‘I am representing Rahul Gandhi,’ Kapil Sibal tells Supreme Court
Sibal, who was a Cabinet Minister in the UPA Government led by Manmohan Singh, an Independent member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh As the Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission on a petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others seeking suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, many were surprised to see senior counsel Kapil Sibal represent the Gandhi scion. ‘I am representing Rahul Gandhi,” Sibal told a Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi thrice even as senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi was on his legs in the front row in Court No. 1 of the Supreme Court. Singhvi—a Rajya Sabha MP of Congress—has been representing the party and Gandhi in several cases, including the criminal defamation case filed over his 2019 “Modi-thieves” remark and the National Herald money laundering case. Sibal, who was a Cabinet Minister in the UPA Government led by Manmohan Singh, too, has defended the Congress and Gandhi in several cases in the past. However, he quit Congress in 2022 and currently he’s an Independent member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. Article_Author Satya Prakash Courtesy : The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Don’t try to bulldoze another Constitutional Amendment Bill’: Kharge writes to PM Modi
NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the delay in proroguing the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which ended in August, describing the situation as “unprecedented”. Urging PM Modi not to “bulldoze” another “far-reaching” Constitutional Amendment Bill, Kharge reiterated his demand for an all-party meeting to discuss the government’s proposals in detail before they are finalised for consideration in Parliament. “It has already been 64 days since the Monsoon Session of Parliament was adjourned sine die on August 13 and both Houses of Parliament are yet to be prorogued. This scenario is unprecedented,” Kharge said in his letter, which Congress MP Jairam Ramesh shared on X. — Jairam_Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) The Rajya Sabha leader of opposition recalled writing to the prime minister on April 11, seeking an all-party meeting before the government introduced the Constitutional Amendment Bill on Delimitation, which subsequently failed to pass in the Lok Sabha. “You may kindly recall that I had written to you on April 11 to convene an all-party meeting before bringing any Constitutional Amendment Bill on Delimitation. You did not do so. Thereafter, you made the bills public on the late evening of April 14 and convened a special session on April 16. The Constitutional Amendment Bill on Delimitation failed to muster the necessary two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17 by a decisive margin,” Kharge said. “Thereafter, on July 16 and August 27, I wrote to you again, reiterating our request for an all-party meeting. I am now making this request for the fourth time. All political parties must be given sufficient time to deliberate among themselves, with each other and with all other stakeholders. Please do not once again try to bulldoze a far-reaching Constitutional Amendment Bill through Parliament, as you attempted earlier, only for it to meet its well-deserved fate,” he added. The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on July 20 and concluded as scheduled on August 13. However, proceedings were repeatedly disrupted over issues including the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the NEET paper leak and allegations of police excesses against NEET protesters in Delhi. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Police can break bones, not satyagraha’: Rahul Gandhi alleges Delhi Police refused to file FIR over assault on student protesters
NEW DELHI: Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that Delhi Police was refusing to register an FIR over the alleged assault on student protesters, claiming that two young women, Athira from Kerala and Ritu from Rajasthan, were among those beaten by the police. In a post on X, the Congress leader said he had spoken to Kerala home minister Ramesh Chennithala and Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Govind Singh Dotasra over the incident. He added that a Zero FIR had already been registered in Kerala and said the Congress would pursue legal action against the officers concerned. “Two young women, Athira from Kerala and Ritu from Rajasthan, along with many others, were beaten by Delhi Police. I have spoken to Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Rajasthan PCC President Govind Singh Dotasra. A Zero FIR has already been registered in Kerala. We will pursue every legal route against the officers responsible, in Kerala, in Rajasthan and in the courts,” Rahul wrote. — RahulGandhi (@RahulGandhi) “Brutality by Amit Shah’s Delhi Police will not go unchecked,” he added. Rahul invokes Dharasana Satyagraha Referring to the 1930 Dharasana Satyagraha, the Raebareli MP recalled how Sarojini Naidu had led unarmed satyagrahis into police lathis without retaliating. “Police can break bones. They cannot break a satyagraha,” he said. Former Congress president also described India’s youth, particularly young women, as fearless, determined and united in their efforts to defend democracy, adding that he stood with them. “India’s youth, especially young women, are fearless, determined and united. They are standing up for our democracy, and I stand with them,” he wrote. Earlier on Wednesday, Rahul had accused Delhi Police of assaulting student protesters and warned the Centre against suppressing their voices amid demonstrations against the revision of electoral rolls. Addressing protesters in Delhi, he said the demonstration represented a collective voice that transcended religion, caste and gender. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah not to stand against the protesters. “As I said in my press conference, this is India. Amit Shah ji, take a good look at this. There is no Hindu here, no Muslim, no one of any specific caste; there is no woman, no man. There is one voice, one protest. It is the voice of India, and you are standing against this voice—the Prime Minister is standing against this voice. I suggest to you: do not stand against this voice. No one can stand against this voice,” Rahul had said. He also urged student protesters to document alleged police misconduct, saying the evidence would be used to seek accountability. Police detain activists ahead of Tiranga rally Meanwhile, Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Abhijeet Dipke and All India Students’ Association (AISA) chief Neha Bohra on Friday as they were heading to Connaught Place for the proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest. Dipke was detained while leaving his residence in Jhandewalan, while Bohra was picked up in Mandi House. Police informed Dipke that he was being placed under preventive detention, citing restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the Connaught Place area. He was also served notices referring to the restrictions and a previous undertaking to maintain public peace. Police had warned that the proposed rally could violate the restrictions if held without permission from the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Dipke was told that waving the national flag was not unlawful, but holding an unpermitted march and gathering a crowd could invite legal action. The detentions came amid heightened security arrangements in the national capital ahead of the proposed protest. Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar had earlier reviewed security arrangements with senior officers, while traffic police issued an advisory warning of possible disruption around Connaught Place. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Maha to build separate toilets for transgenders across all ST bus stands
Nagpur: For a transgender person a toilet at a state transport bus stand, there was no toilet meant for them. The state govt has now sanctioned Rs 9.77 crore to build separate toilets for transgender persons at ST bus stands across Maharashtra. In a govt resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday, the transport department gave administrative approval for a combined estimate of Rs 9,76,63,195 covering 31 ST divisions. The GR says the absence of a separate toilet at bus stands forces transgender persons to face social and physical difficulties and causes them considerable distress. Vidarbha’s nine ST divisions together get about Rs 2.71 crore. Amravati has the largest share in the region at Rs 50.74 lakh, followed by Nagpur at Rs 48.40 lakh, Yavatmal at Rs 36 lakh, Buldhana at Rs 33.83 lakh and Bhandara at Rs 31.46 lakh. Chandrapur gets Rs 20.43 lakh, Akola Rs 19.48 lakh, Wardha Rs 16.94 lakh and Gadchiroli Rs 13.75 lakh. Across the state, Kolhapur division gets the highest allocation at Rs 55.20 lakh and Latur the lowest at Rs 9.60 lakh. The proposal came from the ST corporation’s vice-chairperson and managing director, after the minister of state for urban development, transport and social justice, among other portfolios, directed that the transport department give approval without delay. The cost will be met from the social justice department’s funds for setting up a welfare board for transgender persons and protecting their rights. The sanction comes with conditions. Layout and detailed plans must be approved by architects before work begins, a detailed estimate must be prepared, and the executive engineer concerned must give technical sanction. The GR does not say how many toilets will be built or at which bus stands, as the annexure lists only division-wise lump sums. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Honour is not family’s monopoly, Yogi says, invoking dalit freedom fighter
The CM said that the intersection where Masuriya Din’s statue was installed would be named after him and sought a proposal from the Prayagraj Mayor. LUCKNOW: Reminding people of the contributions of several Dalit icons to winning freedom for the nation, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday, said Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi should know that it was not only Jawaharlal Nehru but also Masuriya Din Pasi who had gone to jail for the freedom of the country. Asserting that honour was not the exclusive property of any family, CM Yogi said those who raised their voices for Dalits and the deprived sections and dedicated their lives to the nation and society must also be given due respect. He was addressing a gathering after unveiling a statue of Masuriya, a Dalit freedom fighter from the Pasi community, at Mahashay Masuriyadin Smarak Inter College in Teliyarganj in Prayagraj. Notably, Masuriya Din Pasi was co-elected from the Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency twice, in 1952 and 1957, along with Nehru, and is also known to have worked towards the education of the Scheduled Castes. The CM stated that, as a member of the Constituent Assembly, Masuriya was the one who had got the British Criminal Tribes Act abolished. “After suffering defeat in the First War of Independence in 1857, the British enacted the Criminal Tribes Act in 1871 and humiliated numerous castes, including the Pasi community. Babasaheb and Masuriya Din ji fought against that law and eventually got it abolished, connecting the Pasi, Sonkar, deprived and Dalit communities with the mainstream of the nation and inspiring them to live a life of dignity,” said the CM. He added that Masuriya Din lived for 66-67 years, of which he spent nine years (1932-1944) in jail for taking part in the freedom movement. Even after his release, he continued to carry out public awareness activities. The CM said that the intersection where Masuriya Din’s statue was installed would be named after him and sought a proposal from the Prayagraj Mayor. “The name of one institution in Prayagraj would also be changed to Mahashay Masuriya Din’s name. His statue would also be installed, as the society can progress only by honouring great personalities,” said the CM. He claimed that by honouring the past, the present could be improved, and only by improving the present could the future be bright. “Honouring Mahashay is honouring the freedom fighters, and no shortcoming will be allowed in this regard,” he stated. “He was pushed into oblivion in the annals of history, but the BJP government, which believes in development and heritage, does not allow great personalities to be forgotten. We have unveiled his statue to keep his memories alive,” the CM added. Yogi also invoked the history of Pasi warriors, citing Maharaja Bijli Pasi, who, he said, established 12 forts in and around the state capital in the 12th century as part of the efforts to resist foreign invaders. He also recalled the contribution of Makkha Pasi and his wife, freedom fighter Uda Devi Pasi, who took up the fight against the British after her husband’s death and laid down her life in the struggle. Namita Bajpai Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Hardoi teenager held hostage and raped in Rajasthan: Lured with the promise of a job, forced to marry in a temple
A 17-year-old Dalit girl from Hardoi has alleged that she was held hostage and raped in Rajasthan after being lured with the promise of a job. The victim alleges that she somehow managed to escape from the accused’s clutches and reach home. Subsequently, she filed a complaint at the police station around 4 pm on Tuesday, demanding action against the accused. The case is registered at Baghauli police station. Police have begun an investigation. Now learn the full story… According to the victim, she has studied up to grade eight. It is alleged that on August 3, 2026, a young man from her village, a truck driver in Rajasthan, lured her with the promise of a good-paying job in Chandigarh. Instead of taking her to Chandigarh, the accused took her to Rajasthan and held her captive there. During this time, he forced her into sexual intercourse against her will. Threatened to return home When she resisted and insisted on returning home, the accused threatened to kill her. The victim also alleges that the accused staged a forced marriage at a temple. 50,000 rupees withdrawn from bank account The teenager alleged that the accused fraudulently withdrew approximately 50,000 rupees from her bank account. Later, when the accused’s family learned about her caste, they refused to accept her. Shahnawaz Khan | Hardoi Courtesy: Hindi News
No reservation for OBC, Dalits who convert: Supreme Court
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Thursday ruled a Scheduled Castes/OBC person who converts from a Hindu social order to a non-Hindu social order will not be entitled to the benefits of reservation. The court held that reservation is attached to a constitutionally identified class and not to an individual as a personal entitlement, which can be transferred if a person converts. SC said backwardness suffered by the person in Hindu religion cannot be carried forward to the new religion embraced by him or her. The order came on a petition filed by then DMK-led Tamil Nadu govt challenging a Madras HC order quashing state govt’s order to allow reservations for Dalit and OBC converts to Islam. As reservation is provided to some communities of other religions, which are recognised as backward classes in different states, a bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Shree Chandrashekhar held that conversion of OBCs/Dalits to a non-Hindu social order does not, by itself, confer membership of any particular notified backward class community of the adopted religion. The apex court’s verdict comes against the backdrop of growing demand for extending reservation to those OBCs/Dalits who converted to other religions. “A person who converts from a Hindu social order to a non-Hindu social order cannot claim affirmative action under Article 16(4) of Constitution merely on the basis of the social backwardness associated with his pre-conversion status; the backwardness suffered in the antecedent social order cannot, by itself, be carried forward so as to confer upon him the status of a backward class in the religion to which he has converted,” Supreme Courtsaid while quashing the Tamil Nadu order. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Allegations of house lock, assault, and forged deed: 75-year-old Dalit woman and family protest for the second day, administration begins investigation
Phool Kali, a 75-year-old Dalit woman, continued her protest with her family for the second day in Gauhania Kaundhiara. The woman, from Barethia village, alleges that her house was locked, she was assaulted, and a forged deed was executed. At the behest of SDM Bara, a revenue department accountant arrived at the protest site and heard the woman’s complaint. Phool Kali alleges that on October 7th, Rammilan Kushwaha, the operator of Kanak Hospital, arrived at her house with about two dozen people. They assaulted her children and locked the house. The woman filed a complaint and provided the police with a video of the assault. However, the police also filed a case against her family. The dispute also relates to a deed. According to Phool Kali, Rammilan Kushwaha had executed the deed of land belonging to her son Sohan in November 2022. In January 2026, a deed was also executed for the same portion of the house through Sohan, which the woman claims is fraudulent. She has demanded an investigation and cancellation of the deed. The elderly woman has demanded the unlocking of the house, a proper investigation into the assault, and justice by investigating the fraudulent deed. She has stated that the protest will continue until justice is achieved. Pravez Alam | Parsara (Bara), Prayagraj (Allahabad) Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul writes to President, Congress protests over Gautam’s appointment; seeks deferment till Ankita probe ends
The appointment of the BJP leader has triggered a fresh political row in Uttarakhand, with the Congress demanding answers over the alleged involvement of VIPs in the murder of the 19-year-old resort receptionist. DEHRADUN: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged President Droupadi Murmu to ask the government to reconsider Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor and defer his assumption of office until the CBI completes its investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari. The appointment of the BJP leader has triggered a fresh political row in Uttarakhand, with the Congress demanding answers over the alleged involvement of VIPs in the murder of the 19-year-old resort receptionist. In a letter to Murmu, Gandhi said he was approaching her as a “last resort”, urging her to use Article 74(1) of the Constitution to ask the government to reconsider its advice on the appointment. Gautam was appointed governor on Monday. Gandhi alleged that the appointment could impede the investigation, arguing that criminal proceedings cannot be instituted or continued against a sitting governor. “Gautam’s appointment places him out of the reach of the CBI. An inquiry that can never result in prosecution is an inquiry in name only,” he said. Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of disregarding women’s safety, Gandhi said the question of who the alleged VIPs were remained unanswered nearly four years after Ankita’s murder. “Please act, provide solace to Ankita’s grieving parents and protect the high post of Governor,” he wrote, urging the President to ensure that Gautam did not assume office until the investigation was completed. Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra meet the parents of Ankita Bhandari, protesting against the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor over his alleged involvement in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case at India Gate, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Social activist Yogita Bhayana also present. Gandhi had met Ankita’s parents at India Gate on Wednesday, where they protested against the appointment and sought justice for their daughter. The family has alleged Gautam’s involvement in the case, but the allegations do not establish any criminal role on his part. Meanwhile, Congress workers staged a protest in Dehradun on Thursday against the appointment. Former chief minister Harish Rawat, former minister Harak Singh Rawat, and party leaders Pritam Singh, Ganesh Godiyal, Karan Mahara and Garima Dasauni were among those who participated. “Ankita is our daughter. We will continue to fight for her, even if we have to be arrested,” Uttarakhand Congress president Godiyal said, calling the appointment an insult to Ankita and the state. Rawat said Ankita’s parents had travelled to Delhi to seek justice and were detained by police during their protest. He said the family was not alone in its demand for answers over the alleged VIP connection. Ankita, who worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra resort near Rishikesh, was murdered on September 18, 2022. Her employer, Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, had allegedly pressured her to provide “special services” to VIP guests, a demand she refused, Gandhi said in his letter. Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal four days later. Pulkit Arya and two resort employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were arrested in the case. A special investigation team (SIT) was constituted, and a chargesheet was filed based on evidence and witness statements. In May 2023, a Kotdwar court sentenced all three to life imprisonment for the murder. The alleged VIP angle, however, continued to draw political attention. Ankita’s family and activists have demanded a probe into the identities of the alleged VIP guests and alleged destruction of evidence. The state government has cited the arrests, SIT investigation and court proceedings as evidence of action in the case. It has also pointed to the Uttarakhand High Court’s December 2022 dismissal of a petition seeking a CBI probe. The petition was filed by journalist Ashutosh Negi and later joined by Ankita’s parents. The SIT had told the court that it examined forensic material, video footage, recorded statements and call detail records. A medical panel at AIIMS Rishikesh conducted the post-mortem examination. Following protests across Uttarakhand, the state government handed the investigation into the alleged VIP angle to the CBI in January this year. The probe is still underway. Narendra Sethi Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Supreme Court issues notice to EC on Rahul Gandhi’s petition seeking SIR suspension
LoP, 9 other Opposition leaders allege wrongful deletion of 13 crore voters Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and others during ‘March for Democracy’ by INDIA bloc leaders, towards the Supreme Court, to file a petition against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and ‘vote chori’, at Barakhamba road, in New Delhi, October 12, 2026. PTI The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Election Commission and others on a petition filed by Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and nine other opposition leaders over alleged large-scale irregularities and deletion of 13 crore voters during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked the Election Commission, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi to respond to the petition that sought suspension of the ongoing SIR exercise. The Bench ordered tagging of the matter with petitions already pending before it. “Issue notice. But one objection before that…. We would like to ask one of the petitioners about his conduct on the next date of hearing. Issuing notice does not mean that we are condemning anything. We are issuing notices…. But about one of the petitioners, we will definitely entertain the issue. The notice on behalf of one of the petitioners will be entertained on a provisional basis, subject to his explaining his conduct,” the CJI said. Rahul was represented by senior counsel Kapil Sibal. The Bench also issued notice on separate petitions filed by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. The petition filed by Rahul and other INDIA bloc leaders urged the top court to set up a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and assisted by technical experts and other persons of eminence to audit SIR deletions and access to electoral roll database, and to review EVM processes against global best practices. No deletion of voters’ names should be done without notice and hearing and eligible persons in Punjab and other poll-bound states should be allowed to seek inclusion till the last date, the petition demanded. The petition urged the top court to examine if decisions taken by the poll panel complied with Article 324, Section 18 of the 2023 CEC Act and the 1995 TN Seshan ruling and quash any decision taken without lawful authority. It also sought production of the Election Commission’s files, minutes, notings and objections recorded by Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi on disputed SIR decisions, along with ECINET and ERONET access logs as also the complete file recording the June 24, 2025, decision to launch nationwide SIR. Other prayers in the petition included action against those responsible for breaches, including under Section 32 of the RP Act, 1950; direction that every SIR decision be taken and minuted as per Section 18 till the case was decided; online Form 6 to conform to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, unless the Rules were amended; and booth-wise publication of deleted names with reasons and age and gender-wise breakdown, plus a functional restoration mechanism. The petition was filed a day after the Chief Justice of India declined to meet Rahul and Kharge for a discussion on issues relating to the SIR and ‘vote chori’ allegations against the CEC on the grounds that such a meeting would be inappropriate as the issues sought to be raised with him were pending before the Supreme Court for adjudication. The other petitioners from the INDIA bloc are Saugata Roy (TMC), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT), D Raja (CPI), Mahua Majhi (JMM), MA Baby (CPM) and ET Mohammed Basheer (IUML). Article_Author Satya Prakash Courtesy : The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights