Month: April 2025

[ad_1] KOCHI: Kerala HC issued Wednesday notices to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, and others in a PIL seeking a CBI inquiry into alleged financial dealings between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd and Veena’s firm Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd. The next hearing is scheduled for May 27. Before admitting the petition, the HC division bench of judges Amit Rawal and P M Manoj directed the central government to submit in a sealed cover a list of people named in the interim settlement board's order under the Income Tax department related to the transactions involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). The plea was filed by senior journalist M R Ajayan, who also sought an inquiry into alleged political connections between the companies and CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Ajayan's plea relies on findings by the interim settlement board, which […]

[ad_1] Teachers have the onerous task of inculcating values. They have the task of creating and maintaining a pristine atmosphere around a student so as to nurture creativity. It would be naive to accept such qualities from persons obtaining employment by dubious means," observed Calcutta high court while setting aside the recruitment process for teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal. The HC judgment was upheld by Supreme Court on April 3.The two judgments affected almost 25,000 people recruited for government-aided educational institutes by West Bengal School Selection Commission (WBSSC) through a process, which started in 2016 but went on up to 2020. The process, the two courts ruled, was so "unashamedly" manipulative that the teachers it produced should have no business to get anywhere near a young student. Of the 25,000 recruitments, more than 18,000 were for teaching staff […]

[ad_1] CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary and leader of the opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami clarified Wednesday that the party's alliance with BJP is purely an electoral pact for contesting the 2026 assembly election and not a commitment to form a coalition govt after the polls.Addressing reporters Wednesday, Palaniswami emphasised that the distinction is critical to dispel misconceptions and political narratives suggesting a deeper integration. "Union home minister Amit Shah never said there would be a coalition govt in Tamil Nadu after the election. We only said we are part of an alliance. We never said we would form a coalition govt. Why is DMK irritated when we form an alliance? DMK is afraid. Even Amit Shah didn't mention coalition governance. He said, 'Modi for Delhi' and referred to me for Tamil Nadu (to lead the alliance)," Palaniswami said.Meanwhile, responding to Palaniswami's […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: SG said there was no basis for the apprehension of fresh scrutiny of ‘waqf by user’ properties. It was meant to enable only those Muslims who had already created a trust for charity, by assuring that their properties would not be treated as waqf property, he said. CJI said, “Before the British came to India, there was no concept of registering properties on transfer. How will someone produce documentary proof of a waqf if it was done during the 14th to 19th century. Jama Masjid in Delhi may be ‘waqf by user’. Who will produce documentary proof for this? But at the same time, no one can make an absurd claim that Parliament or Delhi HC land is waqf land.” Mehta said Muslim charity commissioners could enter temples and have been entering temples. “The Tamil Nadu govt […]

[ad_1] MUMBAI: In a gesture of support, Japan will gift India two Shinkansen train sets, E5 and E3, equipped for inspection on the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor. The two trains are expected to arrive by early 2026 and will be instrumental in familiarising Indian engineers with Shinkansen technology ahead of the corridor's commissioning. According to a report by Japan Times, both countries are planning to introduce the next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains on the MAHSR corridor in the early 2030s.Phase 1 of the corridor is expected to open on a 48 km stretch between Surat and Bilimora in Aug 2026. The other sections will be opened in phases as work is completed. Progress in Maharashtra remains sluggish, largely due to delays in the arrival of tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Tunnelling work, particularly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), […]

[ad_1] Justice Dinesh Maheshwari (LEFT, Image Credit: X/@MLJ_GoI) NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday appointed former SC judge, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, as chairman of the 23rd Law Commission. The terms of reference of the panel includes submitting a report on UCC, a study on laws affecting poor, and identifying laws that are hindrance to India's economic growth.The 23rd law commission, which was notified on Sept 2 last year, has a tenure of three years, till Aug 2027. It has provision for a chairman, four full-time members, including member secretary, two secretaries of law ministry and not more than five part time members. Justice Maheshwari retired from the apex court in May 2023.The 22nd Law Commission was headed by Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, who demitted office before completing his tenure as he was appointed as member of the Lokpal. During his […]