Month: June 2024

Announcing the commencement of the Lok Adalat on July 29, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Tuesday appealed to the citizens to take advantage of the situation and said that they are all concerned about the large backlog of cases.

In a message, CJI Chandrachud said, “From July 29 to August 3, the Supreme Court is organising a special Lok Adalat. This is part of a series of activities which the Supreme Court is observing to commemorate the 75th year since the establishment of the Apex court.”

“Most significantly, we are all judges, as people dedicated to the institution of justice, concerned about the large backlog of cases. The Lok Adalat represents a very informal and technology-based solution to resolve cases involving our citizens to their satisfaction in a purely voluntary consensual mode,” the CJI added.

Further, he appealed to all the citizens, lawyers and advocates to take advantage of the opportunity to resolve the cases quickly.

“Therefore, on behalf of all my colleagues and the staff of the Supreme Court, I would appeal to all the citizens who have cases before the court and to all lawyers and advocates on record to take advantage and benefit of this opportunity in an attempt to resolve the cases speedily in a manner that is acceptable to all contesting parties,” CJI Chandrachud said.

The Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms, it is a forum where disputes pending in the court of law or at the pre-litigation stage are settled or compromised amicably.

Lok Adalats have been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Under the said Act, the award (decision) made by the Lok Adalats is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties, and no appeal against such an award lies before any court of law. If the parties are not satisfied with the award of the Lok Adalat, though there is no provision for an appeal against such an award, they are free to initiate litigation by approaching the court of appropriate jurisdiction by filing a case by following the required procedure, in exercise of their right to litigate.

The benefits of a special Lok Adalat include swift compromise and settlement of disputes, final and executable awards, cost-effective resolution of disputes and a refund of court fees.

Cases having elements of settlement, including those relating to matrimonial and property disputes, motor accident claims, land acquisition, compensation, service, and labour, which are pending before the Supreme Court, would be taken up to facilitate speedy disposal. (ANI)

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Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Tuesday emphasised the critical need for India to invest in the modernisation of its armed forces amidst evolving security challenges.

He was addressing the Capstone Seminar organised jointly by the Indian Air Force, the College of Air Warfare, and the Centre for Air Power Studies.

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari also underscored India’s strategic culture and its relevance in facing current security challenges.

Addressing the audience at the Air Force Auditorium in Subroto Park, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari highlighted, “Our strategic culture is shaped by historical experiences and the ever-evolving geopolitical environment. It emphasises strategic autonomy, caution, and a strong focus on territorial integrity.”

He also navigated through the multifaceted challenges facing India, ranging from border disputes and terrorism to cyber threats and regional volatility. “integrity. The contemporary security landscape presents multifaceted challenges, from border disputes and terrorism to cyber threats and regional volatility,” he said.

He stressed the imperative for India to modernise its armed forces, foster strategic partnerships, boost indigenous defence production, and adopt a comprehensive approach to security.

“To navigate through these turbulent times and secure our national interests, India must invest in the modernization of its armed forces, strengthen strategic partnerships, promote indigenous defence production, and adopt an integrated approach to both internal and external security,” he added.

Highlighting the diverse viewpoints on India’s strategic heritage, he remarked, “On the other hand, Euro thinkers will assert that the practice of statecraft in India has been witnessed throughout history, and epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata display India’s grand strategic thought.”

Acknowledging the significance of effective strategic planning, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari noted, “It’s also a cogent argument that many great pieces of advice for the modern period onwards have survived and thrived, which is not possible without an effective grand strategy.”

Reflecting on India’s enduring strategic practices, he added, “Whether India has a strategic culture or not, as a matter of opinion, our realpolitik, statecraft, and diplomacy have always been integral to our historical, domestic, and contemporary geopolitics.”

In referencing External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent contributions, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari highlighted, “The Honourable External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, in his recent book ‘Why Bharat Matters,’ offers a novel approach to contemporary, complex international situations by presenting his perspective through the lens of epic drama.”

The seminar, attended by prominent figures, explored novel approaches to international relations in the context of India’s rich cultural and strategic heritage. (ANI)

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Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday said that the indefinite strike called by Delhi Minister Atishi against the water crisis has been called off but they will continue to raise the issue in Parliament by mobilising the opposition parties.

Addressing a press conference here today, Singh said, “Atishi has been on a hunger strike for 5 days. Her health was deteriorating. Doctors had been asking her to break the strike. Her health started worsening yesterday night. Her sugar level was 43. Her lowest sugar level was 36. Doctors suggested that she had to be admitted immediately; otherwise, she might lose her life. She was admitted to LNJP at 3:30-4 am in the ICU. She is still in the ICU. We are also writing to the PM to release Delhi’s water. The indefinite hunger strike is being stopped but we will raise our voice in Parliament.”

He also mentioned that they will write a letter to the Prime Minister today and appeal to him to give Delhi its rightful share of water.

“Today we are also writing a letter to the Prime Minister and appealing to him to give Delhi its rightful share of water. Our delegation also met the LG. The LG spoke to the Haryana CM at 4 pm on the same day and assured that Delhi will get water,” Sanjay Singh said.

Delhi Minister Atishi has been admitted to the hospital after her health condition deteriorated as she was on an indefinite hunger strike against the Haryana government for not releasing 100 million gallons per day (MGD) of water, thus creating a water crisis in the national capital.

Atishi has been admitted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital in the national capital in the early hours of Tuesday.

Earlier on June 22, Atishi started her indefinite hunger strike, protesting for Haryana to release Delhi water share.

According to the AAP press release, a health checkup done on the minister revealed that her blood pressure and sugar levels dropped drastically.

“The speed with which Atishi’s blood sugar level and blood pressure have dropped has been described by doctors as dangerous,” said AAP.

The AAP has alleged that the neighbouring state of Haryana is supplying 100 million gallons per day (MGD) less water every day, which has severely affected the lives of 28 lakh people in Delhi, adding to the problem of water shortage.

The issue of water shortages arose with the high temperatures and heat waves in the national capital.

The people of Delhi have been counting on water tankers to avail their daily requirements of water. (ANI)

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Alia Bhatt sent her heartfelt congratulations to Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal following their wedding on Sunday.

Taking to her Instagram Stories on Monday, Alia shared a picture from their intimate wedding ceremony and welcomed Sonakshi to the married club.

In the post, Alia wrote, “Congratulations Sona and Zaheer! You two look so full of love and joy!! Big big hug and welcome to the clubbbbbb @aslisona @imzahero.”

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal tied the knot on June 23 in a private ceremony and later hosted a grand reception for their Bollywood friends.

The couple had an intimate wedding and later hosted a grand reception for their BTown friends.

The star-studded wedding reception of actors Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal turned into a night to remember, as the newlyweds mesmerized guests with their rendition of the iconic song ‘Tere Mast Mast Do Nain’ from Sonakshi’s debut film ‘Dabangg’.

The reception was attended by a constellation of Bollywood stars, including Salman Khan, Vidya Balan with Siddharth Roy Kapur, and veteran actress Saira Banu, among others, who came to congratulate the couple and celebrate their union.Sonakshi and Zaheer, who have been together for seven years, sealed their love in an intimate ceremony attended by close family and friends.

The couple recently shared glimpses of their wedding on social media, marking June 23 as a day etched in their hearts forever.

Sonakshi expressed her joy in a heartfelt Instagram post, reflecting on their journey of love and togetherness.

“On this very day, seven years back (23.06.2017) in each other’s eyes, we saw love in its purest form and decided to hold on to it. Today that love has guided us through all the challenges and triumphs… leading up to this moment… where with the blessings of both our families and both our gods… we are now man and wife. Here’s to love, hope and all things beautiful with each other, from now until forever. Sonakshi Zaheer23.06.2024,”

Sonakshi wrote announcing her marriage to Zaheer. (ANI)

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Hailey Bieber, who is expecting her first child with husband Justin Bieber recently flaunted her fashion flair in a black lace ensemble.

The model took to her Instagram Stories to share a picture with a black lace bodysuit that beautifully highlighted her baby bump.

Hailey looked stunning as she completed her look with black sunglasses, a petite black purse, and a casual messy bun.

During a stroll through New York City streets, Hailey layered her gothic-inspired outfit with a stylish black leather jacket from Rhode, further accentuating her evolving maternity style.

Hailey and Justin Bieber announced their pregnancy joy in May through an Instagram post, featuring Hailey proudly displaying her growing belly while holding a bouquet.

The news was met with excitement from Justin’s mother, Pattie Mallette, who expressed her delight in an Instagram Reel, eagerly anticipating her role as a grandmother.

“So I have been waiting for this day. And now that they have shared it, I can finally celebrate with y’all, and oh my gosh, I’m gonna be a grandma,” she said in the video.”

Speaking to PEOPLE magazine, Hailey’s uncle, Billy Baldwin shared about his growing family.

“I really feel like there’s no higher calling than that responsibility,” he shared.

The couple, who initially wed in a private courthouse ceremony in September 2018 followed by a lavish ceremony in South Carolina the following year, have been openly embracing Hailey’s pregnancy journey.

Throughout her pregnancy, Hailey has shared glimpses of her maternity style on social media, including a recent mirror selfie showcasing a casual yet chic attire. She has also highlighted her professional endeavours, such as her collaboration with Yves Saint Laurent, proudly noting that she was four months pregnant during the campaign shoot. (ANI)

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Goods and Services Tax to give relief to the citizens and that the Centre is determined to bring in more reforms to improve the lives of the citizens.

“Standing true to the principles of a people’s government, PM Shri @narendramodi Ji introduced the GST to give relief to the citizens. Today, GST has not only given people respite from a multi-layered tax system but also has been effective in reducing the prices of household items. We are resolved to bring in more reforms to improve the lives of the citizens,” Shah said in a post on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the seven-year journey of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Quoting a newspaper report, PM tweeted on the social media platform “X” that GST has improved the lives of 140 crore Indians.

“For us, reforms are a means to improve the lives of 140 crore Indians. After the introduction of GST, goods for household use have become much cheaper.”

The PM also highlighted that after the implementation of GST, the savings of the poor and the common man have increased as the GST has reduced taxes on various household items like flour, curd, detergent, etc.

He said, “This has resulted in significant savings for the poor and common man. We are committed to continuing this journey of reforms to transform people’s lives”.

The Goods and Services Tax will complete its seven years on July 1, it was implemented in 2017. After its implementation, the tax has reduced on several products and services used by the common man.

As per the Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs, post GST various daily household items have become cheaper. It includes items like flour, television, detergent, hair oil, soap etc.

The GST has amalgamated a large number of central and state taxes into a single tax. It also mitigated the ill effects of cascading or double taxation in a major way and paved the way for a common national market.

From the consumers’ point of view, the biggest advantage is in terms of reduction in the overall tax burden on goods.

The Introduction of GST has also made Indian products more competitive in the domestic and international markets owing to the full neutralisation of input taxes across the value chain of production.

On June 22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the next meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council is tentatively scheduled for mid-to-late August. The GST Council proposed exemptions for specific services offered by Indian Railways to the general public, as well as for intra-railway transactions.

The GST Council recommended waiving interest penalties on demand notices issued under Section 73 of the GST Act for fiscal years 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20. This section pertains to cases not involving fraud, suppression, or misstatement. Taxpayers who pay the full tax amount demanded in the notice by March 31, 2025, will benefit from this waiver.

The Council approved an extension for availing input tax credit (ITC) on any invoice or debit note. (ANI)

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday filed written submissions before the Delhi High Court opposing any relief to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Excise Policy money laundering case.

ED opposed the trial court order granting bail to Kejriwal and called the order illegal and perverse.

ED submitted that the impugned order passed by trial court deserves to be stayed and set aside as a vacation judge has returned perverse findings in almost every paragraph of its order on both the facts and the law after admittedly not examining the material placed on record by the prosecution, ED told Delhi High Court.

ED further stated that new material collected against Arvind Kejriwal post 2023 was not considered by vacation judge. Enforcement Directorate lists statements of 13 Angariyas, Goa AAP workers, and AAP office bearers as new statements.

Denial of ample opportunity to the Enforcement Directorate is a violation of one of the conditions of Section 45, says ED to Delhi High Court.

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned for June 26 the plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging the order of the Delhi High Court granting interim stay on bail to him in the Delhi excise policy case probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A vacation bench of Justices Manoj Misra and SVN Bhatti observed that the decision of the High Court to grant an interim stay on Kejriwal’s bail without passing a final order in the matter was “unusual”.

“In stay matters, judgments are not reserved but passed on the spot. What has happened here is unusual. We will have it (case before it) day after,” the bench said.

On June 21, the High Court ordered the grant of an interim stay on bail while reserving its order and asked both sides to file their written submissions until Monday.

Kejriwal then filed an appeal in the top court against the High Court order.

During the hearing today, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju told the bench that the High Court would shortly pronounce the order on the stay application and requested adjournment of the case.

The apex court then said that it would be appropriate to wait for the final order, which is to be pronounced by the High Court in a day or two.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, questions the High Court order granting stay on bail on the first day of hearing.

He submitted that the procedure of staying on bail on the first day is unprecedented. “Suppose the High Court dismisses ED’s appeal; how does the judge compensate for the time he (Kejriwal) lost?,” Singhvi asked.

Singhvi argued that at 10:30 am on June 21, the order of the High Court was passed without any reason, and arguments were heard after it stayed the order of bail.

The senior counsel further said that there are several Supreme Court judgements that hold that bail, once granted, cannot be stayed without special reasons.

As Singhvi requested the bench pass an order on the plea, the apex court said, “If it passes an order now, it will be pre-judging the issue. It is not a subordinate court, it is a high court.”.

Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhary, also appearing for Kejriwal, told the top court that Kejriwal does not have any criminal antecedents and is not a flight risk.

On June 20, the trial judge granted bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case.

The next day, the ED moved an urgent petition before the High Court challenging the bail order. The High Court heard both sides extensively reserve orders on the ED’s application to stay the bail order and halted the release of Kejriwal until the pronouncement of its order. (ANI)

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Amid the row over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG examination, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday took a jibe at the central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that the latter gets exam papers leaked to “please” its people.

Speaking to reporters here in the national capital, Yadav said, “This is nothing new. This is an old way of the BJP. If you see history, the BJP gets exam papers leaked to please its people. This was a huge issue in UP and now it has reached Delhi. They have cheated crores of people”.

The SP Chief further expressed gratitude towards the people of the country, stating, “I would like to express gratitude towards the people of the country who voted in order to save the Constitution.”

Attacking the BJP government, he stated that people are now tired of waiting for “good days”.

“
Achche din ka intezaar karte karte log thak gaye
! (People got tired of waiting for ‘good days’). I hope the country sees happy days in the coming times”, he said.

The SP Chief was also seen engaging in an informal and playful chat with the reporters.

The NTA, which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns.

Earlier today, the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha commenced with various prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, taking oaths as Members of Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing mediapersons ahead of the commencement of the Parliament Session took an indirect jab at the Congress over the Emergency imposed in 1975, calling it a “blot” on democracy “when the Constitution was discarded”.

“Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years of the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, and democracy was completely suppressed,” he said.

“While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democracy of India and the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again, which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfill the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India,” PM Modi said.

Meanwhile, amid the row over the appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as a pro-tem speaker, INDIA bloc leaders on Monday carried out a protest holding copies of the Constitution inside the Parliament premises in the national capital.

The opposition has been protesting against the central government’s decision to appoint seven-term BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker of Lok Sabha over senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh of Congress, saying that the appointment by the BJP deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior member. (ANI)

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday targeted the central government and listed ten issues that took place during the first fifteen days of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

The issues listed by Rahul Gandhi included alleged NEET irregularities, UGC NET paper leak, a train accident, water crisis, and more.

Rahul Gandhi in a post on X, alleged that PM Modi is busy in saving his government and said, “First 15 days of NDA! 1. Horrific train accident; 2. Terrorist attacks in Kashmir 3. The plight of passengers in trains 4. NEET scam; 5. NEET PG cancelled 6. UGC NET paper leak 7. Milk, pulses, gas, tolls and expensive 8. Forests blazing with fire; 9. Water crisis; 10. Deaths due to lack of arrangements during the heat wave.”

“Psychologically on the backfoot, Narendra Modi is busy saving his government,” the Raebareli MP added.

He further said that “INDIA’s strong opposition” will continue to raise the voice of the people, and not allow the Prime Minister to escape without accountability.

“The attack on the Constitution by Narendra Modi and his government is not acceptable to us – and we will not allow this to happen under any circumstances. INDIA’s strong opposition will continue its pressure, raise the voice of the people, and not allow the Prime Minister to escape without accountability,” the Congress leader posted.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi alleged that PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were “attacking” the Constitution and said that such attacks are not acceptable by the Opposition INDIA bloc.

Opposition leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, staged a protest in Parliament premises holding copies of the Constitution in their hands.

“The attack that the PM and Amit Shah are launching on the Constitution is not acceptable to us, we will not let this happen. So, we held the Constitution while taking the oath…Our message is going across, no power can touch the Constitution of India,” the Raebareli MP told reporters ahead of the beginning of the 18th Lok Sabha session today.

Meanwhile, earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing mediapersons ahead of the commencement of the Parliament Session took an indirect jab at the Congress over the Emergency imposed in 1975, calling it a “blot” on democracy “when the Constitution was discarded”.

“Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years of the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, and democracy was completely suppressed,” he said.

“While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democracy of India and the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again, which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfil the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India,” PM Modi said. (ANI)

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Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday criticisised the central government, questioning how long they intend to govern by constantly bringing up the issue of the Emergency.

Kharge was responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks to media persons ahead of the beginning of the 18th session of Lok Sabha.

“He will repeat this 100 times. Without declaring an emergency, you are acting this way. How long do you plan to rule by bringing this up?” Kharge said.

He also took to social media platform X to target the PM for not mentioning issues like the alleged irregularities on the NEET exam, Manipur violence and West Bengal train accident while addressing media persons outside the new Parliament building before taking oath as as a Lok Sabha MP.

The Congress national president Kharge said PM had used “customary words” more than necessary, while country was expecting his words on relevant issues.

Kharge said the “arrogance” remains despite a defeat.

Listing the issues in detail in a post on X Kharge wrote, “He will show some sympathy towards youth regarding paper leak in NEET and other entrance exams, but he will not take any responsibility for the rigging and corruption of his government.

“Modi ji also remained silent about the recent train accident in West Bengal. Manipur has been in the grip of violence for the last 13 months, but Modiji neither went there nor did he express any concern about the recent violence in his speech today,” said Kharge.

In his post Kharge also raised issue of flood situation Assam and the issue of the long pending census.

“There are floods in Assam and the North-East, backbreaking inflation, falling rupee, Exit Poll-Stock Market scam; The Modi government has kept the next census pending for a long time; Modi ji was completely silent on the caste census as well,” Kharge highlighted issues in his post.

Kharge further singled out the PM, questioning him for giving advice to the opposition but forgetting about 10 years of undeclared emergency.

“Sir, you are giving advice to the opposition. You are reminding us of the 50 year old Emergency, but have forgotten the last 10 years of undeclared Emergency which was ended by the people,” said Kharge.

“People have given their mandate against Modiji. Despite this, if he has become the Prime Minister, then he should work. “People need substance, not slogans” – remember this yourself,” he added.

Notably, PM Modi took an indirect jibe at the Congress party over the emergency while addressing media persons outside the new Parliament building.

Recalling the 21-month period of emergency that was implemented in the country on June 25, 1975, PM Modi said the new generation of India will never forget that time when the country was turned into a prison, adding that they will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy so that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again. (ANI)

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