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Plea to CJI seeks pre-ponement of hearing on eco reservation in NEET-PG course

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A city-based lawyer on Wednesday wrote a letter petition to Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana seeking preponement of the hearing in matters related to the economic reservation in NEET-PG course in the apex court and initiate day to day hearing.

Highlighting the ongoing protests of the resident doctors for the last several days led by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association of India (FORDA) and threat for mass resignation, the letter petition by Adv Vineet Jindal stated that the mass protest has resulted because the Union Health Ministry has not taken any concrete steps to expedite NEET-PG counselling.

The plea also sought directions to the Centre to form a committee to address the issues related to doctors concerned and the Delhi Police Commissioner to initiate an enquiry and take stern action on culprits into the incident of physical assault on the protesting doctors by the cops.

“With doctors as our frontline warriors against this war with Covid, it is imperative to address the issues of resident doctors at the earliest to resolve their demands and to call off the strike as soon as possible,” Jindal pointed out.

“Already, the second wave of Covid-19 has left an indelible impact on lives of people due to the massive death toll, and now we are again facing a crisis of the third wave and are in extreme need of best health care services owing to the current situation of the outbreak of omicron virus,” he added.

Abiding by the constitution of India under Article 19 and 21, the responsibility of securing the life and liberty of the protesting doctors and every citizen of this country, lies in the hand of the apex court, the plea read said.

Recently, the protest against delayed NEET PG counselling has been supported by doctors from five states -Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

The doctors have been striking work over delays in NEET-2021 PG counselling, which is now pending the outcome of a batch of petitions over economic reservations, being heard in the Supreme Court will take up on January 6, 2022 by the apex court.

The strike started with doctors boycotting work in out-patient clinics, which was later escalated to boycotting of all routine work such as care of admitted patients and routine surgeries when they didn’t receive any assurances from the Union health minister.

Initially, the delay of NEET-2021 PG examinations was due to the second wave of Covid-19 and it was further delayed due to the petitions filed and pending for hearing before this court over reservation issue, it said.

The FORDA has pointed out the “acute shortage” of resident doctors across the country as the counselling of NEET-PG 2021 batch has already been delayed by eight months. On December 9, the agitation was suspended by the resident doctors called by the FORDA for a week following the health ministry’s assurance to expedite court hearing and subsequently fast-track the counselling process.

However, FORDA wrote to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, informing him that it was resuming the strike from December 17, the plea added.

National News

2 Teachers Killed, 10 Injured In Van-Truck Collision In Chhattisgarh’s Korba

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Korba: Two women teachers were killed and ten other persons injured after a van in which they were travelling collided with a trailer truck in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district on Thursday, police said.

About The Accident

The accident occurred in the morning near Tanakhar village when 11 staffers and two students of Eklavya Model Residential School, run by the tribal development department, in Pondi Uproda village were heading to their institute from Katghora town, a police official said.

As per preliminary information, the van driver attempted to overtake another vehicle and ended up colliding with a truck, coming from the opposite direction.

A total of 12 occupants of the van sustained injuries, he said.

The victims were taken to the Community Health Centre Katghora, from where the seriously injured persons were referred to different hospitals, he said.

Two teachers, identified as Anjana Sharma (30), a resident of Delhi, and Manju Sharma (32) of Haryana, succumbed to their wounds during treatment at a hospital, he said.

The two deceased were staying in rented houses in Katghora.

Five injured persons have been admitted to a hospital in Korba, two in Bilaspur, and three others, who sustained minor injuries, in Katghora, he said.

A case has been registered and a probe is underway, he added.

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Maharashtra

Supreme Court Stays Bombay High Court’s Acquittal in 2006 Mumbai Train Blasts Case

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New Delhi, July 24, 2025 — The Supreme Court of India has issued a stay on the Bombay High Court’s recent decision to acquit 12 men previously convicted in the 2006 Mumbai suburban train bombings. The apex court, however, clarified that the accused will not need to return to jail while the legal process continues.

The move comes days after the Maharashtra government filed a challenge against the High Court’s ruling, expressing serious concern over the acquittal of all 12 individuals who had been found guilty nearly a decade earlier. The Supreme Court agreed to examine the appeal and put the acquittal order on hold until further notice.

Background of the Case

On July 11, 2006, a series of coordinated bomb blasts targeted local trains on Mumbai’s Western Railway line during evening rush hour. The attacks resulted in the deaths of around 190 people and left over 800 injured. It was one of the deadliest terror strikes in India’s history.

In 2015, a special court convicted 12 men under anti-terror laws, sentencing five to death and the remaining to life imprisonment. However, the Bombay High Court overturned these convictions in July 2025, citing weak and unreliable evidence, inconsistencies in witness testimonies, and procedural lapses in the investigation.

Supreme Court’s Intervention

Responding to the state’s petition, the Supreme Court noted the seriousness of the matter and temporarily suspended the High Court’s decision. The court stated that although the acquittal order is stayed, the accused who had already been released will not be required to surrender at this stage.

Government’s Stand

The Maharashtra government described the High Court’s judgment as deeply concerning, arguing that the earlier trial had followed due process and that crucial evidence—such as confessions and material recovered—was improperly dismissed. The government urged the Supreme Court to uphold the original convictions in the interest of justice for the victims and their families.

What Lies Ahead

The Supreme Court is expected to conduct a detailed review of the High Court’s findings and the prosecution’s evidence. The final verdict could have a significant impact on how terrorism-related cases are investigated and prosecuted in the future, especially with respect to the handling of confessional statements, forensic evidence, and procedural safeguards.

The case continues to be a matter of national attention due to its historical gravity and implications for the justice system. Families of the victims, legal experts, and civil rights advocates are all watching closely as the country’s top court re-evaluates one of India’s most complex terror cases.

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Maharashtra

‘Gujarat Portion Of Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project To Be Completed By December 2027’: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

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New Delhi: The Gujarat portion of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project between Vapi and Sabarmati is planned to be completed by December 2027, while the entire 508 km project is expected to be completed by December 2029, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on Wednesday.

However, the bullet train project is a very complex and technology-intensive and the exact timelines for its completion can only be reasonably ascertained after the completion of all associated works of civil structures, track, electrical, signalling & telecommunication and supply of trainsets, the minister added.

MAHSR is under execution with technical and financial assistance from the Japanese government. The project is passing through Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli with 12 stations planned at Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Billimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati, the minister said.

A cumulative financial expenditure of Rs 78,839 crore has been incurred on the project till June 30, 2025, he said.

The total estimated cost of the MAHSR project is approximately Rs 1,08,000 crore, out of which Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding 81 per cent of the project cost which works out to Rs 88,000 crore while the balance 19 per cent cost amounting to Rs 20,000 crore will be funded through equity contribution from Ministry of Railways (50 per cent) and Maharashtra and Gujarat state governments (25 per cent each).

The delay in land acquisition in Maharashtra impacted the project till 2021. However, currently, the entire land (1389.5 hectares) for the MAHSR project has been acquired. The Final Location Survey and Geotechnical investigation has also been completed, and alignment finalised. All Statutory Clearances relating to wildlife, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and Forest clearance have been obtained, and all the civil contracts of the project have been awarded, Vaishnaw said.

Till now, 392 km of pier construction, 329 km of girder casting and 308 km of girder launching have been completed. The work on the undersea tunnel (21 km approx.) has also started. In order to expand the high-speed rail (HSR) network in India beyond the MAHSR corridor and to meet the growing passenger demand between major cities of commercial and tourist importance, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are being prepared by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), he added.

HSR projects are highly capital-intensive, and any decision to take up a new project is based on many factors such as technical feasibility, financial & economic viability, traffic demand and availability of funds & financing options. The commercial operation of the MAHSR project involves an affordable fare structure for the services, taking into account the socio-economic conditions of the clientele for optimum patronage of the HSR sectors, the minister added.

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