Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) The Supreme Court asked the Election Commission on Monday to pass a "reasoned order" on a representation seeking to restrain political parties from fielding candidates with criminal antecedents in polls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde passed the order while refusing to entertain a PIL filed by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay seeking a direction to the poll panel to devise a mechanism to ensure that parties be restrained from fielding candidates with criminal records.

New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) The floor test for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the assembly will be conducted on Wednesday, the Supreme Court has directed.

Stating that it is necessary to have a floor test to avoid horse trading, the apex court on Tuesday also asked Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to appoint a pro-tem speaker and ensure that all elected members of the House are sworn in on Wednesday itself.

New Delhi, Nov 25: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla may suspend Congress MPs Hibi Eden and T N Prathapan for storming the Well of the House and obstructing Parliament proceedings by shouting slogans to protest against the swearing-in of a BJP-led government in Maharashtra, sources said on Monday.

Congress leaders carrying placards with messages like "save Constitution" and "save democracy" and a black banner which said "stop murder of democracy" jostled with the marshals.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) The Centre has extended the ban on Assam-based Bodo insurgent group NDFB for five more years for its involvement in a series of violent activities, including killings, extortion and for joining hands with anti-India forces.

New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) A Delhi court on Saturday dismissed a complaint seeking an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.

The court took into record an action taken report filed by Delhi Police which had said that no "cognisable offence" was made out against Gandhi.

The report said Gandhi allegedly made the defamatory statement against the prime minister for which a suit may be filed, but "no police action was made out".

New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Sunday asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to place before it on Monday morning the letters of the Governor recommending revocation of President's Rule and inviting Devendra Fadnavis to form government in Maharashtra.

A bench of Justices N V Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna also issued notices to the Centre and Maharashtra government on a petition filed by the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine against the Maharashtra Governor's decision to swear in Fadnavis as chief minister.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) Seven of the 10 most valued domestic firms suffered a combined erosion of Rs 76,164.3 crore in market capitalisation last week, with TCS taking the biggest knock.

From the top-10 pack, only Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), HDFC and SBI witnessed gains in their market valuation for the week ended Friday.

The market capitalisation (m-cap) of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) dropped Rs 39,118.6 crore to Rs 7,76,950.02 crore.

New Delhi, Nov 24 (PTI) "I never had the desire to enter politics, but since I am part of it now I give my best on how to work for the people," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

Interacting with a group of National Cadet Corps cadets in his "Mann ki Baat" radio programme, Modi also said that as an NCC cadet in his school days, he never got punished.

New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Western Sydney University, Australia aimed at promoting collaboration in research and developing guidelines for integrating Ayurveda principles with modern medicine.

Professor Barney Glover, Vice Chancellor of Western Sydney University, Australia and Prof Tanuja Nesari, Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) signed the MoU on Friday during the visit of the delegation led by Dan Tehan, Minister for Education, Australian government.

New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) A large number of people took to the streets in Delhi on Saturday in support of the students' protest against the hostel and mess fee hike in the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The protesters, including members of civil society, JNU alumna, teachers and students, started the march from Mandi House and raised slogans, asking the varsity administration to roll back the fee hike and the government to "make education affordable to all".