The Uttarakhand Law Commission has recommended changes in the State’s Protection of Cow Progeny Act to declare the animal “mother of the nation”. “The cow should be declared Rashtra Mata in the interest of the nation and justice,” the state’s Law Commission said in its fifth report to the State …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on January 3 a writ petition for urgent measures to rescue 15 miners trapped in a rat-hole mine in Meghalaya. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said the petition, which was orally mentioned by senior advocate Anand Grover for petitioner Aditya N. …

The Bill also makes it clear that anyone not offering Aadhaar cannot be denied any service, be it a bank account or a SIM card. The Bill seeks to amend the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and …

The 2019 Rajya Sabha calendar, launched by its Chairman and Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, is a treasure trove of the Upper House’s history. For instance, it says that over 34 of its 66 years of existence, including the first 17 years, the Rajya Sabha did not have a Leader of …

Any form of exclusion based on concepts of ‘impurity and pollution’ amounts to untouchability Closure of the Sabarimala temple’ssanctum sanctorumon Wednesday to perform ‘purification rites’ after two women of menstruating age managed to enter may amount to using the concept of impurity and pollution to violate the women’s right against …

This for the first time that purification rites were performed at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple for the entry of women of child-bearing age to the temple. Talking to The Hindu , chief priest (Tantri) Kandararu Rajeevararu said the rites were performed in consultation with Devaswom Executive Officer D.Sudheeshkumar and Melsanthi …

At a time when multiple agencies are involved in the rescue of 15 miners trapped in a rathole mine in Meghalaya, data tabled in the Lok Sabha earlier this week revealed that 377 workers involved in mining of coal, minerals and oil were killed in accidents between 2015 and 2017. …

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the setting up of a high-level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord which provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assam. It …

The closing of the Sabarimala temple for purification rituals following the entry of two women of menstruating age on Wednesday has cast the Tantri of the shrine in the spotlight. It has triggered an acrimonious war of words between various quarters over religious tradition and law. Tantri (chief priest) Kandararu …

Jaitley questions Congress record in defence deals; Rahul contests PM’s claim Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday raised the Congress’s record in defence deals, including the role of Mr. Q and alleged revelations by Christian Michel who took the name of “Mrs Gandhi” in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. And …

Invoking the rules of procedure, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu asked 12 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) members to leave for the day, as despite repeated requests and warning they continued to remain in the well of the House protesting against the …

The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of a high-level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord which provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assam. It also recommended reserving Assembly seats for …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates’ Association in Hyderabad to defer the implementation of a notification issued on December 26 bifurcating the Hyderabad High Court into the new Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Courts. A Bench of Justices …

The boards of Bank of Baroda (BoB), Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank, on Wednesday approved the share swap ratio for the proposed merger. Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank shareholders will get 402 and 110 shares of BoB, respectively, for every 1,000 shares held. The Union Cabinet approved the amalgamation of …

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has rejected Vedanta Ltd.’s request for renewal of consent to operate the Sterlite Copper smelter at Thoothukudi. Citing an appeal filed by it and the State government in the Supreme Court on Wednesday against the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order in the matter, …

The fast-growing species can tolerate a wide variety of environmental conditions From clambering lantana plants to karimeen -like red-bellied paku, invasive species come in all sizes. The latest addition to Kerala’s invasives list is only around a centimetre or two long: scientists have confirmed the presence of the invasive black-striped …

The government on Wednesday introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha that will allow individuals to voluntarily offer biometric ID Aadhaar as a means of identity verification for obtaining services like opening a bank account and getting a mobile phone connection. The Bill, which seeks to amend three separate laws …

Two young women entered the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala under police cover in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering anti-government protests across the State. The women in their 40s — Bindu from Kozhikode and Kanakadurga from Malappuram — reached the foothills around 1.30 a.m. at Pampa, from where they …

The Madras Park Fair, opened much against popular wishes and in the teeth of united opposition of the City Fathers and a section of the Press, came to an unhappy termination last night (January 1). Fireworks were widely advertised all through the City. People assembled in large numbers at 8 …

Israel last night [January 1] virtually rejected the Security Council’s unanimous resolution censuring it for last Saturday’s [December 28] attack on Beirut airport. It described the resolution as a reflection of the ‘moral, political and juridical bankruptcy of the world body’. The Israeli delegate’s response was also seen as an …