Thackerays to hold protest in Mumbai against EC on Oct 4
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, are organising a mass protest march in Mumbai on October 4 against the Election Commission. They accuse the EC of acting as a ranch of the ruling party and allege gross deception of voters, calling for broader political and public participation.
Merely 11% of IIT-B faculty from reserved categories: RTI
Abetment of suicide: When words and actions become a criminal offence
Deceased youths parents to resume fast, ask IIT Bombay students to protest too
Maha SIR: EC revises poll roll schedule, final list on Nov 16
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a revised schedule for the Special Intensive Revision of Maharashtra's electoral roll, pushing the final publication date to November 16, 2026. The period for filing claims and objections has also been extended.
Tissue paper Ganesh idol dissolves under sprinklers in 30 minutes in Mumbai
Drought Declared in 265 Talukas Across Maharashtra
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed district collectors to immediately begin crop surveys and conduct panchnamas in the affected areas.
Maharashtra: Lalbaugcha Raja Immersion Marks End Of 21-Hour Procession
Had prayed for happiness, prosperity and good health for everyone: Anant Ambani
Thane netas donate to Maharashtra drought relief funds
Mumbai Metropolitan Region could get 30 lakh new homes in 20 years, says deputy CM
Maha Dy CM demands apology from Rahul Gandhi, slams INDIA Bloc
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Opposition, demanding an unconditional public apology from Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and leaders of the INDIA alliance for spreading what he termed false and baseless allegations against constitutional institutions. Shinde asserted that the alliances politics relied on fake narratives to mislead citizens and malign national leadership. Referring to recent claims of internal rifts within the Election Commission of India (ECI), he said the Oppositions attempt to celebrate false news had backfired, as the unanimous joint statement issued by all three Election Commissioners had completely deflated the propaganda. Using these false claims, Rahul Gandhi and his allies attempted to defame and target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Spreading calculated misinformation to weaken faith in democratic processes has become the habit of the Opposition, Shinde said. He added that Rahul Gandhi must apologise to the nation for indulging in smear campaigns. Shinde alleged that the INDI alliance consistently targeted democratic institutions, including the Election Commission and courts, whenever election results did not favour them. He accused opposition leaders of stoking mistrust, spreading rumours and attempting to confuse voters. He asserted that 140 crore citizens stood firmly behind PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, rendering false allegations ineffective. The aware public of the country clearly recognises these political games and will give a fitting reply at the appropriate time, Shinde said, warning that attempts to undermine constitutional sanctity would lead to further political isolation of the Opposition. Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and present BJP MP Ashok Chavan also criticised Rahul Gandhi over his statements on the poll panel. In his post on X, Chavan wrote: One frustrated opposition leader, with a plethora of lies. Rahul Gandhi: SIR was a unilateral decision. MeanwhileECI Press Note: unanimous approval of the Commission. Plot twist: the receipts came from the institution itself.
10,281 Ganpatis immersed as Thane noise nears 100 dB
8,573 Ganesh idols immersed at 189 spots as Navi Mumbai marks peaceful visarjan
Raigad police registers 4 FIRs over child sexual abuse on social media
Navi Mumbai Thieves Burgle Jewellery Store via Wall Tunnel, Flee with Silver
'All SIR orders had unanimous nod': EC clarifies amid row
The Election Commission of India has addressed reports of internal dissent among its commissioners and clarified that all Special Intensive Revision (SIR) orders and Form 6 updates for voter enrolment received unanimous consent and were upheld by the Supreme Court. The EC also announced measures to ease the process for voters issued notices, including doorstep document collection and extended deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra, while affirming its commitment to transparent decision-making and meticulous compliance with directives.
Watch: Protestors at IIT B seek systemic reforms
In the latest episode of Pulse Maharashtra, we look at the growing protests at IIT Bombay, the demands of Sahil Wakodes parents and student groups, and the questions being raised over caste discrimination and systemic reforms on campus.
Deccan Odyssey begins 202627 season with new look, heritage-themed coaches
The Deccan Odyssey has begun its 202627 season with a new exterior vinyl wrap, Maharashtra heritage-themed coach names and QR codes offering information on the states history, culture, food traditions and tourist attractions
WhatsApp University and reel culture influencing decisions: Maha FDA
Digital Desk | Gandhinagar, Sep 26 (IANS) Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Saturday urged students to question information they see on social media, warning that reels, forwarded messages, and algorithms could shape their thinking if they stopped verifying what they consume online. Speaking during a nearly two-and-a-half-hour interaction with students at Karnavati University, Mundhe said India needed a mindset shift, starting with individuals questioning themselves and the information presented to them. We have become too shallow. We are not living deeply, we are not thinking, we are not questioning, he said. Mundhe said questioning did not mean simply challenging others but first examining ones own actions. You have to start questioning yourself first. Who am I? Am I responsible or irresponsible? And if I cannot, who else can? he said. He then turned to what he described as the growing influence of social media and WhatsApp University. One of the major challenges we have is social media influence or WhatsApp University, Mundhe said. He said users often accepted reels and forwarded messages without checking whether the information was authentic, factual, or part of a particular narrative. We take decisions on that basis, but we never try to understand whatever has come to you: is it really correct, is it authentic, is it real, or is it fake, or is it a narrative? he said. Mundhe explained that social media algorithms learn from users behaviour, including what they watch, skip, or engage with, and then show them more similar material. In one week, you will start getting what you like. Because it captures your mind, it captures your imagination, he said. According to him, repeated exposure can create an environment where people increasingly encounter information that reinforces their existing preferences. What it means is that you have stopped thinking. You are being taught by somebody else, he said. Mundhe described this as a form of new colonialism in which algorithms and reels could shape behaviour and opinions, and asked the students: Do you want to be ruled by a reel, or do you want to create a reel? He urged students to become creators rather than passive consumers of online content. The moment you start, stop for a, give it a pause, give it a moment and ask, collaborate with some other evidence, look into it, and then you will realise, oh, this is where it is going wrong, stop it, discard it, he said. Mundhe linked the issue to his broader message about ethical decision-making. He said individuals should assess information and decisions rather than simply following the direction others were moving in. Are you making a decision, or are your decisions being taken by somebody else, is the question, he said. He said this thought process needs a reboot and that it should begin in the mind. I believe that reboot has to begin in your mind, not just in reels, Mundhe said, adding that such an approach would help bring originality, legality and ethical thinking into everyday decisions.
ECI extends SIR deadline in Maha, final roll on Nov 16 (Lead)
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) In a major relief for voters across Maharashtra, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday extended the deadline for filing claims and objections under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to October 12, 2026. The decision followed a formal request from Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S. Chockalingam. Under the updated timetable, the ECI will continue disposing of claims, objections, and notices until November 10, 2026, with the final electoral roll scheduled for publication on November 16, 2026. The ECI announced operational measures including door-to-door document collection, exemption from mandatory physical attendance, relief in virtual hearings, family representation and dedicated help desks for vulnerable groups, according to a statement issued by the State CEOs office late Saturday. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit the homes of citizens flagged as Unmapped or with Logical Discrepancies to collect verification documents. Voters will no longer need to attend hearings in person at Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) or Assistant EROs offices. In unavoidable cases, hearings will be conducted online, and any adult family member may represent the voter. District Election Officers (DEOs) have been instructed to set up help desks and outreach camps for homeless citizens, migrant labourers, pavement dwellers and night shelter occupants to ensure inclusive enrolment. The current SIR campaign, launched earlier this year, is the first comprehensive door-to-door electoral roll overhaul in Maharashtra since 2002. Rapid urbanisation, migration, unrecorded deaths and duplicate entries over two decades necessitated full-scale verification. BLOs initially cross-checked voters against historical rolls from 20022004 to establish eligibility cut-offs. However, heavy monsoon rains in Konkan and Mumbai, civic disruptions and large numbers of unmapped voters created operational bottlenecks, prompting calls from political parties and civil society groups for more time. The extension and home-visit protocols aim to prevent accidental omission of genuine voters, reduce red tape and ensure an accurate, verified voter list ahead of upcoming local body and state elections, sources at the State CEOs office said.
Watch: Investigators hit a digital deadlock in IIT- B student suicide probe
In the latest episode of Pulse Maharashtra, we decode the questions surrounding the suicide of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, including the forensic hurdles in the investigation, allegations of caste discrimination, and the reforms being sought by his family, students and the NCSC.
Ball-girl turned partner Rutuja eyes Asiad encore, this time with Bhambri
Maharashtra Tourist Missing After Falling into Gorge on Gangotri-Gaumukh Trek
A 65-year-old tourist from Maharashtra is missing after falling into a gorge on the Gangotri-Gaumukh trek in Uttarkashi, as rescue efforts continue. Maharashtra Tourist Missing After Falling into Gorge on Gangotri-Gaumukh Trek
Thane Police Sub-Inspector Killed in Attack by History-Sheeter
4 Killed, 5 Injured As Container With Gelatin Sticks Explodes In Maharashtra
When welding work was in progress, a metal container carrying gelatin sticks and attached to the tractor exploded, triggering a fire.
Maharashtra has activated Trigger-1 under its Drought Management Code 2016 to initiate relief measures in drought-affected areas. We take a look at the financial relief measures announced by the state government.
Influence carries responsibility: Maha FDA backs Prez Murmus message to film stars
Digital Desk | Gandhinagar, Sep 26 (IANS) Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Saturday said celebrities and advertisers have a responsibility to ensure that products they endorse do not compromise public health, backing President Droupadi Murmus recent appeal to film personalities to refrain from promoting substances harmful to health. Mundhe made the remarks during an interaction with students at Karnavati University, where he was speaking during his first visit to Gujarat. The discussion covered food safety, public health, regulation and the responsibilities of public figures. President Murmu had urged successful film artists at the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on September 22 to promote a disciplined lifestyle and avoid endorsing products harmful to health, noting the influence popular artists have on children and young people. Asked about steps beyond such an appeal, Mundhe said Maharashtra had already started acting on existing legal provisions. The law is very clear; you cannot endorse anything that is not as per the law. We cannot endorse anything where you can claim something which is not truthful, he said. Mundhe referred to Section 24 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which restricts misleading advertisements and claims relating to food. He also cited the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, which are part of the regulatory framework governing food advertisements and claims. FSSAI lists the 2018 advertising and claims regulations among its food safety regulations. If you speak to the drug sector, there is an MDR Act 1954, which is a magical remedies act. It also prevents claims about purity or magical remedies; this will be done, this will be cured, he said, referring to the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. Mundhe said the issue was therefore not the absence of laws but their implementation. So, the acts do exist, rules do exist; what we need to do is implement them and implement them very, very stringently, he said. His comments came amid regulatory action involving Bollywood actors over a Vimal Elaichi advertisement. The Maharashtra FDA had issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff in August in connection with the advertisement. Mundhe also stressed that responsibility did not end with regulators. Ethically and morally, everybody, every citizen, every endorser, every advertiser has a responsibility if they don't act just in the commercial interest, he said. People of India are not because of somebody. So, we as a nation need to practise what is right, which is correct, which is ethically also correct, he added. Mundhe said public health had to remain central to decisions involving food, drugs and advertising, and that celebrities could not be treated separately from the legal and ethical responsibilities applicable to others.
ECI on defensive, refuses to relent on demand for CECs resignation: Congress
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) Claiming that the ECI has been forced into a defensive posture, the Congress on Saturday reiterated its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and sought the immediate suspension of the SIR of electoral rolls. Criticising a press release issued by the ECI after its afternoon meeting to quell reports of internal differences, the Congress described SIR as a drive for massive disenfranchisement of several crores of electors. Nothing short of the CECs resignation or prosecution will suffice, said Jairam Ramesh, Congress MP and General Secretary (Communications), referring to the alleged big differences within the Election Commission. In a message on X, Ramesh said that in the wake of media reports exposing disagreement among ECI functionaries and the nationwide protests that have followed, seeking the removal of Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), the Election Commission of India (ECI) has now come out with a press note on September 26th, 2026. First, the Press note does not directly deny the story or its findings. It makes a defensive attempt to downplay the same in paragraph 3(i) and 3(ii) but does not say that the allegations are baseless, said Ramesh, pointing to the issues flagged in media reports. Second, in the case of Goa, after having been caught out, the ECI has sheepishly stated that Form 6 has already been filled out for inclusion by 81 of the 97 deleted voters. To put this another way, you disenfranchise voters through a broken and corrupt system, and when caught, say that they are being added back, he said. Third, it seeks to justify the Commissions actions by appealing to the Order of the Supreme Court dated May 27th, 2026. The Order, which was pronounced well before the recent revelations, will not save the CEC from the malicious deletion of targeted voters, from the incompetence that has resulted in citizens being wiped off the rolls, for the crores lost in both expenses and person-hours due to the confusion and harassment caused to entire families, said the Congress MP. Fourth, it extends the deadlines for voter registration in Delhi and Maharashtra. But what happens to the voters of Karnataka and Telangana? What happens to the voters disenfranchised in Bihar and West Bengal? Do the voters of these and other states who were deleted due to one mans corruption not deserve answers? he said. Fifth, the Press Release also states the ECI will now involve experts from IIT/IIIT to review the ECINET portal and submit a report to ensure it complies with rules. Aside from being a meaningless safeguard (since the concern is not about the technical soundness but rather the centralisation which prevents voter addition at ground level), this confirms the concerns attributed to the two other Election Commissioners per the reportage, said Ramesh. Sixth, the Press Note avoids answering the questions regarding the deliberate targeting of Gen Z voters. The ECI has no answer for its targeted disenfranchisement, beginning mid-July 2026 through wholly illegal changes made to Form 6 (unseen and unapproved by Parliament) which placed an unfair burden on them to find and disclose their parents and/or grandparents details, he said. The revelations regarding (1) the unilateral nature of decision-making by the CEC, (2) his open hatred and bias against the Opposition resulting in a clear bias, (3) his willing participation and abetment in Vote Chori by the ruling regime, (4) his specific attack to prevent the enrollment of Gen Z voters, (5) his corruption exposed ironically by his negligence in purging and pruning voter lists, need to be answered for, he said. Ramesh added, The CEC thinks he can hide behind bureaucratise and protocol. He stands exposed and is now petrified as an entire country seeks to hold him accountable. The ongoing SIR, which has turned out to be a method of massive disenfranchisement of several crores of Indians, must be suspended immediately without delay. In the meantime, nothing short of the CECs resignation or prosecution will suffice, said Ramesh.
Food safety laws exist, but compliance remains a challenge: Maha FDA
Digital Desk | Gandhinagar, Sep 26 (IANS) Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Saturday said Indias food safety framework has several laws and regulations, but compliance remains a major challenge, arguing that enforcement systems must evolve with new forms of food businesses and changing consumer habits. Speaking to students at Karnavati University, Mundhe said the central problem is not necessarily the absence of rules but their implementation. In food safety, the major concern is that we are not following regulations that are there. Rules do exist. Acts do exist. Regulations are there. By-regulations are there, he said. Mundhe said that apart from licensing and registration requirements, several other food safety regulations were not being followed properly, with consequences for public health. He said Indias food safety regime also needed to respond to businesses that did not exist in their current form when the Food Safety and Standards Act was enacted in 2006. E-commerce did not exist then. Today we have e-commerce. We did not have dark godowns then, dark stores; today we have those. We did not have cloud kitchens then; we have cloud kitchens. Do we require legislation and regulation on that? he said. Mundhe said suggestions on such emerging issues had been made at the national level through the Central Advisory Committee, of which state food commissioners are members. New challenges come; we have to come up with the solutions for that, we have to anticipate and work on that, he said. He also described a year-round approach Maharashtra adopted for food safety enforcement during festivals. Instead of issuing separate orders before individual festivals, the state had moved to a standing order covering festivals throughout the year, he said. The framework categorises festivals at state, regional and local levels. It provides for enforcement beginning 21 days before an event, followed by action in the period immediately preceding it, during the festival and legal proceedings after the event. Mundhe said the approach had already produced results during the Ganesh festival. He said, Around 250 to 300 licences or registrations had been suspended during the period for violations including operating without the required licence or registration, while nearly 30,000 kg of food had been seized and destroyed. He also said food products worth around Rs 10 crore had been seized and FIRs registered in cases where violations were found. Mundhe said enforcement also needed to become more transparent and technology-driven. Maharashtra has started a complaints portal through which consumers can register complaints, track them and have them automatically assigned to officers. We need to use IT to the best possible extent, he said, adding that the state was working towards end-to-end digital platforms. He said the ultimate objective was continuous enforcement rather than ad-hoc action. If we make SOP with a continuous process, automatic process, it will work. It cannot be an ad-hoc approach, Mundhe said. He added that food safety had to involve food businesses, regulators and consumers, with compliance becoming part of everyday food practices rather than something pursued only when enforcement agencies intervene.
MVA slams drought relief package, seeks higher aid for farmers
Election Commission Extends Deadline for Voter Claims in Delhi and Maharashtra
The Election Commission has extended the deadline for filing voter claims and objections in Delhi and Maharashtra to provide relief to voters. Election Commission Extends Deadline for Voter Claims in Delhi and Maharashtra
ECI revises electoral roll revision schedule for Delhi and Maharashtra
The News Mill
Gangotri-Gaumukh trek tragedy: Maharashtra tourist falls into gorge, remains untraced
Digital Desk | Uttarkashi, Sep 26 (IANS) A 65-year-old tourist from Maharashtra went missing after falling into a deep gorge along the Gangotri-Gaumukh trekking route in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. According to officials, search and rescue operations are underway for the second consecutive day while heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions continue to persist. According to the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC), a group of five tourists from Maharashtra had set out from Gangotri towards Gaumukh on September 25. At around 2:30 p.m., Ram Kumar Hanuman Gupta, 65, reportedly slipped near Kachhidang, beyond Chirbasa, and fell into a gorge estimated to be around 130 metres deep. He has remained untraced since the incident. After the incident, teams from the forest department, police, SDRF and local porters were deployed for the search operation. On Saturday, an 18-member team comprising six SDRF personnel from Gangotri, four Nepali porters, four forest department personnel from Bhojwasa, two police personnel and two porters took part in the operation. The teams searched extensively around Kachhidang, Chirbasa, Devgarh Khale and along the riverbank below Ram Mandir. However, persistent rain and difficult weather conditions hampered the rescue operation, and no trace of the missing tourist was found till late evening. Officials said the search would be intensified once weather conditions improve. The other members of the trekking group have been identified as Deepak Chhotelal, Shivsevak Motilal, Vishal Ram Kumar and Nikhil Suresh. The missing tourist's family members are present in Gangotri, while the other trekkers are staying at a hotel in Gangotri. Meanwhile, in view of the red alert issued by the weather department, the district administration has suspended the pilgrimage to Gangotri and Yamunotri dhams at the Hina and Dobata holding points as a precautionary measure. The emergency operations centre and smart control room have been placed on alert, while rainfall and landslide-related developments are being continuously monitored, said officials. Authorities have also directed the National Highway, BRO, PWD and PMGSY officials to keep machinery and manpower ready for immediate clearance of blocked roads.
Greece: Two found unconscious as rescuers search rubble after Athens blast
Rescuers searching a collapsed building in Athens Plaka district recovered two unconscious people after a blast believed to have been caused by a gas leak. Crews continued searching for four others, while nearby buildings were evacuated and an investigation into the explosion was underway
3 Of Family Killed As SUV Rams Truck In Maharashtra. Driver Had Fallen Asleep
The family was travelling from Nashik to Jalna in their Mahindra XUV car when the driver suddenly rammed the vehicle into the back of a moving container.
Congress to protest across Maharashtra on September 28 to demand action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Congress announced on Saturday that it will stage protests across Maharashtra on September 28, demanding the dismissal and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party alleged that 13 crore voters were removed from electoral rolls across the country during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and that 47 lakh voters had been added to the electoral rolls before the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections. The party said that its leader Rahul Gadhi's repeated claims of vote theft have been vindicated.
People will take to streets if Gyanesh Kumar doesn't resign: Oppn
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday warned that people will take to the streets in protest if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar doesn't resign or the impeachment motion against him is allowed to pass in Parliament. Citing the earlier defeat of the impeachment motion against the CEC this year, RJD MP Manoj also said citizens will decide the next course of action. Speaking to IANS, Prithviraj Chavan said: Just as a Supreme Court judge can be removed, the Chief Election Commissioner can also be removed. This is a constitutional provision. So, I believe the Opposition leaders should immediately file an impeachment resolution. Still, if nothing material and all efforts (to remove Gyanesh Kumar) are blocked...if the President does not take any decision on this and the Supreme Court also does not take suo motu cognisance. Obviously,, the Opposition leaders will have to bring the entire public out onto the streets. I hope such a situation does not arise, he added. Further, Chavan said: Prime Minister Narendra Modi can find a solution (to the controversy), but if he remains adamant against (Gyanesh Kumar's) resignation, then people will have to come out on the streets. Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh recalled that in April, 73 opposition members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha submitted a formal notice to the Secretary-General seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on grounds of proven misbehaviour. He alleged: The government is trying to protect him (CEC) because he is working for them. BJP leaders want to protect him, but this is no longer restricted to that. Maintaining that the impeachment motion had been attempted before by the Opposition, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said: We had submitted that option earlier as well. Apart from that, a petition has also been filed in the Supreme Court. It is within the Supreme Courts powers to take suo motu cognisance, because all the evidence is before it as well. Another thing, which I consider most important, is that this is no longer a matter between the Opposition parties and the ruling party. This is now a matter concerning citizens. So, citizens will also decide their strategy, he told IANS.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar, ECs Sandhu-Joshi meet; Form 6, SIR decisions clarified (Lead)
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday sought to quell reports of differences within the poll panel, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi holding a full commission meeting at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi. In a detailed press note accompanied by a photograph of the three commissioners, the EC addressed allegations concerning its internal functioning, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, voter enrolment and its technology systems. The statement came days after The Indian Express reported on September 23 that Sandhu and Joshi had raised objections to several decisions and orders linked to the SIR exercise. The reports triggered a wider political controversy, with Opposition parties questioning the functioning of the Commission and demanding greater transparency. The EC maintained that the June 24, 2025, order launching the SIR across states and Union Territories was approved unanimously by all three commissioners. It said subsequent schedules related to the exercise were also issued with unanimous approval. The Commission further noted that the Supreme Court had upheld the original SIR order. On Form 6, used for enrolment of new voters, the EC addressed concerns over a declaration introduced during the SIR process requiring applicants to establish their linkage with the previous SIR through their parents' names. The Commission said the declaration had been upheld by the Supreme Court. Outside the SIR exercise, it clarified, forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would continue to be used. The Commission also responded to questions surrounding 97 voters in Goa who had initially been left out of the electoral rolls. It said the Chief Electoral Officer, Goa, had directed Booth Level Officers to conduct house-to-house visits and collect the necessary forms. Of the 97 voters, 81 had already submitted Form 6 for inclusion. On ECINET, concerns had been raised about access to electoral-roll databases and the functioning of the portal. The EC said field officials receive role-based access in accordance with their statutory powers. It announced a review of ECINET by a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT. The Commission also clarified that a letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary concerned the redistribution of work involving an officer on deputation related to the officer's functioning, rather than any policy concerning the EC or its IT division. As part of measures to strengthen internal procedures, the EC said agendas for Commission meetings would be circulated in advance and minutes issued thereafter. It also stated that directions issued by commissioners to officials would be complied with meticulously. The EC further extended SIR deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra, while reiterating that its major decisions had been taken collectively and unanimously.
Jalna Murder: Wife, Paramour Held For Husband's Death
Police in Jalna, Maharashtra, have arrested a woman, her paramour, and another individual in connection with the murder of her 26-year-old husband. The crime, initially staged as a road accident, occurred in July, and investigations revealed a marital dispute and threats preceding the incident.
NCW Chief Vijaya Rahatkar interacts with working women in Gwalior
Digital Desk | Gwalior, Sep 26 (IANS) National Commission for Women Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Saturday began a four-day visit to Madhya Pradesh from Gwalior where she interacted with working women and discussed issues related to empowerment. In a message on X, Rahatkar shared details of her schedule and said, Starting today, I am beginning a four-day tour of Madhya Pradesh. During this journey, I will have the opportunity to participate in many programs being organised in Gwalior and Shivpuri districts. By travelling to every corner of the country to infuse new energy into the campaign for women's empowerment, by meeting women at the grassroots level and engaging in conversations with them, and by closely understanding their hopes and experiences this is my small effort, she said on X. Her engagements in Gwalior over two days include a visit to Central Jail, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education and Shri Pitambara Peeth near Datia Railway Station. Meetings with local representatives and interaction with Maharashtra Samaj in Jayendraganj, Shinde Ki Chhawani were also scheduled. On the third day of her visit to Shivpuri, Rahatkar is scheduled to undertake a Mahila Jansunvai; lead consultations on state specific women related issues, visit a Sakhi One Stop Centre and chair a review meeting with senior district administrative and police officials at the collectorate meeting hall. On the final day of her state visit, the NCW Chairperson will be back in Gwalior to hold a Mahila Jansunvai, interact with district administrative and police officials and take part in Yadhodha AI and She Serves programmes involving the youth at LNIPE and a private university. Earlier, Rahatkar visited Hussainiwala Border in Punjabs Ferozepur. In a message on X, she said, My visit to Hussainiwala Border, Ferozepur (Punjab) was not just a trip for me, but an unforgettable experience of pride and gratitude toward the nation. When I reached the Hussainiwala border and saw that the border of another country was just a few steps away, a deep feeling stirred in my heartthat our citizens are so secure because our border guardians are protecting the country with such vigilance and dedication, she said. After a visit to the National Martyrs Memorial, she wrote, The visit to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala was an extremely emotional experience for me. On this sacred land, the echoes of the sacrifice of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev can still be felt today. Seeing their letters and documents preserved in the museum deeply touched my heart. In these letters, the indomitable courage of those three young revolutionaries and their resolve to dedicate their lives to the nation are evident. The youth of today should draw inspiration from this selfless patriotism and play their role in building the country, she said. Visiting the samadhi of Martyr Bhagat Singh's mother, Vidyavati Ji, was a particularly poignant moment for me. For a mother, losing her child is the greatest sorrow, and perhaps the greatest pride could be that her son devoted his life to the nation. Expressing that maternal pain and maternal pride in words is difficult, said Rahatkar.
Maharashtras Meghankar Tirth: A Sacred Destination for Ancestors Liberation During Pitru Paksha
Meghankar Tirth in Maharashtra is a revered site for ancestral rites during Pitru Paksha, believed to grant liberation to the departed souls. Maharashtras Meghankar Tirth: A Sacred Destination for Ancestors Liberation During Pitru Paksha
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 26: Kalpataru Limited is among the first real estate companies to adopt Model Sub Registration Office (SRO) system developed by Inspector General of Registration (IGR), Government of Maharashtra with VFS Global to make property registration faster, more seamless and more convenient for homebuyers.
Aaditya Thackeray urges government to ensure drought relief reaches every farmer
After Maharashtra declared 265 talukas drought-affected, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray urged the state government to focus on implementing the relief package and ensuring every affected farmer receives assistance
CR finds 410 deficiencies in drinking water facilities across Mumbai division
Watch: Maharashtra drought declared: State notifies relief for 265 talukas
Maharashtra declares drought in 265 talukas, activating urgent financial relief and support for struggling farmers.
Thackeray brothers call Oct 4 Mumbai rally against SIR process, invite opposition parties
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday trained guns on the Election Commission of India, issuing a joint call to the people of Maharashtra and announcing a grand public protest rally in Mumbai on October 4. Launching a blistering attack, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS accused the Election Commission of deceiving voters and functioning as an extended wing of the ruling party at the Centre. While the MNS and Shiv Sena UBT are leading the organisational groundwork for the demonstration, the leaders emphasised that the protest goes beyond partisan politics. Framing the October 4 rally as a mass public movement, the organisers confirmed plans to engage in dialogue with all political parties across the spectrum to forge a unified opposition front. This is a rally of the people. To ensure it does not remain confined to a single party but becomes the collective voice of the entire political system and the citizenry, we will reach out to all political parties to join this front, the statement read. The statement framed the upcoming agitation as a decisive battle to safeguard the nations democratic framework and institutional integrity. Calling upon citizens to flood the streets of Mumbai, the movement aims to register a strong protest against what the leaders term institutional bias and voter list manipulation under the SIR process. The venue and exact time for the October 4 Mumbai rally will be officially announced shortly. The statement concluded with a direct appeal to the public to participate in this rally in large numbers. Come together to save the democracy of this country and the Constitution of this nation! Earlier, launching a scathing attack on the BJP and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Raj Thackeray demanded the immediate cancellation of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He accused the ruling party of leveraging key institutional figures to maintain an endless grip on power and called upon all opposition parties across the country to unite for a massive agitation to bring back paper ballots.
ECI Directs BLOs for Home Visits, Extends Delhi
On September 26, 2026, the Election Commission of India (ECI)led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Commissioners Dr S.S. Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshiannounced key directives for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and electoral roll management. Key Decisions and Directives Streamlined Verification for Unmapped Voters: For individuals issued notices during the ongoing SIR for [] The post ECI Directs BLOs for Home Visits, Extends Delhi & Maharashtra Deadlines appeared first on Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News .
The major news headlines of the day and more.
The major news headlines of the day and more.
HLL Pharmacist Recruitment 2026 - Walkin
HLL Lifecare has announced the Recruitment 2026 for 5 Pharmacist and related posts. The walk-in interview is scheduled for 29 September 2026 in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Eligible candidates can attend the recruitment process through the official notification at lifecarehll.com.
Opposition slams Maharashtra govt over drought betrayal
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) Opposition Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti government of betraying farmers, saying the announcement of drought in 265 talukas of Maharashtra is dry as dust. Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar launched a scathing attack on the Mahayuti-led government, terming its recent Government Resolution (GR) declaring drought a sheer betrayal of the farming community. He said the state government was rubbing salt into the wounds of distressed farmers grappling with massive crop failures due to deficit rainfall. Wadettiwar demanded immediate financial compensation of Rs 1 lakh per hectare without capping landholding limits and called for Bramhapuri tehsil to be included in the drought-affected list. Criticising Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state ministers for making tall claims during their drought assessment tours, he pointed out the glaring disconnect between rhetoric and action. He said the Chief Minister visited fields along the Samruddhi Expressway and publicly acknowledged severe crop damage, promising blanket relief. However, the GR merely repeated old, inadequate provisions and offered no concrete immediate assistance to farmers who had lost their entire yield. Wadettiwar demanded that compensation of Rs 1 lakh per hectare be transferred directly into farmers bank accounts based on actual crop damage, scrapping the 2.5-hectare eligibility limit. He noted that during election periods, relief had been extended up to 3 hectares, insisting that every damaged farm should receive aid regardless of size. Expressing strong objection over the omission of Bramhapuri tehsil in Chandrapur district, he demanded its immediate inclusion in the drought-hit category due to severe rain shortfall. Rejecting the governments proposal for loan restructuring, Wadettiwar sought an unconditional waiver of all outstanding crop loans. He argued that restructuring merely deferred the debt burden, pushing farmers deeper into distress later. He also questioned the delay in conducting panchnamas (loss assessment surveys) until October 5, asking why relief was being stalled when ministers had all administrative resources at their disposal. He criticised the Cooperation Minister for indicating that disbursing assistance would take time, accusing the administration of stalling tactics. This government suffers from a drought of empathy. Announcing a drought on paper while burying farmers under bureaucratic paperwork and delayed surveys is meaningless. The Mahayuti government must act immediately, waive crop loans, and ensure no affected farmer is left behind, he said. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said the drought relief measures announced by the government were themselves dry as dust. He argued that although the first trigger was applied in 265 talukas, it should have been implemented at least three weeks earlier. He noted that while the Chief Minister described the drought as more severe than the 1972 famine, the relief measures announced were hollow. Pawar said waiving farm tax of Rs 200 and exam fees of Rs 5001,000 was meaningless. If you are sensitive, Chief Minister sir, dont waive exam fees, waive educational fees; dont waive farm tax, waive crop loans; give farmers Rs 50,000 per hectare and farm labourers Rs 25,000 in aid, he demanded. He warned that if the government did not announce substantial immediate aid, a mass movement would be launched across the state alongside farmers and farm labourers. Pawar alleged that the government was cheating farmers, recalling that last year promises of Rs 3.5 lakh per hectare for land losses and Rs 17,000 per hectare in crop insurance had evaporated like a soap bubble. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, visiting drought-hit villages in Marathwada, said major crops like soybean and pigeon pea had withered away. Seeing the crop dying due to lack of water, farmers are breaking down in sobs. In this difficult situation, we stand with the provider of food, he said. He added that declaring 75 pc drought on paper would not suffice, stressing that farmers needed actual help.
Farmers, agricultural labourers and workers at centre of drought relief efforts: CM Fadnavis
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that farmers, agricultural labourers, and workers in the state are at the centre of the state's drought relief efforts. He asserted that every possible effort will be made to provide them relief. We stand firmly behind our farmer brothers. Let us all make united efforts to overcome this challenge, the Chief Minister expressed with strong determination. Drought has been declared in 265 talukas across the state. The government has decided to implement 12 measures and concessions to provide relief to farmers, students, agricultural labourers, citizens, and livestock in these talukas, he added. Following the announcement of the Government Resolution (GR) on the declaration of drought in 265 of the total 358 talukas, CM Fadnavis immediately instructed the concerned District Collectors to initiate spot inspections (panchnamas) in these talukas without delay. Due to a lack of rainfall, farmers are facing significant hardships. Immediate surveys will have to be conducted in the talukas where drought conditions have been declared. For this, the Revenue Department, Agriculture Department, and all related agencies must work with sensitivity and coordination. They should maintain continuous communication and contact at the field level. Giving priority to this work is necessary to provide relief to farmers, CM Fadnavis instructed. During the survey, crop condition reports will be submitted using photographs depicting crop conditions alongside GPS coordinates, he said. CM Fadnavis recently undertook a tour to review the drought situation across the state. During this visit, he personally visited the fields, interacted warmly with the farmers, and understood their grievances and difficulties. He assured them that prompt decisions regarding the drought situation would be taken. In accordance with that, a Government Resolution evaluating the state's drought conditions as per the Drought Management Code 2016 was issued on Saturday. The State Agriculture Commissioner reviewed the Kharif 2026 season and submitted a report indicating drought-like conditions in 265 talukas of the state. Consequently, panchnamas will now be conducted in these affected talukas based on Trigger-1 (First Trigger) for drought, considering rainfall deficits and other contributing factors from June to the present date. A crop condition report will be prepared by compiling photographs and GPS coordinates reflecting the status of crops in the surveyed areas, said a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office. CM Fadnavis listed measures and concessions to be implemented in drought-affected areas. These include exemption from land revenue, restructuring of crop loans, stay on the recovery of agriculture-related loans, concessions on current electricity bills for agricultural pumps (electricity bills for pumps up to 7.5 HP capacity have already been waived; this concession will apply to pumps above that capacity), waiver in exam fee for school and college students, relaxation of norms under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to initiate maximum work and deployment of water tankers where necessary for drinking water supply. He further stated that there will be no disconnection of electricity supply to agricultural pumps of farmers in villages declared scarcity-hit, ensuring adequate supply and arrangements for food grains so that no shortages affect farmers and agricultural labourers dependent on agriculture, making necessary arrangements to ensure sufficient fodder for livestock, initiating water conservation works and planning drinking water and livestock water needs. The 265 talukas where 'Trigger-1' has been applied cover various revenue divisions in the state. This includes 12 talukas in the Thane revenue division, 49 in the Nashik division, 35 in the Pune division, 74 in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, 56 in the Amravati division and 39 in the Nagpur division. In the Thane revenue division, the first trigger has been activated for Shrivardhan in Raigad district; Ratnagiri, Sangameshwar and Rajapur in Ratnagiri district; and Sawantwadi, Dodamarg, Kankavli, Kudal, Vaibhavwadi, Malvan, Devgad, and Vengurla in Sindhudurg district. No talukas from Thane and Palghar districts are included in this list. A total of 49 talukas across Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Nandurbar, and Ahilyanagar districts are included, alongside 35 talukas from Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Satara, and Kolhapur districts. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Nanded, Parbhani and Hingoli districts, 74 talukas have seen Trigger-1 activated. Amravati division includes 56 talukas from Buldhana, Amravati, Akola, Washim, and Yavatmal districts, while Nagpur division accounts for 39 talukas across Wardha, Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli districts. CM Fadnavis said that financial relief regarding crop loss for drought-affected farmers will be announced through a separate Government Resolution once all prescribed procedural requirements are fulfilled. Therefore, the government has given special emphasis to the process of conducting accurate surveys and panchnamas of crop conditions, he noted. Against the backdrop of the drought, the government has initiated measures at various levels to mitigate its impact by providing necessary concessions, relief, and facilities in a timely manner to farmers, students, labourers, and the general public, he reiterated.
Maharashtra has declared drought in 265 out of 358 talukas due to significant rainfall deficits. The government announced various relief measures, including crop loan restructuring and power bill subsidies. Financial assistance for farmers will be evaluated after ground assessments are completed. Opposition parties have criticized the government's response and demanded immediate financial assistance.
Under the changes, Form 6 declarations will be required only during SIR, while the previous format governs fresh registrations; BLOs will visit homes to collect documents for those flagged with discrepancies or not mapped, rather than issuing notices of hearings
Ganpati visarjan: Noise peaks at 107.8 dB despite fewer amplified processions in Mumbai
Delhi SIR: ECI extends deadline for filing claims and objections to Oct 30
Digital Desk | New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) The ECI on Saturday extended the deadline for Delhi electors to file SIR-related claims and objections by one month or till October 30 and fixed November 30 as the last date for disposal of notices and claims and objections, an official said on Saturday. The earlier deadline for Delhi electors, whose names were missing in the draft electoral roll, to file Form-6 along with supporting documents was September 30. In view of the request received from CEO Delhi, the period for filing claims and objections has been extended by the Commission till 30th October, 2026. The period for disposal of notices and claims & objections has been extended till 30th November 2026, said the ECI after a meeting at Nirvachan Sadan. The meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and attended by Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, also relaxed the provisions related to physical appearance of electors who have received SIR notice and allowed them or their representatives to attend hearings before election officials through online mode. In case of any person to whom notice has been issued during the ongoing SIR, for being unmapped and logical discrepancies, BLOs will visit the homes of such persons for collection of documents and thereafter upload them on the ECINet, for decision by the ERO, said the ECI statement. Such persons need not be called for hearing to the ERO/AERO office. Only in exceptional circumstances, as decided by the ERO, the hearing will be held preferably online. Any adult member of the family can be authorised by the elector to attend the hearing on their behalf, if required, the statement said. Facilities for the online hearing to be strengthened. DEOs (District Election Officers) will create adequate number of help desks/hold special camps for the people living in night shelters, labourers, poor people, homeless, etc as per requirement, it said. The CEC-chaired meeting also extended the deadline for filing claims in Maharashtra. As per the request received from CEO Maharashtra, the period for filing claims and objections in Maharashtra has been extended by the Commission till 12th October, 2026. The period for disposal of notices and claims & objections in Maharashtra has been extended till 10th November 2026, said the ECI. Earlier, the deadline for disposal of claims and objections was October 3. The poll panel said that SIR has already been completed in 20 States/UTs including Bihar and West Bengal. Any person whose name has got left out during SIR or thereafter, and any person, including young/ first-time voter, may apply to the concerned ERO for inclusion of their name in the electoral rolls under the process of continuous updation. In recent months, the Commission has taken numerous decisions, including SIR across the country. The order for the SIR issued on June 24, 2025, for all the States/UTs, starting with Bihar, followed by West Bengal and 30 other States/UTs, was issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission, said the statement. The same has been upheld by the Supreme Court. The schedule for SIR for 12 States and UTs was issued on October 27, 2025, and those for 19 States/ UTs was issued on May 14, 2026 with the unanimous approval of the Commission, said the ECI. The final figure of the number of electors will be known only after final publication in the remaining 12 states of Phase-III, it said.
Maha Dy CM Shinde assures relief to farmers after drought declared in 265 talukas
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) In a major relief measure for the agrarian community, the MahaYutiled Maharashtra government on Saturday declared drought in 265 talukas across the state following an extensive review of the prevailing water deficit and crop conditions. Reassuring affected agricultural households, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde affirmed that the administration will stand firmly behind farmers and ensure their festive season remains bright despite environmental hardship. Following groundlevel inspections across affected districts by state ministers and reviews with the Agriculture and Revenue departments, an official Government Resolution (GR) was issued declaring drought under the Trigger1 framework. DCM Shinde emphasised that the declaration is backed by an operational execution plan rather than remaining a cosmetic measure. To alleviate financial distress on rural families, the state government has rolled out immediate relief mechanisms. Shinde said the state has waived land revenue levies, imposed immediate stays on loan recovery processes, and issued restructuring mandates for existing crop loans. Orders have been passed to prevent disconnection of agricultural power pumps due to unpaid bills in droughthit regions, alongside energy tariff concessions. School and college examination fees for students from affected farm families have also been waived to prevent academic disruptions. According to Shinde, norms under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have been relaxed to expand local employment opportunities. Drinking water tanker deployment, fodder supply arrangements for livestock, food grain security measures, and water conservation projects are being accelerated. District Collectors have been instructed to conduct urgent, transparent assessments (panchnamas) of crop losses using GPS coordinates and highresolution geotagged photography. Financial compensation packages tied to direct crop damage will be distributed under a separate GR once these field evaluations are finalised. Highlighting ongoing support, Shinde noted that Rs 10,115 crore has already been disbursed to over 12.58 lakh verified farmers under the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme. Urging farmers not to lose hope or take drastic measures, he reiterated that the Mahayuti government remains committed to supporting the agricultural sector through every stage of the crisis.
After 1,123 days, stage at Maratha protest site dismantled
The protest site at Antarwali Sarati village in Maharashtra's Jalna district, which served as the epicentre for the Maratha reservation agitation led by Manoj Jarange, has been dismantled after 1,123 days. Local residents and the sarpanch decided to remove the tent and stage to facilitate daily activities and traffic movement, marking the end of a significant chapter in the three-year-long demand for OBC quota for the Maratha community.
EC orders review of ECINet, extends key deadlines in Delhi, Maharashtra
People issued notices during SIR need not appear for personal hearings, except in exceptional cases, the Election Commission said
How Recycled Ganesha Idols Are Turned Into Study Tables For Maharashtra Students
Malhar Kaalambe and Dr. Binish Desai transform post-visarjan PoP Ganesha idols into durable study tables.
IMA advises against antibiotic use as seasonal swine flu cases rise
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has urged people not to use antibiotics for swine flu symptoms, warning that indiscriminate use of drugs such as azithromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefixime during the ongoing seasonal Influenza A (H1N1) surge could worsen antimicrobial resistance without offering any benefit against the viral infection. In an advisor, the IMA said Influenza A (H1N1) is a viral illness, and antibiotics should only be prescribed if a qualified physician confirms a secondary bacterial infection based on clinical and laboratory findings. It also cautioned against self-medication with antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir, saying these are prescription medicines meant only for specific clinical categories under medical supervision. The advisory comes amid a seasonal rise in H1N1 cases during the monsoon, with Delhi reporting more than 1,770 laboratory-confirmed infections and additional cases being recorded in Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal. According to the IMA, surveillance by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) shows that the circulating virus remains the seasonal Influenza A (H1N1) strain, with no evidence of new genetic mutations. The association said most H1N1 infections remain mild and self-limiting and there is no cause for panic, though people should remain vigilant. The IMA said common symptoms include sudden high fever, dry cough, sore throat, severe body aches, fatigue, headache, nasal congestion and, particularly in children, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. It advised immediate medical attention if patients develop breathing difficulty, chest pain, bluish discolouration of the lips or fingers, coughing up blood, confusion, seizures, persistent vomiting or inability to drink fluids. In children, poor feeding, lethargy, grunting and severe chest retractions require urgent evaluation. The association also reiterated preventive measures, including frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, wearing a well-fitted mask in crowded enclosed spaces, staying home until at least 24 hours after fever subsides, and annual influenza vaccination for healthcare workers, pregnant women, older adults and people with chronic illnesses.
Thailand floods: Heavy rain batters Bangkok, disrupts traffic and businesses
Heavy rain has caused widespread flooding in Bangkok, disrupting traffic, closing businesses and forcing about 900 people into shelters. More than 84,000 people across 21 Thai provinces have been affected, while authorities warn that heavy rainfall could continue through Sunday
Maharashtra: Land revenue, loan and power relief for drought-hit talukas
Maharashtra government has declared 265 talukas drought-affected and announced 12 relief measures, including land revenue and loan concessions, electricity bill exemptions, drinking water and fodder arrangements, and exam fee waivers
Tukaram Mundhe, the FDA Commissioner, is at the forefront of tackling food safety issues in Maharashtra. Recently, actress Preity Zinta expressed her backing by wearing a 'Team Tukaram Mundhe' T-shirt and praising his initiatives. Mundhe responded positively to her public endorsement, stressing that true support must lead to actionable change rather than mere symbolism. He persistently motivates the public to adopt a proactive approach to food safety.
UP schools closed in several districts amid heavy rainfall and weather alerts
Schools in several Uttar Pradesh districts have been closed amid heavy rainfall and weather warnings. Lucknow, Prayagraj and Kanpur announced closures for September 26, while CM Yogi Adityanath directed officials to monitor relief operations and provide prompt assistance to affected families
Drought grips 74% of Maha as 265 talukas declared hit
The Maharashtra government has declared 265 out of 358 talukas as drought-affected, covering 74% of the state, due to significant rainfall deficit. This declaration activates 'Trigger-1' of the state's drought management framework, leading to the announcement of various relief measures for farmers and residents, including loan restructuring, revenue concessions, and provisions for water and fodder.
THE FIRST ARGUMENT by R.K. Garg I encountered was in Ranjit D. Udeshi v. State of Maharashtra , which was part of our criminal law course in the Faculty of Law. Garg was counsel for Udeshi, the owner of the Popular Book Stall in Bombay, who had been convicted for obscenity under S.292 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 for selling D.H. Lawrences novel Lady Chatterleys Lover. Garg argued that S.292 was an unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a). The judgment of the Court by Justice M. Hidayatullah paid a compliment to the counsel for the appellant. Our brilliant criminal law teacher Dr A.S. Bedi, referring to that compliment, said, Mr Garg is a great lawyer indeed. But the judgment went against the appellant. The Court upheld both the section and the conviction, declaring Lady Chatterleys Lover obscene. In condemning a piece of literature, Dr Bedi told us, Justice Hidayatullah wrote a piece of literature himself. I was sceptical of that, and disappointed by the judgment. Justice Hidayatullah was the 1960s equivalent of todays woke judge. He was educated at Cambridge, was a barrister at law, and seemed to be a synthesis of erudition, liberalism and cosmopolitanism. How could he and the Supreme Court through him purport to say a piece of literature was obscene? And, in my innocence, I thought, if a counsel was being complimented for his argument, he should have won the case. It is only later that I realized that the losing counsel will sometimes get the consolation prize of a compliment; I have received some in my time. I had, of course, heard of R.K. Garg even earlier, in my years in school. My mothers first cousin, M.K. Ramamurthi, along with R.K. Garg, D.P. Singh and S.C. Agrawal had set up a litigating law firm in the Supreme Court called Ramamurthi and Co., which became very well known. They were from different parts of the country. Ramamurthi was from Tamil Nadu, Garg from Uttar Pradesh, D.P. Singh from Bihar and S.C. Agrawal from Rajasthan. I am writing about Ramamurthi in another chapter of this book, so I only need to tell you about D.P. Singh and S.C. Agrawal. D.P. Singh, a lawyer from Bihar, later became a Senior Advocate and a Congress MP. Singh was a vocal supporter of the major constitutional amendments that Indira Gandhi brought about to implement her socialist vision and was an articulate defender of the supersession of judges in 1973. S.C. Agrawal was the sole non-political member of the team. He was the workhorse of the firm, excelling in drafting. He later became a Judge of the Rajasthan High Court and then served with distinction as a Judge of the Supreme Court from 1990 until 1998. Rajendra Kumar Garg was born in October 1928. His hometown was Saharanpur known for its high-quality iron and brass locks in western UP. After his school education there, he studied at Ewing Christian College, Allahabad. He obtained a masters degree in philosophy and a degree in law from Allahabad University. Those were the glorious days of that great university. The English department had two young lecturers who became legendary names in Hindi and Urdu literature. The first was Harivansh Rai Bachchan, and the second was Raghupati Sahai, better known as Firaq Gorakhpuri. Firaq was to become Gargs lifelong friend. Poignantly, when Firaq died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), his body was brought to Gargs house in Niti Bagh. In his student days, Garg was a prominent leader of the All India Student Federation and, in a natural progression, became a leader of the undivided Communist Party of India. He started his practice in Saharanpur in 1953 and was also elected vice-chairman of the Saharanpur municipality. He shifted to Allahabad in 1955 and joined the chambers of the progressive lawyer S.N. Dwivedi, who later became a Judge of the Allahabad High Court and eventually a Judge of the Supreme Court. Justice Dwivedi was in the minority of six in the Kesavananda Bharati case, holding in favour of Parliaments unlimited power to amend the Constitution. Such was his ardour for parliamentary supremacy that when he was elevated to the Supreme Court, he told a gathering of lawyers who had come to say goodbye to him at the railway station that he was going to Delhi to overrule Golak Nath. In 1960, R.K. Garg decided to shift to Delhi. He wrote to the Attorney General, Motilal Setalvad: You are the most eminent lawyer in independent India, and I shall consider myself fortunate if I am given the opportunity to join your chamber as I desire to learn to defend the interests of the working class, whom I politically represent. It is to the credit of the staid and dour M.C. Setalvad that he agreed to take a firebrand communist into his chamber. Till the end, Garg revered Setalvad, and no one who went to brief Garg could miss his photograph on his office wall. In his advocacy, Garg was vociferous and strident, and had the delightful habit of looking back after what he thought was a punchline to see if the rest of the courtroom liked his argument. I have often wondered why and how, in this obsequious and milord-ing profession, lawyers like Garg and Ramamurthi were aggressive. I believe that in the geriatric Supreme Court, in which they set up practice, in a court dominated by the likes of Setalvad, C.K. Daphtary and A.C.V. Viswanatha Sastri, youngsters could not afford to be meek. And thus, stormy petrels like them would not curb their natural style. Most judges took Gargs aggression in their stride, but not Justice A. Varadarajan, who, sitting as a junior judge with Justice Murtaza Fazl Ali, insisted (much to the discomfiture of the senior judge) on issuing a notice of contempt to him. Varadarajan retired in August 1985, and the matter lay hidden in the depths of the Courts registry till Gargs passing. However, behind the aggression and flamboyance lay a formidable intellect. There was both depth and width of knowledge, not only of law but of politics, literature and philosophy. As Chief Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah said at the Full Court Reference held on his passing, His was an enormous mind indeed. Gargs intellectual integrity made him a bit of an oddball in party politics. He was an elected member of the UP Legislative Assembly on a Communist Party of India (CPI) ticket from 1973 to 1977. I had always wondered why a person of such formidable talent and stature was not chosen by the CPI to represent it in Parliament. The party was evidently uncomfortable with him because of the Congress Partys comfort with him. In fact, his election to the UP Legislative Assembly on a CPI ticket was also with the support of the Congress. He was ultimately expelled by the Communist Party of India. Interestingly, Garg was in favour of the supersession of judges, and had backed Indira Gandhis progressive policies. He also did not oppose the Emergency. In fact, the CPI (his party at the time) supported it. Garg was, however, uncomfortable with the emergence of Sanjay Gandhi, and memorably described him as an extra-constitutional centre of power. Gargs contributions to the jurisprudence of the Court starts from the 1960s, and continued till his premature death in 1994. They were in the fields of personal liberty, freedom of speech, the right to life, criminal law, independence of the judiciary, public service law, and in varied areas of constitutional law and interpretation. Full Court References are rarely able to capture all the contributions of a lawyer to the jurisprudence of the court, but in the case of Garg (and a few months earlier in the case of his comrade Ramamurthi), the many cases argued by him are mentioned. In an era where fees were freely given in cash, and that was in fact the norm in criminal cases, Garg was known to deposit and declare every rupee that he earned. So he had the moral authority and standing to approach the Supreme Court himself as an honest taxpayer to challenge the Special Bearer Bonds Scheme. This was a scheme introduced by the post-Emergency Indira Gandhi government allowing the investment of black money into non-taxable, anonymously held bonds. The aim was to raise investment for the government by providing immunity from prosecution to those who put their undisclosed funds into government bonds. He failed in his challenge, but succeeded in getting a dissent from Justice A.C. Gupta. Decades later, my mind went back to Garg, as the Supreme Court struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme, and as Justice B.V. Nagarathna wrote her powerful dissent in the demonetization case. Gargs long-time junior, Sunil Kumar Jain, recalls his senior as a kind person but a hard taskmaster. If they were working late into the night on a case, Garg himself would drive Sunil home to his flat in Lajpat Nagar. But he also recalls the many dressing-downs he received, during some of which he actually wept. Communal harmony was a cause dear to Garg. This was not surprising because Saharanpur had a large Muslim population, and he was educated in that great GangaJamuni town of Allahabad in its pre-Prayagraj avatar. One weekend in July 1994, when he was in the midst of hearings in the Presidential Reference on Ayodhya, he travelled to Saharanpur to address a meeting on secularism.9 Tragically, he died in a road accident during that trip. The circumstances of his passing left many of us teary-eyed. One of those who died with Garg in the accident was a communist friend of his. Sunil Jain recalls that the last rites for both were conducted together. Poignantly, a wreath on behalf of the Communist Party of India was placed on the body of the colleague but not on that of Garg. Expulsion from a communist party is no different from excommunication by a conservative religious sect; it goes right up to your grave. For me, it was a double whammy because my senior, Ramamurthi, had passed just the previous year, in 1993. In one of two instances of which I am aware of a court noting with regret the passing of a lawyer who had been arguing before it in an ongoing hearing, Justice S.P. Bharucha wrote: We are indebted to the learned Attorney General for the assistance that he has rendered to the Court. We are indebted to counsel who have appeared in these matters; if we single out Mr. R.K. Garg, it is because of his untimely demise. The other instance is Gobinda Mukhoty, about whom I write separately. The Full Court Reference to Garg in the Supreme Court on 10 August 1994 was one of the most memorable I have ever witnessed (I must confess that in the last couple of decades, I have stopped attending Full Court References because they have become mechanical and mindless repetitions of biodatas). The Attorney General Milon Kumar Banerji said, One Rajendra Kumar Garg, never a second again. One could see how moved Chief Justice Venkatachaliah was, and his description of Garg as the pillar of the alternative argument is unforgettable.
Digital Desk | Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) Actress Juhi Chawla praised the atmosphere and safety arrangements at Mumbais Ganpati celebrations, where she further highlighted how thousands of devotees, including men and women, were able to participate in the festivities safely and peacefully. Speaking about the celebrations, Juhi said she was struck by the respectful and joyful atmosphere surrounding the festival, with devotees coming together to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha. As you can see, what can I say, there is a very happy and respectful atmosphere here. So many people are going to worship Baba, with so much respect. I am surprised that, and a very good thing, there are women here, men too, and everyone is going safely, she told IANS. Juhi further said, Everyone is going safely, and you can see, there are so many people, thousands, lakhs of people, but everyone is safe. And everyone is going with ease, with their happiness, to worship Baba. It is a very beautiful atmosphere, she added. I think this is the pride of Mumbai, and thank you, Shaina, for inviting me here. Watching this on TV is one thing, but actually watching it in real life, fills the heart, Juhi said. The actress also spoke about the significance of Ganpati celebrations in Maharashtra and Gujarat, describing the festival as a special part of the region's cultural celebrations. I am saying the same thing, that, first of all, this festival is very important for Maharashtra, for Gujarat. Here, we celebrate this with a lot of love, and this is very special. What you are seeing here, maybe this doesn't happen anywhere else in the world. Where else in the world is such a festival celebrated? she said. Alongside praising the festivities, Juhi also used the occasion to make an appeal for greater environmental consciousness. She urged organisers of large Ganpati pandals to take the lead in adopting eco-friendly practices. And I say to the big pandals, the big Ganpatis, I say to them, please, when will you make an eco-friendly Ganpati? When will you? When you do, all the pandals will follow you. So please, first try to become eco-friendly, she said. Known for her work across Hindi cinema, Juhi Chawla has remained associated with many social and environmental causes over the years. She has been a part of the entertainment industry for over four decades.
Maharashtra Development Tracker: New Flyover, Farmer Relief And Global Education
From major infrastructure projects to farmer relief and global education initiatives, Maharashtra is witnessing several key developments. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed that AMRUT 2.0 works in Nagpur be completed by March 2027, while the city's 8.9-km Indora-Dighori flyover has been inaugurated. Amid rain-related crop damage, the state government has ordered crop-loss assessments and assistance for affected farmers.
Maharashtra Declares Drought In 74% Of State, 265 Of 358 Talukas Affected
Trigger-1 is the first stage in the state's drought framework, activated by a rainfall deficit of more than 25 per cent combined with a prolonged dry spell of 21 days.
Maharashtra declares 265 of 358 talukas drought-hit, announces relief
The Maharashtra government on Saturday declared 265 of the 358 talukas in the state as drought-affected, announcing relief measures, including restructuring of crop loans, concession in land revenue and deferment of recovery of agriculture-related loans. According to a government resolution issued late on Friday, this covers 74 per cent of the state. The decision follows Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's recent visit to some drought-affected parts of the state. The state government has activated 'Trigger-1' under its manual for drought management 2016 (updated in 2020) and Drought Management Code to declare drought conditions and initiate relief. Trigger-1 is the first stage in the state's drought framework, activated by a rainfall deficit of more than 25 per cent combined with a prolonged dry spell of 21 days. A report submitted by the Agriculture Commissioner found drought-like conditions in the 265 talukas across 32 districts due to rainfall deficit and other factors since ...
West Bengal Police reshuffle: New appointments in intelligence, traffic, CID
The West Bengal government has transferred 23 IPS officers in a major reshuffle covering the state and Kolkata Police. The changes include new appointments in the Intelligence Branch, Traffic, Detective Department, CID, Security and other key police units across the state
Karnataka Congress protests at Freedom Park, demands CEC's resignation
Digital Desk | Bengaluru, Sep 26 (IANS) Karnataka Congress leaders and workers staged a protest at Freedom Park here on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was misusing its constitutional authority and excluding eligible voters from electoral rolls. The protest was led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B.K. Hariprasad and attended by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister and Union Minister Veerappa Moily, AICC Secretary Gopinath Palaniyappan and several party leaders. Addressing the gathering, Hariprasad said the agitation had been organised to safeguard the Constitution and democratic values. Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's campaign against alleged electoral irregularities, he said the party would continue its nationwide struggle against what it termed the misuse of powers by election authorities. Hariprasad alleged that eligible voters had been removed from electoral rolls in several states after the BJP came to power in 2024. He claimed that large numbers of voters were excluded in Bihar and West Bengal and alleged that similar exercises had affected voters in Haryana, Maharashtra and other states. He further claimed that in Karnataka, over one crore voters had been removed from electoral rolls, while lakhs of entries had been categorised as fake or placed under other classifications. These figures and allegations were presented by Hariprasad during his address and were not independently verified. The electoral roll is the foundation of democracy. Every citizen has a constitutional right to vote and elect a government once every five years, Hariprasad said, alleging attempts were being made to weaken that foundation. He also urged younger voters, including members of Gen Z, to remain vigilant about protecting their voting rights. Targeting the BJP leadership, Hariprasad alleged that electoral victories could not be attributed solely to political strategy and claimed that electoral-roll manipulation through the Election Commission was being used to influence outcomes. He further alleged that the two other Election Commissioners had differed with decisions taken by the CEC on multiple occasions but that their views had not been adequately considered. The KPCC chief also criticised the 2023 law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, alleging that the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel had weakened institutional checks and balances. Hariprasad asserted that the Congress agitation would continue until Gyanesh Kumar stepped down and called upon party workers to intensify the campaign across district headquarters from Monday. The Election Commission has maintained that decisions related to electoral-roll revision and other electoral processes are taken in accordance with the prescribed statutory framework. According to the Commission's official website, Gyanesh Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner, while Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi serve as Election Commissioners.
Minor girl alleges sexual assault in Bihar's Darbhanga district, two arrested
Two youths have been arrested in Bihars Darbhanga after a minor girl alleged she was sexually assaulted after accepting a motorcycle ride from an examination centre. Police seized the motorcycle and are investigating the allegations, sequence of events and roles of those arrested
Wrestlers appeal against Brij Bhushan acquittal adjourned to September 28
A Delhi court has adjourned to September 28 the hearing on an appeal by four women wrestlers challenging the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar. The wrestlers argue that the trial court incorrectly assessed evidence in the sexual harassment case.
Maharashtra Declares Drought In 265 Talukas, Announces Crop Loan And Land Revenue Relief
Maharashtra has declared 265 of its 358 talukas drought-affected, with the state government announcing a series of measures to provide relief to farmers and others impacted by the lack of rainfall. The declaration covers 74 per cent of the state's
Watch Duronto Express stone pelting video: A window pane on the Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express cracked after someone hurled a stone at the train near Borkhedi station in Maharashtra on Friday night. Three coaches were hit, nobody was injured, and railway police are still searching for the person responsible.
Bihar: Three detained after alleged molestation of woman at Mandar Parvat
The action follows media reports and a video circulating on social media that allegedly shows a group of men surrounding and harassing the woman. The video was reportedly edited in an objectionable manner and subsequently circulated online
Bombay HC Bans Firecrackers, Loud Music Across Maharashtra
The Bombay HC has imposed stringent restrictions on the use of firecrackers, high-intensity lighting and loud sound systems during festive celebrations and processions across Maharashtra, citing concerns over air and noise pollution and the impact of excessive noise on ordinary citizens. The directions came during the hearing of a suo motu public interest litigation concerning [] The post Bombay HC Bans Firecrackers, Loud Music Across Maharashtra appeared first on Tfipost.com .
Delhi car crash kills auto driver, leaves another injured in Sukhdev Vihar
A 45-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was killed and another man injured after an allegedly speeding car rammed into an auto and cycle rickshaw in Sukhdev Vihar, Delhi. Police said a tea seller reported that two cars were allegedly racing before the crash. Investigation is underway
Maharashtra declares drought in 265 talukas, covering 74% of State
Overall, the State recorded an 18.8% rainfall deficit, receiving actual rainfall of 755.9 mm from June to September 18
Maharashtra declares drought in 265 talukas, covering 74% of State
Overall, the State recorded an 18.8% rainfall deficit, receiving actual rainfall of 755.9 mm from June to September 18
Maharashtra govt declares 265 of 358 talukas drought-affected, announces relief measures
This covers 74% of the state, government resolution says
Actual aid decision for drought-hit farmers after ground-level assessment: Sunetra Pawar
Maharashtra has declared drought in 265 of its talukas due to severe crop damage and water shortages. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar announced 12 relief measures to assist affected farmers. An objective ground-level assessment will determine the specific assistance to farmers in need. Marathwada district faces particularly challenging conditions concerning drinking water and livestock fodder. Additionally, the government is considering concessions for students affected by the drought crisis.
Maharashtra declares 265 of 358 talukas drought-affected amid rainfall deficit
Maharashtra government has declared 265 of the states 358 talukas drought-affected, covering 74 per cent of the state, amid an 18.8 per cent rainfall deficit. Beed, Dharashiv, Latur and Solapur are among districts facing severe rainfall shortages and crop losses
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis declares drought in 265 talukas, announces measures to address crisis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday took a major decision and declared drought in 265 talukas of the state. He declared drought in 265 of the state's 358 talukas, or approximately 75 percent of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Govt declares 265 of 358 talukas drought-affected
Maharashtra has declared 265 out of 358 talukas as drought-affected due to inadequate rainfall this season. The total rainfall deficit across the state was noted to be 18.8 percent, impacting crop production. Significant drought has been noted particularly in districts like Dharashiv and Beed, which have not received rainfall since July. Farmers have reported crop failures and increased pest issues, prompting protests for relief measures.
