CATEGORIES

The disenchantment with the secular ideal

The secular ethos envisaged in the Constitution should be the foundation for governing India

When Colombo comes calling

President Dissanayake's visit should allay fears of a Sri Lankan pivot towards China

Pragmatism undergirds New Delhi's China policy

The outcome of two recent meetings, one between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and the other between defence minister Rajnath Singh and Chinese defence minister Dong Jun, indicate that the reset of India-China relations is proceeding apace.

Simultaneous polls are an imperative for India

Following the Union Cabinet's approval, the introduction in Parliament of amendment bills to usher in simultaneous elections is a significant moment for India's storied parliamentary democracy.

92% SANITATION WORKERS FROM SC, ST, OBC GROUPS: DATA

Two-thirds of sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs) in urban local bodies across India, surveyed by the Union government, come from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities, the Centre informed Parliament on Tuesday.

Justice Yadav appears before SC collegium

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court collegium on Tuesday convened a meeting with Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad high court, a rare intervention that was meant to address the latter's controversial remarks at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) event earlier this month.

B'desh official criticises PM for Vijay Diwas post

B'DESH GOVT LAW ADVISER SLAMMED PM MODI'S POST, SAYING INDIA WAS 'MERELY AN ALLY' TO BANGLADESH IN THE 1971 WAR

After cabinet snub, Bhujbal questions NCP leadership

MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday criticised party chief and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and other party leaders for \"sidelining\" senior members and taking decisions without consultation following his exclusion from the state cabinet.

Govt push for ONOP will test its ability to garner numbers

NEW DELHI: The NDA government's ambitious plan for simultaneous national and state polls with the One Nation, One Election could be a test of its ability to muster the requisite numbers as it doesn't have a two-third majority needed to push through a Constitution amendment under Article 368 in the Lok Sabha.

K'TAKA MATERNAL DEATHS: OPPN ACCUSES GOVT OF NEGLIGENCE

Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly R Ashoka on Tuesday accused the Congress-led government of negligence over the recent maternal deaths in Ballari district of Karnataka.

Legal experts divided over plans to conduct simultaneous elections

NEW DELHI: Former judges and constitutional experts are divided over the proposal to hold concurrent elections to state assemblies and Parliament, with one section saying it aligns with constitutional principles while the other warn of potential threats to democracy.

Opposition calls move an assault on basic structure, federal spirit

NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the bills introduced in the Lok Sabha that propose simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, arguing that the legislation undermines federalism, violates the Constitution's basic structure, was introduced without adequate consultation with states and envisions an impractical scenario.

Priority is to ensure rebels give up arms: Shah to anti-Maoist op chiefs

Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting with top officials of all security forces engaged in anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh on Monday, during which he reviewed ongoing operations and plans for the following year, officials privy to the details of the meeting said.

JMM THREATENS COAL BLOCKADE AS CENTRE REJECTS CLAIMS OF DUES

The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Tuesday threatened the blockade of coal supply from the state after the union finance ministry denied the state's claims that the central coal mining firms owe ₹1.36 lakh crores to it.

PM launches Raj projects to mark 1 year of BJP rule

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Congress of obstructing farmer welfare while inaugurating development projects worth ₹46,300 crore in Rajasthan.

NTA to only conduct entrance tests as part of exam reforms

NEW DELHI: The National Testing Agency (NTA) will, from 2025, conduct only entrance exams for higher education institutions and not recruitment exams, a move aimed at improving its functioning — the agency has been roiled by controversies, mostly around paper leaks — and in keeping with the recommendations of a high-level committee set up in June 2024.

Thieves make away with gold worth ₹5.79 cr from jewellery store

MUMBAI: In the early hours of Tuesday, burglars broke into a jewellery store in Thane West and made away with more than 6kg gold jewellery.

Navy officer gets bail in South Korea visa racket case

The sessions court recently granted bail to Indian navy official, sub-lieutenant Brahma Jyoti Sharma, arrested by the Mumbai crime branch in connection with the South Korean visa racket case.

BIRLA ESTATES BUYS 70.92-ACRE PLOT IN BOISAR FOR ₹104.3 CRORE

Aditya Birla Real Estate's arm, Birla Estates Pvt Ltd, has acquired 70.92 acres of land in Mumbai Metropolitan Region's (MMR's) Boisar for ₹104.3 crore.

HSBC PROBE FINDS 55 FAKE CREDIT CARD USERS; FIR REGISTERED

MUMBAI: The Azad Maidan police have booked unidentified persons for obtaining 55 credit cards from HSBC Bank using forged documents and addresses and duping the bank of ₹1.26 crore.

COURT DENIES BAIL TO BHIMA KOREGAON ACCUSED WILSON

A special NIA court last week rejected the temporary bail plea filed by activist Rona Wilson, who is lodged at the Taloja central jail in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case.

Human trafficking racket kingpin held in Karnataka

MUMBAI: The Matunga police on Tuesday arrested a 52-year-old man operating a trafficking gang, who is the main accused in a baby selling racket case.

No takers for auction of BMC's 3 prime SoBo plots

MUMBAI: The BMC's proposal to auction three prime plots in Worli, Crawford Market and Malabar Hill has received no response from bidders.

MAN HELD WITH ₹4.7 CR COCAINE IN SCOOTER

MUMBAI: A 44-year-old man was arrested by the Dongri Police on Monday for having 940 grams of cocaine in his possession.

Thane residents approach HC, seek relocation of RMC plant

MUMBAI: Residents of Haware Citi, a township in Thane's Kasarvadavali, have approached the Bombay high court seeking relocation of a ready-mix concrete plant (RMC) in their vicinity, claiming it was built in the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of Sanjay Gandhi National Park without obtaining mandatory permissions.

A Konkan village empties out every four years to rejuvenate it

As part of 500-yr-old practice, villagers exit Achara for a few days to let its natural resources revive

Villagers plan protest against Third Mumbai

RESIDENTS OF 124 VILLAGES ARE ANGRY OVER THE ABSENCE OF A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 25,000 OBJECTIONS FILED BY THE GRAM PANCHAYATS AND GRAM SABHAS

BILL TO INCREASE STAMP DUTY ON AFFIDAVIT TABLED

In a bill tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday to amend the Maharashtra Stamp Act 1958, the state government proposed to increase the stamp duty for indemnity bonds, exchange of property, agreements, memorandum of agreements, and share warrants, to ₹500 from ₹100 and ₹200.

Uddhav meets Fadnavis for first time since Sena split

NAGPUR: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray met Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur on Tuesday, marking their first official meeting since the Shiv Sena split two and a half years ago.

Fadnavis was keen to induct me, Ajit nixed it, says Bhujbal

MUMBAI: A day after expressing his displeasure about being denied a ministerial position in the Mahayuti 2.0 government, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday trained his guns on his party chief Ajit Pawar.