Delhi BJP slams AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj for lies on waterlogging

Lucknow, April 15 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday came out in support of the Women’s Reservation Bill, paving way for their greater representation in legislative bodies and demanded stronger safeguards for those belonging to marginalised communities.

Addressing a press conference, Mayawati said, “Just like the weaker sections, atrocities, exploitation, and oppression against women continue unabated. Shameful incidents are still not stopping. That is why our party, the BSP, has been continuously demanding 50 per cent reservation for women of all communities in the country based on their population. However, no political party is willing to accept this due to their own selfish interests and compulsions…Thanks to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who ensured the right to vote and equality for all women, he empowered women and strengthened democracy. We are forever in debt to him..”

“Now, in this context, the process of giving 33 per cent reservation to women in the country’s Parliament and state legislative assemblies – even after a long wait – our party welcomes the move to take it forward. Even though there has been a lot of delay, our party still welcomes it…” she added.

She further emphasised the need for inclusion of marginalised women within the proposed framework, saying, “SC, ST and OBC women, if they get reservation separately, then this bill will be more appropriate and it would have been historic.”

Her remarks come at a time when the Centre is actively pushing ahead with the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Constitutional Amendment Bill, which aims to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

The Centre has convened a special three-day session of Parliament from April 16 to 18 to advance constitutional amendments that would enable 33 per cent reservation for women before 2029, instead of linking it to the post-2026 Census delimitation process.

The proposal seeks to expand the Lok Sabha strength from 543 to around 850 seats, reserving one-third for women. Although the Women’s Reservation Act was passed in 2023, its implementation has been delayed due to pending delimitation and census-related procedures.

The bill, however, has also sparked political debate, with several parties, including Tamil Nadu’s DMK under MK Stalin, demanding that the reservations for women be delinked from the delimitation drive.

–IANS

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Patna, June 27 (IANS) The Patna Civil Court on Saturday deferred the hearing in the anticipatory bail plea of Faisal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir and director of Khan Global Studies. The court has fixed June 30 as the next date of hearing after granting time to examine the updated case diary submitted by the police.

Until the next hearing, the interim protection from arrest granted to Khan Sir will continue.

During the proceedings, the Kadamkuan police submitted the updated case diary before the court.

The court allowed three days for its examination before hearing the final arguments.

Advocate Arvind Kumar Mauar, appearing for Khan Sir, opposed further adjournments and argued that the government counsel had already received the updated case diary and that arguments could be completed earlier.

However, the Public Prosecutor and counsel representing Roshan Anand sought additional time to study the contents and legal aspects of the case diary.

Accepting this request, the court adjourned the matter until June 30.

The court is also scheduled to hear the bail applications of Khan Sir’s two personal security guards on June 30.

Both security personnel are currently in judicial custody in connection with the firing case.

According to the police case diary submitted before the court, investigators have reportedly concluded that the firing incident of June 2 was not an act of self-defense.

The police have alleged that the firing was intended to create panic.

Investigators have also stated that Faisal Khan’s name was subsequently added to the FIR during the course of the investigation.

Violence allegedly broke out outside Khan Sir’s coaching institute on June 2.

According to earlier allegations, one of the security guards posted at the coaching premises was assaulted very badly leading to serious injuries.

Khan Sir had accused individuals associated with Gyan Bindu Coaching, including Roshan Anand, of being responsible for the violence and attack on his coaching centre.

However, police investigations and CCTV footage reportedly did not support the initial allegations regarding firing by outsiders.

Subsequent footage allegedly showed two of Khan Sir’s security guards firing shots into the air.

Based on this evidence, police arrested the two guards, who remain in custody.

The defence has maintained that Khan Sir has been falsely implicated in the case and that he had no direct role in the firing incident.

On the other hand, the police investigation has raised questions regarding the circumstances surrounding the firing, and the prosecution is relying upon the findings contained in the case diary.

–IANS

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Ahmedabad, Oct 28 (IANS) In a move to simplify the payment of traffic e-challan fines, the Gujarat government has introduced a new facility allowing vehicle owners to pay penalties online through the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).

Under Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and the guidance of State Police Chief Vikas Sahay, the State Traffic Branch of Gujarat Police, in collaboration with the State Bank of India (SBI), has launched this digital initiative to make fine payments more accessible and transparent.

Previously, motorists could pay fines through the ‘One Nation One Challan’ system using options such as net banking, debit/credit cards, UPI, or PoS machines. Now, with the inclusion of BBPS, users can directly pay their traffic fines through popular apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, BHIM Pay, and YONO by selecting ‘State Traffic Branch, Gujarat’ in the payment menu.

The funds collected will be processed as per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, ensuring verification and secure settlement of payments. This initiative is expected to enhance transparency, streamline fine collection, and strengthen the enforcement of traffic regulations across the state. Officials said the step marks a major stride toward the state’s ‘Digital Gujarat’ vision — making civic services faster, simpler, and fully-integrated with national digital payment platforms.

Gujarat’s traffic management system has undergone a major transformation aimed at improving safety, reducing congestion, and ensuring smoother mobility across cities and highways.

The state has implemented Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) in major urban centres such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot, integrating AI-based cameras, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), and real-time monitoring through command and control centres.

Alongside enforcement, authorities are emphasising public awareness campaigns, driver education, and road safety audits to minimise accidents.

These combined measures — supported by digital tools, improved coordination among agencies, and citizen participation — are helping Gujarat move toward a smarter, safer, and more transparent traffic management ecosystem.

–IANS

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