India

The first batch comprising around 3,300 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in 159 escorted vehicles for the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps in the Kashmir Valley.

The 62-day long Amarnath Yatra will begin on Saturday and will end on August 31 coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival.

There are two routes to approach the cave shrine, the shorter 13 km-long Baltal route in Ganderbal district and the longer 43 km Pahalgam route in Anantnag.

Those using the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day, while those taking the traditional Pahalgam route take three to five days to just reach the shrine.

Situated at an elevation of 3,888 metres above sea level, the cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure called the holy ‘Lingam’ which symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva, according to the devotees.

The ice stalagmite structure wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Foolproof three-tier security is being managed by the army, paramilitary forces and the local police to ensure that the Yatra passes off peacefully.

To prevent deaths due to high altitude sickness, authorities have declared the Amarnath Yatra 2023 tobacco free and also advised various community kitchens called ‘Langars’ run along the two routes not to serve any junk food or halwai items to the pilgrims.

Bottled cold drinks have also been banned.

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The photo, which is now making rounds on social media, shows the police officer's wife and two children sitting on a bed with a huge pile of cash worth Rs 14 lakh.

As soon as the photo of the officer with bundles of notes went viral, a senior police officer immediately ordered an investigation into the matter.

The officer who was the Station-In-Charge, Ramesh Chandra Sahani, has been transferred to the police lines.

However, Sahani has defended himself and said that the photo was taken on November 14, 2021, when he sold a family property.

Giving details of the incident, a senior police officer said, “A photograph of a Station House Officer is going viral on social media. It shows the cop's wife and his children with bundles of currency notes. We have taken cognisance of the matter and the cop has been transferred to the police line. An investigation has been launched.”

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"After overtaking our car, a group of around six men got down from the car and thrashed us with sticks arguing why we were not giving them side and later left the spot after threatening to kill us," the victim told the police.

After the incident, the victim duo went to a nearby hospital for treatment and reported the matter to the police.

Based on the student's complaint, an FIR was registered against six unidentified youth under sections 148 (riots), 149 (unlawful assembly), 341 (wrongful confinement), 323 (causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC at the DLF Phase-1 police station.

"A case has been registered related to the matter and we are searching the suspects and scanning the CCTV footage of the incident spot to develop the identity of the suspects," Inspector Dinesh Kumar, Station House Officer, DLF Phase-1 police station, said.

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Sharma said the party will organise a road show in Khargone to welcome Nadda.
"During his visit to Khargone, J.P. Naddawilladdress the booth-level workers. We have also prepared for a road show to welcome him," Sharma said.

With Assembly elections scheduled in Madhya Pradesh later this year, both the BJP and the Congress have sounded the poll bugle.
State Congress chief Kamal Nath had said last week that the detailed programme of the party's starcampaigners, including Rahul Gandhi Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is being prepared

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He also said that in Gandhi, people see a ray of hope.

Sharing a video of Gandhi meeting the affected families in Churachandpur relief camp, Venugopal, in a tweet, said: "It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister is against love and harmony and stopping our convoy in multiple places. The only thing Manipur needs right now is a lasting solution for peace to hold.

"Rahul Gandhi ji’s visit must be seen in that context, where he is reaching out to people yearning for a leader who listens to them and shares their pain. Across communities, we have received warmth and affection, because they see Rahul ji as a ray of hope".

His remarks came after Gandhi, who arrived in Manipur on Thursday morning, was stopped by police in Bishnupur, just 20 km from Imphal. He had to return to Imphal and then took a helicopter to reach the relief camp in Churachandpur, after delay of several hours, andinteracted with the affected families.

After returning to Imphal, he visited some relief camps in Imphal West District.

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Speaking to reporters here, Sarma said, “Both the Central and state governments have been taking the necessary steps for restoring peace in Manipur.”

According to Sarma, there is no need for any other political persons to go to Manipur because only the state government and the Centre can restore peace in the state.

“Others will go and return within a day or two. No solution will come from their visits. It will only serve the purpose of grabbing media attention,” he said.

Sarma also said that during his two-day visit to Manipur, Rahul Gandhi can't do anything apart from doing some photo-op.

“No political party or person should try to take advantage of a violence-hit state,” he said.

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As many as 49 per cent of the respondents have claimed that they are unhappy with the functioning of the Zilla Parishads, the highest tier of the three-tier panchayat system, and hence they want a change in the power constitution there, while 28 per cent said that despite being unhappy with the performance, they do not want a change right now.

While 16 per cent of the respondents said that they are happy with the functioning of the Zilla Parishads, only 7 per cent claimed ignorance in the matter.

Theopinionpollalsoindicates possible erosion in the dedicated minority vote bank of the TrinamoolCongress. While 59 per cent of the respondents have claimed that the possibility of erosion in the ruling party’s minority votes is high, 28 per cent have ruled out that possibility. Thirteen per cent have claimed ignorance in the matter.

As per the survey, 25 per cent of the respondents feel that the issue of corruption will be the factor for the rural civic bodypolls, while 21 per cent feel that rising unemployment will be the most important issue. While 40 per cent feel otherfactors like law and order and civic issues, among others, will be the majorfactor, 13 per cent of the respondents have claimed ignorance.

On the overall performance of theTrinamoolCongress-led government, 40 per cent of the respondents have termed it as bad, 35 per cent have described it as good while 16 per cent have marked it as average. Only 9 per cent have claimed ignorance in the matter.

Finally, while 59 per cent of the respondents feel that pre-poll violence, especially during the nomination phase, has tarnished the image of TrinamoolCongress, 28 per cent feel otherwise.

IANS

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It was discovered that the permits belonging to deceased individuals were fraudulently allocated to new applicants based on these falsified applications.

The Delhi High Court had issued an order, prompting the ACB to conduct an investigation into the corruption allegations concerning the unauthorised transfer and renewal of permits for Auto Rickshaws originating from the Auto Rickshaw Unit of the Transport Authority in Burari.

"The writ petition highlighted multiple registration numbers of autorickshaws as evidence of victims/cases where illegal activities had taken place. It was stressed that auto rickshaw financiers and dealers held significant control over this industry, leaving the drivers and owners of autorickshaws in a helpless situation," Joint Commissioner of Police and ACB chief Madhur Verma said.

The preliminary enquiry conducted, prima facie, established commission of offence covered under the provision of Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, he said.

During investigation, a large number of original registration files pertaining to the alleged TSRs were obtained from Burari Transport Authority and the previous permit holders and present permit holders were examined.

"The examination revealed deep dubious role of Authority officials, touts, and dealers in transfer/renewal of TSR permits on the basis of forged and fabricated applications. The family members of victims/deceased permit holders have informed that they have never moved any application for transfer/renewal of the TSR permit," said Verma.

He said that the investigation clearly exposed the mass level nexus between authority officials, touts and dealers. "The investigation revealed that in 2021, in a number of instances, the permit holders had died long back, but their permits had been transferred in name of other people on basis of forged and fabricated applications," Verma added.

"As per the investigation, one motor vehicle Inspector, 10 dealers/financiers of TSRs and three touts were arrested on Thursday," he said.

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Taking to Twitter, Sarma on Thursday wrote, “I had the privilege of seeking blessings of respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji in Delhi. Assam's well-being remains the top priority for Hon'ble PM. I apprised him on our developmental journey and received his kind guidance on the way forward.”

The Chief Minister visited the official residence of the Prime Minister and briefed him about the latest flood situation in the state and the slew of measures taken by the state government to provide relief and rehabilitation to the flood-affected people.

According to Sarma, Modi appreciated the steps taken by him to deal with the flood situation and assured to provide all possible help and assistance from the Centre.

The Chief Minister also discussed with the Prime Minister the development initiatives taken by the state government.

Sarma also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at her official residence in New Delhi on Thursday and discussed a gamut of financial-related matters pertaining to Assam.

During the 55-minute long discussion, the Chief Minister presented an overall financial scenario highlighting the progress made by the state in various key indicators, including mobilisation of revenue.

Expressing his appreciation to the Ministry of Finance for extending 'generous support' to Assam in terms of capital assistance and the advance release of devolution funds, Sarma said these initiatives have helped Assam to accelerate the welfare-oriented programmes as well as capital expenditure.

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The petition seeks the cancellation of the preliminary test and and re-conducting it with general studies papers 1 and 2, as well as the release of the answer key by the UPSC.

A bench of Justice Manoj Jain ordered the petition to be listed for the hearing on July 3 after an objection was raised by the advocate representing the UPSC, who argued that the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) should handle the matter as it is the cempetent forum.

The plea also challenges the press note issued by the UPSC on June 12 declaring the results of the preliminary examination.

In it, the UPSC had stated that “candidates are also informed that marks, cut off marks and answer keys of CS(P) Examination, 2023 will be uploaded on the Commission’s website i.e. https://upsc.gov.in only after the entire process of the Civil Services Examination 2023 is over, that is, after the declaration of final result”.

The petitioners allege arbitrariness in the conduct of the recruitment cycle, citing the lack of provision of answer keys, disregarding candidates' representations, and posing excessively vague questions that require guesswork.

They argue that releasing the answer key after the exam would ensure fairness and allow candidates to have a better understanding of the evaluation process.

The petition also highlights that other institutions, such as state Public Service Commissions, IITs, NLUs, IIMs, and the High Court of Delhi for the Delhi Judicial Service Examination, promptly release provisional answer keys and invite objections from candidates before finalising the answer key based on those objections.

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