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SRINAGAR: Several crucial administrative and academic positions at Kashmir University remain vacant, prompting growing concern among faculty and institutional stakeholders who say the prolonged gaps are affecting teaching, research, examinations, and day-to-day governance across campuses. According to official sources, key posts such as Director of Physical Education, Director of IT and SS, Director of DIQA, []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday expressed surprise over the absence of civil administration officials at a function at SKIMS, saying it reflected gaps in institutional coordination at a time when the premier medical institute required stronger support from the government. Speaking at the event, Omar said he had initially considered declining the invitation []

SRINAGAR: Pulwama MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para has written to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir seeking urgent approval of the age relaxation proposal for aspirants appearing in the Jammu and Kashmir Combined Competitive Examination 2025. The appeal follows a series of calls he said he received from concerned candidates ahead of the examination []

SRINAGAR: Authorities in Kulgam have intensified their drive against illegal mining, seizing twelve vehicles involved in unauthorised extraction and transportation of minerals. The haul includes a JCB excavator, dumpers and tractors, marking one of the largest enforcement actions in recent weeks. The operation was carried out by the District Mineral Office Kulgam under the Zero []

SRINAGAR: Raising concerns over livelihoods in Jammu and Kashmirs mining sector, MP Baramulla Abdul Rashid Sheikh on Friday told the Lok Sabha that thousands of local truck drivers, tractor drivers and other labourers were losing work opportunities as mining companies increasingly outsourced labour from outside the region. Speaking during the ongoing session, Rashid said that []

SRINAGAR: A motorcycle caught fire on Boulevard Road near SKICC on Friday, prompting an immediate response from fire and emergency services. Officials said the motorcycle suddenly went up in flames while moving along the busy stretch, forcing commuters to halt as smoke rose from the vehicle. A fire tender from the nearby station reached the []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmirs Member of Parliament from Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Friday raised the demolition of journalist Arfaz Daings house in the Lok Sabha, questioning what he described as growing discriminatory actions and urging the government to uphold legal procedures. Speaking during the ongoing session, the Srinagar MP thanked Jammu resident Kuldeep Sharma []

SRINAGAR: National Conference leader Tanvir Sadiq on Friday said that his party has already fulfilled its role regarding the reservation proposal and expressed hope that the Lieutenant Governor will take an early decision on the file sent by the government. He was speaking to reporters while responding to questions over the ongoing reservation discussions in []

SRINAGAR: National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday urged party workers to maintain unity and discipline while stressing the need to introduce young and educated faces, particularly women, into active politics as Urban Loc al Body and Panchayat elections approach. He made the remarks at Naseem Bagh during the partys commemoration of Sheikh Mohammad []

SRINAGAR: The National Green Tribunal has taken suo motu cognisance of mounting environmental threats in Ladakh and issued notices to three Union Ministries and five national bodies, marking a major institutional intervention to protect one of Indias most fragile ecosystems. The development was first reported by the Jammu-based newspaper Daily Excelsior. The Tribunal acted based []

SRINAGAR: As Kashmir continues to experience an unusually dry and biting cold spell, health facilities across the Valley are witnessing a steady rise in patients complaining of common cold, cough, fever, throat irritation and other winter-related respiratory ailments. Doctors estimate that more than 10 per cent of daily OPD cases are now linked to these []

SRINAGAR: Night temperatures showed a marked improvement across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, with most parts in the Valley and Jammu region recording higher readings than previous nights, although several higher-altitude areas continued to experience sub-zero conditions. In Kashmir Valley, Srinagar settled at 0.4C, reflecting a sharp rise after consecutive freezing nights. Qazigund recorded -0.2C, []

SRINAGAR: In view of the intensifying cold wave and rapidly falling temperatures across the region, the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Leh has ordered a phased closure of schools for winter vacations. According to the directive issued by CEO Del Argmo, as per the request of the Deputy Commissioner/CEO LAHDC Leh, all government and private schools []

SRINAGAR: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Friday conducted a raid at the Batamaloo residence of an air-conditioning technician who was earlier arrested in connection with the Red Fort blast case, as investigators widen the probe into alleged weapon supply links and suspected associations with suicide bomber Dr Umar Farooq, officials said. A team of []

SRINAGAR: An unidentified male was found lying unconscious at the TRC ground in Srinagar on Friday officials said. Officals said that Police team reached the spot soon after receiving information and shifted the man to SMHS Hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival, they added. The identity of the deceased is being []

SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested four key accused after carrying out massive coordinated raids at 22 locations across three states, seizing a huge cache of weapons, over Rs 1 crore cash, and incriminating digital evidence. Twenty-two teams of NIA conducted simultaneous searches at seven locations in Nalanda, Sheikhpura and Patna districts of Bihar, []

SRINAGAR: The Union Government informed the Lok Sabha that Jammu Kashmir has achieved 81.22 percent coverage of rural households with tap water supply under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The figures were shared in a written reply by Minister of State for Jal Shakti, V. Somanna. As per data, JK has a total of 19.26 []

SRINAGAR: Kashmirs well-known mountain air is turning dangerously polluted, as the Valleys air quality dipped into the Severe category this week. Data from AQI.in, showed the Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of Jammu and Kashmir touching 288, while Srinagar recorded between 147 (Poor) and 172 (Unhealthy) in the past 24 hours. As per data, []

SRINAGAR: The Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Baramulla has prohibited the resale and purchase of registered vehicles without valid authorisation under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR). Official warned that such vehicles and establishments shall be seized under the government orders issued on November-24 wherein the resale or purchase of registered vehicles without authorization under []

SRINAGAR: The Government of India on Thursday informed the Lok Sabha that Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir continues to reel under the highest Transmission and Distribution (T and D) losses in the country with 48.08 percent for the fiscal year 202324. Minister of State for Power, Shripad Naik informed the parliament that the national []

SRINAGAR: The Union Government Thursday informed Lok Sabha that Jammu and Kashmir has a total of 98 drinking water quality testing laboratories of which 42 are NABL-accredited or recognised. Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna said JK currently operates with 2 state-level labs, 20 district or regional labs and 76 block, sub-division or []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold consultations with political parties over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying clarity was needed to address issues raised by several groups. Speaking to reporters after attending the passing-out parade of the Armys []

SRINAGAR: The Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) Financial Inclusion Index-2025 has revealed key gaps in access and usage of banking facilities in different districts of the Kashmir Valley. The RBIs Financial Inclusion Index measures financial inclusion across three key parameters: Access (35 percent), Usage (45 percent), and Quality (20 percent). Four districts of the Union []

SRINAGAR: The Union Government on Thursday informed the Lok Sabha that Jammu Kashmir has received Rs 37,978 crore over the past five years for the development and maintenance of National Highways, with nearly full utilisation of allocated funds each year. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways allocated the funds to JK in a phased []

SRINAGAR: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Thursday met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhawan, Jammu, to press for the long-standing demand of age relaxation for candidates appearing in combined competitive examinations across Jammu Kashmir. Sharma told the LG that numerous aspirants and delegations had approached him over recent weeks, seeking intervention on the []

SRINAGAR: The Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir is advancing plans to establish a large-scale Solar Park under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energys (MNRE) Solar Park Scheme, with Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of up to Rs 20 lakh per megawatt (MW) or 30 percent of project cost. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, while chairing a []

SRINAGAR: A road accident in the Serwad area of Katra on Thursday claimed the life of an SOG jawan after his scooty collided with a motorcycle. An official said that, the deceased has been identified as Shalu Ram Bali, son of Om Prakash and a resident of Reasi. He succumbed to his injuries on the []

SRINAGAR:The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has announced planned power shutdowns affecting several areas in and around Badampora and adjoining regions on December 6, 9, 14 and 15, 2025, due to maintenance work on 33 KV and 132/33 KV lines. The Chief Engineer, Distribution, KPDCL, said that a shutdown of the 33 KV switchyard []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday inaugurated and laid e-foundation stones for a series of major development projects worth nearly Rs 100 crore in Budgam district, signalling a significant boost to local infrastructure and public services. The initiatives include multiple Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) water supply schemes across Gudsathoo, Dreygam, Drang, Kultreh Wanpora, Qazipora, []

SRINAGAR: For more than a week, Srinagar has been living with an unusual kind of curfew, not imposed by the authorities, but enforced by two young black bears who have slipped into the city and refused to leave. Their nightly wanderings have frozen entire neighbourhoods, disrupted campus life, triggered frantic searches, and left residents joking []

SRINAGAR: Police on Thursday said they had dismantled a cross-border narcotics network in Jammu, arresting six individuals and seizing 4.95 kilograms of heroin and three pistols, Daily Excelsior reported. The recovered heroin is valued at over Rs 30 crore in the international market, officials said. Superintendent of Police Ajay Sharma told reporters that the accused []

SRINAGAR: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday asserted that the Union Public Service Commissions (UPSC) interview and personality test system is free from any form of discrimination or bias, emphasising the transparency embedded in the recruitment process. Responding to questions, Singh said the UPSC publishes the written, interview/personality test and total marks of all recommended []

SRINAGAR: The Government has told Parliament that the ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor was reached directly at the level of the two countries Directors General of Military Operations (DGsMO), with no external mediation involved. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh []

SRINAGAR: Aspecialised team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Bhagat Barzulla on Thursday conducted a comprehensive disaster preparedness and emergency management drill at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar under the direction of Director SDRF Kashmir Imtiyaz Hussain Mir. The exercise, designed for the MBBS Batch 2025, aimed to build awareness, technical skill, and confidence []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Thursday registered a case against Patwari and Chokidar from revenue department for demanding and accepting illegal gratification from the complainant. Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau in a statement said that it registered a case FIR No. 03/2025 u/s 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and []

SRINAGAR: The government on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that 18,822 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States since 2009, including 3,258 sent back between January and November 2025. In a written reply, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said 617 Indians were deported in 2023 and 1,368 in 2024, while this years deportations []

SRINAGAR: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday announced that Indias current manual toll collection mechanism will be phased out within a year, making way for a fully electronic system aimed at ensuring uninterrupted travel on national highways. Addressing the Lok Sabha during Question Hour, Gadkari said the new electronic toll []

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh on Thursday listed the habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Doda MLA Mehraj Malik as part heard, scheduling the next hearing for December 18, 2025. The matter came up before Justice Mohd. Yousaf Wani at the Jammu wing of the High Court. During the proceedings, []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has 536,478 women working in MSMEs and 184,315 MSMEs are led by women, according to official data placed in the Lok Sabha. The latest figures placed before Parliament show a marked rise in the participation of women in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises across Jammu and Kashmir, both as workers and []

by Khalid Altaf Sherwani The Constitution of India endures as a living guide, balancing rights and duties, shaped by landmark judgments, and relying on citizens to uphold justice, equality, dignity, and democratic values As India steps into its seventy-fifth year under the shelter of its Constitution, it is worth pausing for a moment and asking []

SRINAGAR: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested two Tanzanian nationals in Bengaluru in connection with separate drug trafficking cases, seizing 10kg of MDMA and 8kg of hydro ganja, with an estimated street value of over Rs 28 crore, the Times of India reported. Officials told the Times of India that the seizure is among []

SRINAGAR: The Union Railways Ministry Wednesday said that the KanpurJammu Tawi Express currently does not stop at Mallawan station and any future halt will be decided based on operational needs. Responding to a question, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Mallawan station is presently served by four train services that offers connectivity to Kanpur, Unnao and []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir Valley remained gripped by intense cold as night temperatures dropped sharply across the region, with several locations falling well below freezing, according to meteorological data. Summer capital of Jammu Kashmir, Srinagar recorded a minimum of 4.0C, while nearby Pampore dropped to 5.0C. Pulwama was the coldest in the region at 5.6C. Pahalgam, Anantnag []

SRINAGAR: Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia informed the Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir remains a key focus area through the expansion plan of 100 percent 4G coverage under the Prime Ministers Digital India vision. The minister informed that the government is steadily moving toward achieving complete 4G saturation across India as part of []

SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch, Jammu Kashmir, has filed a chargesheet in FIR No. 79/2022 before the Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, in a case involving alleged fraudulent mutation of land in Zoonimar Eidgah, Srinagar. Officials said the chargesheet has been filed against businessman Habibullah Bhat of Buchpora; retired Naib Tehsildar Mohammad []

SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir has pending liabilities of Rs 196.29 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), according to data presented in the Lok Sabha. Responding to a question on funds owed to States under the scheme, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Union Territory has dues of Rs 5.48 []

SRINAGAR: The Open Merit Students Association of Jammu and Kashmir has rejected any cosmetic reduction in reservation and demanded immediate public release of the reservation sub-committee report before any official approval. In a statement, OMSA leaders Sahil Parray, Mohammad Momin Khan, Tafazul Bilal and Subina Mehraj said token cuts in one or two categories would []

SRINAGAR: Defying societal expectations and their physical challenges, a specially abled couple from south Kashmirs Anantnag district has skilfully nurtured a thriving mushroom cultivation unit under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) scheme. With the support of the agriculture department, Mehroka Jan and her husband Muzafar Ahmad, who have physical disabilities affecting their legs, have []

SRINAGAR: A family of four orphan sisters was left homeless on Wednesday afternoon after a devastating blaze ripped through Nowpora in Srinagar, destroying their house along with all dowry items prepared for an upcoming wedding. Officials said the fire started in the attic of a residential house before rapidly spreading to neighbouring structures. The Fire []

SRINAGAR: Three alleged drug peddlers, including two residents of Srinagar, were arrested on Wednesday at Tikri in Udhampur district of Jammu division. Officials said that a team intercepted the suspects during routine checking and recovered heroin-like substances from their possession. The arrested individuals have been identified as Ishfaq Majid Dar, son of Mohd Abdullah Dar, []