A day before the biennial polls for the ten seats of the Rajya Sabha, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday barred Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator Mukhtar Ansari from voting, an official said. The high court, staying the earlier order of the Ghazipur court which had allowed the mafia don-turned-politician to vote in polls on Friday, issued notice to Ansari, who is lodged in the Banda jail on charges of attempt to murder and conspiracy. Justice Rajul Bhargava issued the order on a petition filed by the Uttar Pradesh government, challenging the March 20 order of the Ghazipur court. Ansari, through the prison authorities, had written a letter to the special judge in Ghazipur requesting that he be allowed to cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. States counsel A.K. Sound and Vikas Sahay had pleaded before the HC that the Ghazipur court had taken a one-sided view on the matter without even considering the Representation of the People Acts section 62 (5). The HC in its order, citing the Anukul Chandra Pradhan case heard by the Supreme Court, observed that the Rajya Sabha polls are also associated with this section of the electoral law and hence Ansari cannot…
Month: April 2016
Major rejig in BJP: Rakesh Singh appointed MP chief, Rajasthan unit president also resigns
Having suffered back to back jolts in recent bypolls, the Bharatiya Janata Party has moved to made some changes in its state units ahead of elections. The party has appointed a new party president in Madhya Pradesh, while it is set to bring in one in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. In MP, the party appointed Rakesh Singh, its chief whip in Lok Sabha, as new state president. Singh replaced Nandkumar Singh Chauhan had held the post since 2014. In Rajasthan and AP, party chief Ashok Parmani and K Hari Babu have quit their posts making way for a new face to head the organisation in the respective state. However, the saffron party has not sidelined the three outgoing chiefs and has appointed them as the members of its national executive. Parmani resigned as chief of partys Rajasthan unit earlier today. He was appointed to the post in February 2014 and is an MLA from Jaipurs Adarsh Nagar constituency. Some sources told news agency PTI that new state heads will be announced soon. Speaking to media, Parnami said that he has worked for strengthening the party as its worker, and will continue to do so. Commenting upon the partys performance in…
Delhi HC seeks CBI’s reply on sentencing in a coal scam case
Delhi High Court today sought the CBIs response on an appeal by director of Gondwana Ispat Ltd challenging his conviction and sentence of four years in a coal scam case relating to the allocation of a coal block in Maharashtra. Justice S P Garg issued notice to the CBI on the plea by Ashok Daga who has also sought suspension of his jail term till the pendency of his appeal. He listed the matter for further hearing on May 28. A trial court had on May 1 awarded four-year jail term to Daga and imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on him and Rs 60 lakh on the firm. Daga has been in custody since April 27 after the court had held that he and the company were guilty of cheating and criminal conspiracy to get the Majra coal block in Maharashtra allocated to it. The director and the company were convicted under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC and also for the substantive offence under section 420 of the IPC. Gondwana Ispat Ltd (GIL) was allocated the Majra coal block in 2003 and an FIR was lodged against it in 2014. The CBI had…
Jharkhand Mayoral Elections Result 2018: Here are new mayors of Ranchi, Medini Nagar, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Ranchi, Adityapur
Jharkhand Mayoral Elections Result 2018: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has swept the mayoral election in the state of Jharkhand. The party has won the elections of mayor and deputy mayor posts on all 5 – Adityapur Nagar Nigam, Hazaribagh Nagar Nigam, Giridih Nagar Nigam, Medini Nagar Nagar Nigam and Ranchi Nagar Nigam. In Adityapur Nagar Nigam, BJPs Vinod Srivastava won the mayor seat, while Amit Singh from the party bagged deputy mayor post. In Hazaribagh Nagar Nigam, saffron partys Roshni Tirki won the election of the mayor, while Raj Kumar Lal will be her deputy. Sunil Paswan emerged victorious in Giridih, while Prakash Ram from the party bagged deputy mayor post. In Medini Nagar Municipal Corporation, Aruna Shankar will be the new mayor, while her party colleague Rakesh Kumar will serve as her deputy. The most interesting fight was seen in Jharkhands capital Ranchi, where Asha Lakra won the top post, while her party colleague Sanjeev Vijayavargiya will serve as her deputy. Here is the list of winners on all the seats Nagar Nigam Seats: Adityapur Nagar Nigam – Vinod Srivastava (BJP) – Amit Singh (BJP) Hazaribagh Nagar Nigam – Roshni Tirki (BJP) – Rajkumar Lal (BJP) Giridih Nagar Nigam…
How a couple took ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ to new heights – three decades ago
Sulochana Chaudhary, a mother of three successful daughters, was watching TV with keen interest as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the audience while launching the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign in Jhunjhunu on March 8. But long before the girl child became a campaign slogan for the current Prime Minister, Sulochana went against all odds to educate her children and inculcate a strong sense of values in them – in a Marwari society which looked down upon a woman giving birth to multiple daughters. The entire Churu society to which we belonged had something bad to say to me when I delivered my third daughter. Their frequent taunts, soon after the delivery, left me and my husband tormented and pained. But I took my daughter in my lap, kissed her and told her, You are going to be my third son. I will give you the best so that you too can serve the nation following in the footsteps of Indira Gandhi and Mother Teresa, Sulochana told IANS. As the girls grew up, she took them frequently to visit the village. I wanted them to know that this was the real India and they had to help the poor here….
India wins elections to crucial non-governmental organisation committee in UN; garners highest number of votes
India has won an election to a crucial non-governmental organisation committee in the UN after garnering the highest number of votes besides getting elected by acclamation to other subsidiary bodies in five separate polls. The UNs Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) held elections to a number of its subsidiary bodies here yesterday. The ECOSOC focusses on advancing the three dimensions of sustainable development Following the elections, Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin told PTI that the results reflect, yet again, the broad support and many friends India has amongst UN members. India topped the election to the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations. In one round of secret balloting, the Council elected Bahrain, China, India and Pakistan in the Asia Pacific States category and Brazil, Cuba, Mexico and Nicaragua (Latin American and Caribbean States) to serve a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2019. India got the highest number of votes at 46, followed by Pakistan (43), Bahrain (40) and China 39. Iran lost the elections, having got only 27 votes. The Council elected by acclamation 11 other nations to serve the same four-year term. The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is a standing committee of ECOSOC and its main…
Narendra Modi in Karnataka: PM hits campaign trail, to address three back-to-back rallies today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today kick-start the Bharatiya Janata Partys last-minute campaign blitzkreig in Karnataka where polling will be held in a single phase on May 12. On Tuesday, Modi will address three back-to-back rallies. The first rally will be held in Santhemarahalli town of Chamarajanagar district at 11:30 am. The party has never been very strong here and thus it is looking to boost its fortune in the region with PMs rally. Later, he will address a rally each at Udupi in coastal Karnataka at 3 pm. The rally will be held at AGM College Ground. Before addressing the rally, he will visit Krishna Mutt and seek blessings of the Pejawar seer. From here, Modi will travel to Chikkodi in Belagavi district of north Karnataka. The rally here will be held at 6 pm. The Prime Minister is expected to address 15 rallies over five days as BJP hits the final leg of the partys campaign trail ahead of the election in the state. While BJP president Amit Shah is likely to address 30 rallies in different parts of the state, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is likely to address around 20 rallies. Modi had last visited Karnataka…
‘Waiting for fun’! BJP mocks Rahul Gandhi’s ’15-minute’ challenge to Modi; watch video
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today reacted to Rahul Gandhis 15-minute debate challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by a sharing a video of the Congress presidents goof-ups in parliament. Tweeting the video containing Rahul Gandhis past goof-ups in the Parliament, the BJP conveyed to the Congress president: Rahul ji, we all want you to speak in Parliament. How can we let go off such fun!. On Monday, while speaking at the Congress-led Save the Constitution, Gandhi had said, If I am allowed to speak for 15 minutes in Parliament, PM Narendra Modi will run away. Rahul ji, we all want you to speak in Parliament. How can we let go off such fun! pic.twitter.com\/HQyc3IfETX Modi ji has an interest in only Modi ji. How does Narendra Modi ji become the prime minister (again)? This is the only question whose answers Modi ji wants, Reacting to Gandhis dare, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had told reporters on Monday, When Rahul Gandhi, who remain out of the country for 15 day, says he has to speak for 15 minutes, then the country asks him: Are you serious? Stop fooling the country, Patra had said. twitter.com\/HnqaVh8ztz Our institutions which are an outcome of our…
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit China next month
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said she would visit China next month, which will be an important trip in the backdrop of the strain in ties between the two countries after the Doklam standoff. Replying to a question on her China visit, Sitharaman told reporters Yes, (the visit is) probably sometime in late April. She, however, did not elaborate on the agenda of the meeting. I n August last year, India and China decided to end their 73-day standoff between their troops in Doklam. The standoff had strained ties considerably between the two countries. Despite the disengagement of troops from the Doklam site, the coldness in ties between the two countries over the issue still persists. (More details are awaited.)
FIR against Jawaharlal Nehru University professor over sexual harassment; read what happened
A professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing women students.The professor has also been accused of being involved in reported financial irregularities.The professor of the School of Life Sciences (SLS) was first accused by a girl student who had gone missing but later returned. The girl student, who had gone missing on March 11, had written an email in which she called him characterless person. Subsequently, a group of students came out and levelled similar allegations against the professor. The students told media in the campus that the professor used to make sexually-coloured remarks and open demands for sex and comments on the figure of almost every girl. They further alleged that if a girl raised an objection, he used to hold a grudge against her. Students also alleged that there is a financial nexus between the professor and the administration. They alleged that crores of rupees have been spent on purchasing an instrument. However, the professor has rejected all the allegations. He defended himself saying that he was being targetted as he was a vocal supporter of the university administrations compulsory attendance initiative. Regarding the mail he received from the girl student,…
Rajya Sabha polls: Two multi-millionaires vie for one seat in Jharkhand
The Rajya Sabha election in Jharkhand has taken an interesting turn, with two multi-millionaire candidates – one each from ruling BJP and Congress – pitted against one another for the single seat. On March 23, polling will be held for two Rajya Sabha seats in the state. Of the two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates, the victory of Sameer Oraon is a foregone conclusion, given the partys favourable numbers in the assembly. But for its second nominee, multi-millionaire Pradeep Senthalia, the party needs to win over the Independent legislators and dent opposition unity. In their nomination paper, while Senthalia has declared cash and assets worth Rs 28 crore in his and his wifes name, Congresss Dheeraj Sahu has declared cash and assets worth Rs 18 crore in his and his wifes name. Both are well-known businessmen of Jharkhand. Oraon declared a Rs 13.80 lakh-worth vehicle, Rs 2 lakh in his bank account, Rs 35,000 in cash and jewellery worth Rs 90,000. All the three candidates filed their nomination papers on Monday. In the past, Jharkhand had earned a bad name for reported horse trading during the Rajya Sabha polls. A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe is still going on…
Vizhinjam project: Adani won’t get deadline extension
Adani Ports will not be allowed 18 months extension to the deadline for the completion of the Phase I of Rs 7,525-crore Vizhinjam Seaport, according to Kerala port minister Kadannappaly Ramachandran. If the December 2019 deadline is violated, the infrastructure company would have to cough up the contractual compensation. The Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala was driven to the wall on Assembly floor this week by Opposition Congress-led UDF over any possible soft spot for Adani Group, after Adani Ports sought extension of deadline by 18 months. By the contract signed under the former Oommen Chandy government on August 17, 2015, Adani Group is committed to commission the port on December 5, 2019. If this deadline is violated, the company will have to pay a compensation at the rate of Rs 12 lakh for each day of delay. It became obvious that LDF was playing cahoots with Adani Group since within a week of the state minister It is in response to this charge that the state port minister stated that the deadline violation would invoke the penalty clause. There is also an argument that since the project delay is due to a natural calamity, the compensation clause might not…
Given MoS status, 2 saints call off anti-govt drive in Madhya Pradesh
A day after getting the Minister of State status, two religious leaders today cancelled their proposed stir against an alleged scam in the Narmada conservation programme, while a third one said he would not avail the benefits as MoS. Seeking to downplay the controversy over grant of MoS status to five saints, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said his government wanted to rope in people from all walks of life for welfare and development. Elsewhere, Bhayyu Maharaj, one of the five religious leaders accorded MoS status, said he would not avail of the benefits associated with the MoS status. Ahead of the state assembly elections due later this year, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh had yesterday accorded the MoS status to five Hindu religious leaders – Narmadanand Maharaj, Hariharanand Maharaj, Computer Baba, Bhayyu Maharaj and Pandit Yogendra Mahant. On March 31, the five were appointed to a committee set up for the Narmada river conservation. As members of the committee, they were being given the MoS status, an official of the General Administration Department had said yesterday. Computer Baba had earlier announced that he would take out Narmada Ghotala Rath Yatra, along with Yogendra Mahant, in every district…
Unnao rape case: Victim demands arrest of MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar; FIR filed | top 10 developments
Facing heat over the alleged rape of a girl in Unnao and subsequent death of her father in police custody, Uttar Pradesh government today handed over the probe to CBI and an FIR was filed against the rape accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar under various sections of the IPC and POSCO Act. Addressing media, Principal Secretary (Home) said security will be provided to the victims family. He added the victim had not named Sengar in her 2017 statement. DGP OP Singh, who was with the Kumar, referred to the MLA as honourable and said the CBI will decide when Sengar will be arrested. He also said the administration was not protecting him. Now that the case has been given to CBI, they will decide on arrest, OP Singh said, adding that he has only been accused so far and not convicted. Top developments so far in the case: 1. The rape survivor has demanded the arrest of MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. She is worried as to how can she get justice when so many questions are raised on her. The girl said a probe by the CBI is fine but first the MLA should be arrested. She alleged that…
Going for a movie date? Now buy food, water at regular prices inside multiplexes
Noting that the cost of food and water inside multiplexes was exorbitant, the Bombay High Court today opined that it should be sold at regular prices. The Maharashtra government told the court that it would soon frame a policy on the issue. A division bench of justices S M Kemkar and M S Karnik was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by city resident Jainendra Baxi, challenging the prohibition on carrying outside food inside movie theatres and multiplexes across the state. The petitioners lawyer, Aditya Pratap Singh, told the court there does not exist any legal or statutory provision that prohibits one from carrying personal food articles or water inside movie theatres. The multiplexes sell food and water inside, but at an increased price, he said. Agreeing to this, Justice Kemkar said, The price of food and water bottles sold inside movie theatres are, indeed, exorbitant. We have ourselves experienced it. You (multiplexes) should sell it at the regular price. The court said that if multiplexes were prohibiting people from bringing outside food, then there should be a total prohibition on eatables. Then you (multiplexes) cannot have your own vendors selling food and other snacks inside, Kemkar said. Government…
‘There will be anarchy!’ HC raps AAP govt over non-payment of salaries to civic body workers, orders immediate release of funds
The Delhi High Court has directed the Aap Aadmi Party (AAP) government to release funds to two of the three Municipal Corporations in the city withing four weeks to enable them to pay salaries to their staff and teachers. In its order on Monday, the court observed that non-payment of salaries can lead to anarchy and the city suffers. A report in The Indian Express said that the HC bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar passed an interim order directing the city government to release funds to the North and East Corporations immediately. The HC observed that the city suffers when salaries are not paid to safai karamcharis (sanitation workers). This, the HC said, results in spread of diseases like dengue and chikungunya, causing deaths. The HC said that the city government shouldnt make it an ego issue and said that The HC said that it is painful that civic bodies workers are not being paid. There will be anarchy People won The court also asked the AAP government to explain the basis on which it has been releasing funds to the civic bodies. It ordered the city government to file an affidavit on…
Narada Muni was like Google, says Vijay Rupani after Biplab Deb’s ‘Internet in Mahabharata’ remarks
Days after Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb made the headlines for saying there was internet during Mahabharata period, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani is in the news for comparing mythological character Narada Muni with present-day Google. Speaking at an event organised by Vishwa Samvad Kendra, an offshoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, to celebrate the Devrshi Narad Jayanti, Rupani said that Narada knew everything and was the source of information just like Google is today. com quoted Rupani as saying. Earlier, in a video, Biplab Deb was seen saying that internet existed during Mahabharata. Not the US and other western countries, but the internet was invented by India lakhs of years ago. Many may decline the fact, but if the internet was not there, how Sanjay, could see the war in Kurukshetra and describe it to Dhritarashtra? It means internet was there, the satellites and that technology was there in this country at that time, The Tripura CM added: It can There was some technique The news agency quoted a senior BJP leader as saying, Senior party leaders are miffed over the controversies triggered by Deb Deb is just saying anything and everything. Modi will talk to him. It seems Modis…
‘Lok Suraj Abhiyaan’ to start from tomorrow, says Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday informed that the third phase of Lok Suraj Abhiyaan will be held in the state from March 12. Interacting with the media, the Chief Minister said that the MLAs will hold padyatra to their respective constituency and tell people of the changes brought in by state government. Third phase of Lok Suraj Abhiyaan will be held from 11-21 March, camps will be held to listen to peoples problems and take cognisance of the same. Our MLAs and officers will hold padyatra in 90 constituencies and tell them of changes brought in by state government, Singh said. Singh also said that suggestions had been collected from gram panchayats in the month of January, after which district government officials had been tasked to solve them. Singh will on Sunday start his last Lok Suraj Abhiyan, which the government claims is one of the largest social audit exercises in the country. Lok Suraj Abhiyan which was started in 2005, involves government officials visiting each gram panchayat to collect suggestions and listening to local-level problems. This is followed by a problem-solving exercise, with the Chief Minister and other ministers visiting different parts of the state. The event…
Centre talks tough on statue vandalism, PM Narendra Modi condemns incidents: Top developments so far
Political slugfest over defacing and vandalizing of statues of communist icon Vladimir Lenin, pioneer of Dravidian movement Periyar and Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee have reached the threshold of the Prime Ministers Office. PM Narendra Modi has reportedly expressed strong resentment over these incidents and the Union Home Ministry under Rajnath Singh has subsequently sent out an advisory to state governments asking them to take stringent action to prevent recurrence of such untoward incidents. Apart from post-poll violence and pulling down of two Lenin statues in Tripura, Periyars statue has been vandalised in Tamil Nadu. A group of people have defaced the statue of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in Kolkatas Kalighat. Here are the top developments so far: 1. The ruckus over the alleged vandalism of statues in Tripura, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal stalled the proceedings in Parliament today. MPs started protesting in the Rajya Sabha and reached the well of the house and raised slogans against the incidents, Venkaiah Naidu said statue vandalism is mad but ruckus in House is also bad. 2. Meanwhile, BJP leader H Raja has apologised for the Facebook post which contained a controversial statement over Periyar statue. Talking to media, Raja has even…
PNB scam: CBI arrests VP of Gitanjali group of companies Vipul Chitalia
The CBI arrested Vipul Chitalia, the vice president of Gitanjali Group of Companies, in the USD 2 billion PNB scam, who had escaped to Dubai in the first week of January before the fraud was reported by the public sector bank. He was detained by the agency at the Mumbai airport when he returned to India, they said, adding that he was questioned at the CBI office here before his arrest. Chitalia was produced before a special CBI court here in the afternoon. Judge S R Tamboli remanded him in CBI custody till March 17. In addition to Chitalia, the CBI also took custody of Gokulnath Shetty, a retired deputy manager of the Punjab National Bank, in the FIR pertaining to businessman Mehul Choksi and Gitanjali group. He was earlier sent to judicial custody in the FIR pertaining to Nirav Modi, they said. The special court has now remanded him to CBI custody in the Gitanjali case till March 15 for questioning. Chitalia had left the country for Dubai in the first week of January, as did the prime accused Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi. There was a look-out notice against him, hence the immigration officials detained him at the…
Target climate change: How world went dark for Earth Hour 2018 – from London to India Gate
In Paris, the Eiffel Tower went dark. In London, a kaleidoscope of famous sites switched off their lights, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus, the London Eye. That scene was repeated over and over across the world on Saturday night: at Sydneys Opera House; at New Delhis great arch; at Kuala Lumpurs Petronas Towers; at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland; at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; at St. Basils Cathedral in Moscow. It lasted for just an hour and its power is purely symbolic. But in countries around the world, at 8:30 p.m., people were switching off their lights for Earth Hour, a global call for international unity on the importance of addressing climate change. Since beginning in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has spread to more than 180 countries, with tens of millions of people joining in, from turning off their own porch lights to letting the grand sites like the Opera House go dark. Those 60 minutes are an opportunity to shift the consumption culture and behavior change toward sustainability, Indian Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said. All this happens, yet many people, of course, barely notice. Around India Gate, New Delhis monument to the Indian dead in World War I,…
Pune Shocker! Uber driver offers woman ‘night parcel’ after she enquired about late cab arrival; here’s what happened
Uber is in the midst of another controversy in India yet again. This, after a driver from the cab service in Pune allegedly offered alcohol to a woman passenger. The woman, who wishes to not be named, has told Times of India that she booked Ubers services from her workplace to her home on Wednesday night at 8 pm. The driver who arrived late for the pick up asked on the phone if she was in need of a night parcel. The puzzled woman questioned what it meant, to which the driver responded Vodka. The woman soon cancelled her ride back home and lodged a complaint with Uber. The company has responded on the matter as well. As per the report, an Uber spokesperson stressed that passengers safety is paramount to them and they have removed the driver partners access to the Uber app. Here is what happened After the woman booked her cab from Uber, the driver was running late by 10 minutes. When the woman then called to inquire about the status of her ride, the driver asked if she was in need of a night parcel. When she asked what it meant, the driver said the word…
‘Idhar se doobe, udhar uge’: Ghulam Nabi Azad’s farewell message to Naresh Agarwal
BJP leader Naresh Agarwal, who courted a number of controversies during his tenure as Rajya Sabha MP, got a special mention from leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azaad on his last day in the House. Azad, while delivering his thank you note to outgoing MPs, said the House will miss Agarwal for a number of reasons. Nabi said that unlike other MPs, Agarwal used to speak 5-6 times a day. He, in a lighter vein, said that Agarwal is like the Sun which sets on one end and rises from other. Naresh Agarwal ji is a Sun who sets from one end and rises from other. I am confident that the party he has just joined will use his potential, Nabi said while addressing the MPs. (Naresh Agarwal ji ek aise suraj hain, idhar doobe, udhar nikle, idhar nikle udhar doobe. Mujhe yaqeen hai jis party mein vo gaye hain vo unki kshamta ka poora upyog karegi). Agarwal, a senior leader from Uttar Pradesh, has courted a number of controversies in past and switched his party a number of times. Recently, Agarwal left Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party to join the BJP. At the time of joining the party, he once…
Madras HC notice to Centre, IRDAI on plea over third party insurance premiums
The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the Centre and the IRDAI on a petition alleging disparity in fixing third party insurance premium rates for goods carriages by the regulator. When the plea by Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Association came up recently, Justice T Raja issued the notice to the Ministry of Highways and Road Transport and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, returnable by four weeks. The petitioner claimed that third party insurance premium rates for goods carriages have been increased by 1,117 per cent in the past 15 years, while that for private cars and two-wheelers have been substantially reduced by the IRDAI. Owners of goods carriages are made to pay higher premiums rates year after year, the association alleged. It submitted that third party insurance is mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act for all motor vehicles. Generally, goods carriages are covered by a comprehensive insurance policy, covering the vehicle and the third party, the association said. Since general insurance firms stopped providing insurance cover to goods carriages older than 10 years, such vehicles are covered with only third party insurance, it said. Considering the grievances of goods carriage owners, the ministry had assured…
Shiv Sena wins BMC bypoll, tally in civic general assembly now 94
The Shiv Sena today won the bypoll to Ward 173 of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with its candidate, Ramdas Kamble, defeating the Congress Sunil Shetye by a margin of 845 votes. The election was held yesterday and was necessitated due to the death of Sena corporator Prahlad Thombare. In other bypoll results announced by the State Election Commission today, the NCPs Pooja Kodre won in Pune defeating Senas Monica Tupe by a margin of 3,528 votes. In Ulhasnagar, Congress Suman Sachdev polled 2,690 votes and defeated the BJPs Sakshi Pannani who got 2,478 votes. Congress Taufiq Hatture won from Solapur beating his nearest AIMIM candidate Sheikh Pir Ahmed Karim. Vishal Kotkar of the Congress beat Senas Vijay Pathare in Ahmednagar. The MNS Vaishali Bhosale won from Nashik. The bypoll was held there after the partys sitting corporator Surekha Bhosale died. Poll officials said that voting percentage in these wards was 45 percent while it was 40.9 percent in Mumbai. In Jalgaon, the BJPs Gehi Mayadevi won unopposed while the Congress won three seats each in Armori, Biloli and Chandrapur panchayat samitis, officials said. NCP bagged a seat each in Sadak-Arjuni, Tuljapur, Vaijapur and Hinganghat panchayat samitis. The BJP and…
Kathua rape case: Provide security to victim’s kin, lawyer, Supreme Court directs Jammu and Kashmir government
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family of the Kathua rape and murder victim. Hearing a plea filed by the victims father, the court also directed the state government to grant security to the lawyer of the victims father who has expressed fear that she may be raped and murdered for arguing for the infants family. Besides, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also issued a notice to the state government on the victims father plea seeking order be passed to transfer the case outside the state. The court granted the state government time till April 27 to file its response. The notice was issued after senior lawyer Indira Jaising, appearing on behalf of the victims father, told the court that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not fit for a fair trial. The atmosphere is not conducive to a fair trial. The atmosphere is highly polarised, she said. The lawyer added that the state police had done a good job and it not only arrested all the accused persons on evidence but also on a scientific basis. The victims father had moved the court seeking transfer…
Change names of crossings named after Asaram in MP cities: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday demanded that crossings named after self-styled godman Asaram in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal as well as Indore city be changed after his conviction by a Jodhpur court in a 2013 rape of a minor girl. Both cities have crossings named after Asaram. Authorities should ensure that their names are now changed after Asarams conviction, AAP state leader Alok Aggarwal said in a press statement here. Roads and crossings are named after historical and other personalities so that the coming generations can take inspiration from them. But crossings named after Asaram project the country in a bad light and hence their names should be changed, the AAP leader added.
Uttar Pradesh shocker! Mother, five-year-old son robbed, thrown out of running train in Mughalsarai
A 30-year-old woman and her five year-old son were seriously injured when they were thrown out of a train by miscreants who also robbed them off their valuables near Mughalsarais Vyasnagar railway crossing, the police said today. The woman, identified as Mamata, was travelling from Asansol to Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh with her son Ajay on Kolkata-Lucknow Summer Special train late last night, they said. She was sitting near the gate of the general compartment when the miscreants tried to rob her. But when she protested they beat her up, robbed her of cash and other valuables and pushed her, along with her son, out of the train, the police said. The duo was lying beside the tracks when they were spotted by a passerby who rushed them to a nearby hospital in the Dulhipur area with the help of some locals, they said. Upon information, the police reached the hospital, from where they took the critically injured mother-son duo to BHUs Trauma Centre for treatment. A case has been registered against unidentified persons and an investigation is on, the police said.