India

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) The BJP is not serious about tackling pollution in Delhi which is evident from the fact that the Centre allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management Ordinance to lapse, the AAP claimed on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here, AAP spokesperson Atishi questioned the Central government over the ordinance getting lapsed.

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta on Monday welcomed the introduction in Parliament of a bill that seeks to define certain role and powers of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, and criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its opposition to it.

Gupta said even after the passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the elected government will retain 75 per cent of administrative powers.

New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday asserted that Indian Railways will never be privatised but said private investment should be encouraged for more efficient functioning.

Replying to a discussion on Demands for Grants for Railways, Goyal said there has been no death of any passenger due to a rail accident in two years and the railways has been putting enormous focus on passenger safety.

NEW DELHI, Mar 15 (NNN-PTI) – India’s COVID-19 tally rose to 11,385,339 today, as 26,291 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, said the latest data from the federal health ministry.

The number of daily cases registered in the past 24 hours are the highest this year, so far.

According to the official data, the death toll mounted to 158,725, as 118 patients died since yesterday morning.

There are still 219,262 active cases in the country, while 11,007,352 people have been discharged so far from hospitals, after medical treatment.

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Election Commission on a plea seeking to direct the poll panel to nullify an election result and conducting a fresh poll if the maximum votes are for NOTA in a particular constituency.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Election Commission of India while seeking their replies on the plea.

Senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy appeared for the petitioner.

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) A court here on Monday directed the Delhi Police to give copies of charge sheet to former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar and 9 others in a 2016 sedition case.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Pankaj Sharma put up the matter for April 7 to scrutinise documents in the case and also granted bail to seven accused who were not arrested in the case earlier.

Srinagar, Mar 15 (PTI) In a major breakthrough, security forces killed Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Vilayat Hussain Lone in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Monday, taking the death toll of the ultras in the three-day operation to two.

Lone -- alias Sajjad Afghani, who was one of the most-wanted militants in Kashmir -- was killed in a fresh exchange of fire with security forces in Rawalpora area where an anti-militancy operation was launched on Saturday, police said.

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said India is fully cognizant of the employment concerns of people working abroad and expects governments in the Gulf to be helpful in facilitating the early return of those compelled to return home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Delhi, Mar 14 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday released its first list of 86 candidates for the upcoming Kerala assembly elections.

Former chief minister Oommen Chandy will contest from Puthuppally, while Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala has been fielded from Haripad Assembly constituency.

Sitting MP from Vadakara K Muraleedharan, who is the son of veteran Congress leader K Karunakaran, will contest in Nemom, the only seat in the state currently represented by the BJP.

Allahabad, Mar 14 (PTI) The Bhartiya Kisan Union-led farmer agitation against the three central farm laws may continue till December this year, the outfit's national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said here on Sunday.

Tikait made the statement while talking to reporters here after his recent visit to the poll-bound West Bengal.