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CJI Gogoi recuses from hearing plea challenging CBI interim chief Nageswara Rao appointment

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi today (Monday, Jan 21) recused himself from the hearing the petition case challenging the appointment of M Nageswara Rao as interim CBI chief.

A Bench comprising CJI and Justice Sanjiv Khanna was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause challenging the appointment of Rao as interim CBI director.

The CJI said that he is part of the high-powered selection committee to choose the CBI director and that the committee would meet on January 24 to appoint the new CBI chief in place of Alok Verma, who was removed as CBI director months after he was sent on leave and replaced by Nageswara Rao.

Hearing on Rao’s appointment is scheduled for the same day.

The selection panel is likely to meet on January 24 to appoint the new CBI director. The high-powered selection committee to select the CBI director comprises the Prime Minister, the leader of the largest Opposition party and the CJI or his nominee judge of the apex court.

Chief Justice Gogoi had also recused himself from the panel when it met and decided to sack Alok Verma, as he was part of the Supreme Court bench that passed an order reinstating Verma. The SC Bench headed by Gogoi had ruled that the government order divesting Verma of his powers as CBI director and sending him on leave was procedurally flawed and only the high powered selection committee could decide on the matter. Another top court judge, AK Sikri, was nominated to represent CJI at the selection committee meeting which decided 2:1 to remove Verma.

Nageswara Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer, took over from him a second time after this.

The decision to call a meeting of the committee on January 24 follows Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s letter to the Prime Minister, urging the convening of a meeting at the earliest. The lone dissenter in the 2-1 decision that led to the ouster of Verma over alleged charges of corruption, Kharge called the appointment of Rao as Interim Director “illegal”.

Common Cause filed a petition last Monday, seeking a direction to cancel the government’s order appointing Rao as the acting director of the agency. It said that it was “illegal, arbitrary, mala fide and in violation of the Delhi Police Special Establishment (DPSE) Act”.

The petition states that the appointment of Nageshwar Rao was “not made on the basis of recommendations of the high-powered selection committee”.

The petition wants a full-time director appointed. It also seeks that the procedure laid down in Section 4A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, amended by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 should be followed for the appointment of the CBI director.

The petitioner alleged that “Government… has attempted to stifle the independence of the institution of the CBI by appointing the Director of the CBI in an arbitrary and illegal manner” and that “the lack of transparency in the process of appointment prevents any meaningful public scrutiny and allows the government to exercise undue influence in the process especially at the stage of short-listing of candidates, thereby undermining the institution of the CBI”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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West Bengal Governor dissolves Assembly amid political transition 

Governor R N Ravi dissolved the West Bengal Assembly after the 2026 poll results, with the BJP securing a majority in the state elections.

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7 hours ago

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May 7, 2026

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The West Bengal Legislative Assembly was dissolved following the conclusion of the 2026 Assembly elections, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a clear majority in the state.

Governor R N Ravi issued the order dissolving the Assembly as the state prepared for the transition of power after the election results. According to reports, the BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, while the Trinamool Congress secured 80 seats.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the election outcome and alleged irregularities in the poll process, claiming the mandate had been “looted”.

The dissolution came as the tenure of the existing Assembly ended on May 7, 2026. The development has sparked political discussions over the formation of the next government in the state.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with newly elected Trinamool Congress MLAs in Kolkata and reportedly raised concerns over internal sabotage during the elections.

The BJP is expected to begin the formal process of government formation in West Bengal after its decisive victory in the Assembly polls.

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Eknath Shinde’s helicopter returns to Mumbai mid-flight due to bad weather

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s helicopter was forced to return to Mumbai after the pilot detected approaching storm conditions during a flight to Thane district.

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May 7, 2026

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A helicopter carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was forced to return to Mumbai on Thursday after encountering adverse weather conditions during a flight to Thane district.

According to officials, Shinde had departed from Mahalaxmi Racecourse in south Mumbai around 3.30 pm and was travelling to Murbad in Thane district to attend a wedding function related to a party worker’s family.

The helicopter reportedly reached the Airoli area in Navi Mumbai when the pilot noticed an approaching storm and informed the deputy chief minister about the deteriorating weather conditions. Following the alert, the flight was turned back as a precautionary measure.

The helicopter later landed safely at the Pawan Hans facility in Juhu, Mumbai. Officials said Shinde was accompanied by members of his staff, including personal assistant Prabhakar Kale, special executive officer Balsingh Rajput and media adviser Vinay Patrdukar.

The incident comes amid changing weather conditions and storm activity reported in parts of Maharashtra in recent days.

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Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant among 32 inducted in Bihar cabinet expansion

Nishant Kumar entered the Bihar cabinet for the first time as 32 ministers from NDA allies took oath in a major expansion of the state government.

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11 hours ago

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May 7, 2026

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Bihar government cabinet

A major cabinet expansion took place in Bihar on Thursday, with 32 leaders from the ruling NDA alliance inducted into the state government. Among the prominent names was Nishant Kumar, son of former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who entered the cabinet for the first time.

The expansion included representatives from all major NDA allies in the state. According to reports, the BJP secured 15 ministerial berths, while JD(U) got 13 positions. Two ministers were inducted from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), while Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha received one berth each.

The oath-taking ceremony was held in Patna in the presence of senior NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Nishant Kumar’s induction comes weeks after he formally entered active politics. His entry into the Bihar cabinet is being viewed as a significant development for JD(U), which had long projected an anti-dynasty image under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

The cabinet reshuffle follows Nitish Kumar’s move to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year and the formation of the government led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.

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