Top news of the day: 56% voting in 2nd phase of J&K polls; Special Court orders Mysuru Lokayukta probe against CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA scam case, and more

The major news headlines of the day and more.

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections: Voting concludes, voter turnout at 56%

The second phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) saw a voter turnout of 56%. The voting began at 7 a.m. amid tight security arrangements. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi seat in the Jammu region recorded the overall highest turnout at 75.29%, followed closely by Poonch-Haveli (72.71%), Gulbgarh (ST) at 72.19% and Surankote (72.18%), according to official data at 5 p.m.

MUDA case: Special Court orders probe by Mysuru Lokayukta against CM Siddaramaiah, sets the stage for FIR against him

A Special Court here on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) ordered a Lokayukta police probe against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case, setting the stage for filing of an FIR against him. The order of the Special Court Judge, Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, came a day after the High Court upheld the sanction granted by the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife B M Parvathi by MUDA.

Badlapur encounter: Bombay High Court says probe into death of sexual assault case accused should be fair, impartial

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) said the probe into the killing of Badlapur sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde in a shootout should be carried out in a fair and impartial manner. The shootout could have been avoided if the police had tried to overpower Shinde first, the HC said, adding it was very hard to believe that he managed to seize a pistol from a police officer and open fire. Why the accused was shot in the head, and not on hand or legs first? the court asked.

If Congress comes to power even by mistake, it will ruin Haryana with its infighting: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) launched a blistering attack on the Congress saying if it comes to power in Haryana even by mistake, stability and development will be at stake because of its “infighting” and this will ruin the State. Addressing a poll rally in Gohana in this district for the October 5 assembly polls, he also lashed out at the Congress over the issue of reservation, alleging opposing reservation and and hatred towards it are in its DNA..

India sharing info between Russia and Ukraine; hoping to usher in peace: Jaishankar

The Russia-Ukraine war is not going to be resolved on the battlefield, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday (September 24, 2024), adding that the government was speaking to both sides to see if it could do anything to hasten the end of the war and initiate serious negotiations between the two countries. “This is a kind of exploration that we have been doing. I mean, it’s not that we have a peace plan,” Mr. Jaishankar said during a discussion at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York.

India-China relationship key to Asia’s future, their parallel rises present unique problem: Jaishankar

The India-China relationship is key to the future of Asia and it will influence not just the continent but the entire world, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, noting that the “parallel rises” of the two countries present a “very unique problem” in today’s global politics. “I think the India-China relationship is key to the future of Asia. In a way, you can say that if the world is to be multi-polar, Asia has to be multi-polar. And therefore this relationship will influence not just the future of Asia, but in that way, perhaps the future of the world as well,” Mr. Jaishankar said in his address at an event titled ‘India, Asia and the World’ hosted by Asia Society and the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York on Tuesday (Sept. 24).

Stop making ‘casual’ remarks in court that reveal communal or gender biases, Supreme Court tells judges

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said a Karnataka High Court judge’s reference to a Muslim-dominated part of Bengaluru as ‘Pakistan’ was “fundamentally wrong under the Constitution”, while warning judges against making “casual observations” revealing communal bias or misogynism during judicial proceedings live-streamed across the country. A five-judge Special Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud was hearing a suo motu case on video clips featuring Justice V. Srishananda’s ‘Pakistan’ remark, and sexist banter addressed to a woman lawyer, during two separate judicial proceedings on June 6 and August 28, respectively.

Kangana withdraws remark calling for bringing back farm laws, expresses regret

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) withdrew her remarks calling for bringing back the three farm laws that were repealed in 2021, and said those were her personal opinions and did not represent the party’s stand. The actor-politician said she must remember that she is not only an artiste but also a BJP member now and her statements should be in line with her party’s policies. She said she might have disappointed many with her statements on the contentious laws which she regretted.

INDIA bloc will hit road if J&K Statehood not restored after polls: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) said restoration of Statehood was the “right” of people of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the INDIA bloc will hit the road and use “full force” in Parliament and outside if the Centre fails to restore it after Assembly polls. In an election rally here, he said the 2019 decision to bifurcate the erstwhile State into two Union Territories (UTs) was “a grave injustice” to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Hema Committee report: SIT questions actor Edavela Babu

Actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) Edavela Babu was being interrogated by the special investigation team (SIT) probing the complaints against Malayalam film personalities in the wake of the K. Hema Committee report. Mr. Babu turned up for interrogation at the Coastal Police headquarters in Kochi on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) morning and was being questioned by a team led by Coastal AIG G. Poonkuzhali. He was earlier booked by the Ernakulam Town North police, including for rape charges, on a complaint lodged by a woman actor.

‘Rat-like’ RSS invaded Jharkhand, BJP bought some leaders: Hemant Soren

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday (September 24, 2024) compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh with “rats” and accused both the BJP and the RSS of attempting to undermine communal harmony in the State for electoral gains. Addressing a rally at Bhognadih in Sahibganj, Mr. Hemant Soren claimed that the BJP is sowing discord between Hindu and Muslim communities, specifically pointing to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s involvement. “RSS is invading the state like rats and destroying it. Chase such forces away when you see them entering your villages with ‘handia’ and ‘daru’ (locally brewed liquor)... They want to create communal disturbances and tension ahead of elections for political gains,” Mr. Hemant Soren said speaking at the rally virtually from Ranchi.

Lucknow HDFC Bank employee dies at work, colleagues suspect work pressure

A woman employee of HDFC Bank in Lucknow died at work on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) after collapsing on the ground allegedly due to work pressure. The employee, Sadaf Fatima, who was posted as a additional deputy vice-president at HDFC Bank’s Vibhuti Khand branch in Lucknow, suddenly became unconscious and collapsed on the floor at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday (September 24, 2024). Her body has been sent for post-mortem and it is suspected that she suffered a heart attack. The deceased woman’s colleagues said that she was under stress due to work pressure. Fatima, in her 40s, was from the Wazirganj locality in Lucknow.

Supreme Court assures help to poor Dalit youth who lost IIT seat for not depositing fees

The Supreme Court has assured help to a poor Dalit youth, who lost his hard-earned seat in IIT Dhanbad after he narrowly missed the deadline to deposit ₹17,500 as acceptance fee after clearing the prestigious exam in his last attempt. “We will help you as far as possible. But what were you doing for the last three months as the fee deposit deadline expired on June 24,” a bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra told the counsel for 18-year-old Atul Kumar on Tuesday (September 24, 2024).

Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it launched rocket targeting Mossad base near Tel Aviv

Lebanon’s Hezbollah said on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) it launched a rocket targeting Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv, which it says was responsible for assassinating its leaders and blowing up pagers and walkie-talkies used by the group, in a new escalation. Warning sirens sounded in Israel’s economic capital Tel Aviv as a single surface-to-surface missile was intercepted by air defence systems after it was detected crossing from Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

Joe Biden, Bill Clinton rally behind Bangladesh interim leader Yunus

U.S. President Joe Biden met Tuesday (September 25, 2024) with Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus on the margins of the U.N.’s annual summit, in a show of support after an uprising toppled the country’s autocratic government. Mr. Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, later received high praise from former president Bill Clinton, who hailed their 40-year-long friendship and the global impact of the Bangladeshi’s pioneering microfinance loans. The 84-year-old economist was appointed as the country’s “Chief Advisor” in August following the bloody, student-led movement that ousted premier Sheikh Hasina, who has since fled the country.

China test-fires intercontinental ballistic missile into Pacific Ocean amid Taiwan tension

China test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday (September 25, 2024), stirring security concerns in the region already tense over Beijing’s territorial claims and rivalry with the U.S. The ICBM carried a dummy warhead and fell into a designated area of the sea, the Defence Ministry said in a statement posted to social media. The launch by the People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force was part of routine annual training, complied with international law and was not directed against any country or target, according to the statement.

Harry Brook hits century as England keeps ODI series alive by ending Australia’s 14-match winning run

England captain Harry Brook struck his first one-day international century before his team clinched a 46-run win by the DLS method to keep alive the series against Australia on Tuesday. Chasing 305 to win the third ODI, England was 254-4 — with Brook unbeaten on 110 — when heavy rain arrived in the day-nighter at Chester-le-Street. The teams didn’t get back on the field and England was well ahead of the run-rate.

Published - September 25, 2024 07:52 pm IST