GS-II

The Kerala government informed the Supreme Court on Friday that 51 “female devotees” of menstrual age dodged protesters to enter the Sabarimala shrine, besides Bindu and Kanakadurga, during this pilgrimage season. A two-page note submitted by the Director-General of Police (DGP) to a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of …

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday claimed that The Hindu ’s detailed story over the steep price escalation in the deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets did not adduce any new arguments and that all issues had been answered in detail by the government at various fora and by …

Simplified application forms for planning permission, standardisation of development rules and elimination of the scope for discretion on the part of planning authorities are among the salient features of the Combined Development Regulation and Building Rules, cleared by the State Cabinet at a meeting on Friday. At the meeting that …

The barrier will stop the shedding of American blood by illegal immigrants, says U.S. President President Donald Trump used a prime-time address to the nation on Tuesday to insist on $5.7 billion for a steel wall along the Mexican border that he said would stop the shedding of “American blood” …

“The stage of acceptance of the report will come later. The report was submitted to this court as per our orders. You [Gujarat] say whatever you have to say when the report is considered later,” the Chief Justice orally addressed the Gujarat side. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, who said he …

The Bill fixed the following criteria for beneficiaries: an annual family income of less than Rs. 8 lakh, not owning more than five acres or a flat of 1,000 sq feet or more, land of 100 sq yards in notified municipality area and 200 yards in non-notified area. Participating in …

Quad countries evolving a common maritime awareness picture and improving interoperability Acknowledging the rapid expansion of the Chinese Navy in recent years, especially in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the four countries of the Quad on Wednesday stressed improving interoperability and evolving a “common maritime awareness picture” while not attributing …

It erroneously held that a teacher is not an ‘employee’ under the Payment of Gratuity Act In a rare move, the Supreme Court on Wednesday called back its own judgment suo motu and listed it for fresh hearing. A Bench of Justices A.M. Sapre and R. Subhash Reddy froze the …

At Agra public meeting, Prime Minister defends 10% reservation for the poor among the general classes The 10% quota for the poor among the “savarnas” (general classes) was given “without stealing anything” or reducing the share of Dalits, tribal people and OBCs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday. Making …

Uddhav visits farmers in Marathwada Talks of an alliance were meaningless at a time when farmers in the State were in the grip of a crisis, said Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday after dismissing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) promises of farm loan waiver as “utterly false”. “I …

Interim order calls govt.’s move ‘waste of public money’ The Madras High Court on Wednesday questioned the rationale behind universal distribution of the Pongal cash gift of Rs. 1,000 to all ration cardholders in the State, irrespective of their economic status. It further ordered that the money should be paid …

Panel had investigated 21 encounter killings in Gujarat The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that a confidential report filed by the Justice H.S. Bedi (retired)Monitoring Committee into 21 police encounters in Gujarat, which had occurred during the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the State’s Chief Minister, be shared with …

Rajya Sabha clears proposed law after nine-hour-long heated debate The Parliament on Wednesday cleared the Constitutional Amendment Bill providing 10% quota in education and employment to economically weaker sections in the general category, after the Rajya Sabha approved the proposed law following an over nine-hour-long heated debate, during which the …

Mr. Verma is posted as DG Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards; M. Nageshwar Rao appointed interim Director. The high-power committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday removed Alok Verma as CBI Director, a day after he resumed office following the Supreme Court verdict restoring his position. …

Physical exercise can help counter the loss of memory caused by Alzheimer’s as well as delay the onset of the most common type of dementia, said a study. Researchers at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), established a link between levels of irisin, a hormone produced by the …

The season is the most busy time for workers, who view their work as ‘spiritual’ In Vietnam’s “incense village”, dozens are hard at work dying, drying and whittling down bamboo bark to make the fragrant sticks ahead of the busy lunar new year holiday. It is the most frantic time …

TNA MPs challenge speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s decision Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was on Tuesday named the Leader of Opposition in the Sri Lankan Parliament, amid pending questions about his eligibility to hold the position. The announcement came as a reaffirmation of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s earlier position acknowledging Mr. Rajapaksa as …

‘210 approved, only 62 completed’ Tardy implementation of projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) between 2008-2017 led to an almost threefold jump in the cost of these projects to Rs. 1.20 lakh crore, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), tabled in Parliament on …

PM calls up U.S. President, extends New Year greetings Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed strategic cooperation on Afghanistan and trade issues on Monday. The conversation came days after the American leader argued for greater Indian contribution for ending the civil war in Afghanistan. A White …

CM, Finance Minister welcome move; leaders of communities concerned sniff an ‘election gimmick’ Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday welcomed the Union Cabinet’s nod for granting Scheduled Tribe status to six communities listed as Other Backward Classes in Assam. Leaders of these communities, however, were more sceptical than happy …