A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Akhilesh leads the real Samajwadi Party, 90% of members support him, Ram Gopal Yadav tells EC: The chief minister’s uncle was seeking to stake a claim on the party’s symbol, the cycle.
  2. Budget Session likely to begin from January 31: The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs is believed to have decided the dates at a meeting chaired by Rajnath Singh.
  3. Parameshwara’s remarks irresponsible, crimes can’t go unpunished, says Centre: Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said Karnataka’s capital was a ‘vibrant city and women must be safe in a civilised society’.
  4. Customers can eat elsewhere if they don’t want to pay service charge, says restaurants’ body: Information on the levy should be provided clearly so patrons can use their discretion and go elsewhere, the NRAI’s statement said.
  5. Digital payments app ‘Bhim’ has crossed 3 million downloads, 5 lakh transactions, says Niti Aayog CEO: The UPI-based payment system will be made available for iPhones in ten days, said Amitabh Kant.
  6. Re-promulgation of ordinances without legislative approval violates Constitution, says Supreme Court: A seven-judge bench held that Parliament and state legislatures were the ‘primary law-givers’, and sidestepping them was a ‘constitutional infraction’.
  7. Pope Francis calls for zero tolerance towards child sex abuse: In a letter to the Catholic priests, the pontiff said measures were needed to protect minors from such crimes.
  8. Raipur farmers give away 1 lakh kilos of vegetables for free in protest against demonetisation: The Kisan Sangh demanded that the government waive the interest on their farm loans for the current season.
  9. Centre returns 13 names recommended by Supreme Court collegium for Allahabad HC: Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi told a bench that the government had found ‘certain inconsistencies’ in the suggested candidates.
  10. BJP wants action against Asaduddin Owaisi for demanding budget allocation for Muslims: It filed a complaint, saying the AIMIM chief’s remarks violated the Supreme Court’s ruling that prohibits parties from seeking votes based on religion.