Connect with us
Sunday,22-June-2025
Breaking News

Maharashtra

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

Published

on

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

IN PICS: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis At ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ Program On International Yoga Day 2025

Published

on

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis participated in the ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ program on the occasion of International Yoga Day, June 21, 2025. The event was held in Pune and witnessed the participation of lakhs of Warkaris.

Dignitaries present at the event included Minister Chandrakant Patil, Minister of State Madhuri Misal, Professor Sadanand More, and several other important leaders. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, CM Fadnavis shared pictures from the yoga session and expressed his thoughts on the confluence of yoga and the Warkari tradition through the ‘Bhakti Yoga’ program.

The ‘Warkari BhaktiYog’ program aimed to promote a balance between the body, mind, and soul. It concluded in Pune with a massive gathering addressed by Chief Minister Fadnavis, who highlighted the spiritual and healing powers of yoga.

The Chief Minister said that yoga is our tradition, culture and a key to a happy life, as well as a method of treatment. It has an extraordinary ability to rejuvenate the body and mind. With this in mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed Yoga Day at the United Nations, with the view that the world should accept this ancient Indian knowledge. This is the only such proposal in the history of the United Nations which was supported and approved by all the countries present. Therefore, we have been celebrating World Yoga Day for the past 11 years.

He further said that yoga is a practice that anyone can do. These asanas are designed according to our body structure and have a therapeutic effect on all the external and internal organs of the body, from nails to hair. That is why yoga is being recognised as a ‘healing power’ at the global level.

Chief Minister Fadnavis, referring to the concept of ‘One Earth, One Health’ given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that the Warkari community upholds this concept through action. It is a matter of fortune for us to get the opportunity to do yoga with the Warkari after the Wari’s stay in Pune. Savitribai Phule Pune University is leading this program, which is a matter of pride.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that today, all the Dindyas are participating in yoga sadhana at their respective stations, and students from 700 colleges have also participated, which is a matter of great satisfaction.

The Chief Minister said that Pune has given a new ‘ring’ to the Wari. He wished that this tradition should continue and that we all remain committed to creating a ‘healthy and prosperous society’.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Thane Sessions Court Convicts Hawker For Brutal Attack On Civic Officer During 2021 Encroachment Drive

Published

on

Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has convicted a hawker for attempting to murder a senior civic officer and against her security personnel during an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in 2021.

The accused, Amarjitsingh Shivshankar Yadav, alias Amarjit Yadav, was found guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code — including Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 353 (assault on a public servant), Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant), Section 333 (causing grievous hurt to deter public servant), and provisions under the Maharashtra Police Act.

About The Incident

The incident took place on August 30, 2021, at the Kasarvadavali junction during a routine anti-hawker and encroachment drive. Kalpita Pimple, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the TMC’s Majiwada-Manpada ward, was overseeing the operation when Yadav, a hawker at the site, suddenly launched a violent assault on her.

In the unprovoked attack, Pimple suffered severe injuries — including the loss of three fingers and a head injury. A security guard accompanying her also suffered injuries while trying to shield her from the assault.

After a detailed trial, the court held Yadav guilty on all counts, reaffirming the severity of the offence and the need to protect public servants carrying out their lawful duties.

The public prosecutor Shishir Hirey said, “There were two victims in the case, in which Pimple lost three fingers while her security personnel suffered injuries in while trying to prevent the attack.”

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Kharghar Residents Stage Peaceful Protest Demanding Liquor Ban In Locality

Published

on

Navi Mumbai: In a show of unity and resolve, residents of Kharghar gathered today at Shah Arcade, Sector 6, to participate in a sit-in protest demanding a complete ban on liquor outlets in the area.

Organised under the banner of the Liquor-Free Kharghar movement, the protest began at 11:00 AM and witnessed the participation of local citizens, social activists, and community leaders who voiced their concern over the increasing number of liquor shops and their adverse impact on the peace and safety of the neighborhood.

Protesters emphasised that making Kharghar a liquor-free zone is essential to safeguarding the area’s future and ensuring a safe, healthy environment for families and youth.

“Every responsible citizen must stand united to protect Kharghar from the ill effects of alcohol. This movement is not just for today but for the generations to come,” said one of the organizers during the protest.

The peaceful demonstration reflected the community’s collective demand for the authorities to take immediate action and revoke licenses of existing liquor shops to maintain the area’s sanctity and security.

Organisers have urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting similar initiatives until their demands are met.

Continue Reading

Trending