Islamabad, May 15 (IANS) The 26th and 27th Amendments have taken away judicial independence in Pakistan which had been guaranteed by the Constitution. Judicial independence in Pakistan is not secure and now lies in the hands of parliament and executive. Expressing concerns, the local media warned that action can be taken against judges at any stage if they do not act according to the orders issued by the executive. “It is through this change that judges are now being subjected to extreme pressur…

Thiruvananthapuram, May 15 (IANS) With V. D. Satheesan now firmly seated in the driver’s seat of Kerala politics, the celebration within the Congress camp is quickly giving way to the far more complicated and politically explosive exercise of cabinet formation.And if choosing the Chief Minister itself required 10 days of intense negotiations and delicate balancing, the battle for ministerial berths now threatens to become an even tougher test for both Satheesan and the Congress high command.The …

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) All political parties are fearful of losing votes of the majority community, while those of minorities are being taken for granted in today’s increasingly polarised political landscape, said Mohammad Adeeb, a former Parliamentarian and noted politician. In a special interaction with IANS, the former RS MP said, “Every political party has become solely focused on ensuring that the Hindu vote base does not drift away.”On questions of whether the community could rely …

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Calling Chabahar Port a symbol of cooperation between Iran and India, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi on Friday expressed confidence that the India-developed port will serve as “golden gate” for access to Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe. Addressing media after the conclusion of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in New Delhi, Araghchi acknowledged that the development of Chabahar Port has been slowed down due to the US sanctions. However, he expressed…

Gandhinagar, May 15 (IANS) The Gujarat government has granted in-principle approval to 80 per cent of the new measures announced in this year’s state budget, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel directing departments to speed up implementation so that benefits reach citizens without delay. The decision was discussed at a state cabinet meeting chaired by Patel in Gandhinagar on Friday.Government spokesperson and minister Jitu Vaghani said the chief minister had instructed departments to ensure tha…

Gandhinagar, May 15 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has ordered daily monitoring of petrol and diesel stocks through a control room mechanism, with directions to officials to maintain uninterrupted fuel supplies across the state. The instructions were issued during a cabinet meeting chaired by Patel in Gandhinagar on Friday after a review of fuel availability and supply arrangements in the state.Government spokesperson and minister Jitu Vaghani said the chief minister had instructe…

Indore, May 15 (IANS) The Muslim side in the long-standing Dhar Bhojshala dispute has decided to challenge the Indore High Court’s order in the Supreme Court after the court delivered its verdict in favour of the Hindu side on Friday. Reacting to the judgment, advocates representing the Muslim side alleged that their arguments were not given due consideration during the proceedings. They said the legal team would first study the detailed court order before taking further steps in the apex cour…

Hyderabad, May 15 (IANS) Cyberabad Police have registered cases against social media accounts, which posted photos and videos of the victim in the POCSO case registered against Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s son Bandi Bhageerath, officials said on Friday. The cases have been registered at the Pet Basheerabad Police Station, where the POCSO case was booked against Bhageerath on May 8.”Based on the complaint lodged by the Child Welfare Committee Chairperson of Medchal-Mal…

Satara, May 15 (IANS) Union Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday announced the release of the Centre’s share of Rs 8,368.50 crore for Maharashtra under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin for the financial year 2026-27 at a function where he inaugurated the Griha Pravesh ceremony of 5 lakh completed rural houses in the state. In his address, the Union Minister said, “Maharashtra has done remarkable work in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Aw…

Gandhinagar, May 15 (IANS) In a significant step towards achieving self-reliance in clean cooking fuel, nearly 1,000 tribal households near the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar are moving ahead to equip biogas plants in their homes. More than 600 biogas plants have already become operational, bringing smiles to the faces of families who have long remained dependent on traditional means and are now set to witness the light of prosperity in their homes.The initiative, inspired by Prime Mi…