Chandigarh, Aug 12 (IANS) At the BJP state headquarters here, Punjab Sarpanch Union President Karun Kaura, along with his associates, formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. State BJP Working President Ashwani Sharma and former Member of Parliament Preneet Kaur extended a warm welcome to them.Welcoming Karun Kaura, BJP chief Sharma said that his induction would further strengthen the party’s base and help in advancing its policies. He expressed confidence that Kaura would …

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 by voice vote, replacing the colonial-era Indian Ports Act of 1908, even as sustained sloganeering and protests from Opposition benches drowned out much of the debate. The Bill, moved by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, seeks to consolidate and modernise the legal framework governing India’s ports, with an emphasis on cooperative federalism and strategic maritime development…

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved four more semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) with an outlay of Rs 4,600 crore.The four proposals approved are from SiCSem, Continental Device India Private Limited (CDIL), 3D Glass Solutions Inc., and Advanced System in Package (ASIP) Technologies.With these, the total approved projects under the ISM have reached 10, with cumulative investments of around Rs 1.6…

Guwahati, Aug 12 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to empowering the Koch Rajbongshi community through concrete measures aimed at improving socio-economic and educational opportunities while preserving the community’s cultural heritage. In a post on X, Sarma said his administration was focused on “empowering Assam’s Koch Rajbongshi community with action, not just words,” adding that the government remained committed to wor…

Pune, Aug 12 (IANS) Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla on Tuesday raised pointed questions at the Election Commission of India (ECI) after Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, alleged that two voters — Aditya Srivastava and Vishal Singh — were registered in multiple states. He demanded clarity on what action the ECI is taking against Booth Level Officers (BLOs) allegedly responsible for such discrepancies.Speaking to IANS, Tehseen Poonawalla said: “What kind of electoral ro…

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The Supreme Court, taking note of the rising number of stray dogs within its premises, on Tuesday issued a fresh directive mandating that all leftover food be disposed of exclusively in covered dustbins.“Under no circumstances should food be discarded in open areas or uncovered containers. This measure is crucial to prevent animals from being attracted to and scavenging for food, thereby significantly reducing the risk of bites and maintaining hygiene standards,” sai…

Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), Aug 12 (IANS) At least 15-20 people were seriously injured after a public hearing for the commissioning of the Badam coal block in Barkagaon of Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand, descended into violence on Tuesday, officials said.Those injured included NTPC officials, police personnel, and villagers.The coal block has been allotted to the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and is being developed with the help of an outsourcing company.According to officials, the heari…

Mumbai, Aug 12 (IANS) The Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday approved the recruitment of around 15,000 police personnel in the state’s force, and also increased the margins for fair price shopkeepers. CM Fadnavis, during the Monsoon session, had told the state legislature that a major recruitment drive for the police department had been undertaken. This initiative is part of a 150-day programme aimed at restructuring the department, updating rules, ensur…

Raipur, Aug 12 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with the multi-crore liquor scam and money laundering case.A single bench of Justice Arvind Kumar Verma granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) two weeks to file its reply, postponing the next hearing accordingly.Chaitanya Baghel, who was arrested by the ED on July 18 from his residence in Bhilai, has been in judic…

Chennai, Aug 12 (IANS) The Customs officials have seized hydroponic cannabis valued at Rs 7.2 crore at the Coimbatore International Airport. In two separate seizures on late Monday night, the Coimbatore Air Intelligence Unit and Air Customs officials intercepted two passengers who had arrived from Singapore.Acting on a specific intelligence input that high-grade narcotics were being smuggled into the country, customs officials kept a close watch on the passengers disembarking at Coimbatore Inter…