English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Latest Politics News

J&K: Supreme Court asks Centre to restore normalcy without compromising on national interest

Published

on

J&K Situation

Centre says lockdown hasn’t affected normal life, defends prohibitory orders

The Supreme Court today – Monday, Sep 16 – directed the Centre and the Jammu & Kashmir government to ensure that normalcy is restored in Jammu & Kashmir on a selective basis and without compromising on national interest.

The order was passed in a batch of petitions filed by Kashmir Times Editor Anuradha Bhasin and political activist Tehseen Poonawalla challenging the shutdown in the J&K. The Supreme Court had tagged the two pleas together and issued notice in the matter last month.

The court granted permission to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to visit Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramullah and Jammu districts to enquire about the well being of his family members. In a separate plea, the top court issued notice to the Centre on the detention of former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. CJI Ranjan Gogoi said he will visit Srinagar himself if necessary after a petition put forth allegations of inaccessibility of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

The communications blackout has been in place since August 5, when the Presidential Order revoking the Special Status granted to Jammu and Kashmir and splitting it into two Union Territories was passed.

While Bhasin and Poonawalla contended that the shutdown had affected normal life in J&K, Attorney General KK Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered and sought to justify prohibitory orders.

The Court proceeded to direct the Government to ensure that normalcy is restored in the J&K and that hospitals, schools and public transport are made functional. However, the same is to be done keeping in mind the national interest.

“We direct Jammu and Kashmir to make every endeavour to make sure normal life returns,” said a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

“We ask for restoration to be on selective basis keeping in mind national interest,” said the judges.

The bench, which included justices SA Bobde and SA Nazeer, said as the shutdown was in the Kashmir Valley, it could be dealt with by the Jammu and Kasmir High Court.

The petition filed by Bhasin, who is the Executive Editor of the regional newspaper, Kashmir Times, contends that the shutdown of internet and telecommunication, the severe restrictions on mobility and the sweeping curtailment on information sharing, when significant political and constitutional changes are being effected in Jammu and Kashmir, violate the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19, the right of the public to information and the right to practice one’s profession.

In this backdrop, Bhasin argued for the withdrawal of Government restrictions in J&K terming the lockdown to be an abuse of State power.

Registering his objection to the “present grim and lockdown situation ongoing in J&K”, Poonawalla had also moved the Court earlier praying for the withdrawal of restrictions imposed following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, the release of detained leaders in Jammu and Kashmir and the appointment of a judicial commission to ascertain the ground reality in Jammu and Kashmir.

The top court also issued a notice to the Centre and state on Bhasin’s plea.

The government told the court that there had been no loss of life during the restrictions, which have been in place to avoid any backlash over the Centre’s decision.

“Not a single bullet has been fired, there has been no loss of life,” said the Centre’s lawyer, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

Restrictions have been removed in 93 police stations and there are no restrictions in Ladakh, he said, giving an account of OPDs, medical shops and Public Distribution Shops functioning across the state.  The court also directed the state government to make every endeavour for people to have access to health care.

The judges were told by the centre that all Kashmir-based newspapers were running and the government had been offering all kinds of assistance to journalists.

“Media passes are given for access to restricted areas and journalists are given access to phones and Internet,” adding that “TV channels like Doordarshan and others private ones, as well as FM networks are also working.”

“Over 40,000 lives were lost in Jammu and Kashmir since 1990. Separatists even received funding from the Pakistan High Commission,” Venugopal informed the top court, adding that there was a three-pronged attack on J&K administration before August 5. “By separatists funding stone pelters, by terrorists from across border and by businessman Zahoor Watali who was funding local militants,” he said.

Also Read: Farooq Abdullah detained under NSA night before Supreme Court heard plea to produce him

India News

Vijay meets PM Modi for second time as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister during Delhi visit

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi during his latest visit to the capital, marking their second interaction since Vijay became Chief Minister.

Published

on

Actor vijay

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday, marking their second meeting since Vijay assumed office last month.

The meeting took place during Vijay’s visit to the national capital, where he has also been scheduled to attend the Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog. Reports indicate that the interaction between the two leaders lasted around 20 minutes.

This follows Vijay’s first official meeting with the Prime Minister on May 27, shortly after taking charge as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. During that meeting, Vijay submitted a memorandum on several issues concerning the state, including the Mekedatu dam project, Tamil Nadu fishermen detained in Sri Lanka, and other matters related to the state’s interests.

Vijay’s latest Delhi visit has included meetings with several national leaders as he continues engagements with the Centre and leaders from different political parties. Reports said he also met senior Congress leaders during the trip.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister took office on May 10 after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerged as a key force in the 2026 Assembly elections and formed the government with support from alliance partners.

While details of the latest discussion between Vijay and the Prime Minister were not immediately disclosed, the meeting is being viewed as part of ongoing Centre-state consultations on issues concerning Tamil Nadu.

Continue Reading

India News

Abhishek Banerjee gets three-week interim protection in Bengal signature forgery case

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee has secured three weeks of interim protection from coercive action in the Bengal signature forgery case while the CID probe continues.

Published

on

Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee has received interim protection from coercive action for three weeks from the Calcutta High Court in connection with the alleged signature forgery case being investigated by the West Bengal CID. The relief comes amid an ongoing legal challenge by the senior party leader against repeated summons issued by investigators.

The case relates to allegations that signatures of several Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a party resolution submitted to the West Bengal Assembly during a leadership dispute. The complaint led to the registration of a case and a CID investigation, with the agency seeking to question Banerjee regarding the disputed document.

Court grants temporary relief

During the hearing, the court granted Banerjee protection from arrest and other coercive measures for three weeks while the matter remains under judicial consideration. The interim order provides temporary relief as the legal proceedings continue and the CID investigation moves forward.

Banerjee had approached the High Court challenging the CID summons and seeking protection from any adverse action. He had also requested additional time to appear before investigators, citing legal proceedings and other commitments.

CID probe and summons

The West Bengal CID has issued multiple notices to Banerjee in the alleged forgery case and has maintained that his statement is important for the investigation. Investigators have also questioned several MLAs and carried out searches linked to the probe.

According to investigators, the inquiry focuses on allegations that signatures appearing on a party communication submitted to the Assembly did not match those of some legislators. The authenticity of the document and related records remains under examination.

The matter is expected to return to court after the expiry of the interim protection period, while the CID investigation continues.

Continue Reading

India News

CID searches Mamata Banerjee’s residence-cum-office in signature forgery investigation

The West Bengal CID carried out a search at Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence-cum-office in Kolkata as part of an ongoing probe into allegations that signatures of Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a document submitted to the Assembly Speaker.

Published

on

Mamata Banerjee

The West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday carried out a search at the Kalighat residence-cum-office of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as part of its investigation into an alleged signature forgery case that has triggered a major political controversy in the state.

The probe relates to allegations that signatures of several Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a communication submitted to the Assembly Speaker regarding the selection of senior party leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition.

According to the complaint, two party MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, informed the Speaker that no resolution had been adopted at a May 6 meeting as claimed in the official communication. They further alleged that signatures were added later and questioned the authenticity of several entries on the document.

The CID team, accompanied by police personnel, arrived at the premises located at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kolkata. The location serves as both Mamata Banerjee’s residence and an important party office. Investigators reportedly conducted the search after seeking information connected to the collection of signatures under scrutiny.

The development comes amid an intensifying investigation that has already seen multiple notices issued to Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Searches were also conducted at locations linked to him as investigators sought to verify details regarding the process through which the signatures were collected.

The signature forgery controversy has added to the political challenges facing the Trinamool Congress, with the issue exposing internal divisions within the party following its recent electoral setback in West Bengal.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com