New criminal laws to come into effect from July 1
The three criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, will come into effect from July 1, 2024, said a Union Home Ministry notification on February 24. “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (46 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints the 1st day of July, 2024 as the date on which the provisions of the said Sanhita, except the provisions of the entry relating to section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in the First Schedule, shall come into force,” the notification said.
Congress, AAP finalise seat-sharing plans; together in Delhi, separate in Punjab
Announcing a seat-sharing plan for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party agreed to jointly contest from Delhi, Haryana, Goa, and Gujarat. Both parties are constituents of the INDIA bloc, formed by Opposition parties to take on the BJP in the upcoming general elections.
Uttar Pradesh government cancels police constable recruitment exam
The Uttar Pradesh government on February 24 announced the cancellation of the recently held examination to recruit police constables in the State. In a post on ‘X’, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said orders have been issued to re-conduct the exam within six months.
‘Delhi Chalo’ protest | Haryana extends mobile Internet suspension in seven districts
The Haryana government has further extended the suspension of mobile Internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by a day till February 24 in the wake of the ongoing farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation, according to an official order. Mobile Internet and bulk SMS services were first suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa on February 11 and the suspension was extended on February 13, 15, 17, 19, 20 and 21.
NIA attaches houses of 4 accused in narco-terror case in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara
The National Investigation Agency on February 24 attached houses of four accused in a narco-terror case in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the agency said. The case relates to the use of the “proceeds of narcotic drugs” to fund violent terror activities by proscribed terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen operating in Jammu and Kashmir’s Handwara-Kupwara region, the NIA said in a statement.
NHRC team visits Sandeshkhali for second day; Suvendu likens situation to Nandigram
An NHRC team visited trouble-torn Sandeshkhali for the second consecutive day on February 24 to investigate into allegations of land-grabbing by some TMC leaders. A CPI(M) delegation led by Minakshi Mukhopadhyay also visited the strife-hit region in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal even as an uneasy calm prevailed with police patrolling the area. Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari likened the situation in Sandeshkhali to Nandigram, where a movement against “forcible” land acquisition by the then Left Front government in 2007-08 catapulted the Trinamool to power in 2011.
About 36% Rajya Sabha candidates declared criminal cases against themselves: ADR
“Thirty-six per cent of Rajya Sabha candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves while the average assets of candidates analysed stood at ₹127.81 crore,” according to poll rights body Association for Democratic Reforms. The ADR and the National Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 58 out of the 59 candidates in the fray for 56 seats in 15 States. The Rajya Sabha polls are scheduled for February 27.
Lok Sabha elections 2024 | TDP-JSP alliance releases first list of 118 candidates
The Telugu Desam Party and its alliance partner Jana Sena Party on February 24 announced the first list of candidates for 118 Assembly constituencies (TDP 94 and JSP 24). While the TDP revealed the names of all 94 candidates, the JSP disclosed only five out of the 24 names.
Ahead of UCC, Assam decides to repeal Muslim Marriages Act
Ahead of introducing a Uttarakhand-like bill on the Uniform Civil Code, the Assam government has decided to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act of 1935. The State Cabinet, which met late on February 23 night, approved the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024, for repealing the British-era marriage and divorce Act specific to Muslims.
Congress can’t think beyond parivarvaad, corruption and appeasement: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 24 attacked the Congress saying the grand old party cannot think beyond ‘parivarvaad’ (nepotism), corruption and appeasement and the country’s development has never been on its agenda. After independence, the Congress ruled the country for a long time but its focus was only on forming the government and not building the future of the country, said Modi while virtually addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Chhattisgarh’ programme.
India’s mission in Seattle raises Jaahnavi Kandula case with authorities; monitoring progress
India’s consulate in Seattle has raised with authorities the case of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula after the prosecution attorney said an overspeeding Seattle police officer who struck and killed her while responding to an overdose call will not face any criminal charges due to lack of “sufficient” evidence. India’s consulate in Seattle also said it was monitoring the progress in the case and will extend all possible support in ensuring justice for Kandula and her family.
‘We will win’, Ukraine President Zelensky tells war anniversary ceremony
President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on February 24 that Ukraine would defeat Russia as the war entered a third year. “We have been fighting for this for 730 days of our lives. We will win on the greatest day of our lives,” Mr. Zelensky told an open-air anniversary event in Kyiv. “Any normal person wants the war to end. But none of us will allow Ukraine to end,” Mr. Zelensky said, stressing that the war must end “on our terms”, with a “just” peace.
Brazil’s President accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, doubling down after earlier uproar
Brazil’s president alleged that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, doubling down on harsh rhetoric after stirring controversy a week earlier by comparing Israel’s military offensive in Gaza to the Nazi Holocaust. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote on X that he would not give up his “dignity for falsehood,” an apparent reference to calls for him to retract comments comparing Israel’s conduct in Gaza to the Nazi Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews perished during World War II.
Cloud clustering patterns reveal increasing severity of extreme rainfall in tropics in new study
By studying cloud clustering patterns in a warming climate, scientists have shown that with rising temperatures, extreme rainfall events become more severe. Focussing on the area of the tropics around the equator, the scientists from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and the Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology in Germany used a climate model to study how cloud and storm clustering impacted extreme rainfall events.
Ind vs Eng 4th Test | Bashir’s four-wicket burst puts India on backfoot after Jaiswal’s gritty fifty
Young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir scythed through the Indian line-up with an impressive four-wicket haul that left the hosts stuttering at 219 for seven on day two of the fourth Test in Ranchi on February 24. The 20-year-old Bashir, playing only his second Test, got rid of Shubman Gill (38), Rajat Patidar (17), Ravindra Jadeja (12) on a pitch that has uneven bounce and cracks to rattle the Indian top and middle order.
