The Centre responded to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s letter to PM Narendra Modi stressing on incidents of rape cases across India. The Centre stated that West Bengal has been allocated 123 fast-track courts, but most of them are not functional yet.

Responding to the Chief Minister’s letter, Union minister Annuparna Devi said that as of 30.06.2024, 752 FTSCs including 409 exclusive POCSO Courts are functional in 30 States/UTs which have disposed of over 2,53,000 cases since the inception of scheme.

Under the aegis of this scheme, the State of West Bengal was allocated a total of 123 FTSCs, which included 20 exclusive POCSO Courts and 103 combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO Act cases. Nonetheless, all these courts had not been operationalized till mid-June, 2023.

She further added that West Bengal communicated its willingness to participate in the Scheme vide letter dated 08.06.2023, committing to start 7 FTSCs. Under the revised target, West Bengal has been allocated 17 FTSCs, of which only 6 exclusive POCSO Courts have been operationalized as of 30.06 2024. She highlighted that in spite of a pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the State Government has not taken any steps to start the remaining 11 FTSCS. She concluded that action in this regard is pending with the state government.

CM Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on increasing number of rapes across the country and how the proposed legislation can ensure speedy justice. CM Banerjee expressed that it is horrifying to see that almost 90 cases of rapes occur daily throughout the country, and this shakes the confidence and conscience of the society and the nation. She added that it is a bounden duty for all of them to put an end to it so that the women feel safe and secure.

The Chief Minister underlined that such a serious and sensitive issue needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner through stringent central legislation prescribing exemplary punishment against the persons involved in such dastardly crimes. CM Mamata Banerjee further stated that setting up of Fast Track Special Courts for speedy trial in such cases should also be considered in the proposed legislation to ensure quick justice, trial in such cases should preferably be completed within 15 days.

The BJP on Friday morning announced a list of 44 candidates for three phase election to 90 Assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, but deleted it soon after. Few hours later, the BJP released a fresh list, which only had names of 15 candidates picked for the first phase of the election. Notably, no changes have been made in the candidates picked for the first phase. 

Three major names including Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina, and former Deputy Chief Ministers Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta were missing from the revised list. It had the name of Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh’s brother Devendra Rana, who switched from the National Conference.

Reportedly, two Kashmiri Pandits, 14 Muslim candidates were also named in the first list. Multiple former leaders of Congress, National Conference, PDP and Panthers Party, who switched sides and joined the BJP, also featured in the now-deleted list. 

Reports said, few key omissions led to an eruption of resentment after the first list was released. Notably, it is this pushback that appears to have forced the party to withdraw the three-phase list and re-release only the names of candidates for the first phase. 

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will vote in three phases on September 19, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4. After 2014, this is the first Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir after the erstwhile state lost its special status in 2019 and was bifurcated into two Union Territories.

The first list of candidates was released this morning after the BJP’s Central Election Committee finalised the party’s election picks for the upcoming election. PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda were at the key meeting in Delhi yesterday.

The previous Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir was held in 2014. Earlier, in the 2014 election, the BJP put up a stellar show by winning 25 seats and the PDP emerged as the single largest party with 28 wins. Meanwhile, the incumbent National Conference won 15 seats and the Congress bagged 12. After the election, the BJP and the PDP forged a surprise alliance government, led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and then by Mehbooba Mufti after the former’s death in 2016.

In this election, Jammu and Kashmir is headed for a tripartite contest between the BJP, the PDP and the National Conference-Congress alliance. However, the Congress and National Conference are yet to iron out differences in seat-sharing. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to create five new districts in the union territory of Ladakh.

Taking to social media platform X, Amit Shah said the creation of new districts will take the benefits meant for the people to their doorsteps by bolstering governance in every nook and cranny. The Union Home Minister also attributed the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh. Namely, these districts are Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.

In the post, Amit Shah wrote that in pursuit of Narendra Modi’s vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to create five new districts in the union territory. He added that the Modi government is committed to creating abundant opportunities for the people of Ladakh. He attributed the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh.

At present, Ladakh has only two districts: Leh and Kargil. Both these districts have their autonomous district councils which govern them. Following the creation of the aforesaid new districts, Ladakh will have seven districts in total.

Until 2019, Ladakh was a part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Nonetheless, the BJP-led Central government in 2019 revoked the special status accorded to the state. The Centre also divided the state into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. 

Ladakh is strategically very important in view of the recent Chinese aggression in the eastern part of the region, and is one of the most famous India tourist spots in the world.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is preparing for its first elections since the abrogation of Article 370. Elections will occur in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of the votes will take place on October 4. The Union Territory held its last election in 2014.