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Maharashtra

Poll for 367 local bodies in Maharashtra sans OBC reservation, contempt if orders breached: SC

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The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) for re-scheduling the poll for 367 local bodies to grant OBC reservation, and also cautioned its chief and other officials of contempt of court, if its orders are breached.

A bench, headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, said the poll schedule was already notified when it allowed OBC reservation and the polls for those bodies must be held without the OBC reservation.

It said the SEC cannot interfere with the election, which has already been notified and only the dates can be re-aligned.

The bench, also comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and J.B. Pardiwala, did not appreciate that despite clarifying the issue several times, the SEC had taken a decision to re-schedule the poll. The bench made it clear that the SEC and the officials concerned would be liable for contempt of court for breaching its order.

“This is not acceptable. You (SEC) are trying to misread our order for your convenience and maybe under dictation of someone… Do you want us to issue contempt notice?….”

The bench said the election for 367 local bodies were to be notified according to the May order, and this position had been re-stated in multiple orders. The top court was informed that as per SEC affidavit, the election was deferred for two municipalities.

It said the SEC cannot interfere with the election that has already been notified, and directed that SEC cannot re-notify the election programme to these 367 local bodies.

On July 20, the Supreme Court accepted the recommendations of the Banthia commission to apply 27 per cent OBC reservations in local body elections in Maharashtra, and directed that election for local bodies in the state be notified in the next two weeks.

In December last year, the top court had directed that reservation for OBCs in local bodies will not be permitted unless they fulfil the triple test, and until the triple test is fulfilled, the OBC seats would be re-notified as general category seats.

The Supreme Court, in its order in March last year, while reading down the OBC reservation in local bodies, asked the Maharashtra government to comply with three conditions – to set up a dedicated commission for collecting empirical data on the OBC population, specify the proportion of reservation, and ensuring cumulative share of reserved seats doesn’t breach 50 per cent of total seats.

Maharashtra

UAE Restricts Entry and Transit for Iranian Passport Holders Amid Rising Regional Tensions

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The United Arab Emirates has introduced new travel restrictions affecting Iranian passport holders, barring them from entering the country or transiting through its airports. The move comes amid heightened regional tensions and evolving security concerns in the Middle East.

According to the latest directives reflected across airline systems, Iranian citizens are currently unable to book flights to the UAE or use major transit hubs such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi for onward international travel. The restriction has been implemented through airline policies and visa controls, effectively limiting access for most travelers holding Iranian passports.

While the measure appears broad, certain exceptions are believed to be in place. Individuals holding long-term residency permits, special visas, or those with specific professional or familial ties to the UAE may still be permitted entry, subject to additional scrutiny and approvals.

Authorities have not officially described the restriction as permanent, suggesting it may be a temporary response to ongoing geopolitical developments in the region. Analysts view the move as part of a broader pattern of precautionary steps being taken by Gulf countries in light of shifting security dynamics.

The decision is expected to impact travel plans for many Iranian nationals, particularly those who rely on the UAE as a major international transit hub. Airlines are advising affected passengers to review their travel eligibility and consider alternative routes until further notice.

As the situation continues to evolve, travelers are urged to stay informed about the latest updates before making any arrangements involving transit through the UAE.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Traffic Police takes action against self-styled VIP, seizes lights and sirens of 8 vehicles, recommends cancellation of registration by Traffic Department

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Mumbai: Traffic Police has cracked down on self-styled VIPs and taken action against vehicles using VIP cultural flash lights and sirens without any permission. In this, action was taken against such vehicles and lights that were used to install lights on vehicles to prove themselves as VIPs. Under a special campaign, on April 1 and 2, the police took action against those who forcibly installed red, blue, yellow and yellow dim light flash lights on vehicles in the city. During this, action was taken against 8 vehicles, several lights were seized and fines were also taken under the Motor Vehicle Act. In this action, it has been made clear that if someone installs dim light on private vehicles, his vehicle will be deregistered and an additional fine will be imposed and the traffic department will recommend the deregistration of the vehicle to the RTO. The traffic police have appealed to the citizens that if they see a private vehicle with a red light only a flashlight, they can complain about it to the traffic police or the X Twitter handle. These vehicles create disruption in traffic, after which the traffic department has taken this action. This action will now continue in Mumbai city.

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Maharashtra

Mayor Ritu Tawde: The burden of patient services on Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar is high, delays in the reconstruction work of the hospital will not be tolerated

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Mumbai: The Seth V.C. Gandhi and M.A. Vora Municipal Corporation General Hospital i.e. Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar (East) is undergoing reconstruction. Under this, a building with a capacity of about 600 beds is proposed to be constructed in the first phase. In this regard, Mayor Ritu Tawde visited the project site today (April 2, 2026) and inspected it.

Corporator Dharmesh Giri, Medical Superintendent of Rajwadi Hospital Dr. Bharti Rajulwala, Deputy Chief Engineer, Hospital Infrastructure Cell Mr. Manoj Rane, Assistant Commissioner (Additional Charge) of N Department Maruti Pawar and all the concerned officers were present on the occasion.

Giving preliminary information, Deputy Chief Engineer Rane said that the building to be constructed under Rajwadi Hospital Redevelopment Phase-I will have a lower basement, basement, ground floor and 10 floors. This building with a capacity of 600 beds will have all the latest medical facilities. A construction area of ​​about 33,179 square meters will be available for this. The foundation stone of the Phase-I building was laid in December 2025. He said that the construction work will start immediately after getting the permission regarding minor minerals and radar. He clarified that after the completion of the first phase of the building, the entire hospital will be shifted to it and the second building will be constructed in the next phase. Mayor Ritu Tawde expressed displeasure that even after four months of laying the foundation stone, the actual construction work has not started. Wherever the administration is facing difficulties, the matters should be brought to the notice of the seniors. Also, such problems can be resolved with the cooperation of public representatives. The Mayor strongly advised that it is the contractor’s job to obtain all the necessary permits and no delay in the actual work will be tolerated. The construction work of the building should start next week. While the construction work is in progress, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that patients in the neighboring hospital are not disturbed by construction noise, dust, etc. Mayor Tawde also directed that a detailed presentation be made about the redevelopment of the hospital in a joint meeting to be held at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters.

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