The Centre passed a proposal to provide ownership rights to 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi. The Union Cabinet described it as a “historic decision” as nearly a third of the national Capital’s population stay in these colonies.

Justice Arun Mishra on Wednesday refused to recuse himself from the Supreme Court Constitution Bench that is hearing a plea to re-examine one of his own judgements on the 2013 Land Acquisition Act.

The United States on Wednesday expressed concerns about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing towards the communication blackout, restrictions in movement and continued detention of political leaders in the Valley.


Delhi: Centre announces ownership rights for 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to give ownership rights to 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies in Delhi, according to the Press Information Bureau. The bill to pass this legislation will be introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament.

Mumbai coastal road project: Supreme Court to hear pleas against High Court order after Diwali break

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that after Diwali break it would hear petitions against a Bombay High Court order quashing Coastal Regulation Zone clearances given to Mumbai’s civic body for a coastal road project.

BSNL and MTNL to be merged, says Centre, will offer employees ‘attractive VRS package’

The Centre on Wednesday decided to merge telecommunications service providers Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited.

BSE asks Infosys to explain why it did not disclose whistleblower complaints

The BSE on Wednesday asked information technology firm Infosys to explain why it did not disclose whistleblower complaints that alleged that the company’s top executives were following “unethical practices” to improve profits.

No evidence of Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander in latest fly-by, says NASA

The United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration said that it found no evidence of Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander in the images taken during the latest fly-by of its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on October 14. The Vikram lander had attempted a soft landing on September 7, but lost communication with the Indian Space Research Organisation minutes before touchdown.

Mumbai Police arrest 33 mourners, book nearly 200 for violence at a funeral procession

The Mumbai Police on Wednesday booked nearly 200 people and arrested 33 of them for allegedly attacking policemen and damaging vehicles during the funeral procession of a man who had committed suicide. A police officer said seven policemen were injured in the attack on Tuesday.

Maharashtra: Election Commission dismisses allegation of EVM tampering in Satara

The Election Commission on Tuesday dismissed reports of tampering of Electronic Voting Machines used the day before in Satara during a Lok Sabha bye-election and Assembly elections. A number of voters had claimed that votes were cast in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party irrespective of the button pressed, according to reports.

DK Shivakumar gets bail from Delhi High Court in ED’s money laundering case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar in connection with the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering case against him, Live Law reported. The senior Congress leader was told to pay two sureties of Rs 25 lakh each, and also directed not to leave India.

Al-Qaeda affiliate ‘wiped out from Kashmir’, group’s chief Hamid Lehari killed, says police chief

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh on Wednesday said that Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, the Kashmir cell of Al-Qaeda, had been eliminated from the Valley during an encounter in Pulwama district’s Tral area on Tuesday evening, PTI reported. Singh also claimed that Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed was trying to communicate with other groups in Kashmir to plan attacks.

NRC: Family of Dulal Paul, who died at detention centre, accepts his body after CM’s intervention

The family of Dulal Chandra Paul, who died earlier this month, after nearly two years at a detention centre for undocumented immigrants in Assam, accepted his body on Tuesday following Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s intervention, The Telegraph reported. Last week, the family had asked authorities to send the 65-year-old’s body back to Bangladesh if they failed to establish he was an Indian citizen.

Kerala nun rape case: Complainant accuses ex-Bishop Franco Mulakkal of harassing her online

The Kerala nun who accused former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal of rape has complained to the state women’s commission alleging online harassment by the priest and his supporters, . Mulakkal, who was arrested in September 2018 for allegedly raping the nun at a convent in Kottayam, has been on conditional bail since October 2018.

INX Media case: P Chidambaram moves Delhi High Court seeking bail from ED custody

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday filed a bail plea before the Delhi High Court in the INX Media case filed by Enforcement Directorate. This came a day after the Supreme Courtgranted the 74-year-old former minister bail in the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

‘India is not made of one language, one religion or one enemy,’ says Pranab Mukherjee

Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday expressed concern about the increasing violence and disregard for human life in India. He also added that India was not made of one religion or language and diversity was its soul.

Sonia Gandhi meets DK Shivakumar in Tihar Jail hours before Delhi HC verdict on his bail plea

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday met Karnataka leader DK Shivakumarat New Delhi’s Tihar Jail. She was accompanied by party General Secretary KC Venugopal and party leader Ambika Soni.

Land Acquisition Act: SC Justice Arun Mishra refuses to recuse from hearing cases

Justice Arun Mishra on Wednesday refused to recuse himself from the Supreme Court Constitution Bench that is hearing a plea to re-examine one of his own judgements on the 2013 Land Acquisition Act.

Nagaland warns of disciplinary action against officials who criticise government policies

The Nagaland government has warned government officials to not criticise the state government policies and actions on social media or before the media. It said disciplinary action will be initiated against those found guilty.

Canada: 18 Sikh leaders elected to Parliament, five more than India

As many as 18 Sikhs were voted to the Canadian Parliament in the recently-concluded federal elections. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday won a second term after his Liberal Party secured 157 of 338 seats. However, Trudeau will lead a minority government as his party failed to secure the majority of 170. The main opposition, the conservatives, secured 121 seats.

Illegal phone tapping violates right to privacy, only allowed in case of public emergency: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said that tapping of telephones was only allowed in cases of public emergency or public safety. Observing that illegal phone tapping was an infringement of the fundamental right to privacy, the court quashed three orders passed by the Union Home Ministry allowing investigating agencies to intercept the calls of a businessman involved in a bribery case.

Kathua case: Jammu court orders FIR against investigators for allegedly torturing witnesses

A court in Jammu on Tuesday ordered the police to file an first information report against the members of the Special Investigation Team, which investigated the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, for allegedly torturing the witnesses.

J&K: US expresses concerns about Kashmir, criticises Pakistan for harbouring terrorists

The United States on Wednesday expressed concerns about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing towards the communication blackout, restrictions in movement and continued detention of political leaders in the Valley. Alice Wells, US acting assistant secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, made the comments during a hearing on human rights in South Asia.

Kamlesh Tiwari murder case: Two main suspects arrested near Gujarat-Rajasthan border

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad on Tuesday arrested the two main suspects who allegedly killed Hindu Samaj Party leader Kamlesh Tiwari in Uttar Pradesh last week. The suspects were identified as 34-year-old Ashfaq Hussain Jakir Hussain Shaikh and 27-year-old Moinuddin Khurshid Pathan. Both are residents of Surat in Gujarat. They were arrested from the temple town of Shamlaji near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. They were on the way to Gujarat after having reached Shahjahanpur from Nepal.

Haryana Assembly elections: Re-polling at five booths in five constituencies today

The Election Commission ordered re-polling in five Assembly constituencies in Haryana on Wednesday. “In the polls which were held in Haryana on Monday, some shortcomings were noticed in five booths after which the Election Commission ordered re-polling in these booths,” said state Joint Chief Electoral Officer Inder Jeet.

‘An act of pinkwashing’: LGBTQI activists allege the far-right disrupted Kashmir event in London

Representatives of several Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex groups have written to The Independent, expressing concern about alleged far-right activists posing as queer individuals at a recent event in London and defending the Indian government’s crackdown in Jammu and Kashmir.

Employees of J&K and Ladakh Union Territories will get Seventh Pay Commission benefits, says Centre

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday said government employees of the proposed Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh would receive salaries as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission.