National News
Bombay HC endorses Goa govt’s decision to bar Goans from entering casinos
Bombay High Court.
Barring local residents from entering casinos by the Goa government is “well-founded” and not violative of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, the Bombay High Court bench in Goa has said.
The Court was hearing a petition filed by a local lawyer, who had argued that the Goa government decision in February last year to ban domiciled Goans from entering casinos was discriminatory and violative of Constitutional provisions.
“Gambling is totally prohibited, but by way of some exceptions a certain class of places and people are exempted from such prohibition. The object of the State is naturally to prevent the person domiciled in Goa to be lured into such chance games and to suffer poverty and mental trauma for their families.
“The classification is founded with the object of preventing the spread of gambling and transforming the exception into a rule,” a High Court bench comprising Justices M.S. Sonak and M.S. Jawalkar said in the order on Thursday.
“Such classification grouping person domiciled in Goa and on the other hand tourist having a tourist permit is well-founded. The classification between tourists who come to Goa for a few days to entertain themselves and locals domiciled in Goa is based on an intelligible differentia (reasonable basis for differentiation). Section 2(7) defines tourists quite clearly and excludes persons domiciled or permanently residing in Goa,” Court also said.
The Court also said that unlike tourists, locals would have “much greater opportunities” to visit casinos and said that “there is nothing arbitrary or discriminatory in the object or the classification”.
“The petitioner does not challenge the entry of tourists in casinos but insists on permitting him to enter (casinos). Since the petitioner and the tourists belong to separate classes, no case of breach of Article 14 is made out,” the Court also said.
In his petition, advocate Shukr Usgaonkar had said that the Goa government’s decision to bar domiciled Goans from entering casinos was violative of his personal rights, because it barred him from visiting casinos.
“The impugned provisions contravene Article 14 of the Constitution of India by prohibiting access to persons, who are permanent residents of Goa.
“The distinction being made between tourists and non-tourists miserably fails the test of reasonable classification which must be fulfilled by any classification to withstand the rigors of Article 14. What is good for tourists cannot be bad for the Goans or non-tourists,” Ugaonkar had said.
Goa has five offshore casinos and around 10 onshore casinos operational in the coastal state.
Navi Mumbai: Navi Mumbai police will impose traffic restrictions on the service road near Dr. D. Y. Patil Stadium in Nerul from January 9 to January 17, 2026, to ensure security and smooth movement during the BCCI Women’s Premier League (WPL) T20 cricket matches.
According to the traffic control notification issued by the Turbhe Traffic Division, all types of vehicles will be barred from plying and parking on the service road between Bhimashankar Society and the L.P. Rickshaw Stand from 7 am to 11 pm on match days, as the route has been earmarked for the movement of players and dignitaries.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Tirupati Kakade said the restrictions are being enforced under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act to prevent congestion and maintain law and order in the stadium vicinity during the matches.
Commuters have been advised to use the Sion–Panvel Highway, specifically the Uran Phata to L.P. Bridge stretch, as an alternative route to reach their destinations.
The restrictions will not apply to vehicles carrying essential commodities, police vehicles, fire brigade units, ambulances, government vehicles, other emergency services, and vehicles holding official passes issued by the WPL/IPL management.
Mumbai Press Exclusive News
Providing basic amenities to Mumbai is our priority, Samajwadi Party’s election manifesto released, Abu Asim Azmi claims to solve urban problems
Mumbai: The Samajwadi Party released its election manifesto for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections at a press conference today. The party’s Maharashtra president Abu Asim Azmi presented this manifesto keeping in mind the basic problems of the people of Mumbai. Abu Asim Azmi has also promised free water supply along with basic amenities in the election manifesto. It has been promised to provide 700 liters of clean and free drinking water to every family in Mumbai daily. To raise the standard of education, it has been decided to improve the quality of municipal schools and provide scholarships and free facilities to needy students for higher education. It has also been declared necessary to arrange modern medical facilities, neighborhood clinics and free medicines in every ward of Mumbai in the medical department and health department. In addition, efforts have been made for equal employment opportunities. Creating new employment opportunities for the youth and making special projects to eliminate unemployment are also part of the election manifesto. Providing better facilities for the residents of slums, pucca houses and pothole-free roads in the city, bringing transparency in the functioning of BMC and eliminating corruption are also the main components of the election manifesto. Addressing the press conference, Abu Asim Azmi said that the Samajwadi Party is committed to the development of Mumbai and to providing its people with their fundamental rights. Our aim is not just to make promises but to make Mumbai a better and prosperous city.
National News
BMC Elections 2026: Mumbai Candidates Declare Massive Surge In Assets, Multi-Crore Wealth Revealed In Affidavits
Mumbai, Jan 08: Details of assets, profession and criminal records of selected candidates contesting the upcoming civic elections in Mumbai, as declared in their affidavits, are as follows:
Shaila Dilip Lande – Shiv Sena (Shinde), Ward 163 (Saki Naka)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹8,18,76,134
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹14,27,651
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Kamalakar Naik – Independent, Ward 169 (Kurla Nehru Nagar)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹11,83,36,519
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,92,76,226
Criminal cases: 2
Found guilty: 0
Dhanajay Pisal – Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), Ward 111 (Kanjur Village)
Profession: Service
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹21,82,57,202
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2019: ₹8,55,21,925
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Sonam Manoj Jamsutkar – Shiv Sena (UBT), Ward 210 (Mumbai Central)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹14,38,84,259
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹7,08,67,928
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Geeta Gawli – Akhil Bhartiya Sena, Ward 212 (Mahalaxmi–Umar Park)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹7,26,92,393
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹3,45,32,902
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Sana Haji Halim Khan – Shiv Sena (UBT), Ward 96 (Bandra East)
Profession: Not mentioned
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹9,46,03,435
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: Not contested
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Nehal Shah – Independent, Ward 177 (Matunga)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹7,04,11,095
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,69,77,255
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Rajul Sameer Desai – BJP, Ward 56 (Goregaon)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹24,28,81,925
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,79,69,000
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Prabhakar Shinde – BJP, Ward 106 (Mulund)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹17,63,01,181
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹57,46,971
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Neil Somaiya – BJP, Ward 107 (Mulund)
Profession: Business
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2025: ₹9,89,21,872
Total movable and immovable assets as of 2017: ₹1,99,37,809
Criminal cases: 0
Found guilty: 0
Navi Mumbai Police Impose Traffic Restrictions Near D Y Patil Stadium During WPL 2026
Providing basic amenities to Mumbai is our priority, Samajwadi Party’s election manifesto released, Abu Asim Azmi claims to solve urban problems
BMC Elections 2026: Mumbai Candidates Declare Massive Surge In Assets, Multi-Crore Wealth Revealed In Affidavits
Major Accident On Ghodbunder Road: Multi-Vehicle Crash Near Gaimukh Disrupts Traffic Between Thane & Mira Road
Plot to shift Mumbai assets to Gujarat: Raj Thackeray in Saamana
Mamata Banerjee announces judicial committee to probe chaos at Salt Lake Stadium over Lionel Messi’s visit
One more accused arrested for vandalism during Lionel Messi’s Kolkata event
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