LIVE: MCD standing committee polls to be held on Feb 27, says Delhi mayor

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9:18 PM

Election of MCD standing committee members will be held on Feb 27: Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi

9:07 PM

FATF (Financial Action Task Force) suspends membership of Russia

9:06 PM

Better coordination among law enforcement agencies, border states needed to tackle drug menace: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday once again urged for collective efforts and strong coordination between law enforcement agencies and border states to tackle the problem of drug abuse. He expressed this view during an interaction with ANI on the occasion of the Annual Zone III Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region conference today. “Drug abuse is a national problem. It is a borderless crime, which makes the problem exceptionally challenging. Referring to the extensive international borders of the North Eastern states and the hilly terrain. Due to these factors, there is a high risk of drug trafficking in the region,” said the Lok Sabha Speaker.

 

Birla said that there is an urgent need for coordination not only among all the drug law enforcement and intelligence agencies but also among all border districts and states of the region to tackle the drug menace. The Government of India and Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah himself assured that drug trafficking cannot be tolerated at any level and agencies are very much capable to deal with this. Also, all borders are fully secured and all agencies are very attentive to counter this.

9:04 PM

A farmer in Solapur received a cheque for Rs 2 after selling 10 sacks of onion

7:32 PM

Ruckus in the House after Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi said an invalid vote cannot be called valid

7:30 PM

Punches, hair pulling at Delhi civic body amid AAP vs BJP over key poll

A fight broke out between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP councillors inside the house of Delhi's civic body after the Mayor declared one vote invalid in the election to six members of a key municipal committee. After the Mayor's action, the BJP interrupted the counting of votes. The Mayor, however, insisted the result will be declared without the invalid vote. Soon, the house fell into chaos - councillors from both sides punched, kicked, slapped and pushed one another amid shouting. Some councillors were seen with their kurtas torn. One of them also collapsed.

 

Earlier, members of the ruling AAP and the BJP climbed on tables and shouted slogans against each other in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) house. BJP members said they will not allow a recount. "One side is ready for recounting, while the other side is not. That is why I'm not recounting. The result is being declared without the invalid vote," said Shelly Oberoi, the AAP leader who was elected Mayor earlier this week after over a two-month delay.

 

At least 242 of the 250 councillors in the AAP-run civic body voted to select six members to the MCD's standing committee, a powerful body that decides how funds are to be used and on what projects. After she declared one vote invalid, Ms Oberoi came under the firing line of angry BJP councillors, who shouted "you are not in your senses" at her.

 

Some BJP councillors shouted "Jai Shri Ram" and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their rivals from the AAP shot back, "Aam Aadmi Party zindabad, Arvind Kejriwal zindabad." Seven candidates are contesting the standing committee election. The AAP nominated Aamil Malik, Raminder Kaur, Mohini Jeenwal and Sarika Chaudhary). The BJP has fielded Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Pankaj Luthra. Independent councillor Gajender Singh Daral, who joined the BJP, is also a candidate.

4:09 PM

Two more minor tremors hit Gujarat's Amreli, third in two days

Two minor tremors of 3.4 and 3.1 magnitudes were recorded in 24 hours in Gujarat's Amreli district, taking the number of such earthquakes in the area to three in the past two days, an official from the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) said on Friday, the PTI reported. 

3:35 PM

Congress party president to select CWC members: Jairam Ramesh

2:52 PM

Reconsider imposing property tax in J-K, leave decision for elected govt, says Ghulam Nabi Azad

Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration should reconsider its decision of imposing property tax in the Union Territory and leave such decisions for an elected government.

 

"I request the government to reconsider this issue and leave it for the elected government," Azad told reporters at the party's office in Sonwar here.

2:26 PM

SC ruling allowing EPS as AIADMK chief not a setback: Panneerselvam

Deposed AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Friday said the Supreme Court judgment that allowed Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) to continue as party interim chief is not a setback and asserted that he would go to the people and seek justice.

 

In his first official reaction to the top court's ruling, Panneerselvam said no verdict is a setback for them. "Only after this judgment, our party workers are enthused more," he told reporters.

2:02 PM

Baghel writes to Gehlot, seeks land in Kota for construction of hostel for Chhattisgarh students

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday requested his Rajasthan peer Ashok Gehlot to allot an acre of land free of cost in Rajasthan's Kota city for a hostel for students from the central state pursuing coaching there, officials said.

 

In a letter to Gehlot, who is in Raipur to attend the Congress' three-day plenary session that began on Friday, Baghel said a large number of students from Chhattisgarh stay put in Kota for pursuing coaching in various courses.

1:47 PM

India's rise unstoppable, to become 3rd largest economy by turn of decade: Dhankar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said India is a rising star in the global economy primarily due to agriculture and agri-based industry, and the country's rise is "unstoppable."

 

Addressing the occasion of the 61st convocation of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Dhankar said: "In September 2022, India became the 5th largest economy in the world. It has not come easily. It has been a cesarean."

 

1:42 PM

Adani-Hindenburg row: SC says it won't issue media gag on short-selller report

The Supreme Court on Friday clarified that it will not issue any injunction against the media for reporting on the Hindenburg report against the Adani Group.

 

A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said it is not going to issue any injunction to the media for reporting on the Hindenburg report.

1:23 PM

Gujarat govt presents Rs 3.01 trillion state budget; no new taxes proposed

The Gujarat government on Friday presented a Rs 3.01 trillion budget with no new taxes imposed on people.

 

Gujarat Finance Minister Kanu Desai presented the budgetary outlay for fiscal 2023-24 in the state Assembly here. This was the first budget of the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government headed by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel which took office in December last year after the saffron outfit registered a landslide victory in the Assembly polls.

1:14 PM

Modi lauds Yediyurappa's 'farewell' speech saying it reflected party's ethics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's speech in the Karnataka Assembly saying that it reflected the party's ethics.

 

In what is perceived as his farewell speech as he had announced his retirement from electoral politics, the 79-year old leader said there was no question of him sitting at home and spoke of his resolve to tour the state and campaign for the BJP and its candidates even after the Assembly elections are over.