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Wed, 31 January 2018
Padmaavat producers move Guj HC seeking protection for release
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23:25 No need of NIA probe into Kasganj incident: HC
The Allahabad high court today declined to order an National Investigation Agency probe into the Kasganj communal clashes.
A Lucknow bench also refused to issue any direction to the state government to award Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased and grant status of martyr to him.
The bench of justices Vikram Nath and Abdul Moin was disposing of a PIL filed by Dileep Kumar Srivastava and others in the matter.
Appearing for the petitioners, advocate Hari Shanker Jain questioned the alleged double standards in granting compensation to riot victims of different communities.
Opposing the PIL, state lawyer said that the Uttar Pradesh government had already granted compensation to the deceased and that the state police was conducting investigation into the incidents and as such there was no need of probe by the NIA.
Chandan Gupta, 22, died of gunshot wounds in clashes following stone-pelting by a mob on a motorcycle rally taken out in the western Uttar Pradesh town to celebrate Republic Day.
At least three shops, two buses and a car were torched in the clashes. -- PTI
A Lucknow bench also refused to issue any direction to the state government to award Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased and grant status of martyr to him.
The bench of justices Vikram Nath and Abdul Moin was disposing of a PIL filed by Dileep Kumar Srivastava and others in the matter.
Appearing for the petitioners, advocate Hari Shanker Jain questioned the alleged double standards in granting compensation to riot victims of different communities.
Opposing the PIL, state lawyer said that the Uttar Pradesh government had already granted compensation to the deceased and that the state police was conducting investigation into the incidents and as such there was no need of probe by the NIA.
Chandan Gupta, 22, died of gunshot wounds in clashes following stone-pelting by a mob on a motorcycle rally taken out in the western Uttar Pradesh town to celebrate Republic Day.
At least three shops, two buses and a car were torched in the clashes. -- PTI
23:06 Padmaavat producers move Guj HC seeking protection for release
The producers of Padmaavat have moved the Gujarat high court seeking a direction to the state government to provide police protection to theatres so that the film can be released.
Though the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film released across the country on January 25, theatre owners in Gujarat have not screened it, fearing violence.
The petition by Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd is likely to come up for urgent hearing tomorrow.
Viacom18 Media said it needs the court's direction to the government to provide 'adequate police protection' to cinema halls, in view of the widespread violence that erupted ahead of its release last week.
Exhibitors and distributors are ready to release the film but are apprehensive about violence, the petition said.
Karni Sena and some other Rajput organisations had launched protests against the film for alleged distortion of history.
There were violent protests outside three multiplexes in Ahmedabad a day ahead of the release, following which the Gujarat Multiplex Owners Association announced that no theatre, be it a multiplex or a single-screen cinema house,would screen Padmaavat. -- PTI
Though the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film released across the country on January 25, theatre owners in Gujarat have not screened it, fearing violence.
The petition by Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd is likely to come up for urgent hearing tomorrow.
Viacom18 Media said it needs the court's direction to the government to provide 'adequate police protection' to cinema halls, in view of the widespread violence that erupted ahead of its release last week.
Exhibitors and distributors are ready to release the film but are apprehensive about violence, the petition said.
Karni Sena and some other Rajput organisations had launched protests against the film for alleged distortion of history.
There were violent protests outside three multiplexes in Ahmedabad a day ahead of the release, following which the Gujarat Multiplex Owners Association announced that no theatre, be it a multiplex or a single-screen cinema house,would screen Padmaavat. -- PTI
22:58
And that's what Mumbai police tweets on blue moon:
'#BlueMoon may come once in several years, but we are always there to make the criminals feel the blues #SuperSafeMumbai'.
Photograph: Courtesy Mumbai Police/Twitter
'#BlueMoon may come once in several years, but we are always there to make the criminals feel the blues #SuperSafeMumbai'.
Photograph: Courtesy Mumbai Police/Twitter
22:29 Ex-Navy chief files plea in SC for probe into Loya's death
Former Navy chief Admiral L Ramdas (retd) has filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an independent inquiry by a panel of retired apex court judges and former police officers into the alleged mysterious death of special Central Bureau of Investigation judge B H Loya.
Loya, who was hearing the sensitive Sohrabuddin Sheikhfake encounter case, had died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur onDecember 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter.
Some members of Loya's family hadalleged foul play in his death.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah was one of the accused in the Sheikh encounter case in which he was later discharged.
The application, filed by Ramdas, has also sought adirection to the Centre to cooperate with the inquirycommittee and provide the necessary documents.
He has sought an independent probe, saying the statementsmade by Loya's family members 'have led to allegations of foulplay coming to the surface' regarding the events that had transpired on the night he died.
"It is therefore just and necessary that an independent probe be directed to be made," the plea said.
It further said that 'the silence of individuals who were present during the final hours of Loya's life coupled with institutional inaction to probe the circumstances of his death when it occurred in 2014 threatens these cherished ideals of independence of judiciary and the rule of law'.
The plea said 'a judicial probe' was needed in the casein order to uphold the image of judiciary and deliver justice to Loya's family.
It claimed that the death of a sitting judge hearing a sensitive case in an 'unnatural manner' raises questions about the rule of law and requires to be properly probed by an independent agency.
The petition also sought permission that anyone who had evidence to establish the circumstances of Loya's death be allowed to appear before the multi-member panel and provide relevant information.
The plea has also raked up the issue of transfer of CBI Judge J T Utpat, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case before Loya was transferred to that court.
It has sought direction to the committee to probe into the reasons for the the 'arbitrary transfer' of Utpat and submit a report to the court. -- PTI
Loya, who was hearing the sensitive Sohrabuddin Sheikhfake encounter case, had died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur onDecember 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter.
Some members of Loya's family hadalleged foul play in his death.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah was one of the accused in the Sheikh encounter case in which he was later discharged.
The application, filed by Ramdas, has also sought adirection to the Centre to cooperate with the inquirycommittee and provide the necessary documents.
He has sought an independent probe, saying the statementsmade by Loya's family members 'have led to allegations of foulplay coming to the surface' regarding the events that had transpired on the night he died.
"It is therefore just and necessary that an independent probe be directed to be made," the plea said.
It further said that 'the silence of individuals who were present during the final hours of Loya's life coupled with institutional inaction to probe the circumstances of his death when it occurred in 2014 threatens these cherished ideals of independence of judiciary and the rule of law'.
The plea said 'a judicial probe' was needed in the casein order to uphold the image of judiciary and deliver justice to Loya's family.
It claimed that the death of a sitting judge hearing a sensitive case in an 'unnatural manner' raises questions about the rule of law and requires to be properly probed by an independent agency.
The petition also sought permission that anyone who had evidence to establish the circumstances of Loya's death be allowed to appear before the multi-member panel and provide relevant information.
The plea has also raked up the issue of transfer of CBI Judge J T Utpat, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case before Loya was transferred to that court.
It has sought direction to the committee to probe into the reasons for the the 'arbitrary transfer' of Utpat and submit a report to the court. -- PTI
21:49 Bofors case: BJP leader files plea seeking CJI's recusal
A Bharatiya Janata Party leader, pursuing the politically sensitive Bofors pay-off case, today filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking recusal of the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.
Advocate Ajay Agrawal, who contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli against then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, alleged that the 'chief justice was 'prejudiced' and 'bent upon' dismissing the case relating to Rs 64 crore pay-off matter without going into the merits'.
He referred to the January 16 hearing to draw an inference that the bench headed by CJI would, in all likelihood, dismiss the appeal filed by him against the May 31, 2005 judgment of the Delhi high court discharging all the accused in the case.
At the last hearing, he said, senior advocate Kapil Sibal was allowed to speak even after he objected to it.
He said the CJI did not stop Sibal from interfering in the matter.
The lawyer said there were at least three occasions during the hearing when the court was about to dismiss the matter because of Sibal's 'unwarranted' interference.
"When the matter was called upon Sibal, who was already sitting in the front row on the left side, hops on the advocate's addressing dais and started addressing this Court and said that matter is 31 years old and the appellant has no locus standi.
"Applicant immediately came forward and asked whom Mr Sibal represents. He was silent. The applicant requested the CJI to ask from Sibal that for whom he is appearing...But the Chief Justice did not stop him from interfering in the matter," Agrawal said in his application.
Agrawal claimed due to Sibal's intervention, the bench observed that the matter was quite old and was about to dismiss the case and, 'in fact, had dropped the file in a gesture of dismissal'.
At this juncture, the top court also questioned the locus standi of the applicant because Sibal had so suggested, he alleged.
On the court's query, Agrawal told the bench that there was no time limit in a criminal matter and that there were innumerable judgments which allowed a third party to appeal in criminal proceedings where the prosecuting agency had failed to file an appeal.
(As reported by Press Trust of India)
Image used only for representation.
Advocate Ajay Agrawal, who contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli against then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, alleged that the 'chief justice was 'prejudiced' and 'bent upon' dismissing the case relating to Rs 64 crore pay-off matter without going into the merits'.
He referred to the January 16 hearing to draw an inference that the bench headed by CJI would, in all likelihood, dismiss the appeal filed by him against the May 31, 2005 judgment of the Delhi high court discharging all the accused in the case.
At the last hearing, he said, senior advocate Kapil Sibal was allowed to speak even after he objected to it.
He said the CJI did not stop Sibal from interfering in the matter.
The lawyer said there were at least three occasions during the hearing when the court was about to dismiss the matter because of Sibal's 'unwarranted' interference.
"When the matter was called upon Sibal, who was already sitting in the front row on the left side, hops on the advocate's addressing dais and started addressing this Court and said that matter is 31 years old and the appellant has no locus standi.
"Applicant immediately came forward and asked whom Mr Sibal represents. He was silent. The applicant requested the CJI to ask from Sibal that for whom he is appearing...But the Chief Justice did not stop him from interfering in the matter," Agrawal said in his application.
Agrawal claimed due to Sibal's intervention, the bench observed that the matter was quite old and was about to dismiss the case and, 'in fact, had dropped the file in a gesture of dismissal'.
At this juncture, the top court also questioned the locus standi of the applicant because Sibal had so suggested, he alleged.
On the court's query, Agrawal told the bench that there was no time limit in a criminal matter and that there were innumerable judgments which allowed a third party to appeal in criminal proceedings where the prosecuting agency had failed to file an appeal.
(As reported by Press Trust of India)
Image used only for representation.
21:45 Teacher, allegedly grilled by ATS in Naxal case, 'ends life'
Days after he was allegedly questioned by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in a Naxal-related case, a school teacher in Mumbai committed 'suicide' last week.
Prabhakar Narayan Machha, 64, was found to hanging at his house in Pratikshanagar area of Sion in central Mumbai on January 23, police said.
He was taken to the Sion hospital for treatment but was declared dead before admission, said an official of the Wadala TT police station.
Police sources said that Machha had been questioned by ATS sleuths following the arrest of a person from neighbouring Kalyan town for suspected Naxal links on January 12.
Machha's name had allegedly surfaced in his interrogation.
Machha was questioned and some documents were seized from his house, but he was allowed to go, sources said.
Subsequently, the ATS arrested six more persons from eastern suburbs of Mumbai.
The arrested men were working for the 'Golden Corridor Committee' of Maoists whose task was to spread the rebels' ideology in the industrial belts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, according to the ATS.
Wadala TT police said the exact reason for the suicide was yet to be ascertained, however, Machha was reportedly under depression after the death of his second wife. -- PTI
Prabhakar Narayan Machha, 64, was found to hanging at his house in Pratikshanagar area of Sion in central Mumbai on January 23, police said.
He was taken to the Sion hospital for treatment but was declared dead before admission, said an official of the Wadala TT police station.
Police sources said that Machha had been questioned by ATS sleuths following the arrest of a person from neighbouring Kalyan town for suspected Naxal links on January 12.
Machha's name had allegedly surfaced in his interrogation.
Machha was questioned and some documents were seized from his house, but he was allowed to go, sources said.
Subsequently, the ATS arrested six more persons from eastern suburbs of Mumbai.
The arrested men were working for the 'Golden Corridor Committee' of Maoists whose task was to spread the rebels' ideology in the industrial belts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, according to the ATS.
Wadala TT police said the exact reason for the suicide was yet to be ascertained, however, Machha was reportedly under depression after the death of his second wife. -- PTI
21:00 CBI registers 30 more FIRs in Manipur fake encounter case
A Special Investigation Team of the Central Bureau of Investigation, probing the alleged extra-judicial killings and fake encounters in Manipur, has taken over probe in 30 pending cases in adherence to the apex court's January 31 deadline.
The Supreme Court had on January 16 chided the investigative agency for not registering the required number of cases in the matter, as directed by it earlier.
It had directed the SIT to lodge 30 more FIRs on or before January 31 this year, after the SIT informed the court that it had registered 12 First Information Reports (FIRs) till date in the case.
The agency has now registered 30 more FIRs in the Manipur fake encounter case, taking the total number of cases to 42.
The top court had on July 14 last set up an SIT comprising five CBI officers, and ordered registration of FIRs and probe into the alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur.
It had asked the CBI director to lodge the necessary FIRs and complete the investigation by December 31 last year.
The apex court, which is hearing a PIL seeking probe into 1,528 alleged extra-judicial killings in the north eastern state, had ordered registration of FIRs in 81 cases, but the CBI could not find enough material to register the same in large number of cases.
After going through the agency's status report, the apex court had on January 16 ordered to file 30 more FIRs in addition to the 12 cases already filed by the CBI. -- PTI
The Supreme Court had on January 16 chided the investigative agency for not registering the required number of cases in the matter, as directed by it earlier.
It had directed the SIT to lodge 30 more FIRs on or before January 31 this year, after the SIT informed the court that it had registered 12 First Information Reports (FIRs) till date in the case.
The agency has now registered 30 more FIRs in the Manipur fake encounter case, taking the total number of cases to 42.
The top court had on July 14 last set up an SIT comprising five CBI officers, and ordered registration of FIRs and probe into the alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur.
It had asked the CBI director to lodge the necessary FIRs and complete the investigation by December 31 last year.
The apex court, which is hearing a PIL seeking probe into 1,528 alleged extra-judicial killings in the north eastern state, had ordered registration of FIRs in 81 cases, but the CBI could not find enough material to register the same in large number of cases.
After going through the agency's status report, the apex court had on January 16 ordered to file 30 more FIRs in addition to the 12 cases already filed by the CBI. -- PTI
20:19 Sonia likely to chair opposition meet tomorrow
United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to chair a meeting of opposition leaders tomorrow to plan a joint strategy for the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.
According to sources, the meeting is slated to be held in the Parliament Library Building in the evening after the presentation of the Union Budget tomorrow morning by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Hectic preparations are on to garner the support of all 17 parties that had come together during the presidential and vice presidential polls with Congress hopeful of a good gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad is taking the lead in inviting the leaders.
Among the parties likely to attend tomorrow's meet are the Nationalist Congress Party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Trinamool Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the National Conference, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Rashtriya Samata Party, the Indian Union Muslim League, and the Kerala Congress.
Janata Dal-United rebels Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar Ansari, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party and TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay are among the leaders expected to attending the meeting.
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC boss Mamata Banerjee today said she won't attend the meeting tomorrow due to other preoccupations.
However, the partry will be represented by Trinamool Congress Parliamentary party leaders, she said.
It remains to be seen whether the Janata Dal-Secular sends its representative to the meeting considering elections in another few in months in Karnataka where the Congress is facing anti-incumbency with the Bharatiya Janata Party mounting an aggressive fight.
The presence of JDS in tomorrow's meeting is likely to signal future possibilities of a truck between the Deve Gowda-led party and the Congress.
Crucial issues the instant triple talaq bill, the Supreme Court judges row and the recent communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh are likely to be discussed.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also likely to be present at the meeting along with top party leaders.
Sonia Gandhi is, however, likely to will chair the meeting in her capacity as Congress parliamentary party leader and the UPA chief.
Tomorrow's meeting comes three days after Pawar hosted some opposition leaders for tea at his residence in New Delhi.
That meeting had skeletal opposition presence and it was therefore decided to hold another larger one post the Budget presentation.
At the January 29 meet, Congress leaders Azad and Anand Sharma had sought the involvement of Sonia Gandhi in galvanising the opposition.
Pawar had also met Sonia and Rahul Gandhi that day after the president's address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament at the start of the budget session. -- PTI
According to sources, the meeting is slated to be held in the Parliament Library Building in the evening after the presentation of the Union Budget tomorrow morning by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Hectic preparations are on to garner the support of all 17 parties that had come together during the presidential and vice presidential polls with Congress hopeful of a good gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad is taking the lead in inviting the leaders.
Among the parties likely to attend tomorrow's meet are the Nationalist Congress Party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Trinamool Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the National Conference, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Rashtriya Samata Party, the Indian Union Muslim League, and the Kerala Congress.
Janata Dal-United rebels Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar Ansari, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party and TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay are among the leaders expected to attending the meeting.
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC boss Mamata Banerjee today said she won't attend the meeting tomorrow due to other preoccupations.
However, the partry will be represented by Trinamool Congress Parliamentary party leaders, she said.
It remains to be seen whether the Janata Dal-Secular sends its representative to the meeting considering elections in another few in months in Karnataka where the Congress is facing anti-incumbency with the Bharatiya Janata Party mounting an aggressive fight.
The presence of JDS in tomorrow's meeting is likely to signal future possibilities of a truck between the Deve Gowda-led party and the Congress.
Crucial issues the instant triple talaq bill, the Supreme Court judges row and the recent communal clashes in Uttar Pradesh are likely to be discussed.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also likely to be present at the meeting along with top party leaders.
Sonia Gandhi is, however, likely to will chair the meeting in her capacity as Congress parliamentary party leader and the UPA chief.
Tomorrow's meeting comes three days after Pawar hosted some opposition leaders for tea at his residence in New Delhi.
That meeting had skeletal opposition presence and it was therefore decided to hold another larger one post the Budget presentation.
At the January 29 meet, Congress leaders Azad and Anand Sharma had sought the involvement of Sonia Gandhi in galvanising the opposition.
Pawar had also met Sonia and Rahul Gandhi that day after the president's address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament at the start of the budget session. -- PTI
19:05 Pakistani troops target Mankote sector of Poonch
Pakistani troops today again violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting retaliation by Indian forces, officials said.
The firing from across the border in Mankote sector began around 5 pm and was continuing intermittently from both sides, a police spokesperson said.
Pakistani troops targeted forward posts and villages in Dabraj, Balnoi and Narh villages of Mankote with small and heavy weapons, he said.
There was no report of any casualty in the Pakistani firing, he added.
The spokesman said Pakistani troops had also resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling for 15 minutes in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch district last evening.
Besides Krishna Ghati sector, Pakistani troops had pounded half a dozen villages in the Naushera sector of nearby Rajouri district yesterday, he said.
Fourteen persons, including eight civilians, were killed and over 70 injured in intense shelling by Pakistan along the international border (IB) in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts and the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts from January 18 to 22.
While there was no ceasefire violations by Pakistan reported along the IB since January 22, intermittent shelling is going on along the LoC, an official said.
Over 300 schools along the LoC and IB remained closed as a precautionary measure in view of the Pakistani firing. -- PTI
Image for representation only.
The firing from across the border in Mankote sector began around 5 pm and was continuing intermittently from both sides, a police spokesperson said.
Pakistani troops targeted forward posts and villages in Dabraj, Balnoi and Narh villages of Mankote with small and heavy weapons, he said.
There was no report of any casualty in the Pakistani firing, he added.
The spokesman said Pakistani troops had also resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling for 15 minutes in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch district last evening.
Besides Krishna Ghati sector, Pakistani troops had pounded half a dozen villages in the Naushera sector of nearby Rajouri district yesterday, he said.
Fourteen persons, including eight civilians, were killed and over 70 injured in intense shelling by Pakistan along the international border (IB) in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts and the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts from January 18 to 22.
While there was no ceasefire violations by Pakistan reported along the IB since January 22, intermittent shelling is going on along the LoC, an official said.
Over 300 schools along the LoC and IB remained closed as a precautionary measure in view of the Pakistani firing. -- PTI
Image for representation only.
18:18
Odisha: Super Blue Blood Moon seen in the skies of Bhubaneswar. Photograph: ANI
18:02 NCP's Saseendran to become Kerala minister again
Days after being acquitted by a court of sexual harassment charges, over which he was forced to quit the Left Democratic Front ministry last year, Nationalist Congress Party leader A K Saseendran would be sworn in as a Kerala minister tomorrow.
Saseendran would be administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor P Sathasivam tomorrow at 5 pm, Raj Bhavan sources said.
He had resigned 11 months ago after a Malayalam TV channel released an audio clipping of a purported conversation of him with a woman.
A case was registered against Saseendran after the woman filed a complaint, in which she stated that he had misbehaved with her when she met him for an interview at his office.
The chief judicial magistrate's court in Thiruvananthapuram had last week acquitted Saseendran of the charges holding that no case had been made out against him that warranted conviction.
Challenging Saseendran's acquittal, a woman today moved the Kerala high court.
After the harassment charge surfaced, the government appointed Justice P S Antony commission to probe into the matter.
The panel, in its report last year, stated that it could not ascertain the authenticity of the purported voice clip of Saseendran.
Saseendran resigned as minister in March last year and Thomas Chandy, the other MLA of the party, replaced him as the transport minister.
However, Chandy also had to resign in November after allegations of land encroachment surfaced against him.
The NCP state leadership had then taken a decision that whoever comes clean of the charges against them first would become the minister again.
The CEO of the TV channel and four journalists were arrested in connection with the 'sleaze audio' and are now out on bail. -- PTI
Saseendran would be administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor P Sathasivam tomorrow at 5 pm, Raj Bhavan sources said.
He had resigned 11 months ago after a Malayalam TV channel released an audio clipping of a purported conversation of him with a woman.
A case was registered against Saseendran after the woman filed a complaint, in which she stated that he had misbehaved with her when she met him for an interview at his office.
The chief judicial magistrate's court in Thiruvananthapuram had last week acquitted Saseendran of the charges holding that no case had been made out against him that warranted conviction.
Challenging Saseendran's acquittal, a woman today moved the Kerala high court.
After the harassment charge surfaced, the government appointed Justice P S Antony commission to probe into the matter.
The panel, in its report last year, stated that it could not ascertain the authenticity of the purported voice clip of Saseendran.
Saseendran resigned as minister in March last year and Thomas Chandy, the other MLA of the party, replaced him as the transport minister.
However, Chandy also had to resign in November after allegations of land encroachment surfaced against him.
The NCP state leadership had then taken a decision that whoever comes clean of the charges against them first would become the minister again.
The CEO of the TV channel and four journalists were arrested in connection with the 'sleaze audio' and are now out on bail. -- PTI
17:27 Will simplify GST structure if Congress comes to power: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the structure of the goods and service tax would undergo changes if his party came back to power at the Centre in 2019.
Addressing a programme at St Edmund's College, Rahul said, "If we come back to power in the Centre, we are going change the structure of GST and simplify it."
"We had proposed a different GST structure. The products that common people use should be out of the tax bracket and there should be only one layer of tax.
"But, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) told us to mind our own business and said that we were going ahead with our own version of GST," he added.
Rahul launched an attack at the BJP, saying that the complicated structure of GST was harming the common people across the country.
"The BJP launched the GST at midnight. It was pushed out hastily. Five different tax layers is a complicated structure. The GST has been launched without testing, causing severe pain to the common people. Millions of people are losing their jobs every day," Rahul said.
The Congress president criticised the BJP's attitude of ignoring small and medium businesses and were supporting only businessmen in the country.
"The BJP's focus on 10-15 business people is totally wrong. Big businesses get a lot of support. But, when we compare it with small and medium businesses, there is no sense.
"Small and medium businesses do not get that support. The big businesses are only getting benefited from the political system", Rahul added.
"We believe the support and organising of small and medium businesses. They need that financial support from the banking system", he continued.
The Congress president is in Shillong to kick off the election campaign of the party in poll-bound Meghalaya.
The polling for the 60-member state assembly will take place on February 27 along with Nagaland.
The results will be declared on March 3. -- ANI
Addressing a programme at St Edmund's College, Rahul said, "If we come back to power in the Centre, we are going change the structure of GST and simplify it."
"We had proposed a different GST structure. The products that common people use should be out of the tax bracket and there should be only one layer of tax.
"But, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) told us to mind our own business and said that we were going ahead with our own version of GST," he added.
Rahul launched an attack at the BJP, saying that the complicated structure of GST was harming the common people across the country.
"The BJP launched the GST at midnight. It was pushed out hastily. Five different tax layers is a complicated structure. The GST has been launched without testing, causing severe pain to the common people. Millions of people are losing their jobs every day," Rahul said.
The Congress president criticised the BJP's attitude of ignoring small and medium businesses and were supporting only businessmen in the country.
"The BJP's focus on 10-15 business people is totally wrong. Big businesses get a lot of support. But, when we compare it with small and medium businesses, there is no sense.
"Small and medium businesses do not get that support. The big businesses are only getting benefited from the political system", Rahul added.
"We believe the support and organising of small and medium businesses. They need that financial support from the banking system", he continued.
The Congress president is in Shillong to kick off the election campaign of the party in poll-bound Meghalaya.
The polling for the 60-member state assembly will take place on February 27 along with Nagaland.
The results will be declared on March 3. -- ANI
16:59 Vijay Goel embarrasses BJP by calling Delhi market area 'backward as some UP town'
Union Minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday had a foot-in-mouth moment when he said that the poor civic conditions in Delhi's Sadar Bazar area are like that of a backward district of Uttar Pradesh.
Interestingly, Goel's, Bharatiya Janata Party rules both the state of Uttar Pradeshand the parliamentary constituency of Sadar Bazar.
If that is not enough, Goel was addressing a gathering of old Delhi's traders and shopkeeper, who were protesting the ongoing sealing drive by BJP-led municipal corporations.
"Delhi ka haal dekha hai aapne? Taarein (cables and wires) jhool rahi hain, koi makaan upar jaa raha, koi neeche aa raha hai, aisa lagta hai kisi Uttar Pradesh ke pichde huye kasbe mein khade huye hain, yeh Sadar Delhi ki shaan tha! (Have you seen the condition of Delhi? Wires are swinging, houses are in bad condition. It seems like we are standing in some backward locality of Uttar Pradesh. Sadar was the pride of Delhi)," the Union minister said while addressing the gathering.
Goel, who represented the Sadar Bazar constituency in Lok Sabha from 1996 to 1998, clarified that he was not speaking on the behalf of his party.
The minister further said that the politicians are using the sealing of shops as a tool for political advantage.
"The BJP blames AAP for this sealing drive. The AAP blames the BJP and the Congress blames on both the BJP and the Congress. Leaders have made the sealing matter a political issue," he said.
Hundreds of Delhi's businessmen have been affected due to massive sealing drive of, what authorities say, the residential properties being used for commercial purposes. -- ANI
Interestingly, Goel's, Bharatiya Janata Party rules both the state of Uttar Pradeshand the parliamentary constituency of Sadar Bazar.
If that is not enough, Goel was addressing a gathering of old Delhi's traders and shopkeeper, who were protesting the ongoing sealing drive by BJP-led municipal corporations.
"Delhi ka haal dekha hai aapne? Taarein (cables and wires) jhool rahi hain, koi makaan upar jaa raha, koi neeche aa raha hai, aisa lagta hai kisi Uttar Pradesh ke pichde huye kasbe mein khade huye hain, yeh Sadar Delhi ki shaan tha! (Have you seen the condition of Delhi? Wires are swinging, houses are in bad condition. It seems like we are standing in some backward locality of Uttar Pradesh. Sadar was the pride of Delhi)," the Union minister said while addressing the gathering.
Goel, who represented the Sadar Bazar constituency in Lok Sabha from 1996 to 1998, clarified that he was not speaking on the behalf of his party.
The minister further said that the politicians are using the sealing of shops as a tool for political advantage.
"The BJP blames AAP for this sealing drive. The AAP blames the BJP and the Congress blames on both the BJP and the Congress. Leaders have made the sealing matter a political issue," he said.
Hundreds of Delhi's businessmen have been affected due to massive sealing drive of, what authorities say, the residential properties being used for commercial purposes. -- ANI
16:13 Army files counter FIR in Shopian firing case
The Indian Army has filed a counter-FIR in response to the one lodged by the Jammu and Kashmir police over the killing of two civilians in Shopian district.
On January 27, two youths were killed when army personnel fired at a stone-pelting mob in the Ganovpora area of Shopian, prompting Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti to order an inquiry into the incident.
Police had on Sunday filed an FIR under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code against the personnel of 10, Garhwal unit, of the Army. A Major, who led the army personnel at the time of the incident, was also named in the FIR.
The army claims it opened fire on the crowd in self-defence and in the face of the "ultimate provocation", after seven of its personnel were injured.
A defence spokesman had said that the troops resorted to firing when a mob tried to lynch a junior commissioned officer and snatch his service weapon.
"An Army administration convoy was passing through Ganovpora when it came under unprovoked and intense stone- pelting by a group of 100-120 stone-pelters. Within no time, their number swelled to 200-250 persons," the spokesperson said on Sunday.
Earlier today, the death toll in the alleged army firing rose to three after a critically injured youth succumbed to injuries.
15:48 India's foreign policy has become vibrant, assertive: Chinese think-tank
India's foreign policy has become vibrant and assertive under the Modi government with its risk-taking ability also on the rise, according to a top
official of a prominent state-run Chinese think-tank.
Rong Ying, Vice President of China Institute of International Studies, a think-tank affiliated to Chinese foreign ministry, said over the past three years, India's diplomacy has been vibrant and assertive, and has formed a distinctive and unique "Modi Doctrine", a strategy for the rise of India as a great power in the new situation.
In an article in the CIIS journal, the first of its kind by a Chinese think tank on the Modi government so far, Rong, who also served as a diplomat in India, took a critical look at India's relations with China, South and South East Asia, India's closer relations with US and Japan, saying Indian
foreign policy under him has become increasingly assertive
while offering mutual benefits.
On India-China ties, Rong said since Modi took office, the development of overall relations between the two countries has maintained "steady momentum".
"The Dong Lang (Doklam) incident taking place at the Sikkim section of the China-India borders has not only highlighted the border issue, but also for a time seemed to imperil the overall relationship between the two countries," he said.
Rong, also a senior research fellow at the CIIS, said India and China should stick to the strategic consensus of mutual support for each other's development.
On the future formula for ties, he said as major countries on the rise, India and China are both partners and competitors.
-- PTI
15:17 Shopian firing: Responded to 'ultimate provocation', says army
Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu on Wednesday said that the army opened fire into a crowd in Shopian in the face of the "ultimate provocation" by a stone-pelting crowd.
Calling the FIR against the army, which is registered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police as "unfortunate", Lt Gen Anbu called it said that there should have been generic FIR in the matter.
"That is an unfortunate thing, in such a case a generic FIR should have been filed. I think they have prematurely put the name of an individual, I am sure when they investigate truth will come out. Notwithstanding what the state government did, we had our own inquiry and are clear that we responded when we were provoked to the ultimate," he added.
Two civilians were killed and nine others injured after the army opened fire on protesters in Ganowpora village of south Kashmir's Shopian district on Saturday.
The army opened fire after it came under heavy stone pelting from a mob in the village.
Following the outrage over civilian killings, the state police registered case against the army while the divisional administration ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
-- ANI
14:57 AIADMK announces expulsion of 123 office-bearers in 4 districts
The internal churning in the ruling AIADMK post its defeat in the RK Nagar bypoll continued today, with top leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami cracking the whip against dissidents in four districts.
Panneerselvam, AIADMK coordinator, and co-coordinator Palaniswami announced the expulsion of 123 office-bearers of the party's units in Tiruchirappalli, Erode, Vellore and Ramanathapuram for bringing 'disrepute' to the organisation.
The Tiruchirappalli Rural unit topped the list, with 106 office-bearers being shown the door by the two leaders.
The others were from Vellore West, Erode Rural and Ramanathapuram districts.
In a joint statement, Panneerselvam and Palaniswami said these persons were being expelled from AIADMK for "acting in contravention to the party's policies and ideals," and for "bringing disrepute" to it.
They were being expelled from all their present posts, besides from the party's primary membership, the two leaders said.
Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, who merged the factions led by them in August 2017, had last month warned of action against those who go against the party line, following its loss in the December 21 RK Nagar assembly bypoll which was won by sidelined party leader TTV Dinakaran.
-- PTI
14:26 No malice behind open letter on Padmaavat: Swara
Actor Swara Bhasker says she wrote an open letter criticising "Padmaavat" because she wanted to raise some questions about the film on a public platform.
Bhasker's letter, which criticises director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for apparent glorification of the practice of Jauhar (mass sati), has sparked a controversy online.
Responding to the criticism, the actor said, "Everyone has the right to critique and express their opinion. Like me, others also have the right to express their thoughts. I made a
point, I said what I felt.
"I think I kept my point across in a very polite and respectful manner. I didn't have any bad intention or malice in my heart," she said.
The actor said she thought her questions were valid and needed to be asked.
"If people don't agree with me, it's totally fine. It's a democracy, so it's good if people think there can be a difference of opinion. Debates and discussions should happen. This is the purpose of art."
In the open letter, which became viral on social media, the actor had said she felt reduced to a vagina after watching "Padmaavat".
The mention of vagina in her letter has also caused incessant trolling against her, which, the actor said, surprised her.
"I didn't think it would cause a row and I never thought people, who are not even connected with the film, will get upset. I also didn't know that this special word, which
stars from 'V', just taking that word would cause a controversy! I mean frankly, I said something, others reacted.
"There's nothing to be upset about, especially those who have nothing to do with the film need not be upset."
-- PTI
14:00 Main accused in Kasganj violence held
The main accused in the Chandan Gupta murder case in Kasganj was arrested today even as a Congress delegation was stopped from entering the violence-hit district amid continuing tension in some pockets.
"Saleem, the main accused, has been nabbed," IG, Aligarh range, Sanjeev Gupta said.
Kasganj SP Piyush Srivastava said notices pertaining to attachment of properties of the accused have been pasted on their houses. Authorities stopped a Congress delegation in Mirhachi area in Etah on the border of Kasganj district.
They denied permission to the delegation from entering troubled areas, citing law and order issues, official sources said. District Magistrate, Kasganj, R P Singh had refused to give permission to the Congress delegation apprehending that their visit to the troubled areas might create additional problems.
At least three shops, two buses and a car were torched after a youth was killed in clashes following stone-pelting by a mob on a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate Republic Day last week. At least 118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.
Tension still prevailed in a few pockets of the western Uttar Pradesh town. Police said normalcy was slowly returning to the violence-hit town where security personnel have intensified patrolling in sensitive areas.
-- PTI
13:36 Rayudu handed two-match ban for code of conduct breach
India cricketer and Hyderabad skipper Ambati Rayudu has been handed a two-match suspension for breaching the BCCI Code of Conduct during the Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy, on Wednesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India issued a statement which read: "Rayudu pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by BCCI and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing."
The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Abhijit Deshmukh, Ulhas Vithalrao Gandhe, and third umpire Anil Dandekar. The BCCI is further looking into the role of Hyderabad Team Manager in this untoward incident," it added.
Because of this suspension, Rayudu won't be able to participate in the first two matches for Hyderabad in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy.
13:33
JUST IN: Main accused in Chandan Gupta murder case in Kasganj arrested: IG, Aligarh Range, Sanjeev Gupta
13:24 PM to visit Tripura twice for campaigning
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tripura twice to hold public meetings ahead of the February 18 assembly election, state BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb said today.
Modi would come on February 8 and address two public meetings at Kailashahar in Unakoti district and Shantirbazar in South Tripura district. He would again visit the state on February 15 and address a public meeting.
The party's national president Amit Shah would be in the state for a week to campaign in favour of the candidates of the BJP-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura alliance, Deb told reporters.
Election for the 60-member assembly will be held in the state on February 18 and results would be announced on March 3.
From here, Shah would also visit Meghalaya and Nagaland, where assembly polls would be held on February 27, the state BJP chief said.
He said 40 top BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Muktar Abbas Naqvi would also visit the state for campaigning.
-- PTI
12:55 UPDATE: 6.1-strong quake jolts Afghanistan; tremors felt from Srinagar to Delhi
An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 occurred in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region, stated the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
The tremors of the quake were felt in north India -- from Delhi-NCR region to Srinagar in Jammu-Kashmir.
According to reports, people fled from their homes out on to the streets in Srinagar after experiencing the tremors.
As of now, there are no reports of any casualties or damage to property.
12:22 Kasganj violence: Police lodges 7 FIRs as normalcy returns to UP town
The Uttar Pradesh Police has lodged seven FIRs in connection with the violence that broke out in Kasganj on Republic Day. The police confirmed that they have arrested 114 people, out of which 33 have been named accused and 81 arrested in preventive.
Apart from the arrests, the police have also enhanced patrolling based on the zonal and sector scheme in the affected area. Peace committee meetings are being held in the area to prevent any untoward events.
The situation in violence-hit Kasganj district of Uttar Pradesh remained peaceful today.
11:55 Budget likely to do away with tedious paperwork in filing income tax
Taking cognisance of the probable reason for tax evasion of the salaried class, the government may do away with the need to provide proof of investment on tax deductions in the Union Budget on Thursday.
Experts are of the opinion that one of the reasons why many salaried and other middle-income groups avoid paying taxes is that they have to go through a lot of paperwork.
The NDA government will be presenting its last full-fledged Budget on February 1 before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
"The income tax department has received a lot of requests on this and there has been quite a few rounds of discussions as to why one needs every individual to submit their details in a technologically advanced era when information about a taxpayer is available at the click of a mouse," a senior official said.
This is one of the reasons why the government has made provisions to link the Aadhaar with banks accounts, insurance policies and other investments. Linking PAN with Aadhaar is also a step towards helping the public on this, the official told Deccan Herald.
He, however, added that a final decision will be taken by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on whether to introduce the new measure this year itself or the next.
11:41 'Indian techie's mortal remains to reach India tomorrow'
The mortal remains of an Indian software engineer, who was found dead at an apartment in the US state of Texas, will reach India tomorrow, according to a senior official at the Indian Consulate here.
Venkannagari Krishna Chaitanya, 30, who moved to the US three years ago, was living as a paying guest in Arlington, a suburb of Dallas in Texas, officials said.
The mortal remains of Chaitanya, who was "mysteriously" found dead, will reach India late tomorrow via New York for his last rites in Hyderabad, they said.
The cause of his death was "still shrouded in mystery",according to officials.
-- PTI
11:11 Snubbed by IPL, Pujara gets signed on by Yorkshire
Indian middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been signed by Yorkshire to play in the county championship.
Pujara will be available for the 2018 England domestic season in April as he went unsold in the Indian Premier League players' auction for the 11th edition of the tournament, which will also be held in the same month.
The right-handed batsman had earlier played for Yorkshire in the 2015 county championship, when the club won.
"I'm really excited to be able to have the opportunity to represent Yorkshire once again," ESPNcricinfo quoted Pujara as saying.
He added, "Each time I've played county cricket it has improved me as a player. That's the plan again in 2018. I just want to score as many runs as possible for Yorkshire and soak up as much as I can from the whole experience."
11:03 Shah Rukh Khans Alibaug bungalow attached, labelled benami
The I-T department has provisionally attached actor Shah Rukh Khan's bungalow in Alibaug by terming it benami property and filed a report before an adjudication authority to confirm the attachment.
Khan needs to file a reply before the authority within 90 days. Once the adjudication authority confirms the attachment, I-T authorities can initiate criminal action too.
The attachment notice was issued last month to Deja Vu Farms under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act. As per the website of the Registrar of Companies, Deja Vu Farms Pvt Ltd was incorporated on December 29, 2004, with interests in crops, gardening and horticulture. Namita Chhiba, Ramesh Chhiba and Savita Chhiba are named as its directors.
The farmhouse covers 19,960 sq m and has a swimming pool and private helipad. Khan gave an unsecured loan of Rs 8.5 crore to Deja Vu Farms, officials said.
10:32 Army's Shopian firing: Civilian death toll rises to 3
A third civilian died today following the January 27 firing by the Army in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian.
The third man who died is one Rayees Ahmad.
Earlier, two civilians were killed and nine others injured in the controversial incident, during which the army fired into a stone-pelting mob that targeted a military convoy.
Following the incident, an FIR was registered against two army officers by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The FIR was lodged under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code against the personnel of 10, Garhwal unit, of the army.
An army major, who led the army personnel at the time of the incident, was also named in the FIR.
The BJP strongly protested the FIR, even as its coalition partner in J&K, the People's Democratic Party, asserted that the FIR will be taken to a "logical conclusion".
10:14 Pakistan again violates ceasefire along LoC in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch
The Pakistan Army resorted to overnight heavy shelling and firing on the Line of Control in Poonch district, officials said on Wednesday.
Using small arms, automatics and mortars, they targeted military and civilian facilities in nearly a dozen areas of Balakote sector late on Tuesday, defence ministry sources said.
The Indian positions retaliated effectively. Firing exchanges continued for nearly two hours, the sources said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Pakistan army had resorted to ceasefire violations on the LoC in Rajouri district.
However, except for damages to some civilian houses, no casualty had occurred on the Indian side, the sources added.
09:43 Indian Navy launches submarine INS Karanj
Indian Navy today launched its third Scorpene class submarine, INS Karanj, at the Mazagon Dock Ltd, Mumbai.
INS Karanj was commissioned last year and is the third of the six Scorpene class submarines being built at the MDL under the Navy's Project 75.
09:38 BJP takes potshots at Rahul for wearing jacket worth Rs 70,000
The BJP took potshots at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his jacket, which they claim cost nearly Rs 70,000. Rahul was attending a concert in Shillong when he was seen sporting the apparel.
"So @OfficeOfRG, soot(pun intended!)-boot ki sarkar with 'black' money fleeced from Meghalayan state exchequer by rampant corruption? Instead of singing away our woes, you could have given a report card of your inefficient govt in Meghalaya! Your indifference mocks us! (sic)" wrote the Meghalaya BJP Twitter handle with pictures of the jacket's original price and photo.
The national party's tweet was in retaliation to Rahul Gandhi's "suit boot" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had worn a monogrammed suit during a meeting with then US President Barack Obama in 2015.
The base price of the suit at an auction was Rs 11 lakh, and it was sold for Rs 4.31 crore.
Just before the concert, organised by the Congress party to reach out to young voters, Rahul addressed the crowd and said, " We are strongest when we stand together in our diversity. India's strength is our diverse culture and different languages, different ways of thinking."
09:07
Twitter says Trump's speech was "the most-tweeted #SOTU or #JointSession address ever, passing last year's record of 3m tweets.'
09:00 Trump takes on North Korea, says 'no regime more brutal than theirs'
The US president now takes on his arch nemesis North Korea's Kim Jong Un in his State of the Union address:
>> No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally & more brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea. Its reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland. We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from ever happening
Trump tells the story about North Korean defector Ji Seong-ho, who Trump says travelled thousands of miles on crutches across China and Southeast Asia to freedom.
He lifts a pair of crutches high and is cheered. He keeps the crutches up. Its a powerful image.
08:58 Hillary Clinton issues apology
Minutes before Trump started his speech, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton finally addressed her 2008 campaign's sexual harassment controversy.
According to media reports, her faith adviser Burns Strider was allowed to stay in his role despite claims of sexual harassment by another staff member.
"If I had it to do again, I wouldnt," Clinton says in her lengthy statement.
Read her detailed statement HERE
08:49 Trump orders Guantnamo prison 'open'
The US president promises to refill the Guantanamo prison:
"In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists, only to meet them again on the battlefield -- including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi.
So today, I am keeping another promise. I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis, who is doing a great job, thank you."
08:42 Trump lays out 4-part immigration plan during State of the Union address
US President Donald Trump lays out an immigration plan with four pillars:
One: A path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age
Two: Fully secures the border. That means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more heroes like [Homeland security special agent] CJ Martinez to keep our communities safe.
Three: Ends the visa lottery -- a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of our people.
Four: Protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration. Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives [audible hisses here from members of Congress?] Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children.
08:22 One of my main priorities is to reduce cost of prescription drugs: Trump
>> We are defending our second Amendment and taking actions to protect religious liberty. We are serving our brave veterans, giving them a choice in their healthcare decisions
>> I will not stop until our veterans have been properly taken care of. All Americans deserve accountability and respect
>> We are now, very proudly, an exporter of energy to the world
>> People who are terminally ill should not have to go from country to country, looking for treatment. I want to give Americans the 'Right to Try' - immediate experimental treatment
>> One of my main priorities is to reduce the cost of prescription drugs
>> The era of economic surrender is over. From now, we consider trading relations to be fair and reciprocal
>> We will work to fix bad trade deals. We will protect American workers and intellectual properties through strong enforcement of our trade rules
>> It is time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. We are a nation of builders - we built the Empire State Building in only a year
08:11 US First Lady Melania travelled separately to the Capitol
US First Lady Melania Trump broke tradition on Wednesday when she travelled separately to the Capitol rather than with her husband.
According to her office, the First Lady rode to the Capitol in a separate motorcade in order to accompany her guests to a reception on Capitol Hill.
All eyes were on Melania, who has been notably absent from the public in recent weeks.
She is hosting 15 guests in her own viewing box.
08:06 Trump's maiden Union of the State address
Trump continues with his hour-long address to a joint session of Congress:
>> There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream. If you believe in yourself and America, you can dream anything, be anything. Together, we can achieve absolutely anything
>> All of us together as one people, can do anything. We all share the same home, heart, destiny and the same great American flag
>> Together we are rediscovering the American ways. Here, faith and family, not the bureaucracy, are the centre of American life
>> Americans deserve a govt that shows them love and loyalty. Working with the Senate, we are appointing judges who will interpret the Constitution as written
08:01 'The state of our Union is strong because our people are strong'
Donald Trump is delivering his maiden State Of The Union address, an annual message presented by the US President to a joint session of the congress.
In this hour-long address, Trump will speak about the American economy and the tax cuts undertaken by his government, according to his speech excerpts released by the White House.
He will also talk on "decades of unfair trade deals", "immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families", "what kind of nation" America will be, and America's "fight until Islamic State is defeated" among others.
Here are the highlights of his speech:
>> A new tide of optimism is sweeping our land, we are going forward with a clear and righteous vision to make America great again
>> Over the last year, the world has seen that no people on earth are as daring and fearless as Americans. Let's begin tonight by recognising that the State of Union is strong because our people are strong
>> Together we are building a safe and strong America. Since the elction, we have created 2.4 million new jobs
>> A proud moment -- Unemployment has hit a 45-year low. African-American unemployment, hit the lowest levels ever recorded
>> Retirement pension and college saving accounts have gone through the roof. We have enacted the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history
>> We nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone. We also doubled the child tax credit
>> We eliminated a especially cruel tax. We repeal the the disastrous Obamacare
00:03 CJI, 2 judges attend public function after Jan 12 presser
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and two senior-most Supreme Court judges, who had virtually revolted against him, on Tuesday attended a function at the apex court lawns, a first after the January 12 presser where they raised questions on assignment of cases.
Justices Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, who were among the four senior-most judges who had held the press conference, attended the function and were even seen shaking hands with the CJI amid camera glare.
However, Justice J Chelameswar, who had led the group of revolting judges in the press meet and Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the next judge to be in line to become the CJI, did not attend the function.
Both justices Chelameswar and Gogoi had attended their respective courts during the day as usual.
The function, which was held at the Supreme Court lawns, was also attended by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
CJI Misra launched the journal SCBA Times of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
On the occasion, Prasad took forward the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold the parliamentary and state assemblies elections simultaneously and asked the legal fraternity to ponder over it.
Several other apex court judges, including Justices U U Lalit, D Y Chandrachud, A M Khanwilkar, M M Shantanagoudar and Ashok Bhushan, were also present during the function.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who is the president of SCBA, was also present during the function.
Later, the judges also attended the high tea along with the law minister.
CJI Misra and justices Lokur and Joseph refused to answer any questions asked by the journalists on the controversy which had hit the apex court judiciary after the press conference. -- PTI
IMAGE: Justice Kurien Joseph greets Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra at the event. Photograph: ANI
Justices Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, who were among the four senior-most judges who had held the press conference, attended the function and were even seen shaking hands with the CJI amid camera glare.
However, Justice J Chelameswar, who had led the group of revolting judges in the press meet and Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the next judge to be in line to become the CJI, did not attend the function.
Both justices Chelameswar and Gogoi had attended their respective courts during the day as usual.
The function, which was held at the Supreme Court lawns, was also attended by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
CJI Misra launched the journal SCBA Times of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
On the occasion, Prasad took forward the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold the parliamentary and state assemblies elections simultaneously and asked the legal fraternity to ponder over it.
Several other apex court judges, including Justices U U Lalit, D Y Chandrachud, A M Khanwilkar, M M Shantanagoudar and Ashok Bhushan, were also present during the function.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who is the president of SCBA, was also present during the function.
Later, the judges also attended the high tea along with the law minister.
CJI Misra and justices Lokur and Joseph refused to answer any questions asked by the journalists on the controversy which had hit the apex court judiciary after the press conference. -- PTI
IMAGE: Justice Kurien Joseph greets Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra at the event. Photograph: ANI
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