26/11 plotter Tahawwur Rana exposes Pakistan Army's terror links

20 hours ago

The Election Commission's special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar has sparked controversy, with opposition parties filing petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the move. The revision requires voters added since 2003 to submit proof of date and place of birth, effectively their citizenship. Opposition parties claim this targets poor, Dalit and Muslim voters and could lead to disenfranchisement. The EC maintains the revision is working smoothly, with 2.88 crore forms collected covering 37% of Bihar's voters. However, ground reports show many citizens struggling to provide the required documents. Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa says while roll purification is legitimate, the timing and new procedures raise questions. The Supreme Court will hear the petitions on Thursday. Concerns have been raised about the Election Commission of India's voter registration drive. A former Election Commissioner states there are practical and conceptual issues that need clarification, such as the acceptance criteria for enumeration forms and required documents. He calls for establishing open and credible channels of communication to address doubts, though stops short of saying the EC faces a crisis. The discussion also touches on allegations by some politicians that the EC is acting as a rubber stamp for the government, which the former official suggests should not be assumed without evidence.

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Karnataka truck operators withdraw strike as govt releases pending dues under Anna Bhagya

Indian Express

27 minutes ago

Indian Express

Karnataka truck operators withdraw strike as govt releases pending dues under Anna Bhagya

The Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents' Association on Tuesday withdrew its indefinite strike call after the government said it released Rs 244 crore in dues pending for transport operators under the flagship Anna Bhagya scheme. 'The government has given us in writing that the dues will be cleared in the next two days. So we have decided to withdraw the strike,' said G R Shanmugappa, president of the federation. An order issued by the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology, dated July 8, empowered the chief account officer of Bengaluru Urban zilla panchayat to release 244.1 crore in dues for truck operators. The protest, announced by the federation on Monday, had threatened to disrupt the supply of subsidised foodgrains to ration shops under the Congress government's scheme benefiting low-income families, potentially affecting food security in Karnataka. The truck operators had halted rice transportation under the scheme, citing unpaid dues of Rs 260 crore from February to June 2025. Shanmugappa had claimed that 3,500–4,000 drivers were affected, with some having pawned jewellery to meet fuel and other expenses and facing truck seizures by finance companies. The state government had promised payments to be made by June 19, but failed to clear the dues. Separately, the federation also demanded the rollback of the Rs 5/litre diesel hike, abolition of toll plazas on 18 highways in the state, return of Rs 25-Rs 30 crore tender deposits, cancellation of the Rs 15,000 renewal fee for older vehicles, and a 50 per cent discount on fines. The Opposition BJP has trained guns at the Congress government over the pending dues. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said, 'The government has run out of money and they have no money to pay to the truck owners. The chief minister, deputy chief minister and the entire cabinet are busy saving their chairs. The government is dead and the people are waiting to throw them out.' Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More

Delhi Cabinet passes budget for setting up 18,000 smart classrooms

Hindustan Times

31 minutes ago

Hindustan Times

Delhi Cabinet passes budget for setting up 18,000 smart classrooms

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah criticized the Election Commission's decision for a special revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, labeling it "anti-Constitutional." He raised concerns about the disenfranchisement of over 1.5 crore Biharis working outside the state and accused the commission of undermining voting rights. Abdullah warned of potential agitation against this move, emphasizing the need to protect the Constitution.

CAQM ban on selling fuel to old vehicles from Nov 1 in Delhi, 5 NCR districts

Hindustan Times

33 minutes ago

Hindustan Times

CAQM ban on selling fuel to old vehicles from Nov 1 in Delhi, 5 NCR districts

NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas on Tuesday amended its order to deny fuel to end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in Delhi at fuelling stations, stating the restrictions will now come into force in Delhi and five other high vehicle density (HVD) districts in the National Capital Region (NCR) from from November 1, people familiar with the matter said. Delhi transport department official keeping a vigil on vehicles as fuel ban for end-of-life vehicles was launched in Delhi from July 1. The decision was later put on hold by the city government. (HT File Photo/Sanchit Khanna) These five districts are Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Sonipat. The decision was taken in a general meeting held by CAQM on Tuesday afternoon, which included representatives of all NCR states. The status of the direction was also taken up for a review, following Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa's request to CAQM on Friday to put implementation of this direction on hold due to technical and infrastructural challenges. 'A decision has been taken to now enforce this direction in Delhi from November 1, alongside five other NCR districts. The decision was taken as the government had mentioned technical challenges. This will give them time to prepare,' a CAQM official said. Also Read: 48 hours, 87 cars later, ELV seizure drive ends The Delhi government had earlier said it would approach the Supreme Court to review the ban on ELVs – 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in the national capital, arguing that real-world emissions and not age of vehicle should be the criteria to scrap old vehicles. Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday reiterated the government's stand to approach the Supreme Court to seek relief on the ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in Delhi, citing enforcement difficulties. The government has reasoned that Delhi should have same parameters and regulations on ELVs as are enforced all over the country. To be sure, 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles will still be considered ELVs and illegal on Delhi roads, based on a 2018 Supreme Court judgement and a 2014 National Green Tribunal order that prohibit the parking of ELVs in public spaces. 'It would have been a different situation if the order was enforced all over Delhi-NCR. If we don't give petrol in Delhi and NCR keeps providing them fuel, it is not possible. The government will echo the sentiments of the people before the Supreme Court,' Gupta said on Sunday.