Ramdev, aide in Supreme Court today
Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna are in the Supreme Court today as it hears the contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved in connection with its misleading ads and Covid cure claims. The court had come down heavily on the Patanjali founders during the previous hearing last week. It...
Indian nationals in Israel urged to follow safety protocols
As Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel – marking a new and more volatile phase of the Middle East conflict – India yesterday urged its nationals in Israel to “stay calm” and follow the safety protocols issued by the local authorities. The Indian embassy in Israel also issued...
Air India flights avoid Iranian airspace amid rising tensions
Air India flights will be avoiding Iranian airspace amid soaring Middle East tensions as warnings grew of retaliation for Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy, sources said today. A London-bound Air India flight took longer route to avoid Iranian airspace this morning, tracking website Flightradar24 showed. The flights may now take...
