September 24, 2026

India

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to decide at the earliest which of the two rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress will get the party’s name and symbol.Hearing a plea filed by Mamata Banerjee, the top court asked the poll panel to inform it by Monday when it expected to take a final decision on the dispute.The Supreme Court also referred to the Shiv Sena factional dispute and said the row between the two AITC factions should be decided expeditiously.The development comes days after the Election Commission temporarily allotted Mamata Banerjee’s faction the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “football player” symbol.The rival faction was allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “envelope” symbol.Earlier, in an interim order, the poll panel froze the All India Trinamool Congress name and its “flowers and grass” symbol after recognising a factional dispute within the party. Neither faction can use the original name or symbol until the dispute is finally settled.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe temporary arrangement will apply to the upcoming bypolls, with candidates of the two factions contesting under the separate names and symbols allotted by the Commission.The Election Commission has been hearing competing claims over control of the party, its name and election symbol. Both sides have submitted documents and appeared before the Commission during the proceedings.The dispute reached the poll panel after rival groups staked claims to control the TMC. The commission subsequently sought submissions on issues including organisational control, authorised office-bearers, party assets, the party name and its election symbol.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSahil Wakode Death Case: CCTV Footage Surfaces; IIT Bombay Sets Up 10-Member Probe Panel’Illegal’ Changes to IT System Row: Timeline of Sandhu & Joshi’s Objections Over Form 6, ECINet, SIRVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election Commissioners123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsMumbai-Pune ExpresswayCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to decide at the earliest which of the two rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress will get the party’s name and symbol.Hearing a plea filed by Mamata Banerjee, the top court asked the poll panel to inform it by Monday when it expected to take a final decision on the dispute.The Supreme Court also referred to the Shiv Sena factional dispute and said the row between the two AITC factions should be decided expeditiously.The development comes days after the Election Commission temporarily allotted Mamata Banerjee’s faction the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “football player” symbol.The rival faction was allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “envelope” symbol.Earlier, in an interim order, the poll panel froze the All India Trinamool Congress name and its “flowers and grass” symbol after recognising a factional dispute within the party. Neither faction can use the original name or symbol until the dispute is finally settled.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe temporary arrangement will apply to the upcoming bypolls, with candidates of the two factions contesting under the separate names and symbols allotted by the Commission.The Election Commission has been hearing competing claims over control of the party, its name and election symbol. Both sides have submitted documents and appeared before the Commission during the proceedings.The dispute reached the poll panel after rival groups staked claims to control the TMC. The commission subsequently sought submissions on issues including organisational control, authorised office-bearers, party assets, the party name and its election symbol.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSahil Wakode Death Case: CCTV Footage Surfaces; IIT Bombay Sets Up 10-Member Probe Panel’Illegal’ Changes to IT System Row: Timeline of Sandhu & Joshi’s Objections Over Form 6, ECINet, SIRVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election Commissioners123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsMumbai-Pune ExpresswayCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to decide at the earliest which of the two rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress will get the party’s name and symbol.Hearing a plea filed by Mamata Banerjee, the top court asked the poll panel to inform it by Monday when it…

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Cong MP Priyanka Gandhi targets EC over SIR, alleges ‘voter roll tampering’. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday slammed the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that Gyanesh Kumar should be “criminally prosecuted” for “tampering with electoral rolls and deleting voters’ names.”Her remarks came a day after The Indian Express published a report claiming that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Speaking to reporters in Wayanad, Kerala, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Anybody who plays around with the process, the democratic process of our elections is committing treason against this nation. That is our very clear stand. I do not think anybody in that position should have legal protection in the way that he has. The Chief Election Commissioner has. If they have done illegal acts because tampering with the voters’ rolls, deleting, I believe, 13 crore voters is a criminal act against democracy, against the Constitution and against the nation.””Since criminal acts fall under a particular law, and people are usually tried and prosecuted for doing those criminal acts, I do not see why the Election Commissioner has to have any protection against it. If he has done an illegal act, he has been fully aware that this is happening under his nose. His colleagues have brought it to his attention. He has ignored it and intentionally allowed an unfair election to take place. He should be criminally prosecuted just like any other criminal, and he should be tried for treason. This is my very clear stand,” she added.Earlier on Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi had also called the issue “an extremely serious” one for democracy.”This is an extremely serious issue for our democracy. If there are no elections, then where is democracy? If elections are unfair and rigged in any manner, then the Election Commission is assisting in that. If the Election Commissioner is not only aware of it but also allowing it to happen, then it is a very serious assault on democracy. It is an act of treason.”The remarks followed the Indian Express report, which said Sandhu and Joshi had objected at least 14 times to decisions taken in the Commission’s name without, according to the report, their knowledge or approval. The reported objections covered issues including voter registration and deletion, changes to Form 6 and the handling of the electoral-roll database.The ECI rejected the suggestion that the reported objections amounted to a division within the Commission. ECI officials said all decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of all three commissioners.In a statement, the poll panel said, “The ECI is a constitutional body that functions under the strict mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution, statutory rules and established institutional conventions. The Commission operates as a multi-member constitutional body. Written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks-and-balances are standard, ongoing practices designed to ensure complete transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour. All actions of ECI have been in accordance with laws and instructions of the Commission. All official orders, decisions and administrative directions issued by the Commission carry full legal sanctions and follow established statutory procedures.”The Commission further said, “Any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during draft stages are part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights. The suggestions given by the Commissioners were for further improving the electoral processes,” adding that differing views and observations were a normal part of institutional deliberations.BJP defends poll panelBJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra defended the functioning of the Election Commission, saying discussions among the three commissioners were part of the democratic process.”Look at the situation: if the three Election Commissioners do not communicate with each other, if there is no exchange of views or consultation, and they simply agree to everything, then the opposition parties claim it is a dictatorship. They say this government appointed these three commissioners; they just say yes. Now, there have been 14 instances of correspondence among the three of them, official deliberations, as far as we gather from the media. It is not as if the Bharatiya Janata Party goes and reads these letters; rather, reports in the media indicate that official deliberations took place among the three, which is a sign of a healthy democracy,” he said.Patra added, “I would say that today, all the opposition parties have fallen into a trap, the trap of claiming that the Election Commission and the government were acting dictatorially. On the contrary, I would say this is pure democracy. Deliberations are taking place, and the Election Commission has stated very clearly in the very first paragraph of its document that, following all official democratic deliberations, the final outcome, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), was achieved with unanimity.””In other words, all three Commissioners were unanimous; there was no difference of opinion or dissent among them,” he said.”They were all on the same page. In short, the situation today is that neither the Election Commission of India nor any constitutional body in India is under dictatorial rule; they are functioning democratically and, indeed, upholding the country’s democracy. By operating democratically, these constitutional institutions are safeguarding democracy,” Patra added.Opposition parties continued to target the Election Commission over the issue. Earlier, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRahul Gandhi described alleged “vote chori” as a “crime against the Indian people” and an attack on the Constitution.In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “Vote chori is a crime against the Indian people and a direct attack on our constitution. The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served.”In a video, he also addressed the Election Commission and election officials, saying, “I am clearly telling the Election Commission and election officers: What you are doing is wrong. This is treason; it is against the nation. Do not forget this. The time will come! We will catch you! You will not be spared.”Meanwhile, ECI sources maintained that all decisions taken by the poll panel, including those related to SIR, were unanimous and had the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. Her reporting also focuses on policy, governance and economic developments, with a close lens on how decisions in corridors of power affect everyday lives and community well-being.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Illegal’ Changes to IT System Row: Timeline of Sandhu & Joshi’s Objections Over Form 6, ECINet, SIRVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In Sharjah123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsMumbai-Pune ExpresswayCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Cong MP Priyanka Gandhi targets EC over SIR, alleges ‘voter roll tampering’. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday slammed the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that Gyanesh Kumar should be “criminally prosecuted” for “tampering with electoral rolls and deleting voters’ names.”Her remarks came a day after The Indian Express published a report claiming that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Speaking to reporters in Wayanad, Kerala, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Anybody who plays around with the process, the democratic process of our elections is committing treason against this nation. That is our very clear stand. I do not think anybody in that position should have legal protection in the way that he has. The Chief Election Commissioner has. If they have done illegal acts because tampering with the voters’ rolls, deleting, I believe, 13 crore voters is a criminal act against democracy, against the Constitution and against the nation.””Since criminal acts fall under a particular law, and people are usually tried and prosecuted for doing those criminal acts, I do not see why the Election Commissioner has to have any protection against it. If he has done an illegal act, he has been fully aware that this is happening under his nose. His colleagues have brought it to his attention. He has ignored it and intentionally allowed an unfair election to take place. He should be criminally prosecuted just like any other criminal, and he should be tried for treason. This is my very clear stand,” she added.Earlier on Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi had also called the issue “an extremely serious” one for democracy.”This is an extremely serious issue for our democracy. If there are no elections, then where is democracy? If elections are unfair and rigged in any manner, then the Election Commission is assisting in that. If the Election Commissioner is not only aware of it but also allowing it to happen, then it is a very serious assault on democracy. It is an act of treason.”The remarks followed the Indian Express report, which said Sandhu and Joshi had objected at least 14 times to decisions taken in the Commission’s name without, according to the report, their knowledge or approval. The reported objections covered issues including voter registration and deletion, changes to Form 6 and the handling of the electoral-roll database.The ECI rejected the suggestion that the reported objections amounted to a division within the Commission. ECI officials said all decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of all three commissioners.In a statement, the poll panel said, “The ECI is a constitutional body that functions under the strict mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution, statutory rules and established institutional conventions. The Commission operates as a multi-member constitutional body. Written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks-and-balances are standard, ongoing practices designed to ensure complete transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour. All actions of ECI have been in accordance with laws and instructions of the Commission. All official orders, decisions and administrative directions issued by the Commission carry full legal sanctions and follow established statutory procedures.”The Commission further said, “Any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during draft stages are part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights. The suggestions given by the Commissioners were for further improving the electoral processes,” adding that differing views and observations were a normal part of institutional deliberations.BJP defends poll panelBJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra defended the functioning of the Election Commission, saying discussions among the three commissioners were part of the democratic process.”Look at the situation: if the three Election Commissioners do not communicate with each other, if there is no exchange of views or consultation, and they simply agree to everything, then the opposition parties claim it is a dictatorship. They say this government appointed these three commissioners; they just say yes. Now, there have been 14 instances of correspondence among the three of them, official deliberations, as far as we gather from the media. It is not as if the Bharatiya Janata Party goes and reads these letters; rather, reports in the media indicate that official deliberations took place among the three, which is a sign of a healthy democracy,” he said.Patra added, “I would say that today, all the opposition parties have fallen into a trap, the trap of claiming that the Election Commission and the government were acting dictatorially. On the contrary, I would say this is pure democracy. Deliberations are taking place, and the Election Commission has stated very clearly in the very first paragraph of its document that, following all official democratic deliberations, the final outcome, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), was achieved with unanimity.””In other words, all three Commissioners were unanimous; there was no difference of opinion or dissent among them,” he said.”They were all on the same page. In short, the situation today is that neither the Election Commission of India nor any constitutional body in India is under dictatorial rule; they are functioning democratically and, indeed, upholding the country’s democracy. By operating democratically, these constitutional institutions are safeguarding democracy,” Patra added.Opposition parties continued to target the Election Commission over the issue. Earlier, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesRahul Gandhi described alleged “vote chori” as a “crime against the Indian people” and an attack on the Constitution.In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “Vote chori is a crime against the Indian people and a direct attack on our constitution. The BJP, RSS and EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served.”In a video, he also addressed the Election Commission and election officials, saying, “I am clearly telling the Election Commission and election officers: What you are doing is wrong. This is treason; it is against the nation. Do not forget this. The time will come! We will catch you! You will not be spared.”Meanwhile, ECI sources maintained that all decisions taken by the poll panel, including those related to SIR, were unanimous and had the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. Her reporting also focuses on policy, governance and economic developments, with a close lens on how decisions in corridors of power affect everyday lives and community well-being.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Illegal’ Changes to IT System Row: Timeline of Sandhu & Joshi’s Objections Over Form 6, ECINet, SIRVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In Sharjah123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsMumbai-Pune ExpresswayCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna06 mins mins

Cong MP Priyanka Gandhi targets EC over SIR, alleges ‘voter roll tampering’. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday slammed the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that Gyanesh Kumar should be “criminally prosecuted” for “tampering with electoral rolls and deleting voters’ names.“Her remarks came a day after The Indian Express published a report claiming that Election…

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Picture credit: Matthew Aaron VanDyke’s Social Media handles and official website (file photo) NEW DELHI: An NIA court in Delhi Wednesday granted bail to six Ukrainian nationals arrested in March this year for allegedly running a training camp for ethnic armed rebels in India and Myanmar.The court, which ordered their release on a cash bond of Rs 1 lakh each, also discharged them from offences under the Immigration and Foreigners Act following after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which deals with the immigration matters involving foreign nationals, settled the offences on payment of a penalty of Rs 5.5 lakh each.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe offences, which pertained to illegal entry and visa violations, are compoundable at the level of the FRRO.Special judge Prashant Sharma granted them default bail on grounds of parity with their American co-accused Matthew Aaron Van Dyke.While granting bail to Dyke on Sept 18, the judge had dismissed the NIA’s opposition, observing that even if the probe was far from over, “at this stage it cannot be concluded that applicant/ accused Matthew Aaron Vandyke is not entitled for default bail”.Default bail is provisioned in the UAPA if the probe agency doesn’t file charge sheet containing offences under the anti-terror law with 180 days of arresting the accused. Following this, the court had directed that the other six accused could also seek default bail.Earlier this month, the agency filed a charge sheet which did not mention provisions of the UAPA, 1967, which was invoked in the initial FIR.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKoushiki SahaKoushiki Saha, a trainee journalist currently reporting for The Times of India, covers urban governance, infrastructure lapses, public grievances, and municipal policies with clarity and compassion. Still learning every day, she draws insights from fieldwork, lived experiences, and holding authorities accountable through persistent, people-focused reporting.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Illegal’ Changes to IT System Row: Timeline of Sandhu & Joshi’s Objections Over Form 6, ECINet, SIRVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In Sharjah123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsMumbai-Pune ExpresswayCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Picture credit: Matthew Aaron VanDyke’s Social Media handles and official website (file photo) NEW DELHI: An NIA court in Delhi Wednesday granted bail to six Ukrainian nationals arrested in March this year for allegedly running a training camp for ethnic armed rebels in India and Myanmar.The court, which ordered their release on a cash bond of Rs 1 lakh each, also discharged them from offences under the Immigration and Foreigners Act following after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which deals with the immigration matters involving foreign nationals, settled the offences on payment of a penalty of Rs 5.5 lakh each.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe offences, which pertained to illegal entry and visa violations, are compoundable at the level of the FRRO.Special judge Prashant Sharma granted them default bail on grounds of parity with their American co-accused Matthew Aaron Van Dyke.While granting bail to Dyke on Sept 18, the judge had dismissed the NIA’s opposition, observing that even if the probe was far from over, “at this stage it cannot be concluded that applicant/ accused Matthew Aaron Vandyke is not entitled for default bail”.Default bail is provisioned in the UAPA if the probe agency doesn’t file charge sheet containing offences under the anti-terror law with 180 days of arresting the accused. Following this, the court had directed that the other six accused could also seek default bail.Earlier this month, the agency filed a charge sheet which did not mention provisions of the UAPA, 1967, which was invoked in the initial FIR.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKoushiki SahaKoushiki Saha, a trainee journalist currently reporting for The Times of India, covers urban governance, infrastructure lapses, public grievances, and municipal policies with clarity and compassion. Still learning every day, she draws insights from fieldwork, lived experiences, and holding authorities accountable through persistent, people-focused reporting.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Illegal’ Changes to IT System Row: Timeline of Sandhu & Joshi’s Objections Over Form 6, ECINet, SIRVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In Sharjah123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsMumbai-Pune ExpresswayCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Picture credit: Matthew Aaron VanDyke’s Social Media handles and official website (file photo) NEW DELHI: An NIA court in Delhi Wednesday granted bail to six Ukrainian nationals arrested in March this year for allegedly running a training camp for ethnic armed rebels in India and Myanmar.The court, which ordered their release on a cash bond…

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Rahul Gandhi held a video call with Sahil Wakode’s parents to offer support after their son’s death. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to the parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode and assured them of all possible help in their fight to seek justice for their son, party sources said told PTI on Thrusday.Rahul Gandhi made a video call to Ravindra and Sonali Wakode while they were travelling to Mumbai from Washim district, the sources told PTI. During the nearly 17 minute call, Gandhi told the couple that he was with them and assured them of all help.Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and Maharashtra unit chief Shivraj More were also present with Sahil’s parents during the call.The conversation comes amid growing protests and demands for an independent probe into Sahil’s death. His parents have alleged that their son faced caste based discrimination and mental harassment at IIT Bombay and have sought action against those they hold responsible.Sahil, a second year BTech student at IIT Bombay, was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18. His death occurred hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid semester examination.The examination incident became a key focus of the case after Sahil was allegedly stopped by a professor and taken out of the examination hall. CCTV footage from the hall, aired by some television channels on Wednesday, reportedly shows Sahil’s movements before the professor approaches him and leads him away.The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the death. An FIR has been registered alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination. Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, who has been named in the FIR, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial investigation.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIIT Bombay has maintained that its SC/ST cell had not received a complaint from Sahil before his death. The institute has also constituted a 10 member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.Sahil’s parents have announced that they will begin an indefinite hunger strike outside the IIT Bombay gate from 11 am on Thursday. Their demands include a thorough investigation into the circumstances preceding their son’s death and action based on the findings of the probe.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAryan SinghAryan Singh is a journalist with The Times of India, covering breaking news, defence and global conflicts. An alumnus of the IIMC, he tracks the people, weapons and geopolitics behind the headlines, with a focus on India’s national security, military affairs and conflicts shaping the world.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for Ties123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Rahul Gandhi held a video call with Sahil Wakode’s parents to offer support after their son’s death. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to the parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode and assured them of all possible help in their fight to seek justice for their son, party sources said told PTI on Thrusday.Rahul Gandhi made a video call to Ravindra and Sonali Wakode while they were travelling to Mumbai from Washim district, the sources told PTI. During the nearly 17 minute call, Gandhi told the couple that he was with them and assured them of all help.Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and Maharashtra unit chief Shivraj More were also present with Sahil’s parents during the call.The conversation comes amid growing protests and demands for an independent probe into Sahil’s death. His parents have alleged that their son faced caste based discrimination and mental harassment at IIT Bombay and have sought action against those they hold responsible.Sahil, a second year BTech student at IIT Bombay, was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18. His death occurred hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid semester examination.The examination incident became a key focus of the case after Sahil was allegedly stopped by a professor and taken out of the examination hall. CCTV footage from the hall, aired by some television channels on Wednesday, reportedly shows Sahil’s movements before the professor approaches him and leads him away.The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the death. An FIR has been registered alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination. Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, who has been named in the FIR, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial investigation.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIIT Bombay has maintained that its SC/ST cell had not received a complaint from Sahil before his death. The institute has also constituted a 10 member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.Sahil’s parents have announced that they will begin an indefinite hunger strike outside the IIT Bombay gate from 11 am on Thursday. Their demands include a thorough investigation into the circumstances preceding their son’s death and action based on the findings of the probe.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAryan SinghAryan Singh is a journalist with The Times of India, covering breaking news, defence and global conflicts. An alumnus of the IIMC, he tracks the people, weapons and geopolitics behind the headlines, with a focus on India’s national security, military affairs and conflicts shaping the world.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for Ties123Hot PicksIBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Rahul Gandhi held a video call with Sahil Wakode’s parents to offer support after their son’s death. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to the parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode and assured them of all possible help in their fight to seek justice for their son, party sources said told PTI on Thrusday.Rahul…

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CDSCO warns against misuse of painkillers, antibiotics over kidney disease risk. (Photo: ANI) NEW DELHI: Taking painkillers repeatedly for everyday aches or antibiotics without proper medical advice could put people at risk of kidney complications and other adverse effects, prompting the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to issue a fresh advisory on their rational use.The drug regulator has asked people not to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), commonly used as painkillers, repeatedly or for prolonged periods without medical advice. It has also cautioned against self-medication with antibiotics and advised people with existing kidney disease or other risk factors for renal impairment to inform their doctor before taking NSAIDs.Prof Sandeep Mahajan, nephrologist at AIIMS, said that unregulated and prolonged use of painkillers can accelerate the decline in kidney function, particularly in people with chronic kidney disease. “All prescription medicines should be taken under the supervision of a qualified physician, with the prescribed dose and duration strictly followed. Medicines from alternative systems should also be used with caution, as some may contain substances that can be toxic to the kidneys.”“Misuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause serious kidney injury, particularly in people with pre-existing kidney disease. Even short-term use can be risky in vulnerable individuals,” said Dr Dinesh Khullar, Group Chairman, Nephrology & Renal Transplant Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket. “People should therefore avoid unnecessary self-medication and take these medicines only on medical advice.”The warning comes against the backdrop of a substantial chronic kidney disease burden in India. A 2025 systematic review of community-based studies estimated pooled chronic kidney disease prevalence at 13.24%, although estimates varied widely across regions and studies.The CDSCO circular, issued on Monday, says NSAIDs and antibiotics are prescription medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and should be used only when clinically indicated, at the appropriate dose and duration and under medical supervision.The regulator has advised doctors to use the lowest effective dose of NSAIDs for the shortest appropriate duration, with extra caution in patients at risk of kidney injury. It has also urged judicious antibiotic use, avoiding unnecessary combinations, incorrect dosing and prolonged treatment.The National Centre for Disease Control’s 2024 surveillance across 66 tertiary-care institutions found excessive consumption of “Watch” antibiotics, which have a higher resistance potential, along with inadequate use of “Access” antibiotics recommended as first-line treatment. The report also flagged inconsistent implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSelf-medication remains common in India, with analgesics, antipyretics and antibiotics among the frequently self-medicated drugs. Pharmacists and retailers have been asked to enforce prescription rules, while hospitals and state regulators have been told to strengthen oversight and awareness of the risks, including kidney complications and antimicrobial resistance.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for Ties123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

CDSCO warns against misuse of painkillers, antibiotics over kidney disease risk. (Photo: ANI) NEW DELHI: Taking painkillers repeatedly for everyday aches or antibiotics without proper medical advice could put people at risk of kidney complications and other adverse effects, prompting the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to issue a fresh advisory on their rational use.The drug regulator has asked people not to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), commonly used as painkillers, repeatedly or for prolonged periods without medical advice. It has also cautioned against self-medication with antibiotics and advised people with existing kidney disease or other risk factors for renal impairment to inform their doctor before taking NSAIDs.Prof Sandeep Mahajan, nephrologist at AIIMS, said that unregulated and prolonged use of painkillers can accelerate the decline in kidney function, particularly in people with chronic kidney disease. “All prescription medicines should be taken under the supervision of a qualified physician, with the prescribed dose and duration strictly followed. Medicines from alternative systems should also be used with caution, as some may contain substances that can be toxic to the kidneys.”“Misuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause serious kidney injury, particularly in people with pre-existing kidney disease. Even short-term use can be risky in vulnerable individuals,” said Dr Dinesh Khullar, Group Chairman, Nephrology & Renal Transplant Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket. “People should therefore avoid unnecessary self-medication and take these medicines only on medical advice.”The warning comes against the backdrop of a substantial chronic kidney disease burden in India. A 2025 systematic review of community-based studies estimated pooled chronic kidney disease prevalence at 13.24%, although estimates varied widely across regions and studies.The CDSCO circular, issued on Monday, says NSAIDs and antibiotics are prescription medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and should be used only when clinically indicated, at the appropriate dose and duration and under medical supervision.The regulator has advised doctors to use the lowest effective dose of NSAIDs for the shortest appropriate duration, with extra caution in patients at risk of kidney injury. It has also urged judicious antibiotic use, avoiding unnecessary combinations, incorrect dosing and prolonged treatment.The National Centre for Disease Control’s 2024 surveillance across 66 tertiary-care institutions found excessive consumption of “Watch” antibiotics, which have a higher resistance potential, along with inadequate use of “Access” antibiotics recommended as first-line treatment. The report also flagged inconsistent implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSelf-medication remains common in India, with analgesics, antipyretics and antibiotics among the frequently self-medicated drugs. Pharmacists and retailers have been asked to enforce prescription rules, while hospitals and state regulators have been told to strengthen oversight and awareness of the risks, including kidney complications and antimicrobial resistance.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVivek Joshi & SS Sandhu: The 2 Election Commissioners Who ‘Raised Objections’ Over SIR, Form-6CJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for Ties123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

CDSCO warns against misuse of painkillers, antibiotics over kidney disease risk. (Photo: ANI) NEW DELHI: Taking painkillers repeatedly for everyday aches or antibiotics without proper medical advice could put people at risk of kidney complications and other adverse effects, prompting the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to issue a fresh advisory on their rational…

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Jaishankar said energy security is at the heart of development, and availability and prices should not be manipulated for political ends. Chairing a high-level meeting of Global South countries on the sidelines of UNGA, external affairs minister S Jaishankar stressed the need to work towards food and energy security, fair economic and trade practices, while rejecting supply chain and connectivity choke points.Stressing the importance of pending global governance reforms, he said the world was witnessing dismantling of multilateralism at a time when developing countries were turning towards it.”Now the fact is also that institutions created for a different era continue to reflect the power structures of that era, and Global South today may be in the front row of global crises, but is in the back row of decision-making,” said Jaishankar, adding for Global South there has never been a moment as critical as right now for solidarity.He said energy security is at the heart of development, and availability and prices should not be manipulated for political ends. The EAM was addressing a high-level meeting of like-minded Global South nations and friends under the theme of ‘Navigating Together Towards a Brighter Future – the Compelling Case for an Empowered Global South’.The participants discussed the challenges Global South countries are facing, including ongoing conflicts’ impact on energy security, volatility in trade and investment flows, concerns of seafarers in ongoing conflicts. They also expressed concern over the weakening of multilateral institutions while emphasising the urgent need for comprehensive UN reforms.Jaishankar underlined the need to ensure fair economic and trade practices that can enhance developing countries’ production capabilities. “Our right to industrialise must not be denied,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe also raised the issue of safety of seafarers, saying the maritime commons must be secured, international law observed, and safety and security of seafarers and commercial shipping guaranteed.Jaishankar underlined that the transformation being brought about by AI must not create new divides. “We could share indigenously developed tools and frameworks for the benefit of Global South members, and ensure that AI remains human-centric,” he said.He also suggested closer economic cooperation among Global South as a necessary buffer against the fallout of overlapping global crises.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Jaishankar said energy security is at the heart of development, and availability and prices should not be manipulated for political ends. Chairing a high-level meeting of Global South countries on the sidelines of UNGA, external affairs minister S Jaishankar stressed the need to work towards food and energy security, fair economic and trade practices, while rejecting supply chain and connectivity choke points.Stressing the importance of pending global governance reforms, he said the world was witnessing dismantling of multilateralism at a time when developing countries were turning towards it.”Now the fact is also that institutions created for a different era continue to reflect the power structures of that era, and Global South today may be in the front row of global crises, but is in the back row of decision-making,” said Jaishankar, adding for Global South there has never been a moment as critical as right now for solidarity.He said energy security is at the heart of development, and availability and prices should not be manipulated for political ends. The EAM was addressing a high-level meeting of like-minded Global South nations and friends under the theme of ‘Navigating Together Towards a Brighter Future – the Compelling Case for an Empowered Global South’.The participants discussed the challenges Global South countries are facing, including ongoing conflicts’ impact on energy security, volatility in trade and investment flows, concerns of seafarers in ongoing conflicts. They also expressed concern over the weakening of multilateral institutions while emphasising the urgent need for comprehensive UN reforms.Jaishankar underlined the need to ensure fair economic and trade practices that can enhance developing countries’ production capabilities. “Our right to industrialise must not be denied,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe also raised the issue of safety of seafarers, saying the maritime commons must be secured, international law observed, and safety and security of seafarers and commercial shipping guaranteed.Jaishankar underlined that the transformation being brought about by AI must not create new divides. “We could share indigenously developed tools and frameworks for the benefit of Global South members, and ensure that AI remains human-centric,” he said.He also suggested closer economic cooperation among Global South as a necessary buffer against the fallout of overlapping global crises.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Jaishankar said energy security is at the heart of development, and availability and prices should not be manipulated for political ends. Chairing a high-level meeting of Global South countries on the sidelines of UNGA, external affairs minister S Jaishankar stressed the need to work towards food and energy security, fair economic and trade practices, while…

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India rejects OIC’s Kashmir remarks NEW DELHI: Govt categorically rejected in a statement the “unwarranted and factually incorrect” references to India in the joint communique of the so-called OIC Contact Group on J&K, saying the grouping has “no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal” to India.”The entire UTs of J&K and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India, and no amount of repetition of politically motivated propaganda can change this reality. Repeated endorsement of such motivated narratives only raises serious questions on the credibility of OIC,” the ministry of external affairs said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIt also accused the grouping, which claims to be the collective voice of the Muslin world, of offering a platform to Pakistan to peddle its “fabricated and motivated propaganda”.”OIC will be better advised to counsel Pakistan, which has a well documented record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism, to look inwards and address the continuing threat of terrorism emanating from territories under its control,” it said.Meeting on the margins of UNGA, OIC Contact Group had reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the “inalienable right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination as the foundation for a just and lasting peace in South Asia, in accordance with Security Council resolutions and the principles of international law”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

India rejects OIC’s Kashmir remarks NEW DELHI: Govt categorically rejected in a statement the “unwarranted and factually incorrect” references to India in the joint communique of the so-called OIC Contact Group on J&K, saying the grouping has “no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal” to India.”The entire UTs of J&K and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India, and no amount of repetition of politically motivated propaganda can change this reality. Repeated endorsement of such motivated narratives only raises serious questions on the credibility of OIC,” the ministry of external affairs said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIt also accused the grouping, which claims to be the collective voice of the Muslin world, of offering a platform to Pakistan to peddle its “fabricated and motivated propaganda”.”OIC will be better advised to counsel Pakistan, which has a well documented record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism, to look inwards and address the continuing threat of terrorism emanating from territories under its control,” it said.Meeting on the margins of UNGA, OIC Contact Group had reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the “inalienable right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination as the foundation for a just and lasting peace in South Asia, in accordance with Security Council resolutions and the principles of international law”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

India rejects OIC’s Kashmir remarks NEW DELHI: Govt categorically rejected in a statement the “unwarranted and factually incorrect” references to India in the joint communique of the so-called OIC Contact Group on J&K, saying the grouping has “no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal” to India.“The entire UTs of J&K and…

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PM Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney (File photo) Canadian PM Mark Carney has said his counterpart, Narendra Modi, could travel to Canada in Dec, while citing good progress in negotiations for a trade agreement.He said the two sides were hoping to wrap up trade talks by Dec and he was looking forward to hosting Modi.Modi is expected to club his Canada visit to sign the trade agreement with his trip to Florida for the G20 summit. Around the same time, he is also expected to travel to Brussels for the signing of the India-EU free trade agreement.”We are making good progress in our trade negotiations with India. It is an exceptionally important relationship on many, many levels – people-to-people levels, security levels, and also trade and economic,” Carney said Tuesday on the sidelines of the UNGA high-level session.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe said Modi and he had committed at the G20 last year to “look to conclude negotiations by the G20 this year”.US President Donald Trump will host the G20 Summit from Dec 14-15 at Trump National Doral Miami resort in Doral, Florida.Carney said with the G20 Summit slated to be held in Dec, “I believe that India just confirmed that the PM will be visiting Canada around that time. The precise date isn’t out, but I very much look forward to hosting him”.Modi last visited Canada to attend the G7 Summit in June 2025 at Carney’s invitation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

PM Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney (File photo) Canadian PM Mark Carney has said his counterpart, Narendra Modi, could travel to Canada in Dec, while citing good progress in negotiations for a trade agreement.He said the two sides were hoping to wrap up trade talks by Dec and he was looking forward to hosting Modi.Modi is expected to club his Canada visit to sign the trade agreement with his trip to Florida for the G20 summit. Around the same time, he is also expected to travel to Brussels for the signing of the India-EU free trade agreement.”We are making good progress in our trade negotiations with India. It is an exceptionally important relationship on many, many levels – people-to-people levels, security levels, and also trade and economic,” Carney said Tuesday on the sidelines of the UNGA high-level session.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe said Modi and he had committed at the G20 last year to “look to conclude negotiations by the G20 this year”.US President Donald Trump will host the G20 Summit from Dec 14-15 at Trump National Doral Miami resort in Doral, Florida.Carney said with the G20 Summit slated to be held in Dec, “I believe that India just confirmed that the PM will be visiting Canada around that time. The precise date isn’t out, but I very much look forward to hosting him”.Modi last visited Canada to attend the G7 Summit in June 2025 at Carney’s invitation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

PM Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney (File photo) Canadian PM Mark Carney has said his counterpart, Narendra Modi, could travel to Canada in Dec, while citing good progress in negotiations for a trade agreement.He said the two sides were hoping to wrap up trade talks by Dec and he was looking forward to hosting…

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Judges appointing judges is a myth, says Justice Datta NEW DELHI: Holding that the collegium system remains the most viable option for safeguarding judicial independence despite its “opacity and imperfections”, Justice Dipankar Datta Wednesday said its deficiencies could not justify ushering in executive participation in collegium deliberations. He said judiciary had been relegated to playing second fiddle to the executive in appointments because of the way collegium recommendations were cleared by govt.Referring to govt’s argument that the judiciary had an exclusive say in judges’ appointments, Datta said “judiciary cannot always be at the receiving end” and devoted six pages to the issue, saying “relevant observations in response need to be made, lest the silence be misunderstood as a tacit acceptance by the court of such unworthy criticism in circulation”.Datta said the executive wielded decisive control and held the reins over appointments at every level. He said it had become fashionable to blame the collegium for every infelicitous choice, conveniently forgetting that aberrations were exceptions and not the norm, and that no system could guarantee infallibility of human choice.The other judge on the bench, Justice S C Sharma said SG Tushar Mehta’s submission was “not a criticism of the collegium system or regarding the role of executive in the appointment of judges”.”It was a submission to the effect that if the constitution bench has held the presence of outsiders in collegium as violative of doctrine of separation of powers, a similar independence should be read in executive and rules framed under Art 324 be not declared void on the ground that it does not have an outsider in the selection committee or the executive predominates in it,” he said.Sharma said the SG had based his argument on the judgment in the National Judicial Appointments Commission case, where a constitution bench held that the presence of even the law minister in the collegium for appointment of SC and HC judges would violate separation of powers. “Building upon the constitutional principle, the submission of the SG was that a corresponding degree of constitutional independence must be recognised for the executive as well as legislature. He submitted that the committee constituted under rules framed under Art 324 deserves to be declared legal though dominated by members of executive,” Sharma said.Datta said, “The oft-repeated phrase that ‘judges appoint judges’ is a myth, which people have been fed by vested interests through motivated narratives. A sweeping generalisation that collegium acts as a law unto itself overlooks the consultative process envisaged under the Constitution, and the intrinsic role of executive – both at Centre and in the states.”He added, “It is undeniable that collegium system has occasionally faltered and its functioning has not been free from aberrations. However, vociferous criticism, by itself, does not offer an alternative. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWhile absence of an outsider may invite scrutiny, executive supremacy cannot be the cure. The constitutional quest is not to transfer primacy from one organ to another, but to preserve independence through checks and balances.”What is worrying is that the sanctity of a collegium resolution is lost each time the executive implements it selectively, approving majority of those recommended while withholding one. Undeterred by piecemeal approvals and fate of those not cleared by the executive, collegium chooses to proceed, to avoid a head-on conflict with the executive, left with a Hobson’s choice to keep the institution running. What it averts is a constitutional crisis; but the larger question is: how long can this state of affairs continue, if selective implementation is allowed to acquire the character of an accepted practice?”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Judges appointing judges is a myth, says Justice Datta NEW DELHI: Holding that the collegium system remains the most viable option for safeguarding judicial independence despite its “opacity and imperfections”, Justice Dipankar Datta Wednesday said its deficiencies could not justify ushering in executive participation in collegium deliberations. He said judiciary had been relegated to playing second fiddle to the executive in appointments because of the way collegium recommendations were cleared by govt.Referring to govt’s argument that the judiciary had an exclusive say in judges’ appointments, Datta said “judiciary cannot always be at the receiving end” and devoted six pages to the issue, saying “relevant observations in response need to be made, lest the silence be misunderstood as a tacit acceptance by the court of such unworthy criticism in circulation”.Datta said the executive wielded decisive control and held the reins over appointments at every level. He said it had become fashionable to blame the collegium for every infelicitous choice, conveniently forgetting that aberrations were exceptions and not the norm, and that no system could guarantee infallibility of human choice.The other judge on the bench, Justice S C Sharma said SG Tushar Mehta’s submission was “not a criticism of the collegium system or regarding the role of executive in the appointment of judges”.”It was a submission to the effect that if the constitution bench has held the presence of outsiders in collegium as violative of doctrine of separation of powers, a similar independence should be read in executive and rules framed under Art 324 be not declared void on the ground that it does not have an outsider in the selection committee or the executive predominates in it,” he said.Sharma said the SG had based his argument on the judgment in the National Judicial Appointments Commission case, where a constitution bench held that the presence of even the law minister in the collegium for appointment of SC and HC judges would violate separation of powers. “Building upon the constitutional principle, the submission of the SG was that a corresponding degree of constitutional independence must be recognised for the executive as well as legislature. He submitted that the committee constituted under rules framed under Art 324 deserves to be declared legal though dominated by members of executive,” Sharma said.Datta said, “The oft-repeated phrase that ‘judges appoint judges’ is a myth, which people have been fed by vested interests through motivated narratives. A sweeping generalisation that collegium acts as a law unto itself overlooks the consultative process envisaged under the Constitution, and the intrinsic role of executive – both at Centre and in the states.”He added, “It is undeniable that collegium system has occasionally faltered and its functioning has not been free from aberrations. However, vociferous criticism, by itself, does not offer an alternative. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWhile absence of an outsider may invite scrutiny, executive supremacy cannot be the cure. The constitutional quest is not to transfer primacy from one organ to another, but to preserve independence through checks and balances.”What is worrying is that the sanctity of a collegium resolution is lost each time the executive implements it selectively, approving majority of those recommended while withholding one. Undeterred by piecemeal approvals and fate of those not cleared by the executive, collegium chooses to proceed, to avoid a head-on conflict with the executive, left with a Hobson’s choice to keep the institution running. What it averts is a constitutional crisis; but the larger question is: how long can this state of affairs continue, if selective implementation is allowed to acquire the character of an accepted practice?”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Judges appointing judges is a myth, says Justice Datta NEW DELHI: Holding that the collegium system remains the most viable option for safeguarding judicial independence despite its “opacity and imperfections”, Justice Dipankar Datta Wednesday said its deficiencies could not justify ushering in executive participation in collegium deliberations. He said judiciary had been relegated to playing…

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Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. NEW DELHI: Supreme Court said Wednesday allegations of Bar Council of India’s assets being transferred to a trust created by the BCI chairperson are a matter of concern and it has to be examined. SC also agreed to examine whether it has the power to establish and regulate law colleges and universities.The court was hearing petitions questioning the functioning of BCI-Pearl First Trust and the establishment of law colleges by the trust. It sought BCI’s response on the issues within two weeks. A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked how BCI can be considered an expert body to regulate legal education when law scholars and academics are better suited to deal with academic matters. “How can BCI regulate law colleges? That’s the real question. Their statutory role comes into existence only after one gets a licence. So the issue is whether law schools can be regulated. We’d like to examine whether BCI has the power to control and regulate universities/law colleges,” the bench said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesAdvocates Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva, appearing for petitioner Girish Mittal, said BCI passed a resolution in 2016 and abolished an earlier trust and transferred the funds to a new trust ‘Bar Council of India Trust for Promotion of Education, Legal and Professional Reforms and Improvement in Research’. They said the trust established one law college each in Goa and Andhra Pradesh. BCI, however, said the Bar body has passed a resolution providing that there would be no lifetime trustees and that the tenure of trustees would be coterminous with their membership of BCI.SC had earlier said BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra’s position was only “pro tem” until a freshly constituted lawyers’ body elects its office bearers. Mishra was first elected as BCI chairperson till 2012. Though he briefly demitted office in 2014, he returned as chairperson in Nov that year and has remained in the post since then.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. NEW DELHI: Supreme Court said Wednesday allegations of Bar Council of India’s assets being transferred to a trust created by the BCI chairperson are a matter of concern and it has to be examined. SC also agreed to examine whether it has the power to establish and regulate law colleges and universities.The court was hearing petitions questioning the functioning of BCI-Pearl First Trust and the establishment of law colleges by the trust. It sought BCI’s response on the issues within two weeks. A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked how BCI can be considered an expert body to regulate legal education when law scholars and academics are better suited to deal with academic matters. “How can BCI regulate law colleges? That’s the real question. Their statutory role comes into existence only after one gets a licence. So the issue is whether law schools can be regulated. We’d like to examine whether BCI has the power to control and regulate universities/law colleges,” the bench said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesAdvocates Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva, appearing for petitioner Girish Mittal, said BCI passed a resolution in 2016 and abolished an earlier trust and transferred the funds to a new trust ‘Bar Council of India Trust for Promotion of Education, Legal and Professional Reforms and Improvement in Research’. They said the trust established one law college each in Goa and Andhra Pradesh. BCI, however, said the Bar body has passed a resolution providing that there would be no lifetime trustees and that the tenure of trustees would be coterminous with their membership of BCI.SC had earlier said BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra’s position was only “pro tem” until a freshly constituted lawyers’ body elects its office bearers. Mishra was first elected as BCI chairperson till 2012. Though he briefly demitted office in 2014, he returned as chairperson in Nov that year and has remained in the post since then.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. NEW DELHI: Supreme Court said Wednesday allegations of Bar Council of India’s assets being transferred to a trust created by the BCI chairperson are a matter of concern and it has to be examined. SC also agreed to examine whether it has the power to establish and…

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Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Gyanesh Kumar, Dr. Vivek Joshi NEW DELHI: Faced with criticism for ECs S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi being cut out of crucial decisions regarding SIR of electoral rolls, Election Commission Wednesday said the “operational queries, inputs and suggestions” raised by the two commissioners, including SIR, remained limited to the draft stages and were part of the standard administrative practice and decision-making process, reports Bharti Jain.All decisions taken by the poll panel in the past one year, including SIR, “are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full commission”, EC asserted in a statement, rebutting the contention that CEC Gyanesh Kumar was acting unilaterally.EC was reacting to a report in Indian Express claiming Sandhu and Joshi had objected to steps taken by the poll panel on 14 occasions over 10 months, including changes made to Form 6 as part of SIR, denying field officers access to electoral roll databases and even postings and foreign tours involving EC personnel.Focusing on some notes while ignoring others gives only one part of picture: ECSandhu and Joshi even wrote to the cabinet secretary separately on July 29, complaining about redistribution of work by the senior deputy election commissioner (DEC) in charge of administration at EC and the resultant centralisation of decision-making, said the report.In its statement, EC said differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution before a final decision is taken. “Written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks and balances are standard, ongoing practices to ensure transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour,” EC said. “All its actions as well as official orders, decisions and administrative decisions have been in accordance with laws and the commission’s instructions.””Highlighting certain specific internal notes/observations spread over 10 months while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives gives only one part of the picture,” EC said, adding that its decisions, instructions, 40 new initiatives and conduct of polls in six states/UTs in the past year were all based on unanimous decisions.Sources in EC said the objections were largely raised in written notes sent by the election commissioners to DECs, in many cases after they had signed on the file concerned following a unanimous decision, including in the cases of changes made to Form 6. The two commissioners, Joshi in May and Sandhu in Aug, argued that changes could be carried out only by govt.However, sources said they afterwards, along with CEC Gyanesh Kumar, unanimously approved the file related to SIR orders for Bihar (Phase-1) and then a dozen states (Phase-2 of SIR), which listed the revised Form 6 and the accompanying declaration on citizenship. In fact, by the time Sandhu objected, SC had already upheld SIR’s validity and the process followed by EC.Regarding Sandhu raising the issue of who had authorised filing of appeals on EC’s behalf before SIR tribunals in Bengal, sources told TOI this was as per SC’s order dated April 1, 2026, particularly para 9 that stated appeals may be filed by “persons whose names have been excluded from the voters list” or “by the authorities of EC, who may be aggrieved by the inclusion of names by the adjudicatory authorities”. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesOn the commissioners’ alleged objection to centralisation of electoral roll database or ERONet/ECINet, allegedly with restricted access to field officers like electoral registration officers to decide on addition or deletion of names, EC said digital platforms operate under strict data security protocols to prevent unauthorised tampering, manipulation, etc. Sources in EC did not contest Joshi’s claim that agenda and minutes of EC meetings were not being circulated but said this has been the norm since the present commission took office.Reacting to Sandhu’s claim he had learnt of EC’s new IT modules, portals, etc. from the media, sources said both Sandhu and Joshi were present at ECINet’s launch.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Gyanesh Kumar, Dr. Vivek Joshi NEW DELHI: Faced with criticism for ECs S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi being cut out of crucial decisions regarding SIR of electoral rolls, Election Commission Wednesday said the “operational queries, inputs and suggestions” raised by the two commissioners, including SIR, remained limited to the draft stages and were part of the standard administrative practice and decision-making process, reports Bharti Jain.All decisions taken by the poll panel in the past one year, including SIR, “are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full commission”, EC asserted in a statement, rebutting the contention that CEC Gyanesh Kumar was acting unilaterally.EC was reacting to a report in Indian Express claiming Sandhu and Joshi had objected to steps taken by the poll panel on 14 occasions over 10 months, including changes made to Form 6 as part of SIR, denying field officers access to electoral roll databases and even postings and foreign tours involving EC personnel.Focusing on some notes while ignoring others gives only one part of picture: ECSandhu and Joshi even wrote to the cabinet secretary separately on July 29, complaining about redistribution of work by the senior deputy election commissioner (DEC) in charge of administration at EC and the resultant centralisation of decision-making, said the report.In its statement, EC said differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution before a final decision is taken. “Written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks and balances are standard, ongoing practices to ensure transparency, legal compliance and operational rigour,” EC said. “All its actions as well as official orders, decisions and administrative decisions have been in accordance with laws and the commission’s instructions.””Highlighting certain specific internal notes/observations spread over 10 months while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives gives only one part of the picture,” EC said, adding that its decisions, instructions, 40 new initiatives and conduct of polls in six states/UTs in the past year were all based on unanimous decisions.Sources in EC said the objections were largely raised in written notes sent by the election commissioners to DECs, in many cases after they had signed on the file concerned following a unanimous decision, including in the cases of changes made to Form 6. The two commissioners, Joshi in May and Sandhu in Aug, argued that changes could be carried out only by govt.However, sources said they afterwards, along with CEC Gyanesh Kumar, unanimously approved the file related to SIR orders for Bihar (Phase-1) and then a dozen states (Phase-2 of SIR), which listed the revised Form 6 and the accompanying declaration on citizenship. In fact, by the time Sandhu objected, SC had already upheld SIR’s validity and the process followed by EC.Regarding Sandhu raising the issue of who had authorised filing of appeals on EC’s behalf before SIR tribunals in Bengal, sources told TOI this was as per SC’s order dated April 1, 2026, particularly para 9 that stated appeals may be filed by “persons whose names have been excluded from the voters list” or “by the authorities of EC, who may be aggrieved by the inclusion of names by the adjudicatory authorities”. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesOn the commissioners’ alleged objection to centralisation of electoral roll database or ERONet/ECINet, allegedly with restricted access to field officers like electoral registration officers to decide on addition or deletion of names, EC said digital platforms operate under strict data security protocols to prevent unauthorised tampering, manipulation, etc. Sources in EC did not contest Joshi’s claim that agenda and minutes of EC meetings were not being circulated but said this has been the norm since the present commission took office.Reacting to Sandhu’s claim he had learnt of EC’s new IT modules, portals, etc. from the media, sources said both Sandhu and Joshi were present at ECINet’s launch.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Gyanesh Kumar, Dr. Vivek Joshi NEW DELHI: Faced with criticism for ECs S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi being cut out of crucial decisions regarding SIR of electoral rolls, Election Commission Wednesday said the “operational queries, inputs and suggestions” raised by the two commissioners, including SIR, remained limited to the draft…

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SC: Constitution bench should deal with case to prevent delay NEW DELHI: On a day when Election Commission found itself under the scanner, a two-judge bench of Supreme Court gave a split verdict on whether the issue of validity of the law on appointment of CEC/ECs be referred to a constitution bench, but later agreed to refer the case to a larger bench for the sake of early adjudication of the contentious issue.Validity of several provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 has been challenged on the ground that the law gives the executive “overwhelming” power to appoint its nominee as election commissioner, as the selection panel composed of the PM, a Cabinet minister and the leader of the opposition is designed to give govt a 2:1 majority. The petitioners contended that EC’s independence would be compromised in this process.The 2023 law was framed to replace an SC verdict which had directed that selection be done by a committee of the PM, CJI and leader of the opposition until Parliament determined the composition by passing a law. “Speaking in one voice would have better served institutional cohesion. Unfortunately, the court is divided in its opinion,” a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and S C Sharma said. The hearing in the case went on for five days and at the fag end of proceedings, the Centre had sought referral of the case to a constitution bench.SC: Constitution bench should deal with case to prevent delay Noting that appointment of CEC/ECs was being litigated for last 11 years in SC after a petition was filed in 2015, the bench decided that the case should not be referred to a three-judge bench, which is the normal procedure, but to a constitution bench to settle the issue once and for all. It reasoned that a decision by a three-judge bench would be of little worth and only delay adjudication of the significant issue(s) that these writ petitions raise.”Thus, we direct that the papers be placed before the CJI for considering the desirability of constituting a constitution bench of such number of judges to decide the question of vires of Sec 7 and the other provisions of Act,” the bench said.The bench expressed hope that the case would be given priority as the issues raised were of “foundational importance to the democratic fabric of the country and its citizenry”.”Petitioners seem to be justified in expressing their anxiety that references to five-judge benches remain unresolved for years. If statistics are any guide, none can say with any reasonable degree of certainty when long-pending references will get resolved. Undisputedly, this is an area of grave concern and the inordinate delay in resolution of the references is itself a source of institutional embarrassment which all stakeholders ought to strive to avoid. Self-introspection, indeed, is required,” it said.”We, thus, take this opportunity of requesting the Chief Justice to also explore the necessity of constituting a permanent five-judge bench to decide pure constitutional issues. This is not something novel that we are saying. It has been opined time and again by responsible citizens and we simply endorse their opinion. Given that resolving constitutional issues is the primary task of judges of this court, that must remain its core priority.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Pendency of references for far too long, any period between five and 20 years or more, does not reflect well on the institution. It is time that the institution addresses the issue with the urgency and promptitude it deserves,” the bench said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

SC: Constitution bench should deal with case to prevent delay NEW DELHI: On a day when Election Commission found itself under the scanner, a two-judge bench of Supreme Court gave a split verdict on whether the issue of validity of the law on appointment of CEC/ECs be referred to a constitution bench, but later agreed to refer the case to a larger bench for the sake of early adjudication of the contentious issue.Validity of several provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 has been challenged on the ground that the law gives the executive “overwhelming” power to appoint its nominee as election commissioner, as the selection panel composed of the PM, a Cabinet minister and the leader of the opposition is designed to give govt a 2:1 majority. The petitioners contended that EC’s independence would be compromised in this process.The 2023 law was framed to replace an SC verdict which had directed that selection be done by a committee of the PM, CJI and leader of the opposition until Parliament determined the composition by passing a law. “Speaking in one voice would have better served institutional cohesion. Unfortunately, the court is divided in its opinion,” a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and S C Sharma said. The hearing in the case went on for five days and at the fag end of proceedings, the Centre had sought referral of the case to a constitution bench.SC: Constitution bench should deal with case to prevent delay Noting that appointment of CEC/ECs was being litigated for last 11 years in SC after a petition was filed in 2015, the bench decided that the case should not be referred to a three-judge bench, which is the normal procedure, but to a constitution bench to settle the issue once and for all. It reasoned that a decision by a three-judge bench would be of little worth and only delay adjudication of the significant issue(s) that these writ petitions raise.”Thus, we direct that the papers be placed before the CJI for considering the desirability of constituting a constitution bench of such number of judges to decide the question of vires of Sec 7 and the other provisions of Act,” the bench said.The bench expressed hope that the case would be given priority as the issues raised were of “foundational importance to the democratic fabric of the country and its citizenry”.”Petitioners seem to be justified in expressing their anxiety that references to five-judge benches remain unresolved for years. If statistics are any guide, none can say with any reasonable degree of certainty when long-pending references will get resolved. Undisputedly, this is an area of grave concern and the inordinate delay in resolution of the references is itself a source of institutional embarrassment which all stakeholders ought to strive to avoid. Self-introspection, indeed, is required,” it said.”We, thus, take this opportunity of requesting the Chief Justice to also explore the necessity of constituting a permanent five-judge bench to decide pure constitutional issues. This is not something novel that we are saying. It has been opined time and again by responsible citizens and we simply endorse their opinion. Given that resolving constitutional issues is the primary task of judges of this court, that must remain its core priority.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines Pendency of references for far too long, any period between five and 20 years or more, does not reflect well on the institution. It is time that the institution addresses the issue with the urgency and promptitude it deserves,” the bench said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

SC: Constitution bench should deal with case to prevent delay NEW DELHI: On a day when Election Commission found itself under the scanner, a two-judge bench of Supreme Court gave a split verdict on whether the issue of validity of the law on appointment of CEC/ECs be referred to a constitution bench, but later agreed…

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He said opposition parties had questioned the functioning of the three election commissioners both when they appeared to agree and now when correspondence between them has emerged. NEW DELHI: Differences of opinion within EC are a sign of its democratic functioning, BJP said Wednesday as it mounted a strong counter-charge against the Opposition over its attack on the poll body and govt, saying its rivals have been trying to discredit institutions since 2014, including before the rollout of SIR, due to their dwindling popular support.”If there is no discussion of any kind among three election commissioners and they simply agree to everything, then these very opposition parties will call it dictatorship and claim that they were all ‘yes men’ because they were appointed by govt,” BJP’s Sambit Patra said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesNow, the media has reported their correspondences as a divergence of views on the appropriateness of some measures taken by the commission, and this is a sign of a healthy democracy, he added.Targeting the Opposition for its allegation that BJP’s impressive run of recent poll victories was aided by SIR, he said, “The statistics from Bengal expose the Opposition’s narrative of ‘vote chori’, as TMC won 13 of the 20 seats with the highest number of deleted voters, while BJP won only six.” Opposition’s outrage is an outcome of its receding influence since 2014, when PM Modi led NDA to a huge victory, he said.BJP also cited alleged links of several past ECs, including ex-CECs M S Gill and Navin Chawla, to Congress during its long stint in office.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

He said opposition parties had questioned the functioning of the three election commissioners both when they appeared to agree and now when correspondence between them has emerged. NEW DELHI: Differences of opinion within EC are a sign of its democratic functioning, BJP said Wednesday as it mounted a strong counter-charge against the Opposition over its attack on the poll body and govt, saying its rivals have been trying to discredit institutions since 2014, including before the rollout of SIR, due to their dwindling popular support.”If there is no discussion of any kind among three election commissioners and they simply agree to everything, then these very opposition parties will call it dictatorship and claim that they were all ‘yes men’ because they were appointed by govt,” BJP’s Sambit Patra said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesNow, the media has reported their correspondences as a divergence of views on the appropriateness of some measures taken by the commission, and this is a sign of a healthy democracy, he added.Targeting the Opposition for its allegation that BJP’s impressive run of recent poll victories was aided by SIR, he said, “The statistics from Bengal expose the Opposition’s narrative of ‘vote chori’, as TMC won 13 of the 20 seats with the highest number of deleted voters, while BJP won only six.” Opposition’s outrage is an outcome of its receding influence since 2014, when PM Modi led NDA to a huge victory, he said.BJP also cited alleged links of several past ECs, including ex-CECs M S Gill and Navin Chawla, to Congress during its long stint in office.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

He said opposition parties had questioned the functioning of the three election commissioners both when they appeared to agree and now when correspondence between them has emerged. NEW DELHI: Differences of opinion within EC are a sign of its democratic functioning, BJP said Wednesday as it mounted a strong counter-charge against the Opposition over its…

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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Wednesday remarked that it expected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take an “expeditious” decision on a plea seeking the disqualification of 20 rebel TMC MPs who have joined Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).A bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said it was aware that it could not issue a direction to the Lok Sabha Speaker, “but we just want to remind him about an expeditious resolution”.Senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, submitted that the rebel parliamentarians had not filed a response despite notices being issued and had sought further extension.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Speaker, told SC that Birla had issued notices on the disqualification petitions. “He knows the seriousness of the matter,” Mehta said.The CJI remarked, “We will expect anything which is required to be decided expeditiously, the very nature… demands early adjudication.”Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesMehta responded, “Can a constitutional functionary remind another constitutional functionary of his constitutional duty?” He said the court should not prescribe a time limit for the Speaker.Justice Bagchi said, “…We may not give imperative directions, but keeping in mind the decision in the Keisham Meghachandra Singh case… have resolution of this issue expeditiously.”In the 2020 case, SC had ruled that the speaker must decide defection cases within a reasonable time, preferably three months.Justice Bagchi asked Mehta to submit a timeline for the Speaker’s decision. Mehta, however, said he could not give SC a commitment. “This court’s monitoring may not be justified. I would urge not to fix the Speaker’s schedule,” he said.The top court recorded the submission of the rebel MPs that they would file a reply within four weeks and adjourned the matter.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Wednesday remarked that it expected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take an “expeditious” decision on a plea seeking the disqualification of 20 rebel TMC MPs who have joined Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).A bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said it was aware that it could not issue a direction to the Lok Sabha Speaker, “but we just want to remind him about an expeditious resolution”.Senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, submitted that the rebel parliamentarians had not filed a response despite notices being issued and had sought further extension.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Speaker, told SC that Birla had issued notices on the disqualification petitions. “He knows the seriousness of the matter,” Mehta said.The CJI remarked, “We will expect anything which is required to be decided expeditiously, the very nature… demands early adjudication.”Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesMehta responded, “Can a constitutional functionary remind another constitutional functionary of his constitutional duty?” He said the court should not prescribe a time limit for the Speaker.Justice Bagchi said, “…We may not give imperative directions, but keeping in mind the decision in the Keisham Meghachandra Singh case… have resolution of this issue expeditiously.”In the 2020 case, SC had ruled that the speaker must decide defection cases within a reasonable time, preferably three months.Justice Bagchi asked Mehta to submit a timeline for the Speaker’s decision. Mehta, however, said he could not give SC a commitment. “This court’s monitoring may not be justified. I would urge not to fix the Speaker’s schedule,” he said.The top court recorded the submission of the rebel MPs that they would file a reply within four weeks and adjourned the matter.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Wednesday remarked that it expected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take an “expeditious” decision on a plea seeking the disqualification of 20 rebel TMC MPs who have joined Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).A bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V…

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Representative image NEW DELHI: Private fuel retailers have started rationing diesel sales at their outlets amid a surge in global crude prices, driven by supply constraints caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict. However, state-owned oil marketing companies Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL confirmed there was no such restriction at their outlets.The impact is limited, as the three public sector oil companies operate around 90% of the more than one lakh fuel stations in the country.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSeveral Jio-BP retail outlets TOI spoke to confirmed they had been directed to sell only 50 litres of diesel per customer. Daily diesel sales have also been capped at 6,000 litres.Retailers operating Russian oil major Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy outlets said the cap ranged from 70 to 200 litres per transaction. The restrictions are likely to affect long-haul commercial vehicles with larger fuel tanks, particularly in remote areas with fewer fuel stations.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAtul MathurAtul Mathur is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India with over 27 years of experience in journalism. Based in Delhi, he has spent much of his career reporting on governance, public policy and politics, churning out researched, data-driven stories that impact daily lives. Atul is known for investigative depth and strong human-interest narratives as he strives to bring clarity and context to complex issues. He currently tracks the energy sector, writing on power, renewable energy, coal and mines.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Representative image NEW DELHI: Private fuel retailers have started rationing diesel sales at their outlets amid a surge in global crude prices, driven by supply constraints caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict. However, state-owned oil marketing companies Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL confirmed there was no such restriction at their outlets.The impact is limited, as the three public sector oil companies operate around 90% of the more than one lakh fuel stations in the country.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSeveral Jio-BP retail outlets TOI spoke to confirmed they had been directed to sell only 50 litres of diesel per customer. Daily diesel sales have also been capped at 6,000 litres.Retailers operating Russian oil major Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy outlets said the cap ranged from 70 to 200 litres per transaction. The restrictions are likely to affect long-haul commercial vehicles with larger fuel tanks, particularly in remote areas with fewer fuel stations.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAtul MathurAtul Mathur is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India with over 27 years of experience in journalism. Based in Delhi, he has spent much of his career reporting on governance, public policy and politics, churning out researched, data-driven stories that impact daily lives. Atul is known for investigative depth and strong human-interest narratives as he strives to bring clarity and context to complex issues. He currently tracks the energy sector, writing on power, renewable energy, coal and mines.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna01 mins mins

NEW DELHI: Private fuel retailers have started rationing diesel sales at their outlets amid a surge in global crude prices, driven by supply constraints caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict. However, state-owned oil marketing companies Indian Oil, HPCL and BPCL confirmed there was no such restriction at their outlets.The impact is limited, as the…

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It would not be a fallacious metaphor if it is said that since the umpire is picked by the captain of one side … and his team wins, even if the decisions taken by such umpire are correct, it has the patina of suspicion: Justice Dipankar Datta NEW DELHI: Deliberating on the validity of the law on appointment of chief election commissioner and election commissioners by a panel of the PM, a cabinet minister and the leader of opposition, Justice Dipankar Datta on Wednesday pointed out drawbacks and said it gave “overwhelming” power to the executive and made the presence of the LoP “ornamental”, undermining the appearance of independence in the selection process. He also noted that since independence, govts had tried to control the poll body.”Over seven decades, every dispensation wresting office found it convenient to keep institutions which the Constitution envisioned to be independent under their control. To enact a law on the lines empowered by Article 324(2) would have meant freeing the ECI from exclusive executive control and inviting trouble for the ruling regime. To the mind of this court, this has not been the failing of any one party or one period. A consistent trait of political power, discernible over the decades, has been to preserve leverage over the very body that is meant to judge its claim to power,” Justice Datta said.He said if free and fair elections were to be ensured, it was axiomatic that the EC must not only be an independent body but also be seen to act independently and it was “painful to note that not a single party in power, entrusted by the people of India to govern this great nation”, took the initiative of enacting a law of the nature which Article 324(2) left to the supreme law-making body, ie Parliament, to legislate.”Placing its own electoral fortunes in the hands of a truly independent arbiter was not favoured by any political party, for obvious reasons. To remain in power, the consistent pursuit through executive action has indeed been simple – influence the composition of the EC, control the process of appointment of CEC and ECs and, thereby, temper adverse electoral outcomes,” Justice Datta said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSummarising the contentions raised against the law, he added, “The bottom line of the argument runs thus: it would not be a fallacious metaphor if it is said that since the umpire is picked by the captain of one side in a cricket match and his team wins, even if the decisions taken by such umpire are correct, it has the patina of suspicion, for, at the end of the day, the umpire has effectively been chosen by the winning captain.”Justice Datta further said, “There can be no gainsaying that free and fair elections, to a large extent, depend on a truly independent EC. It is not enough for the EC to be independent, it must also appear to be independent. The minister nominated by the prime minister, to function as the third member on the selection committee chaired by the prime minister, cannot be expected to defy his own nominator. In such a circumstance, the inclusion of a minister in the selection committee fails to provide the independent counterweight that a neutral selector could and he would merely echo the voice of his leader; and, consequently, the presence of the leader of opposition in the selection committee becomes largely ornamental, without furthering the purpose of his inclusion.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

It would not be a fallacious metaphor if it is said that since the umpire is picked by the captain of one side … and his team wins, even if the decisions taken by such umpire are correct, it has the patina of suspicion: Justice Dipankar Datta NEW DELHI: Deliberating on the validity of the law on appointment of chief election commissioner and election commissioners by a panel of the PM, a cabinet minister and the leader of opposition, Justice Dipankar Datta on Wednesday pointed out drawbacks and said it gave “overwhelming” power to the executive and made the presence of the LoP “ornamental”, undermining the appearance of independence in the selection process. He also noted that since independence, govts had tried to control the poll body.”Over seven decades, every dispensation wresting office found it convenient to keep institutions which the Constitution envisioned to be independent under their control. To enact a law on the lines empowered by Article 324(2) would have meant freeing the ECI from exclusive executive control and inviting trouble for the ruling regime. To the mind of this court, this has not been the failing of any one party or one period. A consistent trait of political power, discernible over the decades, has been to preserve leverage over the very body that is meant to judge its claim to power,” Justice Datta said.He said if free and fair elections were to be ensured, it was axiomatic that the EC must not only be an independent body but also be seen to act independently and it was “painful to note that not a single party in power, entrusted by the people of India to govern this great nation”, took the initiative of enacting a law of the nature which Article 324(2) left to the supreme law-making body, ie Parliament, to legislate.”Placing its own electoral fortunes in the hands of a truly independent arbiter was not favoured by any political party, for obvious reasons. To remain in power, the consistent pursuit through executive action has indeed been simple – influence the composition of the EC, control the process of appointment of CEC and ECs and, thereby, temper adverse electoral outcomes,” Justice Datta said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSummarising the contentions raised against the law, he added, “The bottom line of the argument runs thus: it would not be a fallacious metaphor if it is said that since the umpire is picked by the captain of one side in a cricket match and his team wins, even if the decisions taken by such umpire are correct, it has the patina of suspicion, for, at the end of the day, the umpire has effectively been chosen by the winning captain.”Justice Datta further said, “There can be no gainsaying that free and fair elections, to a large extent, depend on a truly independent EC. It is not enough for the EC to be independent, it must also appear to be independent. The minister nominated by the prime minister, to function as the third member on the selection committee chaired by the prime minister, cannot be expected to defy his own nominator. In such a circumstance, the inclusion of a minister in the selection committee fails to provide the independent counterweight that a neutral selector could and he would merely echo the voice of his leader; and, consequently, the presence of the leader of opposition in the selection committee becomes largely ornamental, without furthering the purpose of his inclusion.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

It would not be a fallacious metaphor if it is said that since the umpire is picked by the captain of one side … and his team wins, even if the decisions taken by such umpire are correct, it has the patina of suspicion: Justice Dipankar Datta NEW DELHI: Deliberating on the validity of the…

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Representational image JAMMU: Two policemen were found dead in a car under suspicious circumstances in Batote tehsil of J&K’s Ramban district Tuesday evening.“Locals spotted them lying unconscious and rushed them to the district hospital, where doctors declared head constable Farid Ahmed and constable Muhammad Yaqoob dead,” an official said.Police have launched an investigation to find the cause and circumstances leading to their death, the official added.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Representational image JAMMU: Two policemen were found dead in a car under suspicious circumstances in Batote tehsil of J&K’s Ramban district Tuesday evening.“Locals spotted them lying unconscious and rushed them to the district hospital, where doctors declared head constable Farid Ahmed and constable Muhammad Yaqoob dead,” an official said.Police have launched an investigation to find the cause and circumstances leading to their death, the official added.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna01 mins mins

JAMMU: Two policemen were found dead in a car under suspicious circumstances in Batote tehsil of J&K’s Ramban district Tuesday evening.“Locals spotted them lying unconscious and rushed them to the district hospital, where doctors declared head constable Farid Ahmed and constable Muhammad Yaqoob dead,” an official said.Police have launched an investigation to find the cause…

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Representative image SRINAGAR: Tap water existing only on paper, people in some areas still having to hire horses for “transporting drinking water to their houses”, water pipes abandoned and littered around at some places are some of the damning observations in the report by a J&K assembly committee that was formed to probe alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Rs 13,000-crore Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in the union territory announced by PM Modi on Aug 15, 2019, with a target of completing it by 2024.The 13-member committee, formed on April 9, 2024, following widespread allegations of irregularities in the implementation of the scheme, tabled its report in the J&K House on Monday.As per the report, overall target achievement of work execution across the union territory was still 37.28 percent.Most of the JJM schemes in Udhampur are “classic examples of good paper work, contrary to field work and ground situation,” it said. “Most of the schemes in Poonch exist on papers.”The report also said that there is no credible record at least produced before the House committee as regards details of water pipes procured, utilized, and left unutilized. “During on-spot visits by the committee water pipes were found abandoned and littered around.”It also said Panchayati Raj institutions were excluded from implementation of the scheme.The JJM scheme aims to provide potable drinking water in taps to all rural homes by 2024. Around 3,253 water supply schemes have been sanctioned in J&K at a cost of about Rs 13,000 crore.JJM is a 90:10 funding scheme between the Centre and the J&K govt.Officials of the Jal Shakti department said implementation was delayed in J&K as little progress could be made in the initial months following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. They said the administrative transition took about five months, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, further delaying implementation.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe department told the committee that the model and methods used to implement the JJM in the rest of the country could not be replicated in J&K due to its “difficult geography, limited road connectivity and lack of locally available skilled manpower.” It said the tendering process began picking up pace only after 2022.Ajaz Ahmad Jan, one of the committee members, said despite huge investment, a majority of rural households, especially in Rajouri and Poonch, are still facing hardships in fetching safe drinking water and there has been no benefit of the scheme.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Representative image SRINAGAR: Tap water existing only on paper, people in some areas still having to hire horses for “transporting drinking water to their houses”, water pipes abandoned and littered around at some places are some of the damning observations in the report by a J&K assembly committee that was formed to probe alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Rs 13,000-crore Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in the union territory announced by PM Modi on Aug 15, 2019, with a target of completing it by 2024.The 13-member committee, formed on April 9, 2024, following widespread allegations of irregularities in the implementation of the scheme, tabled its report in the J&K House on Monday.As per the report, overall target achievement of work execution across the union territory was still 37.28 percent.Most of the JJM schemes in Udhampur are “classic examples of good paper work, contrary to field work and ground situation,” it said. “Most of the schemes in Poonch exist on papers.”The report also said that there is no credible record at least produced before the House committee as regards details of water pipes procured, utilized, and left unutilized. “During on-spot visits by the committee water pipes were found abandoned and littered around.”It also said Panchayati Raj institutions were excluded from implementation of the scheme.The JJM scheme aims to provide potable drinking water in taps to all rural homes by 2024. Around 3,253 water supply schemes have been sanctioned in J&K at a cost of about Rs 13,000 crore.JJM is a 90:10 funding scheme between the Centre and the J&K govt.Officials of the Jal Shakti department said implementation was delayed in J&K as little progress could be made in the initial months following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. They said the administrative transition took about five months, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, further delaying implementation.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe department told the committee that the model and methods used to implement the JJM in the rest of the country could not be replicated in J&K due to its “difficult geography, limited road connectivity and lack of locally available skilled manpower.” It said the tendering process began picking up pace only after 2022.Ajaz Ahmad Jan, one of the committee members, said despite huge investment, a majority of rural households, especially in Rajouri and Poonch, are still facing hardships in fetching safe drinking water and there has been no benefit of the scheme.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

SRINAGAR: Tap water existing only on paper, people in some areas still having to hire horses for “transporting drinking water to their houses”, water pipes abandoned and littered around at some places are some of the damning observations in the report by a J&K assembly committee that was formed to probe alleged irregularities in the…

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Representative image | TNNJammu: A joint police team from Jammu has arrested three suspected members of Khauf gang, a Jammu-based criminal syndicate, in Delhi. The trio includes Karanjit Singh alias Gugga, a murder accused wanted in 13 FIRs, who escaped a juvenile observation home in RS Pura along with two Pakistani inmates in Feb.Addressing reporters Wednesday, SSP Jammu Joginder Singh said Gugga, a native of RS Pura’s Dablehar area, is an accused in the Gataroo gang rivalry murder case and several other FIRs involving attempted murder, assault, rioting, criminal intimidation and possession of illegal weapons. SP HQ Anna Lata Sinha and SP SOG Mohan Lal Sharma were also present at the press interaction.The other two arrested are Naresh Kumar alias Major from Arnia, and Rahul Kumar alias Sundi from Makhanpur, Bishnah. Naresh is involved in cases of violent assault, rioting and illegal possession of weapons. Rahul faces charges under the NDPS Act and Prisons Act for allegedly smuggling drugs into jail, police said. Both are closely associated with the Khauf gang.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe SSP said the arrests, carried out by Jammu Police and SOG Jammu, are part of police’s ongoing efforts to trace fugitive offenders linked with organised criminal networks. He said further investigation is underway and more arrests are likely.Gugga fled the RS Pura observation home along with Ahsan Anwar of Nankana Sahib and Mohammad Sanaullah of Basti Jawewala in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Feb 16, 2026, after assaulting and firing at cops guarding the facility. Haryana Police caught the Pakistani duo at Ambala Cantonment railway station the next day and handed them over to their J&K counterparts, even as Gugga remained on the run. Pertinently, all three were undertrials in different cases and had attained majority at the time of their escape.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Representative image | TNNJammu: A joint police team from Jammu has arrested three suspected members of Khauf gang, a Jammu-based criminal syndicate, in Delhi. The trio includes Karanjit Singh alias Gugga, a murder accused wanted in 13 FIRs, who escaped a juvenile observation home in RS Pura along with two Pakistani inmates in Feb.Addressing reporters Wednesday, SSP Jammu Joginder Singh said Gugga, a native of RS Pura’s Dablehar area, is an accused in the Gataroo gang rivalry murder case and several other FIRs involving attempted murder, assault, rioting, criminal intimidation and possession of illegal weapons. SP HQ Anna Lata Sinha and SP SOG Mohan Lal Sharma were also present at the press interaction.The other two arrested are Naresh Kumar alias Major from Arnia, and Rahul Kumar alias Sundi from Makhanpur, Bishnah. Naresh is involved in cases of violent assault, rioting and illegal possession of weapons. Rahul faces charges under the NDPS Act and Prisons Act for allegedly smuggling drugs into jail, police said. Both are closely associated with the Khauf gang.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe SSP said the arrests, carried out by Jammu Police and SOG Jammu, are part of police’s ongoing efforts to trace fugitive offenders linked with organised criminal networks. He said further investigation is underway and more arrests are likely.Gugga fled the RS Pura observation home along with Ahsan Anwar of Nankana Sahib and Mohammad Sanaullah of Basti Jawewala in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Feb 16, 2026, after assaulting and firing at cops guarding the facility. Haryana Police caught the Pakistani duo at Ambala Cantonment railway station the next day and handed them over to their J&K counterparts, even as Gugga remained on the run. Pertinently, all three were undertrials in different cases and had attained majority at the time of their escape.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCJP Takes On Election Commission After Report; Will This Lead To Next Jantar Mantar? | WatchCEC, ECs And The Power To Decide: What Happens When Election Commissioners Disagree?ECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police Encounter123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

| TNNJammu: A joint police team from Jammu has arrested three suspected members of Khauf gang, a Jammu-based criminal syndicate, in Delhi. The trio includes Karanjit Singh alias Gugga, a murder accused wanted in 13 FIRs, who escaped a juvenile observation home in RS Pura along with two Pakistani inmates in Feb.Addressing reporters Wednesday, SSP…

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NEW DELHI: Only two women have been decorated till date with Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, and one of them received it posthumously for the CRPF. Not only this, Kamlesh Kumari, the CRPF constable who was the first to sound an alert when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide squad stormed into Parliament premises in a white Ambassador on December 13, 2001, prompting the security personnel to engage and neutralise the terrorists before they could enter Parliament House, also happens to be the only CRPF personnel in the hallowed list of Ashoka Chakra awardees.On September 25, the CRPF will celebrate 40 years of selfless duty and gallant actions by women brave hearts like Kamlesh Kumari. During the commemoration event, CRPF DG GP Singh will, alongside the President of CRPF Family Welfare Association (CWA), felicitate veteran and serving women personnel for “their extraordinary contributions and sacrifice”.It was in 1986 that CRPF raised its first-ever woman combatant battalion; in 2022, two personnel from the same battalion were elevated to Inspector-General (IG) level posts, with Annie Abraham appointed as IG, Rapid Action Force, and Seema Dhundia as IG in charge of Bihar sector.As of today, women personnel hold charge of multiple CRPF sectors, including critical ones like Jammu. IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar recently became the first woman to lead the CRPF’s jungle warfare commando unit, CoBRA. As part of a conscious push by CRPF to place its woman officers in the lead and combatant roles, women personnel are currently heading sectors like Jammu, CoBRA, RAF, North East, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as IG.In the past 40 years, women’s footprint in CRPF has expanded significantly, with six exclusive mahila battalions fully deployed across critical security grids and 64 women teams, comprising 24 personnel each, embedded in RAF for specialised crowd control and anti-riot duties. Integrated women components are also serving in frontline roles, including the dedicated Bastariya battalion raised to tackle Left-wing extremism.CRPF women personnel’s 40 years of selfless service and bravery have received due recognition. Constable Kamlesh Kumari was awarded the Ashok Chakra in 2002, constable Vimla Devi was honoured with Sena Medal and Lance Naik Rajwanti Devi received the Army Chief’s commendation for playing a critical operations role at the Elephant Pass check post in Sri Lanka in 1988. Constable Bindu Kumre has also received a gallantry medal for displaying exemplary bravery during the Srinagar airport terrorist attack in 2001.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesCRPF on Tuesday described the induction of women personnel in the force 40 years ago as “a pioneering step (that) broke deep-rooted barriers, redefining women’s empowerment, operational inclusivity and equal opportunity within the nation’s security framework”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police EncounterIndia Tests 1,000-Km-Range ‘KAL’ One-Way Attack Drone At Pokhran Range‘Can’t Deny Our Right To Industrialise’: Jaishankar Lists 7 Priorities At Global South Meet123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

NEW DELHI: Only two women have been decorated till date with Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, and one of them received it posthumously for the CRPF. Not only this, Kamlesh Kumari, the CRPF constable who was the first to sound an alert when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide squad stormed into Parliament premises in a white Ambassador on December 13, 2001, prompting the security personnel to engage and neutralise the terrorists before they could enter Parliament House, also happens to be the only CRPF personnel in the hallowed list of Ashoka Chakra awardees.On September 25, the CRPF will celebrate 40 years of selfless duty and gallant actions by women brave hearts like Kamlesh Kumari. During the commemoration event, CRPF DG GP Singh will, alongside the President of CRPF Family Welfare Association (CWA), felicitate veteran and serving women personnel for “their extraordinary contributions and sacrifice”.It was in 1986 that CRPF raised its first-ever woman combatant battalion; in 2022, two personnel from the same battalion were elevated to Inspector-General (IG) level posts, with Annie Abraham appointed as IG, Rapid Action Force, and Seema Dhundia as IG in charge of Bihar sector.As of today, women personnel hold charge of multiple CRPF sectors, including critical ones like Jammu. IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar recently became the first woman to lead the CRPF’s jungle warfare commando unit, CoBRA. As part of a conscious push by CRPF to place its woman officers in the lead and combatant roles, women personnel are currently heading sectors like Jammu, CoBRA, RAF, North East, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as IG.In the past 40 years, women’s footprint in CRPF has expanded significantly, with six exclusive mahila battalions fully deployed across critical security grids and 64 women teams, comprising 24 personnel each, embedded in RAF for specialised crowd control and anti-riot duties. Integrated women components are also serving in frontline roles, including the dedicated Bastariya battalion raised to tackle Left-wing extremism.CRPF women personnel’s 40 years of selfless service and bravery have received due recognition. Constable Kamlesh Kumari was awarded the Ashok Chakra in 2002, constable Vimla Devi was honoured with Sena Medal and Lance Naik Rajwanti Devi received the Army Chief’s commendation for playing a critical operations role at the Elephant Pass check post in Sri Lanka in 1988. Constable Bindu Kumre has also received a gallantry medal for displaying exemplary bravery during the Srinagar airport terrorist attack in 2001.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesCRPF on Tuesday described the induction of women personnel in the force 40 years ago as “a pioneering step (that) broke deep-rooted barriers, redefining women’s empowerment, operational inclusivity and equal opportunity within the nation’s security framework”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosECI’s ERONET Controversy: Voter Database Row, Software Errors & 17.6 Million Notices Raise QuestionsJaishankar Meets Rubio At UNGA, Raises India’s Concerns Over Trump’s Russia Sanctions Bill ImpactBJP Defends Election Commission Over SIR Row, Challenges Opposition To Impeach CEC In Parliament’This Is a Scandalous Story’: Opposition Attacks Gyanesh Kumar After Report Claims ECI DissentSIR, Form 6, Voter Rolls: EC Responds After Report Flags Objections By 2 Election CommissionersIndian Man Murdered in UAE: Body Found in Nine Pieces Inside Car In SharjahAsad Alam Siam to Be Bangladesh’s Next High Commissioner to India | What It Means for TiesUP Man Kills Wife & 2 Priests, Holds 3 Children Hostage, Later Shot Dead In Police EncounterIndia Tests 1,000-Km-Range ‘KAL’ One-Way Attack Drone At Pokhran Range‘Can’t Deny Our Right To Industrialise’: Jaishankar Lists 7 Priorities At Global South Meet123Hot PicksBPSC TRE 4 RecruitmentAndhra Pradesh school holidaySpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysWeather tomorrowHurricane PoloUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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NEW DELHI: Only two women have been decorated till date with Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, and one of them received it posthumously for the CRPF. Not only this, Kamlesh Kumari, the CRPF constable who was the first to sound an alert when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide squad stormed into Parliament premises in a…

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