INDIA

Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday urged the government to hold assembly elections in Jammu Kashmir at the earliest. Participating in a debate on The Jammu Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Hasnain Masoodi (NC) demanded that the polls in the union territory be held soon. He said the central government should have decided on the polls before the Supreme Court had to intervene in the matter. The top court had a few months back asked the Election Commission to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir by September this year. Masoodi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Monday said his government will take big decisions. Polls in the union territory should be held before other big ticket decisions are taken, Masoodi said. Minister of State for Home...

The government of Uttarakhand, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the helm, has presented the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill (UCC) during the ongoing special assembly session. This bill, scheduled for introduction on Tuesday, is aimed at establishing uniform civil laws that apply to all communities across the state. Its development comes after the final draft received approval from the Uttarakhand Cabinet, marking a significant step towards fulfilling a major pledge outlined in the BJP's 2022 assembly election manifesto. The Uniform Civil Code essentially seeks to create a comprehensive framework governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession for all citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliations. The idea i...

Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari has been detained by Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Mumbai, on Sunday. The preacher has been detained over the allegations of delivering a provocative speech. The Mufti made a speech in Junagadh, Gujurat, which sparked controversy after being shared online. It consequently led to his arrest in Mumbai. After his arrest, hundreds of his supporters gathered outside Ghatkopar police station in Mumbai, prompting a lathi charge by the police to control the crowd and manage traffic disruptions. Mufti Salman Azhari is held under Sections 153B (promoting enmity between different religious groups) and 505(2) (statements circulated to incite offence against a community) of the Indian Penal Code. Mufti Salman Azhari urged his supporters not to pr...

The three-day 'Urs' at Taj Mahal is to be celebrated this year from February 6 to February 8. The event is celebrated to observe the death anniversary of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who had the Taj Mahal constructed in 1653, on the banks of Yamuna in Agra. However, in a new development, a right wing Hindu organization took to court in Agra, filing a petition, and seeking prohibitory injunction against the observation of the event. The petitioner, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has also challenged free entry inside the Taj for the Urs. “On Friday, the petitioner ABHM through its divisional head Meena Diwakar and district president Saurabh Sharma filed a petition in the Court of IV Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division) Room No 4 at Civil Court premises in Agra," said Petitioner’...

A bill that seeks to amend laws relating to local bodies in Jammu Kashmir was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the bill on behalf of Home Minister Amit Shah. The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989; the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000; and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000. PTI

Leaders of the Muslim community strongly opposed the recent judgment by the Varanasi court, which allowed Hindu worship in the basement of the Gyanvapi mosque. Expressing deep disappointment, they raised concerns about potential judicial backsliding against principles of justice, secularism, and constitutional values. Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, President of All India Muslim Personal Board, criticized the Varanasi court for allegedly disregarding the pleas of the Muslim community and other religious groups. He labeled the judgment as "hasty" and accused the court of overlooking evidence, facts, and the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which prohibits the conversion of any place of worship. Rahmani warned that not upholding the Places of Worship Act could lead to similar episo...

Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Friday said that his government will introduce a bill against polygamy in the upcoming budget session. He mentioned that the draft is currently being reviewed by the Law Department. Sarma also expressed interest in the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) legislation, keeping an eye on developments in Uttarakhand during a special assembly session starting on February 5. However, opposition parties criticized the move, calling it "diversionary" amidst ongoing discussions about the UCC. Sarma had expressed support for the UCC in July 2023 and took steps to ban polygamy. Last year, an expert committee unanimously recommended framing laws to end polygamy in Assam. Seeking public opinion marked progress towards enacting legislation on the matte...

Following the Supreme Court's decision to grant him bail, Raziuddin Nasir, the youngest son of the esteemed cleric Moulana Naseeruddin, has been released from Gujarat Sabarmati jail after spending sixteen years behind bars. His release took place on Thursday, and Nasir promptly made his way to Hyderabad, where he rejoined his family at their Saidabad residence. Notably, Nasir was one of the accused in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts case, and he, along with 27 others, was acquitted in February 2022. However, despite his acquittal in the blast case, he remained incarcerated due to a pending criminal case related to an alleged jailbreak attempt. The specific incident in question pertained to Nasir's purported involvement in a jailbreak attempt, and the trial for this matter...

In her parliamentary address on January 31, President Droupadi Murmu confidently declared the resolution of doubts surrounding the removal of Article 370, deeming it a historic moment. Reflecting on the past decade, she underscored the government's commitment to strengthening India's tourism sector, pilgrimage destinations, and historical sites. President Murmu highlighted strides made in tourism, attributing the sector's growth to India's elevated global standing and improved connectivity. Notably, she cited the record tourist influx in the North East, heightened interest in Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands, and the government's emphasis on enhancing facilities at pilgrimage sites nationwide. The President delved into "diverse accomplishments", including the establishment ...

Five out of the six individuals accused in the Parliament security breach case on December 13 have come forward in a Delhi court, alleging that they were subjected to distressing tactics by the Delhi Police. According to a report from Live Law, the accused, including Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Lalit Jha, Amol Shinde, and Mahesh Kumawat, claimed that they endured torture, electric shocks, and coercion during their interaction with law enforcement. Notably, two of the accused were reportedly coerced into confessing alleged connections with leaders from Opposition parties while undergoing a polygraph or narcoanalysis test. In a significant revelation, the accused detailed that all five of them were forced to sign approximately 70 blank pages by the police. Additionally, they asse...