Latest LIVE: SC to review 2 points in PMLA verdict, issues notice to Centre

From Supreme Court's hearing on review plea of PMLA, remission order of Bilkis Bano convicts, to latest Covid and Russia-Ukraine war updates, catch all the latest news here

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that out of 29 phones submitted for examination, malware was found in five, but there was no conclusive proof that the spyware was Pegasus. The SC bench, led by Chief Justice NV Ramana, said that the committee informed the court that the central government did not cooperate with it in the probe. 

The top court also agreed to examine a plea seeking a review of the PMLA verdict which upheld the Enforcement Directorate's powers, including those relating to arrest, and sought response from the Centre on the issue. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said prima facie two issues, including not providing Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), requires reconsideration. The apex court also sought responses from the Centre and the Gujarat government on a plea challenging the remission granted to 11 life convicts in the case of Bilkis Bano's gangrape and murder of her family members.

India on Thursday recorded 10,725 new Covid cases, taking the coronavirus tally to 44,378,920. India's death toll reached 527,488, with 36 new additions, including five more reconciled by Kerala, in the last 24 hours. With 13,084 new cured cases, India's tally of recovered Covid cases has reached 43,757,385.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the 44th National Conference of Labour Ministers and Secretaries of all states and Union Territories on Thursday via video conferencing. The two-day conference is being organised by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment on 25-26 August, 2022 at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The conference will be presided over by Union Labour Minister Bhupinder Yadav.

The Division bench of Delhi High Court will pass judgment on Thursday on petitions filed by WhatsApp and Facebook challenging a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday reiterated his call for Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Chief Minister alleged that the BJP "creates trouble" in society and the Opposition will visit every nook and corner of the country and make people and society aware of the wrong policies implemented by the government including the discrimination on the basis of religion.
 

Russian forces on Wednesday launched a rocket attack on a train station in central Ukraine on the embattled country's Independence Day, killing at least 15 people and wounding about 50, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after warning for days that Moscow might attempt something particularly cruel this week. The lethal attack took place in Chaplyne, a town of about 3,500 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Zelenskyy told the UN Security Council via video.

3:00 PM

Incoherent judgements have serious impact on dignity of judicial institutions: SC

The Supreme Court has said that incoherent judgements have a serious impact on the dignity of judicial institutions and suggested guidelines based on a formula to be followed by the constitutional courts while writing verdicts.

 

The top court said that to ensure accessibility of verdicts, especially for those with a disability, all judicial institutions must endeavour that the judgements and orders being published by them do not carry improperly placed watermarks as they end up making the documents inaccessible for persons with a visual disability who use screen readers to access them.

2:59 PM

Saudan Singh appointed as chief election in-charge for Himachal polls

Saudan Singh appointed as chief election in-charge and Devender Singh Rana appointed as election co-in charge for the upcoming polls in Himachal Pradesh

2:53 PM

UP minister Bhupendra Chaudhary appointed state's BJP chief

Uttar Pradesh minister Bhupendra Chaudhary appointed state's BJP chief

 

2:52 PM

Rajib Bhattacharjee appointed as Tripura BJP president

Rajib Bhattacharjee appointed as Tripura BJP president

2:52 PM

Key for India to break Pak's opening partnership, force middle order to do what they don't want to: Styris

Former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris is of the opinion that breaking Pakistan's opening partnership and forcing their middle order to do which they won't be wishing to do will be the key for India to upstage their arch-rivals in the marquee clash on August 28.

Sunday's clash at Dubai will see the resumption of 'greatest rivalry' in the world of cricket when India and Pakistan open their Asia Cup Group A campaign. This will also be the first meeting between these two teams after facing off in the Men's T20 World Cup last year in the UAE, where Pakistan secured a resounding ten-wicket victory over India, their first such victory in Men's World Cups.

2:49 PM

BJP gen secy Sunil Bansal to visit Bengal from Aug 28

Given the task of its organisational affairs in West Bengal and Telangana, BJP general secretary Sunil Bansal will be on a three-day visit to the eastern state from August 28 and visit the southern region later.

Sources said he will attend a training programme in Bengal where BJP leaders from different parts of the state will participate, giving Bansal a chance to interact with the start party's functionaries at one place.

Bansal was recently relieved from his duties as the party's Uttar Pradesh general secretary (organisation) and elevated as a national general secretary.

2:49 PM

Qatar to invest $3 billion in Pakistan's commercial, investment sectors

Qatar's state-owned investment authority has announced that it will invest $3 billion on commercial and investment sectors in cash-strapped Pakistan, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha.

Sharif's visit to Qatar comes ahead of an International Monetary Fund meeting next week that is expected to approve more than USD 1 billion in financing that has been stalled since the beginning of the year.

Qatar's Amiri Diwan, the administrative office of the Emir, on Wednesday made the announcement following a meeting Prime Minister Sharif had with the sovereign fund officials a day ago, the Dawn News reported.

2:30 PM

No communication received: Jharkhand CM's office on EC's letter to Guv

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday alleged blatant misuse of constitutional authorities and public agencies after reports claimed that the Election Commission recommended his disqualification as an MLA in the mining lease case.

No communication in this regard has been received by the Chief Minister's Office from either the Election Commission or Governor Ramshe Bains, his secretariat said.

"It apparently seems that BJP leaders including a BJP MP and his puppet journalists have themselves drafted the ECI report, which is otherwise a sealed cover report," Soren said in a statement issued by his secretariat.

2:24 PM

Soren mining lease: Political temperatures soar in J'Khand as ruling camp, oppn wait for EC opinion

Political temperatures have risen in Jharkhand as the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance and the opposition BJP keenly waits for Governor Ramesh Bais to return to the state and inform them about the Election Commission's opinion on a plea seeking Chief Minister Hemant Soren's disqualification as an MLA for allegedly violating electoral law.

The BJP, the petitioner in the case, has sought Soren's disqualification under section 9 A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 -- which deals with disqualification for government contracts -- for allegedly extending a mining lease to himself.

The opinion was sent to the Jharkhand Raj Bhavan in a sealed cover this morning, sources there said.

2:17 PM

Election for Congress president likely to postpone for a few weeks

The election for Congress President is likely to be postponed for a few weeks, final schedule will be taken in the CWC meeting on August 28th, reports ANI quoting sources.
Earlier it was announced that election schedule will be from August 21 to September 20,

2:10 PM

All leading realty firms will end up being national players: Pirojsha Godrej

All leading real estate developers will eventually become national players and compete with each other across the country, Godrej Properties Executive Chairman Pirojsha Godrej said, signalling maturity in India's property market.

Pirojsha said the company is in a good position to take up the challenge because of the Godrej brand and its understanding of the property market.

"I think our view is, we have been saying for a while, all the leading developers will end up being national developers. So I think these top four five developers will be competing with each other across the country," Pirojsha Godrej said in an interview to PTI.

2:08 PM

Chambal river flowing above danger mark in Rajasthan's Dholpur

Chambal river is flowing above the danger mark in Dholpur. The Indian Army is conducting rescue operation in 80 flood-affected villages. 

1:49 PM

Shiv Sena factions target each other in Maha Vidhan Bhavan premises

Legislators of the Shiv Sena faction of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde targeted former minister Aaditya Thackeray by displaying a banner against him on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan here on Thursday.

 

Aaditya Thackeray countered them by shouting a slogan implying that MLAs of the Shinde faction got money to switch loyalty, which had resulted in the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress.

1:43 PM

BJP's 'Operation Lotus' has failed in Delhi: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday said that the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' has failed in Delhi.

Addressing reporters after a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence earlier in the day, AAP spokesman Saurabh Bharadwaj said that "all AAP MLAs are in our contact and the Delhi government is completely stable without any hindrance".

"Today, we officially announce that the BJP'S 'Operation Lotus' has failed in Delhi," Bhardwaj added.

1:28 PM

India's first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant to be commissioned on September 3

The commissioning of the indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant will contribute in ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Vice Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral SN Ghormade said on Thursday.

INS Vikrant will be commissioned into the Navy at an event in Kochi on September which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

Vice Admiral Ghormade said the commissioning of the aircraft carrier will be an "unforgettable" day as it will significantly enhance the country's overall maritime capabilities.