Politics
OBC quota: Supreme Court asks Madhya Pradesh poll body to notify order to conduct civic polls in 2 weeks

With the Supreme Court on Tuesday directing the states to follow the triple test it laid down in 2021 for reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBC) in local body elections, both the BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh have supported the apex court’s decision ahead of the state Assembly polls scheduled in 2023.
The triple test involves the appointment of panels, gathering empirical data quantifying the extent and backwardness local body-wise, and ensuring the reservation does not exceed the 50 per cent ceiling.
The apex court in its judgement directed the Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission to issue a notification regarding panchayat elections within two weeks.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in his response said the state government will file a review petition against the SC order to hold panchayat elections as well as on OBC reservation.
“We are yet to study the judgement in detail but we will file a review petition hoping that the panchayat elections are held with OBC reservation,” Chouhan added while responding to mediapersons on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court’s order came in response to a petition regarding 23,000 unfilled panchayat seats in Madhya Pradesh. The seats remained vacant as the state could not fulfil the triple test.
Earlier in December 2021, the apex court had directed the Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission to re-notify OBC seats in local bodies as general seats and then conduct elections.
Both the BJP and the Congress levelled allegations against each other over the OBC reservation issue, however, both the parties had reached a unanimous consensus not to conduct polls without OBC reservation in the state.
A unanimous resolution in this regard was passed by the state Assembly in December 2021.
A bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, A.S. Oka, and C.T. Ravikumar took serious exception to the vacant 321 urban bodies and nearly 23,260 panchayat seats in Madhya Pradesh.
The bench said such conduct is “bordering on the breakdown of the rule of law”.
The court directed the poll watchdog to notify the elections within two weeks.
It made it clear that neither delimitation nor triple test compliance can delay the filling up of the vacant seats.
The court said the seats must be represented by elected representatives after every five years as per the constitutional requirement.
The bench said the triple test formula laid down in a judgment in March 2021 will be applicable to elections on all local bodies across the country and is binding on all states and state Election Commissions.
Opposition Congress leader Arun Yadav said his party was apprehensive over the gross negligence of the BJP-led state government towards the OBCs.
He added that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief, Mohan Bhagwat has spoken about “ending reservation” and accused the state government of depriving OBCs of their due rights.
Maharashtra
Local Police Arrest Suspect in Mira Road House Looting Incident

Mumbai: In an unusual turn of events, Mira Road police have successfully apprehended a suspect believed to be involved in a recent house looting incident that had left local residents unsettled. The arrest, which was made early Friday morning, follows an intensive investigation launched after the break-in was reported to authorities.
According to the police report, the incident occurred earlier this week when the occupant of the residential property returned home to find it ransacked. Valuables, including jewelry and electronic devices, were reported missing. The meticulous efforts by the investigating officers, including gathering CCTV footage and conducting neighborhood inquiries, played a crucial role in identifying and locating the suspect.
The accused, whose identity has been withheld pending further investigation, was apprehended after a brief chase and later confessed to the crime during police interrogation. Authorities recovered a significant portion of the stolen items from the suspect’s possession.
Residents of Mira Road have expressed relief following the arrest, praising the police force for their rapid response and dedication to maintaining community safety. “We feel more secure knowing that the police are actively working to protect us,” said one local resident.
This incident has prompted the police to urge residents to enhance home security measures and report any suspicious activities immediately. The authorities have reiterated their commitment to maintaining peace and order in the area.
The suspect is currently in custody and will be presented in court later this week, as the police continue their investigation to determine if he is connected to any other recent burglaries in the vicinity.
National
BJP wants to grab land in every UP district, alleges Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow, June 28: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that it was trying to usurp land in every district of the state.
Addressing a press conference, Yadav said the BJP was misusing bulldozers and government machinery, with the active support of party workers and the local administration, to forcibly acquire land.
He particularly pointed to Gorakhpur, the home turf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, claiming irregularities in land registration there.
“The people of Gorakhpur should ask in whose name the maximum number of registries have been done,” Yadav said.
“If the truth about Gorakhpur comes out, the government will have to build a custody corridor there instead of passing on any inheritance. Compensation for land and houses is not being given fairly. The administration is pressuring locals into signing consent papers, using the police to instill fear, just so they don’t have to pay proper compensation,” Akhilesh Yadav alleged.
Accusing the government of cheating locals, he added, “People lost land in Ayodhya, came close to losing it in Banaras, and now Gorakhpur is next. It’s not just Gorakhpur’s land that’s being targeted — this mindset was also visible in Lucknow. Even their own advisor had to resign. I don’t know who he was colluding with — those he aligned with have now fled the country.”
Yadav also took aim at the RSS, criticising its demand to remove the words ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ from the Preamble of the Constitution.
“Those who oppose the reservation don’t say it openly. Instead, they target the concepts of secularism and socialism. Their opposition to reservation is masked in these attacks,” he said.
Yadav accused the BJP and its ideological allies of trying to polarise voters. “They want to get votes by spreading hatred,” he alleged.
Maharashtra
Former SIMI Office-Bearer & Key Accused In Delhi-Padgha ISIS Terror Module Case, Saquib Abdul Hamid Nachan, Dies Following Brain Stroke

Mumbai: Saquib Abdul Hamid Nachan (63), a former office-bearer of the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and a key accused in the Delhi-Padgha ISIS terror module case, died after suffering a brain stroke. He was undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital and died about an hour before official sources confirmed the development.
Nachan was under investigation for his alleged involvement in aiding ISIS-linked operatives and was facing serious charges under anti-terror laws.
Nachan who was under judicial custody in Tihar Jail, was admitted to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital on Monday after suffering a stroke.
Due to the severity of his condition, he was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital on Wednesday morning for advanced medical care. According to National Investigation Agency (NIA) sources, Nachan was under close observation in the ICU prior to his death.
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