Kenya Defence Forces delegation visits India to benchmark for Joint War College

Indore, Sep 19 (IANS) A key claim made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore regarding recruitment in Madhya Pradesh has been fact-checked and found to be incorrect, a post on the X handle of “Jhooth Ki Goonj” said.

Gandhi had said that in all recruitment drives conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission over the past eight years, 13 per cent of the posts were kept on hold, resulting in 4.87 lakh posts remaining pending. The claim does not stand scrutiny. The 87:13 formula, under which 87 per cent of vacancies were filled while 13 per cent were kept in abeyance, has not been in operation for eight years, it said.

The relevant circular of the Madhya Pradesh General Administration Department was issued only on September 29, 2022 — barely four years ago. It therefore could not have affected all recruitment exercises conducted over the preceding eight years.

The background of the dispute dates to 2019, when the then Congress government led by Kamal Nath raised OBC reservation from 14 per cent to 27 per cent. The decision triggered litigation over the constitutional validity of the enhanced quota. The notification was issued without fully addressing the legal complications that followed, it said.

Importantly, the formula did not halt recruitment. Appointments continued against 87 per cent of the advertised vacancies. The remaining 13 per cent of posts were not cancelled. Separate provisional lists of OBC and unreserved category candidates were prepared so that appointments could be made in line with the final court verdict.

In January 2025, the Madhya Pradesh High Court upheld the 87:13 arrangement as an interim mechanism. The court allowed recruitment to proceed while safeguarding the claims of both sets of candidates pending the final outcome of the litigation, the post clarified.

It further said that available reports estimate that approximately 10,000 posts across various Madhya Pradesh government recruitments were affected by the formula. This figure is far lower than the 4.87 lakh MPPSC posts cited in the claim.

The fact-check underlines that while the 87:13 mechanism did create temporary uncertainty in a limited number of recruitments, the assertion that nearly five lakh posts remained pending for eight years due to this formula is not supported by the official record or the timeline of the circular, it said.

–IANS

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Patna, March 7 (IANS) Former Speaker and senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his official residence, 1 Anne Marg in Patna, on Saturday, after being appointed as the new Governor of Nagaland.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister congratulated him on his new constitutional role, and the two leaders held a formal discussion.​

Nand Kishore Yadav is considered one of the senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar.​

Over the years, he has served multiple terms as a legislator and minister in the state government.​

His tenure as Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly was widely regarded for maintaining legislative decorum and administrative efficiency.​

His appointment as Governor of Nagaland is being viewed as recognition of his long political experience and contribution to public life.​

He was one of the leaders elected 7 times as MLA, representing the Bhartiya Janata Party in the Patna Sahib seat, formerly known as Patna Paschim assembly constituency.​

The meeting between Yadav and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar comes at a time when the political landscape in Bihar is witnessing important developments.​

Nitish Kumar recently filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, a move that has sparked discussions about his potential role in national politics.​

Political observers believe that his entry into the Rajya Sabha could lead to significant changes in Bihar’s political leadership in the coming months.​

In another major development, former senior Indian Army officer Syed Ata Hasnain has been appointed the new Governor of Bihar.​

Known for his extensive experience in security and strategic affairs, Hasnain’s appointment is being seen as significant.​

He will soon assume office and replace the current Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.​

With these developments unfolding, political observers expect further shifts in Bihar’s political landscape in the coming days.

​–IANS

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Guwahati, June 24 (IANS) Train services between south Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram and the rest of the country via Guwahati continue to be suspended for the second day on Tuesday due to landslides blocking the railway track in the New Haflong-Jatinga Lampur section of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), officials said.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that in view of the landslide that led to the disruption of train services in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section, continuous efforts are underway by the railways and state authorities for the early restoration of services, which were suspended to ensure the safety of passengers and railway assets.

He said a high-level emergency meeting, attended by senior officials of the NFR, state government, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and other agencies concerned, was convened to review the situation and formulate immediate solutions.

The Northeast Frontier Railway is working round-the-clock by deploying heavy machinery, equipment and manpower at the site to clear debris and restore the track at the earliest.

Continuous joint monitoring and coordinated efforts are in progress, and train services are expected to return to normal as soon as the safety of the line is ensured, the official said.

The CPRO said that until restoration is completed, it has been decided to cancel/partially cancel certain trains for the safety of passengers. Passengers are requested to stay updated through official railway communication channels for further information regarding train movements and the restoration of services.

Sharma informed that as per estimates, around 50,000 cubic metres of muck and stones have come towards the railway retaining wall. At least 30,000 cubic metres is to be cleared so that work on the track can begin as early as possible. He said that railway teams are working on a war footing and senior railway officials from Lumding Division and Headquarters (Maligaon near Guwahati city) are camping at the site to monitor and coordinate restoration efforts.

The railway administration deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to unavoidable train cancellations and service disruptions and assures that all efforts are being made on a war footing to restore train operations while ensuring safety, the NFR CPRO said.

Passengers are advised to check for the latest updates on train services through official railway websites, helplines and social media handles.

Every year during the monsoon, several northeastern states, especially Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam, remain cut off from the rest of the country for weeks owing to landslides, waterlogging and damage to railway tracks, leading to hardship for the people of the region.

–IANS

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