The Narendra Modi government’s move to form a high-level committee for the effective implementation of Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord has been labelled a “poll gimmick” by political parties and organisations in Assam.Clause 6 of the Assam Accord seeks to provide “constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards” to “protect, …

The Indian cricket team does not have to adopt a vegan diet to avoid fat and cholesterol if it eats the meat of the famous Kadaknath chickens of Madhya Pradesh.In a letter to Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and the Board of Control for Cricket in India written on the …

The Supreme Court spelt trouble for the Indian branch of the Swiss food giant Nestle on Thursday by resuscitating a Rs. 640-crore class-action suit filed by the government on behalf of thousands of consumers of the iconic Maggi noodles.The suit was filed by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of …

Members of four Opposition parties — the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — have moved a dissent note against the report of the joint committee on Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016.The Bill proposes to give citizenship to six persecuted minorities — Hindus, …

The Law Ministry on Thursday said there was no proposal to introduce reservation for women in the appointment of judges in the higher judiciary. The Ministry’s response came on an observation of a Parliamentary Standing Committee that only six women judges have been appointed in the Supreme Court till date.In …

A lawyer made a sensational claim before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi that computers and telephones of judges and “very senior” officials are under surveillance following the December 20 order allowing 10 Central agencies to snoop on people.Advocate M.L. Sharma sought an early hearing of his PIL petition challenging …

A pan-India survey of childcare institutions (CCI) conducted by the Centre has highlighted poor safety and security measures, inadequate monitoring of these facilities, and a lack of effort to trace parents of missing children sent to these homes.The full report of the survey titled ‘Mapping and Review Exercise of Child …

Several Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERAs) are pushing for more enforcement power, similar to what is enjoyed by consumer forums, including the authority to issue arrest warrants. At the first meeting of a new RERA implementation committee held on Thursday, there was broad consensus that the RERA Act needed to …

On December 31, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas quietly progressed towards manufacture in an enhanced, battle standard format.A new ‘limited’ clearance from Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, for the fighter aircraft green-lights its production in a superior lethal version, …

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Thursday suspended 21 members of the Lower House for four days for creating a ruckus in the House. They included MPs from the TDP, AIADMK and an unattached YSR Congress leader. The action was taken under Rule 374 A of the Lok Sabha, meaning …

The Supreme Court on Thursday summoned Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta after getting to know that patients in a mental asylum in Badayun district of Uttar Pradesh are kept in chains.A Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and S. Abdul Nazeer asked Mr. Mehta to take immediate action, saying, “A mentally-ill person is …

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the government had no objection to holding Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Lok Sabha poll later this year if the Election Commission (EC) so desired.Replying to a discussion related to a statutory resolution on the President’s proclamation under …

Many toilets constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission have already become defunct and unusable, according to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development. It slammed the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation for not bothering to find out the scope of the problem, despite an earlier recommendation to conduct a …

The Supreme Court has declined a request for an urgent hearing of a plea for contempt of court action against the Sabarimala priest, who closed the sanctum sanctorum to conduct “purification rites” immediately after two women entered the temple on Wednesday. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi rejected the plea …

Though the drop in temperature levels to a single digit pushes up the tourist footfall in the Agency of Visakhapatnam district, it proves to be a bane for the tribal people and they prefer to stay indoors due to the biting cold.Eight of 10 mandals in the Agency area have …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that it was time for research to expand beyond the Central institutes of national importance — such as the IITs and the IISERs — and branch out into the numerous State universities.Observing that “95% of our students go to State universities and colleges,” …

A Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and S. Abdul Nazeer said the rescue efforts seemed uncoordinated and yielding no results. The court asked the Centre what it had done so far. “You had wanted to send high-powered pumps to Thailand [to rescue Thai boys and their teacher trapped in a …

Mr. Trump had referred to his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging that Indian contribution to Kabul be increased and diversified as humanitarian contribution was not enough. “I could give you an example where I get along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi. But he is constantly …

The Shah of Iran said to-night [January 2] there were tremendous possibilities of co-operation between Iran and India and “we must seek to develop it to the maximum possible extent.” Responding to the toast at the State banquet here [New Delhi], he stressed the importance of regional co-operation. “Those who …

The Indian Tea Association announces [in London] that the Food Ministry has arranged that licences shall be freely issued for private import of tea provided that no portion of the tea is sold for home consumption and at least fifty percent of importations are offered to Food Ministry. Subject to …