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Fri, 08 December 2023
9 newborns die in Bengal hospital in 24 hours
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23:53 9 newborns die in Bengal hospital in 24 hours
Nine newborns and a two-year-old child died in West Bengal's Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital in a span of 24 hours till Wednesday midnight, a senior official said on Friday.
Out of the 10 babies, three were born in the hospital and seven were brought there from other medical facilities for treatment, he said.
He said of the nine newborns who died, two were suffering from congenital heart diseases, one had congenital neurological problem, two were suffering from septicemia, three had low birth weight and one had congenital problem along with low birth weight.
One child was 26 months' old and was suffering from congenital ailments, said an official of the government hospital, located around 200km from Kolkata. -- PTI
22:53 Aditya-L1 captures full-disk images of Sun in near UV range
The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) instrument on board the Aditya-L1 spacecraft has successfully captured the first full-disk images of the Sun in the 200-400 nm wavelength range.
SUIT captured images of the Sun's photosphere and chromosphere in this wavelength range using various scientific filters, according to ISRO.
'On November 20, 2023, the SUIT payload was powered ON. Following a successful pre-commissioning phase, the telescope captured its first light science images on December 6, 2023,' an ISRO statement said on Friday.
'These unprecedented images, taken using eleven different filters, include the first-ever full-disk representations of the Sun in wavelengths ranging from 200 to 400 nm, excluding Ca II h. The full disk images of the Sun in the Ca II h wavelength has been studied from other observatories,' it said.
Among the notable features revealed are sunspots, plage, and quiet Sun regions, providing scientists with pioneering insights into the intricate details of the Sun's photosphere and chromosphere.
SUIT observations will help scientists study the dynamic coupling of the magnetised solar atmosphere and assist them in placing tight constraints on the effects of solar radiation on Earth's climate, ISRO added.
The development of SUIT involved a collaborative effort under the leadership of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune.
This collaboration included ISRO, the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, the Centre for Excellence in Space Science India at IISER-Kolkata, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics Bengaluru, the Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO-PRL), and Tezpur University Assam, it was stated. -- PTI
Representational image
22:16 Ahead of SC's Art 370 verdict, J-K police goes on alert
A senior police officer on Friday chaired a high-level meeting on law and order ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370 and directed the district authorities to keep an eye on the emerging situation in Kashmir Valley.
Chairing the meeting here, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Vijay Kumar also called for taking "preventive and punitive" actions against anyone who indulges in "mischief, misinformation and misuse of social media".
The meeting was attended by all district magistrates and senior superintendents of police of Kashmir division.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vidhi Kumar Birdi, the deputy director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), deputy inspectors general of all police ranges of Kashmir, DIG of the Criminal Investigation Department, and the senior superintendent of police in charge of police control room also attended the meeting, an official said.
This was the first such joint meeting chaired by the ADGP (Law and Order).
Before taking over as the ADGP (Law and Order), a post created for a period of two years by making special provisions in the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre rules, in November, Vijay Kumar served as the inspector general of police (Kashmir Range) for nearly four years.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on December 11 on a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which bestowed special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Centre abrogated Article 370 provisions in 2019 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories.
During the meeting, the official said, all officers briefed the ADGP on the prevailing law and order and security scenario and shared field inputs with respect to possible situations in view of upcoming events.
The district authorities were stressed to keep an eye on the situation and take preventive and punitive actions under law against those who indulge in mischief, misinformation and misuse of social media, the official said.
The ADGP also stressed that miscreants and mischievous elements should not be allowed to vitiate peace and harmony.
The district magistrates and SSPs were asked to conduct meetings with field officers and other stakeholders.
The ADGP sensitised them about the calibrated response to be taken in case of any untoward situation, the official said.
22:02 Police conduct probe after airline pilot claims to have spotted suspicious drones
Police conducted probe after the pilot of a private airline reported spotting two drones flying in a suspicious manner over Thane and Navi Mumbai areas on Friday, an official said in Mumbai.
However, no suspicious objects were found, he said.
The pilot of an IndiGo flight informed the Airport Security Operation Control Centre that he spotted two drones in the sky near Taloja in Navi Mumbai and in Ambernath and Badlapur in Thane district, said an official.
The information was then passed to the Mumbai Police control room and Director General of Police control room, following which police in Navi Mumbai and Thane were alerted, he said.
But nothing suspicious was found in these areas, he added. -- PTI
21:18 Telangana CM Revanth Reddy resigns from Lok Sabha
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday resigned from his Lok Sabha seat, official sources said.
They said Reddy met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla this evening to tender his resignation.
He represented the Malkajgiri parliamentary constituency in Telangana.
He was accompanied by party's whip and MP Manickam Tagore during his visit to Parliament House.
Reddy was elected as an MLA from the Kodangal assembly constituency in the just-concluded assembly elections.
Reddy was sworn in as chief minister on Thursday along with a deputy chief minister and other ministers. His swearing-in was attended by top Congress leadership including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, besides chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah.
21:12 Chhattisgarh likely to get new CM in next 2 days
The meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party's newly elected 54 MLAs in Chhattisgarh to elect the leader of its legislative party, who would become the next chief minister, would take place on Saturday or Sunday, sources said in Raipur.
The suspense over who would be the chief minister continues as the saffron party had not declared its chief ministerial candidate prior to the last month's assembly elections.
The BJP, which ousted the Congress from power, on Friday appointed Union ministers Arjun Munda and Sarbananda Sonowal alongwith party general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam as observers for the election of the leader of the legislative party in Chhattisgarh.
While the BJP won 54 of the 90 seats, the Congress, which had won 68 seats in 2018, was reduced to 35 seats. The Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) managed to win one seat.
The meeting of the BJP MLAs will take place soon, former chief minister and the party's vice president Raman Singh told reporters.
Another senior leader said that the observers were likely to reach Raipur on Saturday, following which the meeting to elect the legislative party leader could take place on the same evening, or on Sunday.
It is being speculated that the BJP would go for an OBC or a tribal chief minister.
Former Union minister Vishnu Deo, Renuka Singh who resigned as Union Minister after being elected as an MLA, former state ministers Ramvichar Netam and Lata Usendi, and Gomti Sai who resigned as an MP after being elected to the assembly are being seen as among the contenders.
Tribal communities account for 32 percent of the state's population, and the BJP won 17 of the 29 seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) this time.
One tribal candidate of the party also won from the unreserved Premnagar seat in Surajpur district. Notably, the BJP had won only three seats reserved for the tribals in 2018.
The BJP swept the tribal-dominated Surguja division -- the Congress had won all 14 seats in the division in 2018 -- which is being seen as the key to its victory in the state. Vishnudeo Sai, Renuka Singh, Ramvichar Netam and Gomti Sai hail from this division.
State BJP chief Arun Sao, who too resigned as an MP after being elected as an MLA, and bureaucrat-turned-politician O P Choudhary, both from Other Backward Classes, are also among the contenders for the CM's post.
Sao hails from the influential Sahu (Teli) community which has a sizable presence in Durg, Raipur and Bilaspur divisions. The OBCs account for around 45 percent of the state's population. -- PTI
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20:24 Piped gas line ruptured in Mumbai suburb
A pipeline of the Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) leaked after it got damaged during some excavation work in the western suburb of Dahisar here on Friday, an official said.
The gas leak occurred around 3 pm at Jarimari Garden on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road in the Anand Nagar locality, where a civic contractor was carrying out excavation work for a drainage line, he said.
Following the incident, gas supply was affected in Dahisar (east), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Link road, Anand Nagar, Shakti Nagar, and Avdhoot Nagar areas, the official said.
The MGL, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), fire brigade and other agencies are engaged in the restoration work, he added.
20:16 Cong top brass reviews poll defeat in 3 states
Five days after the Congress lost Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, the party's top leadership on Friday held separate meetings to asses the reasons for its humiliating defeats in the two states at the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had convened the review meeting at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in Delhi where former party chief Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders were also present.
"Today, a meeting to review the election results of Chhattisgarh was held at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. Senior Congress leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun kharge and Rahul Gandhi were present in this meeting," the party said while sharing pictures of the review meeting on the election results of Chhattisgarh.
Later, All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge for Chhattisgarh Kumari Selja said they are dejected but not demoralised and would together contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and win.
She said the party has not lost its vote share in the last five years and added it would carry out a detailed analysis on the poll results in the state.
"Today a review meeting related to the election results of Chhattisgarh was held, where everyone expressed their views. We lost the Chhattisgarh elections, but our vote percentage has not reduced. We have gained the trust of the public," she said.
"We are disappointed, but not in despair. In the coming times, we will fight the Lok Sabha elections together," she said.
Among the party leaders who attended the Chhattisgarh review meet were AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, Congress screening committee head and observer Ajay Maken, former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, his former deputy CM T S Singh Deo and former ministers Tamradhwaj Sahu and PCC president Deepak Baij and other senior leaders.
In the Madhya Pradesh review meeting, AICC general secretary in-charge Randeep Surjewala, PCC president Kamal Nath, former chief minister Digvijaya Singh and AICC screening committee head Jitendra Singh were present among other state leaders. -- PTI
19:24 Kailash Gahlot loses portfolio after LG recalls files
Kailash Gahlot was divested of the Law and Justice portfolio in the Aam Aadmi Party government on Friday, a day after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recalled files related to judicial infrastructure and administration in New Delhi as they remained pending with him for months, officials said.
They said the Chief Minister's Office wrote to the LG office recommending to assign the charge of the law ministry to Atishi and it has received Saxena's nod.
The AAP government has not officially responded to queries.
With this change, the number of portfolios held by Atishi has increased to 14, the highest among the ministers of the Kejriwal government.
Earlier in October, she was handed over the charge of water department.
In June, Atishi was given charge of the Revenue, Planning and the Finance Departments, the portfolios earlier held by Gahlot.
Gahlot now holds the charge of Transport, Home, Administrative Reforms and Information Technology departments.
Saxena on Thursday recalled files related to courts, judicial infrastructure, expeditious justice delivery and administration system in the city, due to 'delay' in clearing them by the law minister, officials had said.
The Lt Governor has directed officials to submit to him within three days files pending with the law minister for up to six months, for perusal and consideration, they said.
The LG Secretariat was informed by a report of the principal secretary (law and justice) that 18 files were pending with the Law minister and there was no response to his request for expeditiously decide on them, officials had said.
The LG while recalling the files expressed his serious view of the pendency of large number of important proposals relating to court and judicial administration and pointed out that 'delays' by the law minister was creating 'barriers' in the administration of justice in the capital, they had said. -- PTI
They said the Chief Minister's Office wrote to the LG office recommending to assign the charge of the law ministry to Atishi and it has received Saxena's nod.
The AAP government has not officially responded to queries.
With this change, the number of portfolios held by Atishi has increased to 14, the highest among the ministers of the Kejriwal government.
Earlier in October, she was handed over the charge of water department.
In June, Atishi was given charge of the Revenue, Planning and the Finance Departments, the portfolios earlier held by Gahlot.
Gahlot now holds the charge of Transport, Home, Administrative Reforms and Information Technology departments.
Saxena on Thursday recalled files related to courts, judicial infrastructure, expeditious justice delivery and administration system in the city, due to 'delay' in clearing them by the law minister, officials had said.
The Lt Governor has directed officials to submit to him within three days files pending with the law minister for up to six months, for perusal and consideration, they said.
The LG Secretariat was informed by a report of the principal secretary (law and justice) that 18 files were pending with the Law minister and there was no response to his request for expeditiously decide on them, officials had said.
The LG while recalling the files expressed his serious view of the pendency of large number of important proposals relating to court and judicial administration and pointed out that 'delays' by the law minister was creating 'barriers' in the administration of justice in the capital, they had said. -- PTI
Babbar Khalsa's Balwant Singh Rajoana
19:08 Rajoana ends hunger strike after Akal Takht jathedar meets him
Death row inmate Balwant Singh Rajoana on Friday ended his hunger strike after a delegation led by Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh met him in the Patiala jail where he is lodged.
Rajoana was convicted in connection with the 1995 assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
Rajoana had on Tuesday begun a hunger strike inside the Patiala Central Jail to press the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to withdraw the mercy petition it had filed on his behalf.
The SGPC had filed the mercy petition with the President in 2012.
The Akal Takht, supreme temporal body of the Sikhs, had on Wednesday asked Rajoana to end his hunger strike.
SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami in Patiala told reporters that Rajoana had ended his indefinite fast by sipping the water the delegation brought from the sarovar (holy pond) of Golden Temple in Amritsar.
The Akal Takht had recently said that if the Centre does not commute Rajoana's death sentence by December 31 this year, then the SGPC should review its decision on mercy petition.
"We want the Centre to take a decision on this soon," said Dhami.
The Akal Takht has formed a five-member panel led by the SGPC chief to ensure that Centre implements its commutation request.
The SGPC had earlier asked Rajoana not to go on hunger strike. The apex religious body of Sikhs has been seeking the release of several Sikh prisoners including Rajoana and Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, a 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict.
Telangana Congress chief Revanth Reddy
18:51 Telangana CM in Delhi; likely to resign as MP
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday arrived in the national capital and is likely to tender his resignation from Lok Sabha.
Official sources said Reddy is likely to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to offer his resignation. He represents the Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency in Telangana.
The sources said Reddy is also likely to meet party general secretary K C Venugopal and discuss issues ahead of the first assembly session in Telangana besides implementation of six guarantees promised by the party during the poll campaign.
Reddy was sworn in as chief minister of Telangana on Thursday along with a deputy chief minister and other ministers.
His swearing in was attended by top Congress leadership including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, besides chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah. -- PTI
18:29 HC reserves judgment in Gyanvapi mosque case
The Allahabad high court reserved its judgment on Friday in a petition challenging the maintainability of a suit seeking 'restoration' of a temple at the site of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal reserved the judgment after hearing the counsel for the parties. The future date in the case would be decided by the court.
The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee of Varanasi as well as the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board have challenged the maintainability of the original suit filed in the matter in 1991 in the Varanasi district court.
The suit seeks restoration of an ancient temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque currently stands. It has been claimed in the suit that the mosque was a part of the temple.
By an order dated August 28, the then Chief Justice Pritinkar Diwakar had transferred the case from Justice Prakash Padia to himself, saying the 'single judge continued with the hearing of these cases for more than two years, even though he had no jurisdiction in the matter as per the roster'.
He had further said the decision to withdraw the case from the single-judge bench to the chief justice's court was taken on the administrative side in the interest of judicial propriety, judicial discipline and transparency in the listing of cases.
Justice Diwakar retired on November 22 and after his retirement, the case was listed before Justice Agrawal.
The counsel for the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, S F A Naqvi, said the petition also challenges a Varanasi court direction to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Gyanvapi mosque.
The order was passed on April 8, 2021. -- PTI
Locket Chatterjee
17:51 No politics on national security please: BJP's Locket Chatterjee
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Locket Chatterjee, talking about Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's expulsion from the Lok Sabha in the 'cash for query' case on Friday, said that "there should be no politics on the issue of national security".
Further, she added that action should be taken against someone who puts questions on national security.
"There should be no politics on the issue of national security. Action should be taken against someone who put questions over national security. Otherwise, members of Parliament who represent 140 crore people of the country will be questionable," Locket Chatterjee told ANI.
TMC leader Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha after a discussion on the report of the ethics committee in the 'cash for query' case that was tabled in the Lower House today.
17:15 'Everyone knows why Mahua Moitra was expelled'
MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from Lok Sabha is against the "natural course of justice".
Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha after a discussion on the report of the Ethics Committee in the 'cash for query' that was tabled in the Lower House today.
"The decision was taken based on the statement of the person who levelled the allegation and he is sitting in Dubai. It is against the natural course of justice," Chaturvedi said.
Meanwhile, RSP MP NK Premachandran said that the reason she has been expelled is that she has been vehemently attacking Adani and the Prime Minister.
"Everyone knows that she has been vehemently attacking Adani and the PM, and that is the reason why she has been expelled without any justifiable reason," RSP MP said.
The expelled Lok Sabha MP alleged that she has been found guilty of breaching a code of ethics that 'does not exist'. Following her expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha as a Trinamool Congress MP in a 'cash for query' case, TMC leader Mahua Moitra on Friday said that the Ethics Committee probing the matter is another "weapon to crush opposition into submission" and that the panel has broken every rule in the book. -- ANI
Mahua Moitra with Danish Ali and Sudip Bandhpadhyay earlier this week
16:57 It's revenge: Adhir on Mahua's expulsion
After the expulsion of Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said that all of this is being done based on "baseless facts" and with a "sentiment of revenge."
The Trinamool MP was on Friday expelled from the Lok Sabha after a discussion on the report of the Ethics Committee in the 'cash for query' that was tabled in the Lower House today.
"This was done based on baseless facts and with a sentiment of revenge. This government has insulted women," Adhir said.
Meanwhile, BSP MP Danish Ali also reacted to the expulsion and said that Moitra was not given the opportunity to speak for herself.
"I've put this (poster) because the committee also mentioned me in its recommendation because I want to bring her justice...She wasn't given an opportunity," Danish Ali said. Mahua Moitra, who was not allowed to speak during the discussion inside the House, the Trinamool leader read out her statement outside the Lok Sabha. She said that the Ethics Committee broke every rule.
16:35 Party stands with Mahua: Mamata on expulsion
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee speaks on the expulsion of her MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha. "This is a sad day for Indian parliamentary democracy. This is vendetta politics of BJP. They killed democracy.... It is injustice. Mahua will win the battle. The people will give justice. They (BJP) will be defeated in the next election," the West Bengal CM said.
"I don't understand how the (Parliament) members will go through these 495 pages within half an hour and how all the speakers will take a decision. I congratulate the INDIA alliance for being united, and we will fight back. In this case, Mahua is a victim of the circumstances. I strongly condemn this and the party completely stands with Mahua," says West Bengal CM
16:12 SC dismisses Chanda Kochhar's plea for retirement benefits from ICICI bank
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain former ICICI bank managing director and CEO Chanda Kochhar's plea seeking retirement benefits from the bank.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti said, "Not a case for interference. We are not inclined to interfere with the high court order. The special leave petition is dismissed."
At the outset, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Kochhar said the high court had dismissed the petition without any discussion or finding.
The bench said it has seen the facts involved and the case does not warrant any interference. Kochhar has challenged the Bombay High Court's May 3 order, which dismissed her petition saying grant of any interim relief to her would cause irreparable damage and prejudice to the bank.
Meanwhile, another top court bench headed by Justice Bela M Trivedi adjourned the hearing on a separate plea filed by CBI challenging grant of interim bail to Kochhar.
The plea of the probe agency will now be heard on December 11. In her plea seeking retiral benefits from ICICI bank, Kochhar has referred to various documents and order of the court and said no prima facie case was found in the suit filed by the bank.
Her plea before the top court also referred to the November 2022 order passed by the single judge bench of the high court. The single judge bench of the high court had directed Kochhar to not deal with the bank's Rs 6.90 lakh shares she had acquired in 2018. -- PTI
15:56 Mahua Moitra's expulsion black day for Parliament: CPI(M)
The CPI(M) on Friday claimed that Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's expulsion from the Lok Sabha is a "black day" for the Parliament. Describing the action against Moitra as "overactiveness", CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that it is a display of the BJP's use of its brute majority in the Lok Sabha.
"It is a black day for the Parliament," he told PTI.
Adopting the recommendation of the Ethics Committee in the 'cash-for-query' matter, the Lok Sabha expelled Moitra from the House.
Claiming that it is an act of "injustice", Chakraborty said that Moitra was not given a chance to cross-examine the complainant, BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey. Businessman Darshan Hiranandani had claimed in a signed affidavit that Moitra targeted industrialist Gautam Adani to "malign and embarrass" Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
15:47 Shows how important Adani is to Modi govt: Mahua
Mahua Moitra speaking outside parliament: "One of two complainants my estranged partner with mala fide intention who masqueraded as common citizen before ethics panel.
"MPs are like conveyor belts to bring questions from general public to Parliament; kangaroo court punished me without evidence. There is no evidence of cash or gift, ethics panel decided to hang me without getting to root of issue."
15:45 This demonstrates how important Adani is to Modi govt: Mahua
Update: Mahua Moitra after expulsion from House: LS ethics panel, its report broken every rule in book; it's a weapon to force us into submission. In essence I have been found guilty of breaching code of ethics that does not exist. The Ethics panel is punishing me for practice that is routine, accepted and encouraged in Lok Sabha.
"...If this Modi government thought that by shutting me up they could do away with the Adani issue, let me tell you this that this kangaroo court has only shown to all of India that the haste and the abuse of due process you have used, demonstrates how important Adani is to you. And to what length you will go to harass a single woman MP into shutting her into submission..."
15:29 Mahua speaks outside Parl: Ethics Panel broke rules
Mahua Moitra reads out her speech outside the Parliament hall as she wasn't allowed to speak inside the Parliament. Sonia Gandhi stands behind her in support.
The Lok Sabha on Friday expelled Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra after holding her guilty of sharing her credentials with others and accepting gifts from a businessman to extend favours.
After a heated debate during which Moitra was not allowed to speak, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion to expel the Trinamool member for "unethical conduct", which was adopted by a voice vote.
15:26 Mahua Moitra's conduct immoral, indecent: Speaker
What the Speaker said at the conclusion of the proceedings: "TMC's Mahua Moitra expelled as a Member of the Lok Sabha; House adjourned till 11th December. "...This House accepts the conclusions of the Committee that MP Mahua Moitra's conduct was immoral and indecent as an MP. So, it is not appropriate for her to continue as an MP..."
15:17 Ethics Committee broke every rule: Moitra
"Ethics Committee broke every rule," Mahua Moitra says outside parliament after her expulsion. Opposition stages walk out after Lok Sabha adopts motion to expel Mahua Moitra as TMC MP.
15:10 Mahua Moitra expelled as Lok Sabha MP
Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra expelled from parliament on ethics panel's recommendation over cash-for-query row.
14:54 Speaker refuses to allow Mahua to speak in LS
Speaker says Mahua will be allowed to defend herself. However, she is not being allowed to speak in the House.
Mahua Moitra who is seated next to party MP Kalyan Banejree interjects to which Banerjee tells her, "Ektu please." Banerjee says Lok Sabha cannot expel Mahua Moitra. He says Darshan Hiranandani who gave the affidavit has not been examined by the Ethics Panel.
14:45 TMC asks Speaker to allow Mahua to speak in LS
TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay requests the Speaker that Mahua Moitra be allowed to speak in the House on behalf of the party. "Let her defend herself," Bandopadhyay says.
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee says a fair trail can be held only if the affected person is heard. He said it is the fundamental principle of law.
Earlier, BJP MP Hina Gavit said, "During UPA govt in 2005, a report was presented and 10 Lok Sabha members were expelled on same day
This is not a question of Treasury versus Opposition. This is about the dignity of the House." She was reacting to the Opposition demand that at least four days be given to read the Ethics Panel report
14:30 Govt moves motion to adopt Ethics report on Mahua
In Parliament: Govt moves motion to adopt Ethics Report on Mahua Moitra. The report recommends Moitra be expelled as a member of Parliament.
Congress, Trinamool ask for time to study ethics report on Mahua Moitra before discussion in Lok Sabha.
Congress MP Manish Tiwari speaking. He says it's strange that the Ethics Report was tabled at noon MPs get only two hours to read it. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress MP) said earlier that heavens would not fall if House was given more time to read the report.
"The person on whom the allegations have been made has not even been allowed to speak in the House. It is against the principles of natural justice.
"He says the ethics committee recommendation that Moitra be expelled is fundamentally flawed because the committee can table the report but cannot direct punishment.
He says the House is today the judge and the jury.
The Speaker says that Parliament was not court.
Adhir Ranjan says at least 4 days should be given to study LS Ethics Committee's 495-page report on Mahua Moitra issue.
14:15 Haven't received Ethics report on Mahua: Oppn
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi moves motion in Lok Sabha for discussion on panel report seeking expulsion of TMC member Mahua Moitra. Opposition members say they have not received copies of Ethics Committee report on 'cash-for-query' complaint against Mahua Moitra.
"If some strict decisions have to be taken, they have to be taken to uphold dignity of House," says Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
14:08 What the Ethics Panel report on Mahua Moitra says...
Ethics Committee report recommends the expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra from Lok Sabha and investigation by the Government of India in time bound manner.
The report reads - (i) The serious misdemeanours on the part of Mahua Moitra calls for severe punishment. The Committee, therefore, recommend that Mahua Moitra, MP may be expelled from the Membership of the Seventeenth Lok Sabha.
(ii) In view of highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct of Mahua Moitra, the Committee recommends for an intense, legal, institutional inquiry by the Government of India in a time-bound manner.
14:07 KCR to undergo hip replacement surgery
Update: Former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao needs to undergo a hip replacement surgery following a fracture sustained from a fall at his Erravelli residence and the recovery process would take about 6-8 weeks, doctors treating him said on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished speedy recovery for the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) founder while state chief minister A Revanth Reddy directed for best medical care to his predecessor.
KCR's son KT Ramarao said in a post on 'X' that Rao "needs to undergo a hip replacement Surgery today after he had a fall in his bathroom."
Rao was taken to the Yashoda Hospitals at Somajiguda in the city. "On evaluation, including CT scans he was found to have left hip fracture (Intracapsular Neck of femur fracture). He would require left hip replacement for the same and the usual course of recovery for such cases is expected to be 6 to 8 weeks," a health bulletin from the hospital said.
"KCR is being constantly monitored by a multi-disciplinary team, including orthopaedic and general medicine, and his condition is stable," it added.
13:59 Mahua must be allowed to speak in Parl: TMC
After the report of the Ethics Committee recommending the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in a "Cash-for-query" matter was tabled in Lok Sabha, TMC MP Nusrat Jahan came out in support of her fellow party parliamentarian and said that she must be given an opportunity to speak for herself as Moitra is the most affected person in this case.
Questioning the Ethics panel investigation, TMC MP from Basirhat targeted the Modi government and said that it is not compassionate to women in this country.
Speaking to ANI, Nusrat Jahan said, "Has it actually been fairly conducted? We don't know. Because this Government hasn't been really fair when it comes to women. We have asked for a hard copy of the report. Our leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay has asked for it."
"After studying the report, we can come to a conclusion and when the discussion happens, we have all requested that Mahua be given an opportunity to speak for herself and say whatever she feels because she is the most affected in this case," she added.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Ethics Committee chairperson Vinod Kumar laid on the table the first Report (Hindi and English versions) of the Committee on Ethics.
The House was adjourned till 2 PM amid a ruckus created by the opposition leader. Stating that the report was adopted in a hurry without following the correct procedure, BSP MP Danish Ali, who is a member of the Ethics Committee said, "We are demanding a discussion on the report because the discussions were incomplete even at the Ethics Committee. Deposition of the one against whom allegations have been made was not complete."
13:28 Parl to discuss Ethics report on Mahua for 30 mins
Trinamool Congress leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandyopadhyay Friday described the Ethics Committee's recommendation to expel party MP Mahua Moitra in a "cash-for-query" allegation as "political vendetta" and claimed that it was aimed at stopping her from raising issues against the Adani Group.
Bandyopadhyay said he had a one-on-one meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who informed him that the report would be tabled along with a resolution.
He told the Speaker that Moitra should be given time to make her speech on the floor of the house to which Birla replied that half an hour would be given for discussion on the matter.
"The first meeting (of the ethics panel) ended in a short time and could not produce any result. Why was a second meeting not held? Why such a hurry?" he posed. -- PTI
13:11 SC slams Calcutta HC: Don't preach
The Supreme Court on Friday strongly criticised a Calcutta High Court judgment which advised young girls to "control sexual urge", saying the observations are highly objectionable and unwarranted.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal said the observations are completely in violation of the rights of adolescents under Article 21 of the Constitution.
"Prima facie, we are of the view that the judges are not expected to express personal views or preach," the bench said while issuing notice to the West Bengal government and other parties in the case. The top court appointed senior advocate Madhavi Divan as amicus curiae to assist the court and advocate Liz Mathew to assist the amicus.
The apex court took note on its own of the October 18, 2023, judgement of the Calcutta High Court which observed, "every female adolescent should control sexual urge as in the eyes of society she will be a loser when she gives in to enjoy sexual pleasure of hardly two minutes." PTI
The Nitish govt made Bihar a dry state in 2016
13:01 Man consuming alcohol in dry Bihar found dead in police lockup
A 22-year-old man, who was arrested for consuming liquor in dry Bihar, was found dead inside the lockup of a police station in Munger district, an official said on Friday.
The deceased, identified as Aman of Bageshwari area in Munger, was found hanging from the ventilator of the toilet attached to the lockup of the prohibition department police station at 2 am, he said.
Aman was arrested by the officials of the Bihar Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department on Thursday on charges of consuming liquor and violating the state's prohibition laws. The sale and consumption of alcohol is banned in Bihar since April 2016.
Talking to reporters, Suman Kumar, Inspector (Excise and Prohibition department), said, "Aman was found hanging in the toilet attached to the lockup at 2 am on Friday. He was immediately taken to the district government hospital, where he was declared dead."
"After medical examinations, he was kept in the department's lockup along with four other persons. The matter is being investigated," he added. PTI
12:46 Report on Mahua tabled amid anti-Modi govt chants
The Ethics Committee report on TMC MP Mahua Moitra was tabled in Lok Sabha on Friday by the panel's chairperson and BJP MP Vijay Sonkar.
Rajendra Agarwal was chairing the session in the Lower House.
The opposition led by members of the Trinamool Congress raised slogans against the Central government, shouting 'Modi Sarkar Haye Haye'.
Amid the ruckus created by the opposition, the House was adjourned till 2 pm.
The report was mentioned in the agenda of the list of business of Lok Sabha for the opening day of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. However, it could not be taken up. -- ANI
12:26 Nifty scales 21k after RBI policy decision
Equity benchmark Nifty scaled the psychological milestone of 21,000 in afternoon trade on Friday, and the Sensex touched its all-time intraday high of 69,888.33 after the central bank's decision to keep policy rates unchanged in line with market expectations.
The 50-share benchmark index opened on a bullish note, after taking a breather on Thursday, and rose to 21,006.10. As many as 25 stocks were trading in the green, and 24 stocks defied the broader market and were trading in the negative territory.
In the broader market, the Nifty Midcap Select index was trading 0.1 per cent higher at 9,975.60 points, Nifty Bank was trading up 0.48 per cent, and Nifty Financial Services advanced 21,133.30 points.
The major gainers in the benchmark Nifty index include LTIMindtree (3.17 per cent), followed by JSW steel (2.97 per cent), HCL Tech (2.96 per cent), HDFC Bank (1.41 per cent) and L&T (1.32 per cent).
Among the laggards, Adani Ports declined the most and was down 1.55 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finance (down 1.37 per cent), Adani Enterprises (down 1.23 per cent), Hero MotoCorp (down 1.18 per cent). Among the Sensex scrips, 19 stocks advanced, and 11 stocks declined.
11:51 Ma Durga is here: Mahua on report tabling today
As the report of the Ethics Committee in the alleged "cash-for-query" case will be tabled in Lok Sabha today, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said that now the people will see the battle of Mahabharata.
Speaking to the media, Mahua said "Mother Durga has arrived, we will see. These people who have started snatching clothes will now see the battle of Mahabharata.
"She also quoted a quote from famous poet and former Rajya Sabha Member, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar which said "Destruction befalls a person, conscience dies first," (Jab Naash Manuj par chaata hai, pehle vivek mar jaata hai)."
Chairperson Vinod Kumar Sonkar and Aparajita Sarangi to lay on the Table the First Report (Hindi and English versions) of the Committee on Ethics," the agenda released by Lok Sabha read.
The report was mentioned in the agenda of the list of business of Lok Sabha for the opening day of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
However, it could not be taken up.
The Ethics Committee, which investigated the allegations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, adopted its 500-page report on November 9 recommending Moitra's expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha. -- PTI
11:41 BJP appoints observers to decide CMs in 3 states
BJP appoints observers for Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Five days after the results which saw the party win in all the three states, the BJP has yet to announce its chief ministers.
In Rajasthan the observers are: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Vinod Tawade and Saroj Pandey.
In Madhya Pradesh the observers are: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, K Laxman, Asha Lakra.
In Chhattisgarh, the observers are Union Ministers Arjun Munda and Sarbananda Sonowal and Dushyant Gautam.
The central observers will oversee meetings of legislative parties in the three states to elect their leaders who will be new the CMs.
RBI guv Shaktikanta Das
11:21 RBI ups GDP growth projection to 7% for FY24
The Reserve Bank of India on Friday raised the GDP growth projection for the current fiscal to 7 per cent from 6.5 per cent earlier on buoyant domestic demand and higher capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector.
Announcing the bi-monthly monetary policy, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, however, flagged protracted geopolitical turmoil and global economic fragmentation as risks to the growth outlook.
The RBI kept interest rates unchanged at 6.5 per cent in Friday's monetary policy statement. The apex bank projected real GDP growth for the 2023-24 fiscal at 7 per cent, with December and March quarter growth estimated at 6.5 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively. The growth in the first, second and third quarters of the next fiscal is estimated at 6.7 per cent, 6.5 per cent, and 6.4 per cent, respectively.
The Indian economy rose by 7.2 per cent in the 2022-23 fiscal ended March 2023.
The country's real GDP grew 7.8 per cent and 7.6 per cent year-on-year in the June and September quarters, up from 6.1 per cent in the March quarter. The central bank's projection is significantly higher than forecasts by international agencies.
The IMF, World Bank, ADB, and Fitch expect India's GDP to expand 6.3 per cent in the current fiscal, while S&P expects growth to be 6.4 per cent in the current fiscal. -- PTI
11:16 ICC rates Ind vs Aus ODI WC final pitch 'average'
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad which hosted the ODI World Cup final between India and Australia on November 19 has been rated "average" by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
ICC match referee and former Zimbabwe batter Andy Pycroft, however, rated the outfield as "very good".
Australia had won the World Cup final after beating India by six wickets on a pitch which was slow and sluggish.
Opting to bowl, India could score just 240 in 50 overs with Australia achieving the target in 43 overs, with opener Travis Head making a 120-ball 137.
The pitches used in India's league matches against South Africa, England, Pakistan and Australia in Kolkata, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Chennai respectively were also rated as 'average' by the ICC. However, the Wankhede Stadium pitch on which India face New Zealand in the semifinals received a good' rating.
There were media reports ahead of that match, suggesting that the hosts had switched pitch, offering a used surface instead of a fresh one.
The ICC also gave an "average" rating to the Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata which hosted the second semifinal between Australia and South Africa. It turned out to be a low-scoring match where Australia dismissed South Africa for 212 in 49.4 overs. Australia then managed to overhaul the target in 47.2 overs, losing seven wickets.
10:39 Will oppose Mahua's expulsion tooth and nail: Cong
Congress MP K Suresh on Friday said that his party will oppose the expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha if the report of the Ethics committee which is set to be tabled in the Parliament today recommends the same.
Speaking to ANI, Congress Lok Sabha Chief Whip K Suresh said, "Today, the Ethics Committee report is being tabled. It is already included in the List of Business in Lok Sabha. Let us see what report are they going to table in the House. If the report states the expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra, we will oppose it tooth and nail."
Mahua Moitra is facing the heat of the "cash-for-query" allegations against her.
The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has recently recommended her expulsion from the Lower House.
The Ethics Committee, which investigated the allegations made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, adopted its 500-page report on November 9 recommending Moitra's expulsion from the 17th Lok Sabha in view of her "highly objectionable, unethical, heinous and criminal conduct".
As the Parliament convenes on Day 5 of the ongoing Winter Session on Friday, the report of the Ethics Committee on Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in an alleged "cash-for-query" case will be tabled in Lok Sabha.
10:10 RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5%
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das: "The Monetary Policy Committee decided unanimously to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5%. Consequently, the Standing Deposit Facility rate remains at 6.25% and the Marginal Standing Facility rate and the Bank Rate at 6.75%."
Jeetendra and Johny Lever visited Jr Mehmood earlier this week
10:05 Junior Mehmood to be laid to rest at Santa Cruz cemetery
Character actor Junior Mehmood, who passed away today, will be buried later in the day at the Santa Cruz cemetery. His mother is also buried there. Other noted personalities like Dilip Kumar and Mohammed Rafi are also buried there. Junior Mehmood is survived by two sons and a wife.
09:50 India bans onion exports as prices soar
India has prohibited the export of onions till March 2024, as per an official notification issued late on Thursday evening.
The DGFT notification said the export of onions will be, however, allowed on the basis of permission granted by the central government to other countries based on the request made by the countries.
Onions are currently sold at around Rs 60 per kg in retail markets.
In August, the government imposed a 40 per cent duty on the export of onions to check price rise and improve supplies in the domestic market until December 31, 2023.
The central government subsequently set a Minimum Export Price (MEP) of USD 800 per tonne on a free-on-board basis for the export of onions with effect from October 29.
The central government had, though, exempted the export of 'Bangalore rose onion' from the export duty, with a small rider -- goods meant for export shall be allowed to be exported subject to the exporter furnishing a certificate from the Horticulture Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, certifying the item and quantity of Bangalore Rose Onion to be exported.
Bangalore rose onion is a variety of onion grown in and around Bengaluru, Karnataka. It got the coveted Geographical Indication tag in 2015.Faced with rising onion prices, the central government has been releasing the staple vegetable from its buffer stock.
The central government had earlier decided it would maintain 3 lakh tonne of onions in the 2023-24 season as buffer stock. In 2022-23, the government maintained 2.51 lakh tonne onion as buffer stock. -- ANI
09:37 BJP MPs who resigned from House asked vacate residences
The Lok Sabha Housing Committee led by CR Patil has sent a notice to all BJP MPs who recently resigned from the House, to vacate their official residences in Delhi within 30 days. Twelve MPs from three states resigned in the last couple of days, eight of who are are Lok Sabha MPs, three are ministers (residence allocated by Ministry of urban development) and one is a Rajya Sabha MP.
09:35 KCR hospitalised after fall in farmhouse
Former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has been admitted to Yasodha Hospital in Hyderabad after he sustained an injury at his farmhouse on Thursday night, sources said. The BRS chief fell at his farmhouse in Erravalli and was injured.
09:18 Those behind Pannun assassination plot...: US
India is a strategic partner for the United States, the White House has said as it urged New Delhi to hold accountable those responsible for the plot to assassinate a separatist Sikh leader, who is an American citizen.
"India is a strategic partner. We're deepening that strategic partnership. They're a member of the Quad in the Pacific. We participate with them on a range of issues and we want to see that continue unabated. That said, at the same time, we certainly recognise the seriousness of these allegations," National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at a White House news conference Washington, DC.
Kirby was responding to a question on the impact that the alleged plot would have on the bilateral India-US relationship. "We want it fully investigated and those responsible to be held properly accountable," he said.
"It's under active investigation. We've said that we're glad that our Indian counterparts are taking it seriously and doing that. We want those responsible for these attacks to be held fully accountable, but I won't get ahead of an investigation that isn't complete," Kirby added. -- PTI
08:29 Actor Junior Mehmood dies of stomach cancer at 67
Character actor Junior Mehmood, known for his roles in Caravan, Haathi Mere Saathi and Mera Naam Joker, died on Friday following a battle with cancer, his close friend Salaam Kazi said.
The actor was 68.
"He died at 2:00 am at his residence in Bandra. He started having breathing issues from Thursday night and suddenly he passed away," Kazi, a close friend of the actor, said.
Junior Mehmood, whose real name was Naeem Sayyed, began as a child artist with Mohabbat Zindagi Hai (1966) and Naunihal (1967).
He was given the name Junior Mehmood by late comedy icon Mehmood after they starred together in 1968 film Suhag Raat.
According to Kazi, Junior Mehmood started having pain in his stomach and was getting treated by a local doctor. But when he started losing weight, his family decided to take him to Tata Memorial hospital.
"They did a check-up and the doctors over there said he had cancer in his lung and liver, and a tumour in his stomach. He was also diagnosed with jaundice," Kazi added.
Actors Jeetendra and Sachin Pilgaonkar visited the actor at his residence on Tuesday after he expressed a desire to meet them.
Jeetendra had shared screen space with the actor in several movies, including Suhaag Raat and Caravan.
In a career of over four decades, Junior Mehmood featured in over 260 films across seven languages. His other popular films include
Brahmachari, Kati Patang, Hare Raama Hare Krishna, Geet Gaata Chal, Imaandaar, Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri, Aaj Ka Arjun, Gurudev, Chhote Sarkar and Judaai.
The actor also appeared on TV shows such as Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara and Ek Rishta Saajhedari ka.
He is survived by two sons and a wife. -- PTI
01:32 Security beefed up for Mamata in north Bengal amid upsurge in KLO activities
Security has been beefed up for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a six-day visit to the northern districts, after intelligence inputs indicated a sudden upsurge in activities of the banned Kamtapur Liberation Organisation outfit, a senior officer said on Thursday.
Security measures were tightened after video grabs allegedly made by the KLO threatening Banerjee started circulating on social media.
The officer said that the Intelligence Bureau has cautioned the state police about the upsurge of activities of KLO, which has a presence in northern West Bengal and neighbouring Assam.
"Security measures have been beefed up. Though tightening security arrangements is a routine procedure whenever the CM is travelling, this time there are specific inputs and we have taken additional measures," the IPS officer told PTI.
KLO has developed links with other terror outfits in the Northeast and that is a major concern, he said. -- PTI
01:01 Pune boy dies after insertion of air compressor hose
A 16-year-old boy died of internal injuries after his kin allegedly inserted an air compressor hose into his rectum in Pune's Hadapsar area, a police official said on Thursday.
The incident took place on Monday at a food processing unit manufacturing different kinds of flour in Hadaspar industrial estate, he said.
"Dhiraj Gopalsingh Gaud inserted the hose of the air compressor into Motilal's rectum just for fun while teasing him. It led to the latter's stomach bloating, resulting in internal injuries. He died during treatment at a nearby hospital," the Hadapsar police station official said.
Gaud (21) was arrested under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code, he said.
The compressors are used to clean the dust in the unit, the official added. -- PTI
00:32 Caught on air: BBC News anchor makes 'inappropriate' gesture at start of live broadcast
In a video that has gone viral, a UK television anchor was seen on Wednesday showing an 'inappropriate gesture' live on camera, seemingly not prepared to deliver the news at the time, the New York Post reported.
BBC host Maryam Moshiri, one of the network's "chief presenters," showed her middle finger to the camera on Wednesday as she prepared to deliver the noontime news.
When the customary BBC countdown reached zero, the camera shifted to Moshiri, who was smiling, her eyes wide open, as she made that gesture which went live on air.
Moshiri, according to the New York Post, swiftly realised what had happened, quickly composed herself and started her piece, "Live from London, this is BBC News," realising what had transpired in a matter of milliseconds.
She then started reading the bulletins of the day. Moshiri said on Thursday that she wasn't trying to hurt anyone and that she was just kidding about, with the group behind the camera.
"Hey everyone, yesterday just before the top of the hour I was joking around a bit with the team in the gallery. I was pretending to count down as the director was counting me down from 10-0.. including the fingers to show the number. So from 10 fingers held up to one," she said in a post to X. -- ANI
00:13 HC to resume hearing on Gyanvapi mosque committee's plea today
The Allahabad high court will resume on Friday the hearing on a petition filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging the maintainability of a suit seeking "restoration" of a temple at the site of the Gyanvapi mosque.
On December 5, the matter was listed before the bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal.
When it was called for hearing, the court adjourned the matter and posted it to December 7.
After hearing the parties concerned on Thursday, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal adjourned the hearing in the case and posted it for hearing on December 8.
By an order dated August 28, the then chief justice Pritinkar Diwaker had transferred the case from Justice Prakash Padia to himself, saying "a single judge continued with the hearing of these cases for more than two years, even though he had no jurisdiction in the matter as per the roster".
Justice Diwaker had further said the decision to withdraw the case from the single-judge bench was taken on the administrative side in the interest of judicial propriety, judicial discipline and transparency in the listing of cases.
Justice Diwakar retired on November 22 and the case was listed before Justice Agrawal on Tuesday. -- PTI
Kailash Vijayvargiya
00:03 Decision on CMs by Dec 10: BJP's Vijayvargiya
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday said that the suspense over the chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh would end on December 10 and gave credit for the BJP's success in the three Hindi heartland states to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Vijayvargiya stated that a clear decision on CM candidates will be revealed by December 10, but refrained from disclosing whether the party will select leaders from the newly elected MLAs or bring in outsiders.
"Ravivar ko khatm ho jaayega (It will come to an end on Sunday)," said the BJP leader when asked about how long the suspense over new CMs in states where the BJP won the assembly elections will last.
He also lauded the Ladli Behena Yojana of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and said, "Was the Ladli Behena Yojana there in Chhattisgarh? Was it in Rajasthan? The victory in Chhattisgarh is significant. PM Modi's leadership, Amit Shah's strategy, and JP Nadda's polling booth yojana were successful, and all of them led to the results in the three states." -- ANI
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