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Mon, 24 October 2022
Court allows ex-Pak PM Imran to contest polls

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22:20   Court allows former Pak PM Imran Khan to contest polls
A Pakistani court observed on Monday that Imran Khan was not barred from contesting elections in the future as it heard the disqualification case of the former prime minister by the country's top election body.

Khan, 70, was disqualified on Friday by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana case for hiding his assets.

The next day, he challenged the verdict in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Chief Justice of the IHC Athar Minallah observed that Khan had not been barred from contesting in future elections and was eligible to contest in the Kurram district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on October 30.

'Imran Khan is not disqualified for that election. There should be one standard for all. There is no need to rush in this case,' the IHC chief justice said when Khan's counsel Barrister Ali Zafar pressed to start the hearing despite administrative objections by the IHC registrar.

The court would hear the petition once the objections were removed, the judge said as he also refused to issue a stay order on the ECP verdict.

He also directed the counsel to remove the objections on the petition within three days.

The observation came as there was confusion over the duration of the disqualification of Khan with some saying that he was barred from contesting elections for five years.

The ECP decision came after Khan failed to disclose the proceeds of the sale of state gifts that he purchased from the Toshakhana, which is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to high state functionaries.

Established in 1974, the Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states and foreign dignitaries.

Khan was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.

The cricketer-turned-politician, who came to power in 2018, is the only Pakistani prime minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.   -- PTI
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20:44   Delhi breathes 'very poor' air on Diwali
The air quality in Delhi on Diwali Monday turned 'very poor' amid an increase in stubble burning, bursting of firecrackers and moderately unfavourable meteorological conditions which allowed accumulation of pollutants.

Delhi on Diwali was the most polluted city in the world followed by Lahore in Pakistan, according to Swiss organisation IQAir.

However, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312 was still the second best for the Diwali day in seven years.

Before this, the city recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018.

Delhi had recorded an AQI of 382 on Diwali last year, 414 in 2020; 337 in 2019; 319 in 2017; and 431 in 2016, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data.

The neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (301), Noida (303), Greater Noida (270), Gurugram (325) and Faridabad (256) reported poor to very poor air quality.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The relatively better air doesn't mean it's good air.

The PM2.5 levels at 25 monitoring stations in the national capital were five to six times the national standard of 60 microgram per cubic metre at 4 pm. PM2.5 are fine particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream.

On Sunday evening, the city reported a 24-hour average AQI of 259, which was lowest for the day before Diwali in seven years.

Pollution levels crept up at night amid a drop in temperature and wind speed as people burst firecrackers in several parts of the national capital and farm fires raged across Punjab and Haryana.

The air quality situation remained largely stable during the day due to moderate wind speed and warm conditions.

However, low temperature, calm winds and emissions from firecrackers at night may push the air quality deep into the 'very poor' category or even the 'severe' zone by early Tuesday morning.

"The share of PM2.5 in Delhi's air has increased which is indicative of contribution from firecrackers and stubble burning," said Gufran Beig, Chair Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science.

"Though the active fire counts have doubled, the wind direction is north westerly and the wind speed is moderate (not very favourable for the transport of smoke from farm fires). Hence, the contribution of stubble burning is not very significant," he said.

Beig said the air quality in the national capital may plunge to the 'severe' zone in the wee hours Tuesday but improved wind speed and warm conditions during the day will help disperse pollutants.

"Therefore, the air quality is likely to retreat to the 'very poor' category on Tuesday itself," he said.

Stubble burning is likely to account for 12 to 15 percent of Delhi's PM2.5 solution on Tuesday, the scientist said.

The Indian Agricultural Research Institute reported 1019 farm fires in Punjab, 250 in Haryana and 215 in Uttar Pradesh on Monday evening.

SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, had earlier predicted that the air quality in Delhi will be recorded in the 'very poor' category if no firecrackers are burst.

In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to 'severe' levels on the night of Diwali itself, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had predicted.

People started bursting firecrackers in several parts of Delhi early Monday evening flouting the ban imposed by the Delhi government with impunity.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai had earlier said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in the city will attract jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.

He said production, storage and sale of firecrackers here will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

A total of 408 teams have been set up to implement the ban.

The Delhi Police has set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the revenue department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.   -- PTI

IMAGE: Vehicles move through Delhi-Meerut Expressway near Akshardham on a smoggy morning, in Delhi on Monday. Photograph: ANI Photo
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19:19   Karnataka BJP MLC wants Kumaraswamy to be CM
The Bharatiya Janata Party MLC M Chidanand Gowda has said that he would be happy if Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Kumaraswamy becomes the chief minister of Karnataka.

"Our community (Kunchitiga) should also be included in the list of Other Backward Class (OBC) with the Centre. If Kumaranna (HD Kumaraswamy) becomes the next chief minister, I will be the first person to be happy," BJP MLC M Chidanand Gowda said while sharing the stage with H D Kumaraswamy and Nanjavadhuta Swamiji.

Addressing a public event at Kunchitiga-Okkaliga convention in Hulikunte village of Tumakuru, Gowda had also mentioned that whosoever becomes the chief minister should include the Kunchitiga community in OBC list.

Speaking to the media on October 5, JD-S leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said that the JD-S will actively work as an ally with Chandrashekar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) and fight the next Assembly and Lok Sabha elections together.

BRS was formerly called as Telangana Rashtra Samiti.

Former CM said earlier this month that the JD-S and TRS were natural allies from the beginning, but now both have been working with mutual trust.

"Now our party welcomes the emergence of TRS as a national party under the name of BRS. We will work with K Chandrashekar Rao in the coming days," Kumaraswamy said on October 5.

JD-S and BRS parties will work together in the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

States with a BJP-Congress mukt political atmosphere include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, he said.

Both the parties will work hard to form a full majority government in Karnataka in the next assembly elections apart from Congress and BJP, he said adding that the state will also emerge as a powerful force in the national politics.

"We both have discussed about bringing a self-respecting government of Kannadigas in Karnataka...," he said further.

JD-S leader Kumaraswamy said that with the strong leadership, KCR brought the people of Telangana together and achieved the state of Telangana and implemented many pro-people programs during his administration.

He implemented revolutionary programs like 'Raita Bandhu' and 'Dalit Bandhu' and made the government programs reachable to every citizen.

"The JD-S also did the same in Karnataka. Such pro-people programs will also be implemented in Karnataka in the coming days," he added.

"For the welfare of farmers, Dalits and economically backward people, KCR has put up effective schemes. Many such schemes have been implemented in Telangana. Mainly the wealth of the country should not be accumulated in a few hands but should be distributed equally. They are working with the aim that the common man should also have a share in that wealth. KCR has worked to empower farmers, dalits and the weak in his state," he added.

However, former deputy CM of Karnataka G Parameshwara, who belongs to the Congress, said, "People of Koratagere constituency elected me twice but made me lose at right time. In 2013, I had chance to become CM if I had won by a single vote. It seems fortune didn't favour me. But I'm happy that I have done my best."   -- ANI
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18:56   Rishi Sunak to be sworn in as British PM
Rishi Sunak on Monday is all set to make history on Diwali as Britain's first Indian-origin prime minister after being elected unopposed as the new leader of the governing Conservative Party, following Penny Mordaunt's withdrawal from the race. 

The 42-year-old former chancellor was comfortably in the lead, having secured the public backing of over half the 357 Tory MPs -- way above the 100 minimum required to make the shortlist. 

In time for the 1400 local time Monday deadline, Sir Graham Brady, chair of the influential 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, announced in the Parliament complex that he had received only one nomination and therefore Sunak is the winner of the leadership contest. 

This means Sunak is poised to walk through the door of 10 Downing Street in London after an audience with King Charles III in Buckingham Palace, the timeframe of which will become known soon.

-- Aditi Khanna in London/PTI
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18:35   Bengal govt prepares to deal with Cyclone Sitrang
The West Bengal government has taken all precautionary measures, including evacuation of people and supply of relief materials to shelters, to deal with possible devastation under the impact of cyclone 'Sitrang', a senior official said on Monday.

Several teams of the disaster management department along with SDRF and NDRF personnel have been posted in coastal areas of the state, he said.

"No tourists and fishermen are being allowed to go into the sea. Special teams of police along with State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed. We are not taking chances," a senior official told PTI.

Administrations of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur have been kept on alert as 'Sitrag' is expected to bring in its wake heavy to very heavy rain and wind reaching speed of 90 to 100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph, in these districts, he said, citing the Met department bulletin.

The weather system is expected to make a landfall between Tinkona island and Sandwip in Bangladesh early on October 25.

It lay centred around 430 km south of Sagar Island on Monday morning, the weather office said.

Most of those staying in the coastal areas have been moved to safe shelters where 'plenty of drinking water pouches, medicines, milk and dry food have been supplied', the official said.

"We have asked the district administrations not to take any chance. As the day progresses, the weather condition is expected to deteriorate. We have advised people to stay indoors in case there is heavy rainfall as an impact of the cyclone," he said.

Besides, control rooms in coastal districts have been opened, and all developments are also being monitored by disaster management department personnel from the state secretariat 'Nabanna'.

Kolkata Police's disaster management groups have been kept ready to deal with the possible impact of the cyclone on Kolkata.

"All ghats along the Hooghly river in the city and ferry services have been closed. Our river patrolling teams are keeping a constant watch on the situation," a Kolkata Police officer said.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation keeps all pumping stations active to prevent waterlogging due to heavy rain under the impact of the cyclone, a civic body official said, adding that all personnel of the emergency department are on duty.

"We have kept pumping stations active so that if there is water-logging in the low-lying areas of the city, we will be able to drain out within hours. Community halls are kept open and people staying near the Hooghly river have been cautioned of possible inundation. We have directed our personnel to be ready to get into action immediately in case of any emergency," he added.   -- PTI

IMAGE: Civil defence teams deployed at Bakkhali Sea Beach in South 24 Parganas. Photograph: ANI
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18:31   Muhurat trading: Sensex jumps 635.12 points
Muhurat trading: Sensex jumps 635.12 points to 59,942.27 in first session of Samvat year 2079; Nifty trades above 17,750.  -- PTI
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
18:18   Kerala Guv issues show-cause notices to 9 VCs
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday issued notices to Vice-Chancellors of nine universities after they refused to send their resignation letters to him before 11.30 am as per his directive on Sunday.

This was disclosed by the Governor himself, who is also the chancellor of the universities in the state.

"Now, they have refused to resign. Now formal notices have been issued," Khan told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.

He said the notices were issued upholding the verdict of the Supreme Court, which has declared as 'void ab initio' any appointment as a Vice-Chancellor made on the recommendation of the Search Committee, which is constituted contrary to the provisions of the UGC regulation.

"Now, it is in the light of the Supreme Court decision why I should not declare your appointment 'void ab initio'," Khan said when asked about the details of the show-cause notices.

He said the vice-chancellors have been given time till November 3 to respond.

Khan also rejected the allegations of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that the VCs have been denied natural justice.

"I only suggested an honourable way out. I have not sacked them," the Governor said in a lengthy press conference convened to give reply to the chief minister's allegations against him.   -- PTI
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16:06   Boris loyalist Priti Patel now supports Sunak
Priti Patel, a loyalist of former British prime minister Boris Johnson, on Monday came out in support of Rishi Sunak to take over at 10 Downing Street as the Conservative Party leader after her former boss withdrew from the leadership contest.

The Indian-origin former home secretary, who resigned from the Cabinet when Liz Truss was elected the Prime Minister last month, said the Tories must put political differences aside to give Sunak the best chance of succeeding as the new leader.

Her intervention came as the former chancellor looks well poised as the frontrunner to make history as the first Indian-origin Prime Minister of the UK, with publicly voiced support for Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt still well short of the 100-MPs threshold.

In these difficult times for our country we must unite by putting public service first and work together, tweeted Patel.

We care about our country and with the enormous challenges upon us we must put political differences aside to give Rishi Sunak the best chance of succeeding, she said.

It came alongside her Diwali tweet, with images of the senior Tory MP at a temple lighting candles.

'The Hindu Festival of Light, is an auspicious and joyous festival. It is a time for self-reflection, family, friends and service to others. I wish everyone a very blessed and happy Diwali,' she said.

It follows a dramatic weekend when Johnson declared that though he had met the high hurdle of 102 nominations, enough to make the shortlist in time for the Monday deadline, he had decided not to proceed in the interest of party unity.

'There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.

'But in the course of the last days, I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can't govern effectively unless you have a united party in Parliament,' he said in a statement.

Sunak took to Twitter soon after to praise his record in office, in an apparent outreach to the Johnson loyalists within a divided Tory party.

Sunak said: 'Boris Johnson delivered Brexit and the great vaccine roll-out. He led our country through some of the toughest challenges we have ever faced, and then took on Putin and his barbaric war in Ukraine. We will always be grateful to him for that. Although he has decided not to run for PM again, I truly hope he continues to contribute to public life at home and abroad.'

There had been much talk of a rapprochement between the duo, who worked side by side at No. 10 and 11 Downing Street as the prime minister and chancellor during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, it was the pandemic lockdown law-breaking partygate scandal that ultimately brought their partnership to a halt in July when Sunak's resignation from Cabinet set events in motion that ended in Johnson's own exit.   -- PTI
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot
14:43   Karnataka Guv okays ordinance to hike SC/ST quota
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said his government will take every measure to offer legal protection to the ordinance increasing the reservation for SCs and STs in education institutions and government jobs.

The ordinance increasing the reservation for Scheduled Castes from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and Scheduled Tribes from 3 per cent to 7 per cent, got Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's assent on Sunday.

After it was approved by the Governor, it was made public through a gazette notification.

The gazette notification said the number of castes increased drastically after the inclusion of some more communities.

The total population of SCs and STs in the state went up by leaps and bounds, it added.

"There is a need to get approval of both the Houses, which we will do in the next (Assembly) session," Bommai said.

Regarding a few other recommendations on reservation, the chief minister said those proposals are pending before various commissions.

Once the report comes, the government will take action, he added.

Bommai declined to comment on the possibilities of removing or adding communities from the reservation categories saying that such decisions have to be taken within the framework of law and the Constitution.

The Karnataka government brought the ordinance for SCs and STs in accordance with the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee recommendation to increase the quota.

The move is seen as an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka to woo the SC/ST communities ahead of assembly elections, which are about six months away.   -- PTI
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14:12   Militants resurface in Pakistan's Swat valley after over a decade
The surge in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Swat District has given rise to the fear that the presence of militants and violence is making a comeback after more than a decade.

Residents of Swat returned to the streets against the wave of terrorism this week, triggered by the attack on a school van, killing the driver and injuring two children, the Dawn newspaper reported.

They demanded authorities clamp down on the increased militant activity in the region.

The protest was organised by a regional group Swat Qaumi Jirga, which witnessed the display of placards with slogans seeking the restoration of peace in the valley.

While chanting slogans and holding placards, protestors voiced their grievances as terrorism has seemingly made a return to the region.

In a report titled 'Swat: The Valley of Doom', the Al Arabiya Post said, 'Swat is strategically located in the Malakand division, forming a core around which the rest of the Malakand districts border with.'

'If the militants are able to strengthen themselves in the region, it could affect the neighbouring countries as well,' according to the report.

Due to Swat's close proximity to erstwhile tribal agencies and Afghanistan, terrorist threats are always looming on critical infrastructure and government buildings, particularly schools and hospitals, which are a complex security challenge.

Swat has recently witnessed a fresh wave of insurgency due to increased activities of TTP and targeted killings of militants, according to Al Arabiya Post.

'There have been reports of late that militants have resurfaced after 12 years and they are threatening villagers with dire consequences if they denounce them to the authorities,' the report said.

Earlier this month, Pakistan's State Minister for Law Shahadat Hussain conceded that terror activities had witnessed a sharp increase.

The highest number of terror incidents in Pakistan this year was recorded in September, said an Islamabad-based think tank pointed to the resumption of attacks by the outlawed TTP.

The number of terror attacks increased in September compared to August this year, the Dawn said in an earlier report citing the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

September witnessed 42 militant attacks with an increase of 35 per cent compared to August.

The Pakistani think tank also observed an increase of 106 per cent in violence in erstwhile Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).   -- ANI
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13:40   Army officer meets Modi after 21 yrs
It was an emotional reunion of a kind in Kargil when a young Army officer presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a 2001 picture of him with the then Gujarat chief minister during his visit to the Sainik School where he studied.

Major Amit, officials said, had met Modi at the Sainik School in Balachadi in Gujarat.

Modi had visited the school soon after taking over as the state's chief minister in October.

"Today they met again in Kargil and it was a very emotional meeting," an official said.

The picture shows Amit and another student receiving a shield from Modi.

The prime minister celebrated Diwali with soldiers in Kargil, following his custom of spending time with armed forces personnel on this festival every year since he became prime minister in 2014.  -- PTI
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12:55   Pakistan journalist shot dead in Kenya, says wife
A senior Pakistan journalist, who was booked on charges of sedition and peddling anti-state narrative by the country's security agencies earlier this year, was shot dead in Kenya, his wife said on Monday.

Arshad Sharif, 49, a former reporter and TV anchor with ARY TV, and known for his proximity to former prime minister Imran Khan, had relocated to Kenya.

Sharif's wife Javeria Siddique took to Twitter on Monday to confirm the news of his death.

'I lost friend, husband and my favourite journalist today, as per police he was shot in Kenya, she said in a tweet. Respect our privacy and in the name of breaking pls don't share our family pics, personal details and his last pictures from hospital. Remember us in ur prayers (sic),' she added.

Foreign Office spokesman Asim Iftikhar said Pakistan's High Commission in Kenya were ascertaining information from authorities, according to the Dawn newspaper.

In August, Sharif was booked on charges of sedition for interviewing Khan's close aide Shehbaz Gill.

In the interview, Gill criticised the Shehbaz Sharif government for trying to pitch Khan against the country's powerful army.

Sharif subsequently fled the country, while ARY Network said it had parted ways with the journalist.

Sharif was born in the port city of Karachi in 1973, and started his journalistic career three decades ago.

He was awarded the Pride of Performance' in 2019 by Pakistan President Arif Alvi.

The journalist was last seen in the trailer of a documentary film titled Behind Closed Doors.

Arshad Sharif's death Is a great loss to journalism and Pakistan.

May his soul rest in peace and may his family, which includes his followers, have the strength to bear this loss, President Alvi said in a tweet.

His friends have called for an investigation into Sharif's death.   -- PTI
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12:15   Governor acting like a tool of RSS: Kerala CM
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that Governor Arif Mohammad Khan was acting as a tool of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and is misusing his powers while attempting to disrupt the functioning of universities in the state.

"Governor is misusing the Chancellor post to exercise more powers than he holds. It is undemocratic and encroachment on the powers of the Vice Chancellors. The Governor's post is not to move against the government but to uphold the Constitution's dignity. He's acting as a tool of RSS," Vijayan said today.

Vijayan's remarks come ahead of the deadline given by Governor Khan late on Sunday for vice-chancellors of all nine universities in the state to submit their resignations.

The chief minister further said that Governor or chancellor don't have the right to remove vice-chancellors and there is no such option in the University Act.

"Supreme Court verdict against Technology University's vice-chancellor is not applicable to all vice-chancellors. On the basis of that verdict, the Governor cannot demand other vice-chancellors on the basis of that act. Governor or Chancellor don't have the right to remove vice-chancellors. There is no such option in the University act," he said.

As per an order issued by the Kerala Governor- Vice-Chancellors of the University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kannur University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunachath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University have been asked to resign from their posts.

The Governor issued the order upholding the Supreme Court order which quashed the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.

According to the PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan, letters have been sent directing the vice chancellors of 9 Universities to tender their resignation by 11.30 am on October 24.

The letters have been emailed to the VCs and registrars of the varsities concerned, the PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan said.

'Upholding the verdict of Hon'ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal Nos.7634-7635 of 2022(@ SLP(c)Nos.21108-21109 of 2021), Hon'ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan has directed Vice Chancellors of 9 varsities in Kerala to tender resignation,' Raj Bhawan said in a tweet quoting PRO of Kerala Raj Bhavan.

The Raj Bhavan said Khan also directed that the resignations reach him by 11.30 am on Monday.

This comes after the Supreme Court set aside the appointment of M S Rajasree as Vice-Chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

A bench of justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar allowed the appeal filed by Professor Sreejith P S challenging the Kerala high court order dated August 2, 2021.

The court noted that even as per Section 13(4) of the University Act, 2015, the Committee shall recommend unanimously a panel of not less than three suitable persons from amongst the eminent persons in the field of engineering sciences, which shall be placed before the Visitor/Chancellor.

As per the UGC Regulations also, the Visitor/Chancellor shall appoint the vice chancellor out of the panel of names recommended by the Search Committee.

Therefore, when only one name was recommended and the panel of names was not recommended, the Chancellor had no option to consider the names of the other candidates, the top court observed.

At a recent event, Governor Khan while pointing out the issue of the VC appointment to various universities in Kerala said the Supreme Court itself had earlier made it clear that the appointment of the vice-chancellors was the responsibility of the Governor.

"Supreme Court has made it clear appointment of Vice Chancellor is the only responsibility of the Chancellor. The state government has no role in it," he said.    -- ANI
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11:14   Protestors hack into Iran's atomic energy agency
As protests over the death of Mahsa Amini continue to escalate in Iran, the country's nuclear energy agency on Sunday alleged that an email server of one of its subsidiaries was broken into hackers acting on behalf of a foreign country. 

The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed the cyber attack on the email server of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant which is situated along the Persian Gulf from "a certain foreign country," reported Anadolu agency.    

"It is worth noting that the content in (hacked) users' emails carried technical messages and common, daily exchanges," according to the energy agency officials.           

Built using Russian technology in 2011, Bushehr is Iran's first nuclear power plant situated along the Persian Gulf.           

Nationwide protests have gripped Iran for weeks following the death of Amini after she was taken into custody by the government's morality police for apparently not wearing her hijab properly. 

Her death in custody sparked violent clashes between demonstrators and authorities, reportedly leaving scores dead. -- ANI
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10:59   Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to direct new 'Star Wars' movie
Ms Marvel director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has been tapped to helm a new Star Wars film with Damon Lindelof attached as co-writer. 

According to entertainment website Deadline, the Lucasfilm project is currently under scripting stage. 

The movie is being touted as a first major big screen release for Lucasfilm after 2019's Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

The studio has been focusing on its TV projects -- The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor-- over recent years since then. 

Obaid-Chinoy, best known for her Oscar-winning documentary shorts Saving Face, A Girl in the River and The Price of Forgiveness, recently directed several episodes of Disney's hit series Ms Marvel. -- PTI
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10:32   Here's another photo of Modi in Kargil
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kargil today to spend Diwali with the troops.
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10:25   Today's matches at T20 World Cup
South Africa and Bangladesh will be aiming to make a winning start as they play their first match in the Super 12s round on Monday.

Bangladesh vs Netherlands, 9.30am IST

South Africa vs Zimbabwe, 1.30pm IST
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10:20   Goods train derails in Maha, many passenger trains cancelled or diverted
Twenty coal wagons of a goods train derailed in Maharashtra's Amravati district, affecting the rail route due to which many passenger trains were cancelled, short-terminated or diverted, railway officials said on Monday. 

There was no report of any casualty. 

The derailment took place at 11.20 pm on Sunday between Malkhed and Timatla stations on Wardha-Badnera section of the Nagpur division, a release by the Central Railway said. 

The up and down lines on the section were affected, it said. 

This resulted in the cancellation of various trains including 11122 Wardha-Bhusaval, 12140 Nagpur-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, 12119 Amravati-Nagpur, 11040 Gondia-Kolhapur, 01372 Wardha-Amravati, 17642 Narkher-Kacheguda, 11121 Bhusaval-Wardha, 12106 Gondia-CSMT, 12136 Nagpur-Pune, 12120 Ajni-Amravati,12140 Nagpur-CSMT and 01374 Nagpur-Wardha. 

A number of other trains diverted via Chandur Bazar-Narkhed, Nagpur-Narkhed-Chandur Bazar-Badnera, Wadi-Daund-Manmad-Jalgaon, Bhusaval-Khandwa-Itarsi-Nagpur,d Akola-Secunderabad and other routes. -- PTI
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09:54   Modi in Kargil to celebrate Diwali with soldiers
Continuing with his annual tradition of celebrating Diwali with soldiers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Kargil. 

Last year, Modi celebrated Diwali with soldiers in Nowshera, Jammu. 

He had lauded the soldiers for serving on Indian borders and pointed out that security personnel were the suraksha kawach (armour) of the nation. 

The prime minister further said that it is because of the soldiers that people can sleep peacefully.           

In 2020, Modi while celebrating Diwali with soldiers at Longewala in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan had said that as long as the Indian soldiers are present, this country's Diwali celebrations would continue in full swing and be luminescent.           

In 2019, the prime minister celebrated Diwali with soldiers in the Rajouri district along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. 

He had exchanged Diwali greetings with the Indian Air Force personnel at Pathankot Air Force Station.           

In 2018, Modi had celebrated Diwali with jawans of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, at Harsil in Uttarakhand. 

Following that he had offered prayers at the Kedarnath shrine. 

In 2017, the Prime Minister celebrated the festival of light with army soldiers and Border Security Force personnel in the Gurez Valley of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district.           

In 2016, he went to Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the festival with Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel at an outpost.           

He visited the Punjab border to celebrate Diwali with soldiers in 2015.           
In 2014, Prime Minister Modi spent Diwali in Siachen with soldiers. -- ANI
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09:28   Dalit thrashed, tonsured for theft in UP, local BJP leader among 3 arrested
A 30-year-old Dalit man was allegedly tied to an electric pole, thrashed, tonsured, and his face blackened by three men on the suspicion of stealing a toilet seat in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, the police said on Sunday. 

All the accused, including a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader, have been arrested, they said. 

The incident, which took place on Wednesday in Pure Hind Singh village under Hardia police station area, came to the fore after its purported video surfaced on social media. 

In the video, the Dalit man identified as Rajesh Kumar, a daily wager, is seen being thrashed and paraded by the accused. 

The police registered an FIR against three persons in the case and initiated investigations. 

Additional Superintendent of police Ashok Kumar said an FIR under relevant sections of IPC and SC/ST Act against local BJP leader Radheshyam Mishra, Saroj alias Renu Vajpai and Rakesh Tiwari was lodged on Thursday. -- PTI
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09:08   Guv gives nod to ordinance increasing SC/ST reservation in K'taka
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Sunday gave his assent to the ordinance increasing the reservation for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the state. 

With the passage of the ordinance, which was in accordance with the Justice Nagamohan Das committee report, the reservation for the scheduled castes will increase from existing 15 per cent to 17 per cent, and for the scheduled tribes from existing three per cent to seven per cent. 

The state cabinet had cleared the ordinance a few days ago. 

On Sunday, it finally got the governor's nod. 

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai welcomed the decision and said the ordinance will be tabled in both Houses of the Karnataka Legislature to get it cleared there. 

"Our government marched ahead with a commitment to increase the reservation. This is a gift from our government to the SC/ST," Bommai said. 

The ordinance is aimed at providing for reservation of seats in educational institutions in Karnataka and of appointments or posts in the services under the state for the persons belonging to the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes. 

The gazette notification said the number of castes increased drastically after the inclusion of some more communities. -- PTI
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08:52   Cyclone Sitrang now 520 km south of Sagar Island
The India meteorological department on Sunday said that the cyclonic storm 'Sitrang' is at present situated about 520 km south of Sagar Island and 670 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh.           

"To move north-northeastwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 12 hrs. To cross the Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip," the IMD said.    

At 3.17 am on Monday, the cyclone was 520 km south of Sagar Island in West Bengal and 670 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh, as per IMD.           

IMD further said, "It is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours. Continuing to move north-northeastwards thereafter, it is very likely to cross Bangladesh coast between Tinkona Island and Sandwip close to Barisal around October 25 early morning."           

In the wake of Cyclone Sitrang, the IMD issued an advisory pertaining to the suspension of offshore activities in the north Bay of Bengal from October 24-25 along with issuing a warning of the possible impact of the storm in North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts of West Bengal. -- ANI
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08:44   Diwali morning: Delhi's air quality inches closer to 'very poor' levels
Delhi's air quality inched closer to the "very poor" category on Monday morning as unfavourable meteorological conditions allowed accumulation of pollutants while emissions from firecrackers and stubble burning compounded the situation. 

On Sunday evening, the city reported a 24-hour average air quality index of 259, the lowest for the day before Diwali in seven years. 

However, pollution levels crept up at night amid a drop in temperature and wind speed as people burst firecrackers in several parts of the capital. 

The number of farm fires rose to 1,318, the highest this season so far. Delhi's AQI stood at 298 at 6 am on Monday. 

Nineteen of the 35 monitoring stations in the city recorded air quality in the "very poor" category, while one (Anand Vihar) reported "severe" pollution levels. 

The neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (300), Noida (299), Greater Noida (282), Gurugram (249) and Faridabad (248) reported poor air quality. 

SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Union ministry of earth sciences, had earlier predicted that the air quality may deteriorate to "very poor" on Monday morning due to calm winds and low temperatures which allow rapid accumulation of pollutants in the air. 

It will continue to remain "very poor" if no firecrackers are burst, it said. -- PTI
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08:39   9 civilians killed in al-Shabab attack in Somalia
Nine civilians were killed in an attack on a hotel in Somalia's port city Kismayo on Sunday, media reports said.      

The assault began at 09:45 GMT when a car laden with explosives plunged into the hotel Tawakal's gate which led to the incident. 

Later, the security forces killed the gunmen. 

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the al-Shabab armed group, reported Al Jazeera.   

The security officers killed three of the attackers and a fourth died in the bomb blast, said Yussuf Hussein Dhumal, security minister for Jubbaland, Somalia.      

"In the explosion, nine people including students and civilians were killed and 47 others were injured, some of them seriously," Dhumal said and added that "the hotel where the explosion happened was near a school so many students were injured."      

"This is not a government target," said police officer Abdullahi Ismail. 

"It is just an ordinary, civilian-frequented hotel." Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab's military operation spokesperson, said the group intended to strike Jubbaland region's administrators who work from the hotel. -- ANI
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08:31   Modi wishes people on Diwali
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday greeted people on Diwali and wished that the festival brought them joy and well-being. 

He tweeted, "Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali. Diwali is associated with brightness and radiance. May this auspicious festival further the spirit of joy and well-being in our lives. I hope you have a wonderful Diwali with family and friends." -- PTI
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08:18   Johnson pulls out of PM race, Sunak closer to win
In a surprise move, former British PM Boris Johnson on Sunday announced that he will not be contesting the Conservative Party leadership race, with frontrunner Rishi Sunak moving a step closer to be elected Britain's first Indian-origin prime minister. 

The 55-year-old former leader claimed he had crossed the 100-MPs threshold but decided not to go forward in the interest of Tory party's unity. 

In a statement, Johnson who resigned in July in the wake of the partygate' scandal of COVID-19 lockdown law-breaking parties said he had "cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations", but came to the conclusion that "this is simply not the right time". 

"I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds, Johnson said. I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.. And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this," he added. -- PTI

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