LIVE: Republic TV CEO remanded to police custody till Dec 15 in TRP case

Stay tuned for latest news updates

9:00 PM

Over 51.5% votes polled in sixth phase of Jammu and Kashmir's DDC polls

Over 51.5 per cent of 7.48 lakh electorates exercised their franchise on Sunday in the sixth phase of the District Development Council elections, which covered 31 constituencies spread over 18 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, State Election Commissioner K K Sharma said. The polling started at 7 am and ended at 2 pm peacefully across the Union Territory, with Jammu Division recording 68.56 per cent voting and Kashmir Division registering 31.55 per cent, Sharma told reporters here.

 

He said Poonch district in Jammu recorded the highest voter turnout of 76.78 per cent, while Shopian district in south Kashmir the lowest at 4.60 per cent. In Jammu Division, where most parts were engulfed by dense fog early in the morning, enthusiastic voters started thronging the polling booths even before the start of the voting.

 

Poonch district was followed in the voter turnout by Rajouri at 74.03 per cent, Reasi 74.02 per cent, Udhampur 72.04 per cent, Ramban 71.34 per cent, Samba 70.01 per cent, Jammu 66.32 per cent, Doda 62.93 per cent and Kathua 60.95 per cent.

 

Similarly, in Kashmir Division, where most parts are reeling under sub-zero temperatures after the recent snowfall, Ganderbal recorded a voter turnout of 58.45 per cent, followed by Kupwara (51.08 per cent), Bandipora (47.66), Kulgam (37.74), Baramulla (34.56), Budgam (30.99), Anantnag (24.06), Pulwama (8.16) and Shopian (4.60).

8:39 PM

PM Modi to visit Kutch on Dec 15 to lay foundation stone of development projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dhordo in Gujarat's Kutch on December 15 and lay the foundation stone of several development projects in the state. These projects include a desalination plant, a hybrid renewable energy park, and a fully automated milk processing and packing plant, a release from Prime Minister's Office (PMO) informed. CM of Gujarat Vijay Rupani will be present on the occasion. Modi will also undertake a visit to the White Rann, followed by witnessing a cultural programme.

 

"This Desalination Plant, with 10 crore litre per day capacity (100 MLD), will strengthen water security in Gujarat by complementing Narmada Grid, Sauni network and treated wastewater infrastructure," the release said.

 

The release also stated that nearly eight lakh people across the regions of Mundra, Lakhpat, Abdasa and Nakhatrana talukas will receive desalinated water from this plant, which will also help in sharing the surplus to upstream districts of Bhachau, Rapar and Gandhidham. It is known to be one of the five upcoming desalination plants in Gujarat besides those at Dahej (100 MLD), Dwarka (70 MLD), Ghogha Bhavnagar (70 MLD) and Gir Somnath (30 MLD).

8:29 PM

DDC elections: 51.51% voter turnout recorded across Jammu and Kashmir

8:12 PM

SC imposes cost of Rs 15,000 on UP govt for wastage of judicial time

The Supreme Court has imposed a cost of Rs 15,000 on the Uttar Pradesh government for "wastage of judicial time" in a case in which the state had filed an appeal in the apex court after a delay of over 500 days.

 

Noting the delay in the filing of the appeal, a bench headed by Justice S K Kaul said there was not even the "courtesy" of setting out the dates as to how the files had moved.

 

"The special leave petition is delayed by 576 days (535 days as the senior counsel contends). There is not even the courtesy of setting out the dates as to how the files have moved, possibly because we have been directing responsibility to be fixed and costs to be recovered from such persons who are responsible for the delay," the bench, also comprising justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Hrishikesh Roy, said in its December 1 order.

7:42 PM

Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch

Pakistan resorted to an unprovoked ceasefire violation on Sunday by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch district's Degwar sector here.

 

The ceasefire violation took place around 5:30 pm today. The Indian Army is giving a befitting reply.

 

Notably, Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Satinder Kumar Saini on Saturday while addressing the media at the Indian Military Academy Passing Out Parade in Dehradun said that the number of ceasefire violations at the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir has increased with an escalation in the caliber of artillery used by the other side to target the innocent civilians.

7:13 PM

India's rise will evoke its own reactions and responses: S Jaishankar

India's rise will evoke its own reactions and responses, and there will be attempts to dilute the country's influence and limit its interests, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

 

Delivering the second Manohar Parrikar memorial lecture, Jaishankar also said that as India expands its global interests and reach, there is an even more compelling case to focus on its hard power. The external affairs minister said the national security challenges being faced by the "rising India" are obviously going to be different and emphasised on having greater integration and convergence between the foreign and military policies.

 

In a veiled reference to Pakistan, Jaishankar said a long-standing political rivalry is today expressed as sustained cross border terrorism by a neighbour even as he enumerated security challenges emanating from long borders as well as large maritime spaces.

 

"The world is a competitive place and India's rise will evoke its own reactions and responses. There will be attempts to dilute our influence and limit our interests. Some of thesecontestationscan be directly in the security domain, others could be reflected in economics, connectivity even in societal context," he said.

6:51 PM

#MeToo: Court to resume final hearing in M J Akbar's defamation complaint against Priya Ramani

A Delhi court is scheduled to resume on Monday the final hearing in a criminal defamation complaint filed by former Union minister M J Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct around 20 years ago. Ramani has said that her allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar, made in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018, were her truth and were made in public good. On December 10, Ramani had told the court, "I have spoken my truth. I have said it in good faith and my truth refers to a question of good faith."

 

Recently-appointed Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey will resume the hearing on Monday.

 

Since a new judge has taken over, parties are making final submissions afresh. In a previous hearing, Ramani disputed Akbar's claims of having a stellar reputation "that had been tarnished by her allegation". Akbar had filed the criminal defamation complaint against Ramani on October 15, 2018. Akbar resigned as Union minister on October 17, 2018.

6:50 PM

DDC elections: 51.51% voter turnout recorded across Jammu and Kashmir

6:36 PM

Pakistan violated ceasefire in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today

6:08 PM

Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani remanded to police custody till Dec 15 in TRP manipulation case

5:57 PM

NDA committed to serving people of Northeast: PM Modi

With the BJP set to rule the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with its new ally United People's Party Liberal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that the National Democratic Alliance is committed to serving the people of the Northeast.

 

The UPPL has won 12 seats and the BJP nine in the 40-member council. The BJP and the UPPL had not announced any formal alliance but both had indicated a possible post-poll pact.

 

In a tweet, Modi said, "NDA is committed to serving the people of the Northeast. I congratulate our ally UPPL and @BJP4Assam for securing a majority in the Assam BTC election, and wish them the very best in fulfilling people's aspirations. I thank the people for placing their faith in the NDA.

5:47 PM

Coronavirus LIVE: BJP President J P Nadda tests positive for Covid-19

5:28 PM

DDC polls: Shikara carrying BJP workers capsizes in Srinagar's Dal Lake

A shikara, carrying BJP workers and mediapersons, capsized in the Dal Lake on Sunday during campaign for the ongoing District Development Council elections. The shikara capsized when it was closing on the bank of the lake in the last leg of the rally.

 

The BJP workers and journalists were rescued by locals, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and police.

 

The shikara rally was led by Union minister Anurag Thakur, who is the BJP's in-charge for DDC elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Tarun Chug and Shahnawaz Hussain were also present in the rally.

5:07 PM

NDA committed to serving the people of the Northeast: PM Narendra Modi

4:56 PM

Latest LIVE: Gunfight breaks out between security forces, terrorists in J&K

A gunfight broke out between security forces and suspected terrorists on Sunday as police launched a search operation in the higher reaches of Surankote in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

 

Police assisted by the Army personnel launched a joint cordon-and-search operation in remote Chattapani-Dugran village after getting information about the presence of three suspected terrorists, the officials said.

 

They said the hiding terrorists opened fire on the search teams in an attempt to break the cordon. The security forces retaliated to neutralize the terrorists, the officials said, adding further details are awaited.