The Congress said it would file a 'fresh comprehensive petition' on the Gujarat election after the Supreme Court today refused to entertain its plea seeking counting of at least 20 per cent of the paper trail slips manually along with votes cast in EVMs in each constituency.

"We are very shortly going to represent and then file a fresh comprehensive petition," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

"...the Congress will remain at the forefront of creating awareness about what is the basic structure of our Constitution, namely free and fair elections... Free and fair elections have been held to be part of our democracy," he said.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud permitted petitioner Mohammad Arif Rajput, a Gujarat Congress leader, to withdraw his plea but granted liberty to file a comprehensive petition later seeking election reforms.

"There was a very sympathetic and very elaborate hearing by the Supreme Court. Ultimately, the apex court gave us full liberty to withdraw the petition and equally in the order, reflected full liberty to file a fresh petition," he said.

Singhvi said the party would first represent to the Election Commission, seeking a comparison of the electronic result and the paper trail result.

"A comprehensive fresh petition, raising all issues relating to EVMs and VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) will be filed soon," he said.  -- PTI

A Gurugram patient's family today lodged a complaint of wrong treatment and overcharging against the Fortis Memorial and Research Institute and the Park hospital, a senior health department official said.

Civil Surgeon B K Rajora confirmed the receipt of a complaint against both the hospitals and added that it was being looked into.

The complaint filed with Rajora alleged that FMRI charged Bhim Singh, 60, Rs 36.68 lakh after he was referred there with abdominal pain due to a stone in his gall bladder by Park hospital.

Singh underwent treatment at the FMRI for 42 days, following which he was left bed-ridden.

The treatment also affected his intestine and a kidney, the complainant alleged.

Singh was initially admitted to Park hospital in Sector 47 here on April 27, 2016, with severe stomach pain.

He was then referred to Fortis hospital on May 1, 2016, after his condition deteriorated, his son Jagdish said, adding that doctors found a 14-mm stone in his gall bladder.

Jagdish works in the defence sector and he took his father to Park hospital as it was on the panel of insurance.

But he was referred to Fortis, which was not on the panel, and hence the family had to bear the entire treatment cost.

"My father had been admitted in the hospital for 42 days and the hospital gave us a bill of Rs 36.68 lakh which we paid by selling a piece of land. Despite the costly treatment, my father is still unable to walk," Jagdish said.

Rejecting the allegations, the FMRI, in its statement, said the patient was brought in a critical state and admitted directly to the ICU, where he underwent prolonged treatment for life-threatening complications.

"The complications arose due to a faulty procedure performed earlier at a different hospital... which were managed astutely at FMRI," it added.

The patient had since been under regular follow-up of the treating physician at FMRI with the last follow-up being as recent as October 13,2017, it said.

"The final billed amount of Rs 23.27 lakh for the patient Bhim Singh, who continues to be under follow-up at the hospital, is not for management of a simple renal stone as is being erroneously reported.

'Rather, it is reflective of the effective clinical management of multiple life threating complications which arose due to procedures carried out at another hospital, requiring intensive treatment, surgical and non-surgical procedures, multi-disciplinary involvement and extended ICU stay of 42 days,' the statement added.

Meanwhile, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority said on Friday that Fortis hospital in Gurugram charged as high as 1,700 per cent margin on consumables and medicines used for the treatment of the seven-year-old dengue patient who subsequently died of the illness.

FMRI, Gurugram, charged a margin of up to 1,737 per cent on procurement price on a three-way stop cock, the regulator said.

The procurement price of the consumable per unit stood at Rs 5.77 while the hospital charged Rs 106 per unit for the product, it added.

The consumables listed by the NPPA included items such as syringes, gloves and towels among others.  -- PTI

In a fresh twist to the 2008 Arushi-Hemraj murder case, wife of Hemraj on Friday approached the Supreme Court challenging the acquittal of Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, by the Allahabad high court.

In October, the Talwar couple who were accused in the murder of their 14-year-old daughter and their domestic help Hemraj walked free from the Dasna jail after the Allahabad high court acquitted them of charges of their daughter's murder, setting aside the Central Bureau of Investigation court's earlier order.

A high court bench, comprising of Justice B K Narayana and Justice A K Mishra, had reserved its verdict, in September, in the appeal filed by Aarushi's parents, who were sentenced to life in the jail.

The Talwars had been lodged in the Dasna jail since November 2013 in connection with the twin murders.

On May 16, 2008, Aarushi was found murdered inside her bedroom in the flat in Jalvayu Vihar -- her throat slit with surgical precision.

It was initially suspected that house help Hemraj had killed Aarushi.

However, the case took a shocking turn when Hemraj's body was recovered two days later from the terrace of the same flat.

The police then began to suspect the Talwars and said Rajesh had murdered the two after finding them in an 'objectionable' position. -- ANI

Four persons are feared trapped while body of a 22-year-old was found in the debris after the slab of a building collapsed in the Zaveri Bazar area of south Mumbai today afternoon, a fire brigade official said.

The official said that the slab of the five-storeyed building collapsed and brought down with it the common passage of the first, second, third and fourth floors of the building.

Body of 22-year-old Firoz Khan, who was missing after the collapse, was found at around 8 pm.

The incident happened at around 2:30pm in Sam Street in the area, officials said.

The building was undergoing repair when the collapse occurred, said officials.

P S Rahangdale, chief of the Mumbai Fire Brigade said, "10 labourers were working on the 4th floor out of which three are missing. Six labourers were working on 1st floor and one among them is missing. A search operation is underway for them."

He said that narrow lanes and congestion was hampering the work of fire brigade personnel at the site.

Zaveri Bazar is the centre of the city's bullion market and sees heavy traffic and pedestrian footfalls every day.  - PTI, ANI

IMAGE: People gathered at the site after the incident. Photograph: ANI

The country's foreign exchange reserves declined by $1.044 billion to $400.897 billion in the week to December 8 due to a steep fall in foreign currency assets, the Reserve Bank said today.

In the previous week, the reserves had increased by $1.2 billion to $401.942 billion.

The foreign currency reserves, a major component of the overall reserves, declined by $1.028 billion to $376.428 billion, according to the RBI data.

Expressed in the US dollar terms, foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of the non-US currencies such as the euro, the pound and the yen held in the reserves.

However, the gold reserves remained unchanged at $20.703 billion, unlike in the last reporting week when it had risen by a tad.

The special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund fell by $5.3 million to $1.497 billion.

The country's reserve position with the International Monetary Fund also declined by $11 million to $2.269 billion, the Reserve Bank of India said.  -- PTI

Britain's Prince Harry will marry his fiancee Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 Kensington Palace announced today.

The announcement came after three weeks when the couple made it public that they were engaged.

Prince Harry, 33, the fifth in line to the British throne, and Markle will marry on 19 May next year at St George's Chapel in Windsor, the Palace said in a statement.

Earlier on November 28, the Palace had announced that Harry will marry his American actress girlfriend Markle at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in May next year.

The 36-year-old Markle, a protestant Christian, will be baptised and confirmed into the Anglican faith before the wedding, the palace said.

The 'Suits' actress also intends to become a British citizen and will work towards it in the coming years.  -- PTI

Supreme Court has rejected a plea of the Gujarat Congress for counting of at least 20 per cent of VVPAT slips manually along with votes cast in electronic voting machines in each constituency, says PTI.

The apex court dismissed the plea arguing that it cannot override the Election Commission's complete discretion to conduct polls, the Times of India reported.

Following the refusal, the Congress said it was ready to scale down the demand to counting of 10 per cent of EVM paper trail.

However, the SC said it found no merit in Congress plea.  -- Agencies

IMAGE: Gujarat Congress leader Arjun Modhwadiya shows his inked finger after casting vote in a polling booth in Porbandar on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo

No bail for the juvenile, accused of murdering Ryan International School student, Pradhyumn Thakur.

The psychological test report filed by a psychiatrist who examined the juvenile accused says he wanted to poison the school's water tank. The doctor also said the accused was hyper-aggressive and was once found drunk in school.

The Juvenile Justice Board on Wednesday had rejected a plea moved by the juvenile accused to delay its verdict on the plea of Pradhyumn Thakur's father that the juvenile be tried as an adult. The board also allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation to take fingerprints of the 16-year-old accused in the sensational murder of the 7-year-old student of the Gurugram-based school.

The Class XI student, who is accused of murdering Pradhyumn, was produced before the JJB again on Wednesday. The accused has been lodged in Faridabad's observation home.

Image: Pradhyumn Thakur.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday mocked the Congress party and said that the latter should not react so soon over exit polls as it is yet to experience a major shock after final results are declared.


Speaking to media, Pradhan said, "They should not be scared of exit poll.. Let the final result come, then they will be more shocked."


He further said that the public is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP and that Congress is not able to digest this fact.


"The public of the nation is standing like a rock behind Prime Minister Modi and Congress is not able to digest it. From day one they don't have public support. Core group of congress party has gone mad."


As soon the two-phase Gujarat assembly elections came to an end on Thursday, the exit polls of various media houses predicted that the BJP will secure a big win in Gujarat.

Key chains with Rahul Gandhi's photograph being distributed at Congress headquarters in Delhi. Stalls selling badges, key chains with Rahul Gandhi's photos, ahead of him taking over as party president tomorrow.

Sonia Gandhi has retired as Congress president and not from politics, party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala today said, dismissing speculation that she has quit public life. He said Sonia Gandhi will hand over the baton to Rahul Gandhi but her wisdom will continue to be the guiding light for the party.


Asked what role she will assume after Rahul Gandhi takes over the reins of the party, Sonia Gandhi told media persons in the Parliament complex: "My role is to retire."


Surjewala tweeted: "Would sincerely request friends in the media to not rely upon innuendos." "Sonia Gandhi has retired as president of Indian National Congress and not from politics. Her blessings, wisdom and innate commitment to Congress ideology shall always be our guiding light," he said in another tweet.


Sonia Gandhi, who became Congress president in 1998, steered the 132-year-old party for 19 years. Rahul Gandhi is set to receive a formal certificate of being elected the Congress president unopposed from the party's central election authority at a function at the AICC headquarters tomorrow.  -- PTI

Oxford Dictionaries today declared "Youthquake" as the word of the year for 2017, owing to what it calls a "political awakening" among young voters. Youthquake is defined by Oxford Dictionary as "a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people".


Last year Oxford named "post-truth" as the word of the year, after the Brexit vote and Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election.


"We chose youthquake based on its evidence and linguistic interest. But most importantly for me, at a time when our language is reflecting a deepening unrest and exhausted nerves, it is a rare political word that sounds a hopeful note," Casper Grathwohl, Oxford President of Dictionaries, said in a blog post.


"Hope that our polarised times are creating a more open- minded electorate that will exercise its voice in the times ahead," said Grathwohl. Usage of the term in the UK increased fivefold in 2017 over 2016, including a huge spike in the second half of the year, he said.


The word first built momentum in the wake of the British polls in June when young voters almost carried the Labour Party to an unlikely victory, the dictionary said. 

Newly-weds Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma shared the first picture of their honeymoon in Europe. The precise location is a closely-guarded secret, much like the date and destination of their wedding on December  11, but is probably in Italy as well. Anushka shared the picture on Instagram saying, "In heaven, literally." Her mehendi-stained hand clutching Virat.


The intimate wedding was attended by close friends and family by and pictures were shared only on the date of the wedding on December 11.

After the wedding Anushka shared a picture of the couple with the wedding planners, saying, "The people responsible for making the most memorable occasion of our lives peaceful and beyond beautiful - our lovely wedding planners @ShaadiSquad"


In fact it was Virat Kohli who revealed on social media that were man and wife when he tweeted, Today we have promised each other to be bound in love for ever. We are truly blessed to share the news with you.This beautiful day will be made more special with the love and support of our family of fans & well wishers. Thank you for being such an important part of our journey.

The couple will host a reception for family and friends in New Delhi on December 21 and then another reception in Mumbai on December 26.

Just in: The Cabinet clears the Triple Talaq Bill making it a criminal offence.

The government intends to get the statute passed in the Winter Session of Parliament which began today. The session concludes on January 5.

The bill piloted by the law ministry stems from the recent Supreme Court verdict banning instant divorce.

In a landmark verdict in August this year, the Supreme Court by a majority of 3:2 today ruled that the practice of divorce through triple talaq among Muslims is "void", "illegal" and "unconstitutional".

The apex court held that the triple talaq is against the basic tenets of Quran.

The National Green Tribunal bans use, sale, purchase and storage of plastic bags and plastic items like plates and spoons etc. along the Ganga in Haridwar's Har Ki Pauri, Rishikesh, till the upper areas in Uttarkashi. Fine of Rs 5000 to be imposed on violators.

A phone call claiming that a bomb was planted in the upscale Khan Market in south Delhi triggered panic in the area today, prompting a rush of bomb and dog squads to the spot.


Security officials were sent into a tizzy when a person called up the police control room around 6:40 am and claimed a bomb had been planted in the market in the heart of the capital, police said. Bomb and dog squads were rushed to the area.


No suspicious item was found during checking, they added. Further details are awaited. The market, a popular shopping and culinary hub, is the most expensive retail location in India. -- PTI

A day after the exit polls predicted a win for the BJP in Gujarat and Himachal, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has announced her retirement, in almost as many words. 


Son Rahul Gandhi is set to take over as head of the Congress party tomorrow. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament in New Delhi, Sonia broke her silence over her future in the Grand Old Party, which she has led as president for nearly 20 years. "My role now is to retire," she said.


The Gandhi scion will formally take over at an event at Congress's Akbar Road headquarters in New Delhi tomorrow. Some 3,000 senior party leaders and delegates will be present at the function where Rahul will be handed a certificate formalising his takeover.


Sonia's statement also raised questions if she will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. She currently represents the Nehru-Gandhi bastion of Raebareli in the LS, a seat earlier held by her mother-in-law and former PM Indira Gandhi.

The storm over Mani Shankar Aiyar's remark calling Narendra D Modi 'neech kism ka aadmi' (a vile man), has not blown over. Even as the Congress suspended Aiyar from membership of the party, the Bharatiya Janata Party went all out to make political capital from the episode.  


Modi quickly pounced on the remark: 'Shriman Mani Shankar Aiyar said Modi is of 'neech' (lower) caste and is 'neech' (vile).' 'Is this not an insult to Gujarat?' Modi asked, converting Aiyar's remark into one directed at his caste.


BJP President Amit A Shah tweeted, stating that in the last 15 years, the Congress has given Modi many titles -- 'Yamraj, Maut Ka Saudagar, Ravan, Gandi Nali Ka Keeda, Monkey, Rabies Victim, Virus, Bhasmasur, Gangu Teli, Goon.'


The BJP was clearly on the front foot following Aiyar's unsavoury remark, but a quick recap reveals that its leaders have not lagged behind when attacking Opposition leaders, often marking a nadir in the use of political idiom.

Read more

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 1430 hours as opposition uproar continues over disqualification of Sharad Yadav and other issues. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raises the issue of PM Narendra Modi's allegations against former PM Manmohan Singh and others of conspiring with Pakistan for the just-concluded Gujarat Elections. Azad tells the House, 'Yeh sadharan aarop nahi hai."

The Congress has now moved a notice in the Rajya Sabha for remarks against Dr Manmohan Singh.

During the Gujarat election campaign, Prime Minister Modi had alleged Pakistan's involvement in the state elections. He said his predecessor Manmohan Singh and other Congress leaders sought the neighbouring country's involvement at a dinner attended by Pakistani guests.

Azad also raised the topic of the disqualification of Sharad Yadav from the Rajya Sabha. He said, "I was the only member from this House who went for the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar, where Nitish Kumar was also there. What had been decided was that the chief minister of the Mahagathbandhan will be Nitish Kumar, and the votes will be asked-for on the basis of the Mahagathbandhan. Now you have left the 'Grand Alliance' high and dry. The mandate was for the 'grand alliance', not for Nitish Kumar. He must resign," he said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had sought Yadav's disqualification after Yadav parted ways with Mr Kumar over the Bihar CM joining hands with the BJP in Bihar. Yadav was disqualified on December 4.

The stock market maintained a steady line after a strong opening today as exit polls predicted that the BJP would win Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. The 30-share BSE index came off its early high, but was still up 269.51 points -- 0.81 per cent -- at 33,516.21 at 11:28 hours.

For the 50-share Nifty, the reading was above the key 10,300-mark at 10,342.55, a gain of 90.45 points, or 0.88 per cent.

Coal India, which advanced 2.55 per cent, was in the lead. HDFC, Bajaj Auto, Adani Ports and L&T too advanced. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) net bought shares worth Rs 232.17 crore yesterday. -- PTI

Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu has made an interesting suggestion to Union Ministers that they need not use the word 'beg' while presenting papers or laying reports on the table of the Rajya Sabha
as it goes back to the British era.

Naidu has said that instead of 'beg'  ministers could use the word 'present'.

The Upper House loudly thumped desks in agreement and many Union Ministers said they would indeed use the word 'present'from now on.

Naidu, who makes his debut as the Rajya Sabha chairperson in the Winter Session of Parliament also evoked laughter in the House when he mentioned that 'Shiva' is present everywhere, but today Tiruchi Siva was absent. Siva, A DMK MP, was absent when his name was announced as a Member of the panel of Vice Chaimen of the Raya Sabha.


The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon following opposition uproar over the disqualification of former JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and other issues.


The Lok Sabha has been adjourned for the day after obit references.

The Supreme Court agrees to the Centre's submissions of the deadline of linking Aadhaar with all schemes till March 31, 2018. The five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court passed the interim order and also extended the linking of Aadhaar with mobile phones.

The Centre had yesterday offered to extend the deadline from December 31, 2017.

The apex court was hearing a host of petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act.

Yesterday, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the final hearing on the petitions challenging the Aadhaar scheme itself would commence from January 17 next year.

Attorney General K K Venugopal, representing the Centre, said the government was willing to extend the deadline up to March 31 next year for mandatory linking of the national biometric identifier to avail the benefit of various services and welfare measures.

Venugopal, however, told the bench, that Aadhaar should be allowed to remain mandatory for the opening of new bank accounts.

If you're headed to Delhi today by train, heads up.


As the cold wave intensified in the national capital on Friday, 25 trains were delayed, two rescheduled and 12 cancelled due to low visibility. Fog was also seen in parts of Delhi today.


The India Meteorological Department report said the minimum temperature in Delhi to be 8 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature as 18 degrees Celsius.


The national capital had been experiencing bitter cold since the past few days.People took refuge at night shelters in Delhi on Thursday and light fire to keep themselves warm.Earlier on December 13, at least 13 trains were delayed, 10 cancelled and one rescheduled due to foggy weather and low visibility in the national capital. -- ANI

Snehlata Shrivastava takes over as the first woman Secretary General of the Lok Sabha. 

In the Lok Sabha, the PM introduces new ministers, while the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is now making obituary references.  

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge ahead of the Parliament session said, "We are always in favor of constructive suggestion,we are very much interested to run Parliament & issues to be discussed, provided the Govt should take interest and create such an atmosphere which is conducive for discussion. They should respect the opposition."

The winter session of the Parliament will begin in a few minutes from now. It will end on January 5, 2018 and have 14 sittings.

The Prime Minister spoke to the media outside Parliament House this morning saying he looked forward to having a fruitful session. "I hope to see a positive approach this Winter Session. Democracy will surely strengthen," he said.

"Generally winter starts with Diwali. But due to global warming winter has not come in full force. But winter session has started now and I hope that country would be benefited from fruitful 2017-2018 winter session in Parliament. I hope for positive & innovative arguments," he said.

"I have faith and all-party meeting yesterday shared the same idea that this Parliament session should be held with positive approach to move the country forward. I also hope that country will be benefitted and democracy will be strengthened from the session," the PM said. 


The Opposition is expected to target the NDA on NPAs of banks, demonetisation, the Doklam standoff, agrarian stress and impropriety in the Rafale deal. The Congress will also demand an apology from the Prime Minister for alleging former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Pakistani officials to influence the outcome of the Gujarat elections.

The agenda for legislation includes 25 pending Bills for consideration and passing while 14 new Bills are listed for introduction, consideration and passing.

BJP President Amit Shah reaches Parliament, to make his Parliamentary debut in Rajya Sabha today.

Delhi: INLD Lok Sabha MP Dushyant Chautala rides a tractor to the Parliament. 

Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah reaches Parliament, to make his Parliamentary debut in the Rajya Sabha today. 

Now, fans can take photos with Thalaiva!   

Just In: Sensex zooms over 300 points in opening trade on exit poll results, while Nifty gains over 100 points.

All powerful GST Council will consider bringing electricity, petroleum products and some other items under the ambit of GST in future, Bihar Finance Minister Sushil Modi said in New Delhi.

"Electricity, real estate, stamp duty and petroleum products should become part of GST (Goods and Services Tax). This would be our (GST Council) endeavour," he said at the annual meet of industry chamber FICCI.

He, however, said it would be difficult to specify any timeline for this to happen.

Inclusion of these can happen without amending the Constitution, he said.

If petroleum products are brought under the GST regime, he said, it will attract the highest tax slab prevalent at that time and states would be at liberty to levy cess on it in order to protect their revenues.

Both states and the Centre earn 40 per cent of their revenue from petroleum products at present.

Modi also hinted at the reduction of tax slabs going forward after tax collection stabilises.

The current GST regime has five tax slabs.  -- PTI