Big Stories Today: Akhilesh Yadav not to contest Uttar Pradesh polls, Covaxin gets Australia okay, NEET results out, SC sets aside Calcutta HC order banning crackers
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Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone asks parties in Jammu and Kashmir to create enabling environment for Centre to deliver
Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone on Monday asked parties in Jammu and Kashmir to create enabling environment for Centre to deliver.He denounces those keen to start a new round of confrontation at the cost of Kashmir’s people.
NTA announces NEET results, sending scorecards via emails
The National Testing Agency has started distributing the results of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET) 2021, the entrance test for undergraduate medical courses via email.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is sending NEET-UG scorecards to the registered Email ID of the students and the mail sent to candidates also assures that the result will be declared on the official website shortly.
Flight passengers need to be fully vaccinated or furnish RT-PCR negative report at Kolkata airport
As per guidelines of the West Bengal government, all inbound flight passengers to the state shall have to be either fully (doubly) vaccinated or furnish an RT-PCR negative report for a test conducted within 72 hrs of such flight departure the Kolkata airport
Coal minister Pralhad Joshi calls upon Coal India limited to ensure 18-day coal stock by November end
Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday called upon Coal India limited to ensure 18-day coal-stock with power plants by November end.
CIL had earlier said it is marshalling all its efforts to bridge the demand-supply gap to the extent possible.
Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output.
10 Zika virus cases confirmed in Kanpur
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said that ten cases of Zika virus have been confirmed in Kanpur as it stepped up surveillance to check its spread, officials said.
Since the confirmation of the state’s first case of Zika virus in October, the Uttar Pradesh government is carrying out testing of samples on a large scale, an official statement said.
Nawab Malik targets Fadnavis over drug cartel amid Aryan Khan row
Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik has made a series of exposes on Twitter over the past week targeted at NCB officer Sameer Wankhede. Malik had alleged Wankhede was involved in extortion and had forged a caste certificate to clear the civil services examination.
If AAP comes to power in Goa, Arvind Kejriwal proposes to send every community to its Ram Mandir
Ahead of Goa Polls, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal said that if AAP forms government in Goa, we will arrange free pilgrimage to Ayodhya for Hindus and to Velankanni for Christians. For Muslims, he said, will provide a free trip to Ajmer Sharif and to Shirdi temple for those who revere Sai Baba
Power rates slashed by Rs 3 for domestic consumers in Punjab from today, says Punjab CM Charanjit Channi
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Monday announced that the power rates slashed by Rs 3 for domestic consumers in Punjab from today.
Channi said that Rs 3 per unit reduction in power tariff for consumers have who sanctioned load of up to 7 kW. This, he said, would make power cheap for 95 per cent of the consumers. This reduction is estimated to cost the exchequer Rs 3,316 crore.
Mayawati reacts to Akhilesh’s Jinnah remark, alleges collusion between SP, BJP
In the midst of a war of words between the ruling BJP and Samajwadi Party over Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the poll-bound state of Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati hit out at them saying they were playing a fixed match on caste and communal issues.
4 get death penalty in 2013 Patna Gandhi Maidan serial blasts case
The National Investigation Agency special court in Patna on Monday pronounces quantum of punishment for 9 convicts in the 2013 Patna Gandhi Maidan serial blasts case. 4 get capital punishment, 2 get life imprisonment, 2 get 10-year imprisonment and one gets 7-year imprisonment.
UP government to light 12 lakh earthen lamps, bettering previous Diwali record
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday informed that it will light in Ayodhya 12 lakh earthen lamps, nine lakh of which will be lit on the banks of Saryu, bettering the previous Diwali record.
Last year, over six lakh earthen lamps were lit during the Deepotsav to celebrate the festival, creating a world record.
Supreme Court sets aside Calcutta HC order putting blanket ban on cracker bursting in West Bengal
The Supreme Court on Monday set aside the Calcutta High Court order putting a blanket ban on cracker bursting in West Bengal.
The top court said that it had allowed the use of green crackers if ambient air quality is moderate.
SC said: “The order of the SC will be applicable to all states uniformly and WB cannot be an exception.”
Ministry of Minority Affairs releases new guidelines for Haj 2022
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi released an online application form and new guidelines for the upcoming Haj on Monday. He previously stated that the entire Haj process in India in 2022 would be entirely digital. Starting today, the application process will begin.
According to a statement, the Haj 2022 process is being planned after discussions between the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Haj Committee of India, Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, and India’s Consul General in Jeddah, as well as other agencies, taking into account all aspects of the pandemic’s challenges.
Sachin Vaze sent to Mumbai Police custody till Nov 6
Former Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze was sent to Mumbai Police custody till November 6, after being produced before Killa court on Monday. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has sought 10-day custody for interrogation in connection with an extortion case.
Earlier, Mumbai Police approached the court to seek Sachin Vaze’s custody to investigate the extortion case registered against him and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh at Goregaon police station by businessman Bimal Agarwal.
Income Tax raids on major road contractors in Bihar and Jharkhand, seizes Rs 5.71 cr cash
The Income Tax Department has carried out search and seizure operations on prominent road construction contractors in Bihar and Jharkhand. The search action was initiated on October 27 at various premises located in Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, the Ministry of Finance informed. Ministry of Finance: The search resulted in the seizure of unaccounted cash of Rs 5.71 crore. Ten bank lockers were placed under restraint. The investment made in fixed deposits of about Rs 60 cr is under verification. It also led to the detection of unaccounted income of about Rs 100 crore.
Former Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze produced before Mumbai court, Crime Branch seeks 10-day custody
Former Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze was produced before Killa court on Monday. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has sought 10-day custody for interrogation in connection with an extortion case.
Earlier, Mumbai Police approached the court to seek Sachin Vaze’s custody to investigate the extortion case registered against him and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh at Goregaon police station by businessman Bimal Agarwal.
Bhima Koregaon Commission suspends all future hearings citing lack of suitable accommodation
The Bhima Koregaon Commission of Inquiry has suspended all its future hearings in Mumbai till the Maharashtra government provides them a suitable location to conduct the hearings. A hearing at Mumbai was proposed from 8th November to 12th November. The two-member commission headed by retired Justice J N Patel was formed by the government for probing into the cause of Bhima Koregaon violence of January 1, 2018, in which one person was killed and several others were injured.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chairs review meeting on dengue in Delhi
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday chaired a review meeting over the alarming surge in dengue cases in Delhi. During the meeting, the health minister discussed ways on how the Centre can assist the Delhi government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in curbing the surge in cases.
Akhilesh Yadav not to contest next UP assembly elections
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that he would not be contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections early next year. He also said an alliance between his party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for the polls had been finalised.
Delhi cinema halls, theatres reopen with full capacity
Cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes reopen with full seating capacity from today, also increasing the number of people allowed to attend weddings, funerals from 100 to 200. The DDMA order said that it will be the responsibility of the owners of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes for strict adherence to standard operating protocol (SOP) and official guidelines as well as Covid-appropriate behaviour at the premises.
Delhi schools reopen for all classes with strict Covid-19 guidelines
After remaining closed for 19 months Delhi schools reopened for all classes with strict Covid-19 guidelines in place. Students were seen streaming into Delhi schools early this morning, but not before they were thermally screened and their hands spritzed with sanitisers.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has determined that India’s Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, manufactured by Bharat Biotech and BBIBP-CorV, manufactured by Sinopharm, China vaccines would be recognised for the purpose of establishing a traveller’s vaccination status.
This recognition is for travellers aged 12 and over who have been vaccinated with Covaxin, and those 18 to 60 who have been vaccinated with BBIBP-CorV.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticises India restriction, says leak networks shifted to other apps
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has responded to India’s temporary restriction on the platform ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, arguing that the move affected ordinary users without stopping alleged leak networks.
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has criticised India’s decision to temporarily restrict access to the messaging platform, arguing that the move failed to curb alleged exam leak operations and instead affected millions of legitimate users.
The restriction was imposed ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination as authorities sought to prevent the spread of leaked exam-related material and disrupt networks allegedly involved in malpractice.
In a public response, Durov said the action had inconvenienced a large number of users across India while those responsible for sharing leaked content had simply migrated to alternative platforms.
According to Durov, restricting access to Telegram did not eliminate the problem authorities were trying to address. He claimed that groups involved in distributing exam-related leaks quickly shifted their activities elsewhere, raising questions about the effectiveness of platform-specific restrictions.
The temporary curbs were announced by the government in the lead-up to the NEET-UG re-test scheduled for June 21. Officials said the move was aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the examination process following concerns about the circulation of leaked material online.
The restriction is currently expected to remain in place until June 22.
Durov also stressed that millions of Indian users rely on Telegram for communication, education, business activities and community engagement. He argued that measures targeting an entire platform can have wider consequences for users who have no connection to alleged wrongdoing.
The government’s action came amid broader efforts to prevent cheating and malpractice in competitive examinations. Authorities have been closely monitoring digital platforms and messaging services after reports that exam-related content was being circulated through online channels.
The debate has sparked discussions about how governments and technology platforms should balance examination security with access to digital communication services. While officials maintain that strong measures are necessary to protect the fairness of high-stakes examinations, critics argue that restrictions on entire platforms may not effectively stop determined offenders.
For now, Telegram remains at the centre of the discussion as authorities continue efforts to ensure a fair and secure conduct of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.
Telegram restricted ahead of NEET-UG re-exam, NTA backs move to curb exam fraud
NTA has welcomed the Centre’s decision to temporarily restrict Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, citing the need to prevent fraud and misinformation.
The Centre has imposed temporary restrictions on messaging platform Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) welcoming the decision as part of efforts to prevent exam-related fraud and misinformation.
The temporary curbs will remain in place until June 22, a day after the NEET-UG re-exam scheduled for June 21. Authorities said the action was taken following concerns that the platform was being misused by cheating networks and individuals circulating misleading claims related to the examination.
NTA says move aimed at protecting exam integrity
According to the NTA, the restrictions are intended to safeguard candidates from fraudulent activities and false information that could affect the fairness of the examination process. The agency stated that maintaining the integrity of the re-examination remains a priority as lakhs of students prepare to appear for the test.
The NEET-UG re-exam is being conducted after the original examination was cancelled amid allegations of question paper leaks and irregularities. Since then, authorities have been monitoring online platforms for suspicious activity and misleading content targeting candidates.
Restrictions linked to concerns over fake paper leak claims
In recent weeks, several reports surfaced about Telegram channels allegedly offering access to leaked examination papers. The NTA had repeatedly advised students not to trust such claims and referred suspicious links and posts for verification by cybercrime authorities. No official confirmation of any genuine leaked re-exam paper had been issued.
Authorities believe the temporary restrictions will help limit the spread of fake content and reduce opportunities for organised exam fraud in the days leading up to the re-test.
Wider efforts to secure the re-examination
The government and examination authorities have introduced several measures ahead of the re-exam, including monitoring social media platforms and creating channels for reporting suspicious claims related to NEET-UG 2026. The NTA has also urged candidates to rely only on official communications for updates regarding the examination.
With the re-examination approaching, officials say the latest action is part of a broader effort to ensure a fair and transparent process for all candidates.
Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning
After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.
Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.
Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.
The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.
His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.
After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.
The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.
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