Relentless rains continue to lash northern India; 17 killed in Himachal Pradesh
Relentless rain continued to lash most parts of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh for the third straight day in a row on July 10, putting normal life out of gear. The torrential monsoon rains in Himachal Pradesh that triggered incidents of cloud bursts, flash floods, and landslides during the past three days, have claimed at least 17 human lives so far.
Supreme Court seeks Centre, L-G responses on Delhi Ordinance
The Supreme Court on July 10 sought the Centre and Delhi Lieutenant-Governor’s (L-G) response to a Delhi government’s petition to quash the Ordinance, which allows the L-G to exercise control over the appointment of officials in the national capital. A Bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha issued notice and impleaded the Delhi L-G V.K. Saxena as a respondent in the case. The court directed the respondents to file their replies in two weeks.
The Madras High Court has decided to embark on an exercise of quashing criminal cases registered against minor boys for having consensual relationships with, or having eloped with minor girls, if it finds that these cases are against the interest and future of the children involved, besides being an abuse of the process of court or an abuse of the process of law.
The Supreme Court on July 10 agreed to hear on July 31 a petition filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray challenging an Election Commission of India order allotting the party name ‘Shiv Sena’ and symbol ‘bow and arrow’ to the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Appearing before Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud for Mr. Thackeray, advocate Amit Anand Tiwari said the case was last heard on February 22 and was directed to be listed within the next three weeks. The case, however, failed to come up.
Supreme Court seeks updates from Union, States on action taken against lynchings
The Supreme Court on July 10 decided to take stock of what the Centre and State Governments have done so far to punish lynchings, mostly spurred by communal hate, since its July 2018 judgment condemned these “horrendous acts of mobocracy” as an anathema which requires a special law and punishment. A Bench of Justices Sanjeev Khanna and Bela M. Trivedi directed the State Governments to file year-wise data, from 2018, regarding the complaints filed, FIRs registered and challans submitted in courts concerning incidents of mob violence and lynchings.
Derek O’Brien, Saket Gokhale among 6 candidates named by TMC for Rajya Sabha polls
The Trinamool Congress has announced the names of six candidates, including party spokesperson Derek O’Brien, for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The others include Dola Sen, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Samirul Islam, Prakash Chik Baraik and Saket Gokhale. The Election Commission of India has announced that elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Goa, Gujarat, and West Bengal will be held on July 24.
China protests Dalai Lama meeting with visiting U.S. officials
China on Monday protested the meeting between the Dalai Lama and officials of the “Central Tibetan Administration” (CTA) with visiting U.S. official Uzra Zeya in Delhi, calling it an attempt to “interfere” in China’s “internal affairs”. Ahead of the meeting with Ms. Zeya, the Dalai Lama, who arrived in Delhi on Saturday, said that Tibetans did not seek “independence” and he was open for talks with the Chinese Government, who he said had sent feelers to him.
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen wins Canada Open 2023
Indian Badminton player Lakshya Sen defeated China’s Li Shi Feng in straight sets 21-18 and 22-20 to clinch the men’s singles title at the Canada Open 2023 early Monday, July 10, 2023. The 21-year-old Lakshya Sen triumphed over the reigning All England Champion Li Shi Feng by winning the first set by 21-18 and the second set by 22-20.
Australia’s Warner in spotlight as Cummins says all options on table
David Warner’s hopes of choosing the manner of his retirement from international cricket have dimmed after the Australian opener’s twin failures in the defeat by England at Headingley and Mitchell Marsh’s successful return to the side. With all-rounder Cameron Green expected to be fit for the fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford, Warner could be squeezed out if selectors opt to retain Marsh after his glittering century in the first innings of Australia’s three-wicket defeat.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) clarified in the Supreme Court on July 10 that “challenges” presented by it before the six-member Justice A.M. Sapre expert committee in the Hindenburg-Adani allegations case did not emanate from the repeal of the “opaque structure” provisions from the Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) Regulations in 2019. The Supreme Court-appointed Justice Sapre committee, in a 173-page report in May, had said the market regulator had “drawn a blank” in its investigation into the Hindenburg allegations against the Adani Group. The committee had said the SEBI was in a “chicken-and-egg situation” in its investigation into the “ownership” of 13 overseas entities, including 12 FPIs.
West Bengal panchayat election | Nadda sets up four member committee to probe poll violence
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda on July 10 constituted a four-member fact finding committee headed by former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to probe into the incidents of violence during panchayat polls in West Bengal. While Mr. Prasad is the committee’s convenor, other members include former Mumbai police commissioner and Baghpat MP Satyapal Singh, Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy and Dhaurahara MP and party vice-president Rekha Verma.
Putin met with Wagner chief Prigozhin days after abortive mutiny: Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin days after a short-lived rebellion by the mercenary chief and his private army, the Kremlin’s spokesman said on July 10. The three-hour meeting took place at the Kremlin on June 29 and also involved commanders from the military company Mr. Prigozhin founded, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The Delhi High Court on July 10 declined to prepone the hearing on a plea related to disclosure of records of Delhi University students who had passed Bachelor of Arts course in 1978, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had cleared the exam, under the RTI Act. Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the Delhi University (DU) on an application by RTI activist Neeraj seeking an early hearing in the petition which was already listed for hearing on October 13.
T.N. Forest Department steps up vigil around Mukurthi National Park in Nilgiris to curb poaching
Following the arrest of a gang of poachers from North India in the Nilgiris forest division a few months ago, the T.N. Forest Department has initiated a number of steps to bridge the lapses in surveillance in densely-forested regions of the district. The gang was arrested in February of this year, and charged with poaching a tiger and a leopard near Avalanche in the Nilgiris forest division.
Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah on Monday, July 10, expressed his appreciation for the honesty of two police officials — an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and a Head Constable (HC) of Jammu and Kashmir Police — after they traced a woman pilgrim and returned her lost bag containing ₹80,000 and some documents. Mr. Shah took to Twitter to applaud the acts of the two Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel terming their act “true heroism”.
