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Plea against Delimitation Commission in Jammu and Kashmir, Supreme Court seeks Centre, Election Commission response

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The Supreme Court on Friday sought reply from the Centre, the Jammu and Kashmir administration, and the Election Commission (EC), on a plea against the constitution of the Delimitation Commission to redraw the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the Union Territory.

Counsel representing the petitioners submitted before a bench headed by Sanjay Kishan Kaul that the delimitation exercise, which was carried out recently, was contrary to the scheme of the Constitution, as the alteration of boundaries could not be done.

The bench, also comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh, then asked counsel why the petitioners did not challenge the constitution of the Commission, which was formed some time ago. As counsel contended it is the Election Commission, as per delimitation order, which is empowered to do any changes, the bench further queried from the petitioners’ counsel as to why his clients did not challenge the formation of the Commission itself?

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the plea contends that delimitation can be conducted only by the EC and not the Delimitation Commission.

While objecting to some submissions, the bench told counsel that Kashmir was always part of India and just a special provision was removed.

Mehta said their case is that after Article 370 is gone, the census will only take place in 2026. He further added that delimitations are of two types: one based on geography done by the Delimitation Commission, and the other, by the Election Commission in connection with reservation of seats.

The petitioner’ counsel further argued that the government will place the delimitation order before Parliament, which would further complicate the matter. To this, the bench asked why the petitioners didn’t take it up two years ago.

After hearing the arguments, the top court issued notice to the Centre, J&K administration, and the poll panel, giving them six weeks to file their response, and scheduled the matter for further hearing on August 30.

The plea moved by Haji Abdul Gani Khan and Dr. Mohammad Ayub Mattoo, both residents of Kashmir, sought directions seeking a declaration that increase of number of seats from 107 to 114 in Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir is ultra vires the constitutional provisions such as Articles 81, 82, 170, 330, and 332 and statutory provisions particularly under section 63 of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

The plea also urged the top court to issue to direction to declare notification issued on March 6, 2020, constituting the Delimitation Commission to take up delimitation in the UT of J&K and states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.

“In fact, in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the census operation was completed in 2001, but the delimitation was done in 1995. Even on this count, the entire process adopted is unconstitutional as there is no population census operation during 2011 at all for Jammu and Kashmir,” said the plea.

The plea argued that if August 5, 2019 was to unite the Jammu and Kashmir state with India, then the delimitation process defeats the “new order” of one nation and one Constitution in the country. It said: “While Article 170 of the Constitution of India provides that the next delimitation in the country will be taken up after 2026, why has the UT of Jammu and Kashmir been singled out?”

Maharashtra

Controversy over offering prayers at Hazrat Khwaja Shah Dargah in Pune Saniwar Wada… Hindu organizations protest, tense situation, peace maintained, police arrangements increased.

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Mumbai: In the ancient historical fort of Saniwar Wada area of ​​Pune, Muslim women offered Friday prayers in the premises of the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Syed Shah (may Allah be pleased with him), after which the police have registered a case against the three prayers and started an investigation. A conspiracy has started to give this incident a religious color. BJP MP Medha Kulkarni took out a front here to straighten out the area and demanded that a case be registered. The police have registered a case against the three unidentified women under pressure from Hindu organizations, while the situation in Pune has become extremely tense after this incident.

The video of the three worshippers offering prayers went viral on social media at the time, on this basis the police have registered a case, while in Pune, Medha Kulkarni said that offering prayers in Saniwar Wada will not be tolerated. After offering prayers in Saniwar Wada, politics has also started on it by giving it a Hindu-Muslim color. After the video went viral, a Hindu organization named Patis Pawan filed a written complaint and the police have registered a complaint on the complaint of Ishwar Babban Kode. The accused have not been arrested yet. There is a fear that Hindu organizations will once again stage a protest in Saniwar Wada. After rejecting the protest, sectarians led by Medha Kulkarni raised slogans of Jai Shri Ram and hoisted saffron flags on the dargah’s lattice. Not only that, Siddhi Karan was performed outside the premises and Gautam Buddha was sprayed. The situation is peaceful, but tension remains. This dargah is under the influence of the Waqf Board and now Hindu organizations have also started demanding the removal of this shrine. The police have issued an alert after this incident and have increased the arrangements.

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Maharashtra

“Mumbai Deepfake Fake Video Share Trading Fraud Interstate Gang Uncovered ; 4 arrested”

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Mumbai: The Cyber ​​Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch has claimed to have busted an inter-state gang that was trying to lure investors into investing in the share market by creating fake and deepfake videos of experts on a renowned business news channel. The complainant is a registered analyst with SEBI. On September 29, 2025, an attempt was made to lure investors into investing in the share market by using his fake deepfake video on social media. The complainant is a share trading expert and also works for various companies. An attempt was made to deceive him by creating a deepfake video on his Instagram. When the complainant got the information, he filed a complaint against him at the Cyber ​​Police Station. When the investigation was started, his trace was found in another state. The accused were working as an inter-state gang. The accused were arrested from Bengaluru, Karnataka. The accused have been identified as Jijel Sebastian, 44, of Bengaluru, Dipane Tapan Banerjee, 40, of Karnataka, Daniel Arudha is 25 years old from Bengaluru, and Chandrashekhar is 42 years old. This interstate gang has created deepfake accounts on social media including Facebook to lure big companies into share trading and has cheated ordinary citizens and companies on deepfake social media accounts to prepare companies for fraud and has violated the terms and conditions of the share market company. This gang has created fake accounts several times. The accused have created a Facebook ID in the name of Wellelip India Services Private Limited and received 30 million Indian currency in Dubai currency from a Chinese citizen in the name of investment. In India and Mumbai, fraud is being committed in the name of share trading under the guise of deepfake and fake videos. Therefore, creating such fake videos on social media and committing fraud is a serious crime and action will be taken against it. This action has been taken by the Cyber ​​Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch here on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti. DCP of Mumbai Cyber ​​Crime Parshottam Karad said that this action has been taken in the case of cyber fraud and this interstate gang has created fake accounts on social media. Fraud was committed by creating an account, so there is a need to be alert during share trading. Cases of creating deep fake accounts of famous companies have come to light. Attempts to commit fraud are being made by creating fake accounts of famous companies on Instagram and Facebook. Therefore, verification is mandatory before share trading. Before share trading, one should invest in the share market only after consulting an authentic and experienced SEBI officer and expert. Do not trust social media and avoid investing on the basis of calls and SSMs on social media. This poses a risk of fraud. So far, the police have registered more than 600 cases of share trading, in which fraud of Rs 400 crore has been committed and in many cases, money has been recovered and frozen from the bank account. These accused also used to create deep fake videos with the help of AI.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Aqua Line) Fully Operational — A New Era of Urban Connectivity Begins

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Mumbai, October 2025:
Mumbai has taken a major leap in public transportation with the full launch of the Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Aqua Line) — the city’s first underground metro corridor. Connecting the northern suburbs to South Mumbai, the 33.5-kilometre line aims to transform the way Mumbaikars commute, offering a fast, clean, and comfortable alternative to road and rail congestion.

Route and Connectivity

The Aqua Line runs from Aarey / JVLR in the north to Cuffe Parade in the south, covering 27 underground stations. The line passes through key business and residential areas such as Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Dharavi, Siddhivinayak, Worli, Churchgate, CSMT, and Nariman Point.

One of its biggest highlights is direct connectivity to both terminals of Mumbai’s airport — the Domestic and International terminals — making airport travel smoother than ever before.

The entire north–south journey can now be completed in about 45 minutes, a major improvement over the two-hour average by road during peak traffic.

Station Highlights

Some of the prominent stations on the Aqua Line include:
Aarey / JVLR, Seepz, MIDC, Marol Naka, Airport Terminal 1, Airport Terminal 2, BKC, Dharavi, Siddhivinayak, Worli, Haji Ali, Churchgate, and Cuffe Parade.

Each station features modern facilities such as escalators, elevators, digital information screens, and air-conditioned platforms. Entry and exit points are designed for smooth passenger movement, including dedicated access for persons with disabilities.

Technology and Features

  • Fully underground corridor, ensuring minimal impact on road traffic.
  • 8-coach trains with advanced safety systems and automatic doors.
  • Platform screen doors at major stations for enhanced safety.
  • Real-time passenger information systems inside trains and stations.
  • CCTV surveillance, emergency communication systems, and modern fire safety equipment.
  • Energy-efficient operations, regenerative braking, and noise reduction design.
  • Seamless ticketing system* with QR code tickets, smart cards, and mobile app payments.

Fares and Timings

The fare structure has been designed to stay affordable and distance-based:

Distance (in km)Fare (₹)
0 – 3 km10
3 – 12 km20
12 – 18 km30
18 – 24 km40
24 – 30 km50
30 – 36 km60
36 – 42 km70
Beyond 42 km80

Metro services operate from 5:55 AM to 10:30 PM, with trains running every few minutes during peak hours to ensure minimal waiting time.

Benefits for the City

  • Time Saving: Travel from the northern suburbs to South Mumbai in less than an hour.
  • Reduced Traffic: Expected to ease road congestion and lessen dependence on private vehicles.
  • Environmental Impact: Cleaner, electric transit reduces carbon emissions.
  • Economic Growth: Improved access to commercial hubs like BKC, Fort, and Nariman Point will support business and real estate growth.
  • Passenger Comfort: Air-conditioned coaches, smooth rides, and high safety standards enhance the commuting experience.

A Step Toward a Smarter Mumbai

With Metro Line-3 now fully operational, Mumbai moves closer to a truly integrated transport network, connecting its suburban rail, metro, and bus systems. The Aqua Line is more than just a transport project — it’s a symbol of progress, promising faster, greener, and more efficient mobility for millions of daily commuters.

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