VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html NEET UG 2026 counselling: MCC extends Round 1 choice-filling deadline till August 18, check complete details here Govinda, Sunita Ahuja’s three month old daughter passed away as her lungs had not fully developed, the actor once spoke about the heart wrenching moment of immersing her body in Narmada river Meet Lakshmanan Meyyappan: The 16-year-old boy who set a world record as the youngest Chartered Accountant in the world | How the Libra Moon impacts your social boundaries & choices – Check your zodiac sign’s lucky color & number for August 18, 2026 Meet Arnav Kodavati: A 17-year-old California teen turning food waste into biodegradable paper towels ‘39,000 soldiers guarding you from Kim’: Trump reduces military drills with South Korea over Iran ‘I cannot walk, I use two crutches’: 85-year-old Rochford man ‘close to a breakdown’ after council orders removal of £2,200 driveway built on grass verge NEW DELHI: It has been a practice that cases filed against candidates for using unfair means in the poll process, including the use of black money, are withdrawn by state govt upon a change in the dispensation. But Supreme Court Monday said the approval of the HC concerned would be needed to drop such cases.Referring to SC judgement that cases concerning sitting MPs and MLAs should be withdrawn only with the leave of HC, a bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and N K Singh said it should be applied to candidates contesting elections as well.“Undoubtedly, this suggestion appears to be a great leap in favour of impartiality; in effect, this would place candidates for elections at the same pedestal as elected MPs and MLAs in relation to criminal prosecutions against them. To our mind, this indicates to candidates and also prospective candidates that indulging in unsavoury practices is not a matter of triviality. Once prosecution is initiated against them, change in political dispensation simpliciter will not let them off the hook. In other words, a constitutional democracy expects from its representatives the same degree of moral rectitude and uprightness,” it said.“The stand of EC is that cases should not be withdrawn as the norm. It is not a hidden truth, however, that changes in political dispensation often lead to such decisions being taken. Needless to say, such practice is entirely antithetical to the spirit of an unbiased criminal justice system, which is a hallmark of a constitutionally governed republic, specially one like India where the separation of powers is clearly recognised, and as far as possible, enforced,” it said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIt passed a slew of directions, including one to activate I-T department to take action when Static Surveillance Teams during checks find money in excess of Rs 10 lakh. It held the investigation officer entrusted with the probe thereof shall make every possible endeavour to complete investigations thereinto within a year from date of registration.Expressing concern over the role of black money in electoral politics, SC said, “The three ideas of democracy, the rule of law, and the electoral processes are inextricably linked to one another. If one aspect of any of these three is compromised, it impacts the entirety of the three ideas and their execution…”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi123Photostories5 Snakes that thrive in extreme climates: Here’s how they survive harsh weather conditionsForget quinoa: 9 ways to add dalia to your daily breakfast7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and more123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir Aug 18, 2026, 10:25 IST MP High Court Assistant Grade-3 recruitment 2026: Apply for 1,174 posts, check eligibility and direct link here ‘Batwara 1947’ box office collection day 4: The Sunny Deol starrer sees 72 percent drop on Monday, struggles to cross Rs 30 crore while ‘Awarapan 2’ races ahead towards Rs 100 crore Why does dal foam while boiling? Should you actually remove it? Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is a natural light show that appears on hundreds of nights every year, making it one of the world’s biggest lightning hotspots. Two builders jailed for two years for failing to hand over possession of Mumbai flat to buyers ‘Needs to be moved to hospital now’: Imran Khan’s health in jail deteriorates New Delhi: The decline in political discourse being seen today is not only worrisome but shameful as well, defence minister Rajnath Singh said as he hit out at Rahul Gandhi for his choice of words in attacking PM Narendra Modi.Singh said it was particularly disturbing as the incident involved the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha.Speaking at the release of former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu’s biography in Hindi, Singh recalled his wit and humour in handling tricky situations and said it ought to serve as a learning experience for all.Rahul had mocked Modi at a recent event, inviting censure from the BJP.BJP chief Nitin Nabin said Naidu has lived an ideal life for a social and political worker, as he rose through the ranks to occupy the top party position, before being elevated as the VP.Nabin said the biography is particularly relevant for the younger generation as it conveys the message that commitment and hard work can help a person move forward in life. TNNGet the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi123Photostories5 Snakes that thrive in extreme climates: Here’s how they survive harsh weather conditionsForget quinoa: 9 ways to add dalia to your daily breakfast7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and more123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir Rupee slips 7 paise against US dollar as crude soars beyond $90 per barrel levels SSC CHSL FRTA result 2026 released: Check 3,515 shortlisted candidates and sliding dates Kashmera Shah pens cryptic note amid Govinda’s affair rumours with Komal Rani Swarnkar and spat with wife Sunita Ahuja: ‘So is this what true love looks like?’ Losing hair because of Alopecia? This Arthritis drug can help you regrow hair like never before | In 2026, scientists found oak trees can delay spring leaf growth by three days to starve hungry caterpillars ‘Which RSS, BJP man fought for nation?’: Mallikarjun Kharge hits back amid Vande Mataram row Police and CRPF are conducting searches in Udhampur, Reasi and Kathua districts (Representative Image) NEW DELHI: Security forces on Tuesday launched search operations at multiple locations following reports of suspected persons being spotted in Udhampur, Reasi and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.The Jammu and Kashmir Police, in coordination with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), launched a cordon-and-search operation after receiving information about the movement of two suspected individuals.According to officials, the two individuals knocked on the door of one Prakash Chand in Talot village of Udhampur late Monday night and asked for food.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHowever, the residents did not respond to the repeated knocks and alerted security forces after the suspected individuals, who were wearing shawls, left the area towards Khuban, officials said.Acting swiftly on the information, joint teams of the police and CRPF reached the village and launched a search operation, they added.Meanwhile, security forces also carried out searches in the Sadini forests of Reasi and in several villages near the International Border in Kathua’s Hiranagar sector.The operations are underway in all areas where the movement of the two suspects has been reported.(With PTI inputs)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi123Photostories5 Snakes that thrive in extreme climates: Here’s how they survive harsh weather conditionsForget quinoa: 9 ways to add dalia to your daily breakfast7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and more123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir Meet Tiya Aggarwal, the Canadian high school student who built a smart watering system that automatically adjusts itself for more than 150 plant species Nancy Guthrie’s bones found in desert near home? Details Inside ‘China is cheap?’: Indian woman’s ₹9.8 lakh monthly expenditure in Shanghai has the internet talking | “I try to be the connector”: Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry open up about their equal partnership in charity work “I wouldn’t, probably help you”: President Donald Trump tells 10-year-old rescued by teen lifeguard he “wouldn’t” have risked his life to save him New Delhi: For many students taking NEET and JEE, which require intensive coaching, the race begins not in the examination hall but in the coaching classroom – and access to it often depends on where they live and what their families can afford. The Centre is now designing its free coaching network around this gap, taking up the two high-stakes entrance tests first and prioritising students from economically weaker families and areas with limited access to quality coaching.Govt sources said youth-related announcements made by PM Modi in his Independence Day address will be accorded top priority, with some initiatives expected to be rolled out as early as Oct 2. The free coaching programme is among the measures for which ministries have begun preparing the implementation framework.A blueprint has been prepared for the technology and AI-enabled learning platform, which will be jointly developed by ministries of electronics and information technology (MeitY), skill development and education. MeitY and the skill development ministry will build the platform, while the education ministry will provide academic support by pooling teaching resources from schools, universities and other institutions.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesOfficials said the framework will not be confined to online classes. It will have provisions for including in later stages offline/computer-based access for areas where internet connectivity is weak.The network is expected to later cover university entrance tests and recruitment examinations. Officials said the objective is to reduce the gap between students who can afford coaching and those who depend on schools, self-study or local options. In his I-Day speech, Modi had linked the initiative to the financial pressure private coaching puts on families. “A huge burden has been placed upon middle-class families. There is competition around coaching classes. Every parent feels that if the child is not sent to a coaching class, they are not from a prestigious family.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi123Photostories5 Snakes that thrive in extreme climates: Here’s how they survive harsh weather conditionsForget quinoa: 9 ways to add dalia to your daily breakfast7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and more123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir Salma Hayek reveals she is a grandmother: Posts photos with grandson and says, ‘I cannot love him more’ How To Clean Oven Racks: How to clean greasy oven racks naturally: Easy ways to remove stubborn grime Meet Max Hung Nguyen, the 17-year-old California student who used Nasa data and AI to predict which stars are most likely to have giant planets Why Google is making headlines in Berkshire’s biggest quarter of stock-buying following Warren Buffett’s exit as CEO Tropical Storm Lala in Hawaii: Roads collapse, 100 homes swept away, no power, mobile service; 1 dead Rijiju defends police response to student protests (ANI image) NEW DELHI: Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday defended the Bihar and Delhi governments and law enforcement agencies over their handling of student protests, saying security forces managed large crowds without any casualties or serious injuries.”Not a single person died; not a single person suffered a broken bone. Not even one protester is in the hospital with a serious injury. Consider the scale of this movement: thousands turned up, and so many criminals infiltrated under the guise of students,” he said as cited by news agency ANI.Rijiju praised the police and administration for their handling of the protests, while contrasting it with the response to demonstrations under previous Congress-led governments.”If such a movement had taken place during the Congress era, and many did, resulting in thousands of deaths, one should praise the Delhi police and the administration for handling such a massive protest without allowing even a single serious injury. Thousands actually died from gunfire during the Congress era,” Rijiju said.”It is the Congress that imposes an Emergency in response to protests. You might recall how many people have fallen victim to gunfire during the various movements that have taken place in this country. Even during the movement to create the state of Telangana, so many people were killed… In this movement, not a single shot was fired,” he added.Rijiju said that despite the presence of thousands of protesters, including what he described as political agitators from the Aam Aadmi Party, Bhim Army and Samajwadi Party, as well as “dafli-playing agitators”, the Delhi Police used minimal force. He said force was used only when demonstrators attempted to break through barricades and march towards Parliament.”Furthermore, more than half the people, whether from the Aam Aadmi Party, the dafli-playing agitators, the Bhim Army, or the Samajwadi Party, came and incited others to violence; yet, not a single casualty occurred,” Rijiju added.On the Gen-Z movement and its demand for education reforms, Rijiju said the Narendra Modi-led NDA government remained committed to the welfare of the country’s youth.He also called for strict judicial action against those responsible for examination leaks and reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance stance on violence during public protests.”We respect the students’ sentiments. The Prime Minister introduced such a good law and took step after step, promising to work for their future,” Rijiju said.The remarks came amid student protests in Bihar over alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesClashes were reported between protesters and police in Siwan on July 25 following stone-pelting, after which police used tear gas and lathi charges to disperse the crowd. An AK-47 firing incident was also reported during the unrest.The remarks come weeks after the CJP called off its 37-day protest at Jantar Mantar on July 25, following the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and assurances on some of the protesters’ other demands.The agitation was centred on the NEET paper leak issue and drew students and young volunteers from across the country, along with support from opposition leaders. Activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest on June 28 and began an indefinite hunger strike. He was later shifted to Safdarjung Hospital after his health deteriorated.The protest also saw police action on July 20 when demonstrators attempted to march towards Parliament. The Congress and other opposition parties later raised the issue in Parliament, contributing to disruptions during proceedings.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi‘Process Vitiated…’: Bangladesh Links Tarique Rahman’s India Visit To Sheikh Hasina Extradition123Photostories5 Snakes that thrive in extreme climates: Here’s how they survive harsh weather conditionsForget quinoa: 9 ways to add dalia to your daily breakfast7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and more123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir Aug 18, 2026, 09:27 IST Bengaluru Clarence High School suspends offline classes after H1N1 cases, 500 students report illness Paris Jackson on seeking medical treatment after suicide attempt at 15: ‘I definitely left with more PTSD…’ Meet the new Himalayan plant named after the legendary mountaineer Nirmal Purja: Nimsdai’s legacy blooms in the Himalayas at 2,900 metres | Gen Alpha, Gen Z students march in Lucknow over shortage of teachers, amenities NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday asked govt whether Sustainable Harnessing and Advancing of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (Shanti) Act — which limits operator’s liability at Rs 4,000 crore — impede constitutional courts from awarding appropriate and adequate compensation in an unforeseen event of a nuclear power plant mishap.The clarification was sought by a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, as petitioner EAS Sarma’s advocate Prashant Bhushan said the law capped the operator’s liability at a paltry Rs 4,000 crore even though in case of a mishap the liability towards citizens would run into tens of thousands of crores.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesBhushan said the paltry liability clause would make foreign suppliers become lax towards stringent safety norms, which in turn would make a nuclear power plant a constant threat to lives of citizens living around it. In addition, he argued, if govt could put up solar power plants on 6% of available waste land, it could generate six times more electricity than the present requirement.SC asked, “Does the Act say constitutional court’s jurisdiction is barred from entertaining pleas of citizens demanding higher compensation, if, god forbid, an unforeseen unfortunate mishap happens in a nuclear power plant?”During the last hearing, the top court had observed “if total liability after an unforeseen nuclear plant mishap works out to Rs 40,000 crore, the nation in a parliamentary regime can say it can absolve the operator beyond Rs 4,000 crore. But that does not bind courts from determining actual liability of govt towards each citizen affected by the mishap. Nobody can curtail even the powers of tribunals to award adequate compensation”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi‘Process Vitiated…’: Bangladesh Links Tarique Rahman’s India Visit To Sheikh Hasina Extradition123Photostories7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and moreChef Sanjeev Kapoor shares 9 basics of baking for every new and casual bakerDeepika Padukone makes maternity fashion look too easy in an oversized blue shirt and baggy jeans123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir Stock Market Today Live Updates: BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 headed for crucial session as crude soars past $90 per barrel again Bihar STET 2026 notification released: Check application dates, eligibility and fees Kichcha Sudeep steals the spotlight by performing Shah Rukh Khan’s romantic song ‘Suno Na Suno Na’ from ‘Chalte Chalte’ at a Bengaluru wedding – Watch Why seeing a coworker in their followers can suddenly change everything ‘Entire nation will shudder at list of martyrs’: Russian oppn leader Shlosberg jailed for 11 years for war remarks Census 2027. Representative image: ANI NEW DELHI: With ‘caste’ to be captured in Census 2027 strictly as declared by the respondent, the utility and application of caste data so enumerated may be assessed only at the post-census stage, according to experts.Officials involved in conduct of Census told TOI that while OBC status of an individual will not be recorded during population enumeration, the digital mode of census and availability of modern, AI-based tools will aid statisticians in arriving at the aggregate figure of people belonging to a particular caste. However, there may be anomalies on account of individuals declaring different spellings of the same caste or a religious sect being recorded as caste, either due to ignorance or due lack of adequate awareness of the caste system.According to officials, which spellings may be recognised as acceptable for a particular caste category is a call to be taken by the govt and census authorities.While caste census will enable analysis of a particular caste’s social, economic and educational indicators, it also runs the risk of individuals of a particular caste under-declaring their income and other indices, to project that caste as “backward” and make a case for it to be enlisted as OBC. However, officials said statisticians can detect any misleading or falsified data through cross-referencing, value indicators etc. Where the deviation is found to be outside acceptable limits, the data may be termed as “unreliable” for application in policy making.Explaining the qualitative difference between the socio-economic economic caste census (SECC) done in 2011 and recording of caste as part of Census 2027, an officer said the latter guarantees complete secrecy of an individual’s caste disclosure, since the Census Act bars individual data from being used as “legal evidence, govt benefits or public disclosure”. Secondly, the handicap of compilation and segregation of caste data is surmountable with AI-based solutions.Segregation of non-SC, non-ST individuals into ‘general’ and ‘OBC’ categories and a drop-down menu for recording OBC status were discussed while finalising the questionnaire for population enumeration, but not found feasible as central and state lists of OBCs do not always align.While the central list is prepared based on recommendation of and is maintained by the National Commission for Backward Classes, the state list is the responsibility of the relevant state backward classes commission. “Given that the two lists do not perfectly overlap, the moot question for the census authorities was: which list to go by, Central or state. Even for a given state, the OBC lists maintained by the Centre and by the state are different,” said an officer.Further, SC/ST lists are notified by a Presidential order, where as OBCs may be extended reservation in a state merely on discretion of the relevant state govt,” an official said while adding that the final consensus was to not tread into capturing OBC status of the respondent.A second officer explained that the census, which is spread over a year, requires administrative boundaries as well as SC/ST lists to be frozen through its duration. “Mid-census changes interfere with continuity, confuse enumerators and throw calculations and tables haywire. If the OBCs are captured and the states, particularly those ruled by the opposition parties, decide to extend OBC status for a new community mid-way through the census, there are bound to be complications.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines “How does the Centre ensure that this does not happen, given that grant of OBC status is often a decision taken based on political considerations,” it was debated.It was also pointed out during discussions on the questionnaire that OBC is not a ‘caste’ classification but only meant to categorise “classes” which may not fall within the caste system essentially prevalent among Hindus. Even the Constitution recognises only the socially and educationally backward “classes,” in addition to the Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes, an officer told TOI.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 MediaVideosJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi‘Process Vitiated…’: Bangladesh Links Tarique Rahman’s India Visit To Sheikh Hasina Extradition123PhotostoriesForget quinoa: 9 ways to add dalia to your daily breakfast7 email habits that can make you look careless at work even when your actual work is goodGeorgina Rodríguez’s wedding jewellery was pure Kalahari luxury, and the diamonds clearly came to competePriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? 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