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Sambhal mosque row: SC stays implementation of notice relating to well

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New Delhi, Jan 10: In an interim direction passed on Friday, the Supreme Court told the Sambhal’s Municipal Council to not give effect to its notice concerning a well situated near the Shahi Jama Masjid.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar asked the Uttar Pradesh authorities to file a status report within two weeks, and, in the meantime, ordered that the authorities will not give effect to any notice in relation to the well.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing the mosque committee, said that the impugned notice referred to the site as ‘Hari Mandir’ and now, the other side will likely start using the well for ‘puja (worship)’, bathing, etc.

Ahmadi said the well, which is “half inside and half outside” the mosque premises, has been used to draw water by the mosque administration since time immemorial. On the other hand, advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for the Hindu plaintiffs, contended that well situated outside the purview of the mosque cannot be a subject matter of the proceedings challenging the district court-ordered survey of the disputed site. At this, the apex court observed that it was keeping a close watch so that peace and harmony were maintained.

“Issue notice returnable on Feb 21. In the meantime, a status report will be filed by respondents in two weeks. The respondents (authorities) shall not give effect to any notice in relation to the well,” the SC ordered.

The matter will be heard next on February 21.

On November 29, the CJI Khanna-led Bench told the Uttar Pradesh government that “peace and harmony must be maintained” as it dealt with a plea filed by the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee seeking a stay on a district court-ordered survey of the mosque. However, it had asked the mosque committee to approach an appropriate forum against the district court-ordered survey and in the meantime, asked the trial court to not proceed with the matter.

The apex court had said that in case any appeal is preferred before the Allahabad High Court or any other forum, the appeal will be listed within three working days after it is filed.

Clarifying that the Supreme Court has not expressed any opinion on merits, it had ordered to re-list the matter in the week commencing January 6.

In its Special Leave Petition, the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee had sought an ad-interim and ex-parte stay on the operation of the impugned decision passed by Chandausi’s Civil Judge on November 19, where a survey was ordered in a plea filed by the Hindu petitioners, claiming that the mosque was built by Mughal invader Babur in 1526 after demolishing Shri Harihar Mandir. Further, it demanded that the report of the survey commissioner be kept in a sealed cover and the status quo be maintained until the issue is determined by the Supreme Court.

The petition had also sought directions to the effect that surveys should not be ordered and executed as a matter of course in cases involving disputes over places of worship without hearing all parties and allowing sufficient time for the aggrieved persons to seek judicial remedies against the order of survey.

The survey of Shahi Jama Masjid was undertaken on November 19 and November 24. As the second round of survey began at the mosque, violence broke out in the area resulting in the death of four individuals.

In a related development, the CJI Khanna-led Special Bench, in an interim order passed on December 12, had ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act, 1991 in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders. The Special Bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, had asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Places of Worship Act, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947.

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Capital contest: Delhi records 8.10 pc voter turnout by 9:30 am amid tight security

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New Delhi, Feb 5: Delhi recorded a voter turnout of 8.10 per cent as of 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday as polling continues across all 70 Assembly constituencies.

Among key constituencies, voter turnout stood at 7 per cent in New Delhi, 7.5 per cent in Jangpura, and 6.2 per cent in Kalkaji as of 9 a.m.

Okhla registered a turnout of 7.90 per cent, Seelampur saw 11.02 per cent voting, Matia Mahal 6.49 per cent, Ballimaran 6.97 per cent, Mustafabad 12.43 per cent, Babarpur 9.36 per cent, and Chandni Chowk saw 4.53 per cent voting.

A district-wise voter turnout recorded by 9:30 a.m. includes Central Delhi at 6.67 per cent, East Delhi at 8.21 per cent, New Delhi at 6.51 per cent, North Delhi at 7.12 per cent, North East Delhi at 10.7 per cent, North West Delhi at 7.66 per cent, Shahdara at 8.92 per cent, South Delhi at 8.43 per cent, South East Delhi at 8.36 per cent, South West Delhi at 9.34 per cent, and West Delhi at 6.76 per cent.

Voting, which began early in the morning, will continue until 6 p.m. With nearly 3,000 polling booths marked as sensitive, authorities have heightened security with the deployment of 220 paramilitary force companies, 35,626 Delhi Police personnel, and 19,000 Home Guards. Drone surveillance and Quick Reaction Teams have been put in place to ensure law and order.

The elections will decide whether the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) retains its dominance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stages a comeback, or the Congress re-emerges as a strong contender. The results will be declared on February 8.

Campaigning ended on Monday at 6 p.m. after an intense electoral battle. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, the AAP secured a landslide victory with 62 out of 70 seats, BJP won eight, while the Congress failed to win a single seat for the second consecutive time.

As voting progresses, all eyes are on the final turnout and the electoral outcome.

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Delhi CM Atishi, Sisodia cast their votes for Delhi Assembly polls

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New Delhi, Feb 5: Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia cast their votes on Wednesday as polling continues across all 70 Assembly seats in the national Capital.

Before heading to the polling booth, AAP candidate from the Kalkaji Assembly constituency, Atishi, visited the Kalkaji Temple to offer prayers. Speaking to reporters, she accused the BJP of violating the election code of conduct and claimed that Delhi Police was supporting them.

“It is clear that the hooliganism happening during the elections is being carried out jointly by the BJP and Delhi Police… This is a battle of truth versus lies, and I truly believe the people of Delhi will stand with the truth, work, and defeat hooliganism,” CM Atishi said.

Meanwhile, the AAP’s Jangpura candidate Manish Sisodia, along with his wife Seema Sisodia, cast his vote at Lady Irwin Senior Secondary School in New Delhi. Before voting, he inspected multiple polling stations in the area.

“Siksha ki kranti jeetegi (The education revolution will win),” Sisodia said, urging Delhiites to vote for a better Delhi with improved education, electricity, water, and pollution control.

Delhi Environment Minister and AAP candidate from Babarpur, Gopal Rai, also cast his vote.

Speaking to Media, he expressed confidence of a positive outcome. “The public is set to form a government that works,” he said.

Meanwhile, voting, which began early in the morning, will continue until 6 p.m. Authorities have heightened security at nearly 3,000 sensitive polling booths, deploying 220 paramilitary force companies, 35,626 Delhi Police personnel, and 19,000 Home Guards. Drone surveillance and Quick Reaction Teams have been stationed to ensure law and order.

The elections will determine whether the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) retains its stronghold, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stages a comeback, or the Congress re-emerges as a contender. The results will be declared on February 8.

Campaigning ended on Monday at 6 p.m. after an intense electoral battle. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, AAP secured a landslide victory with 62 out of 70 seats, while BJP won eight. The Congress, for the second consecutive election, failed to secure a single seat.

As voting progresses, all eyes remain on voter turnout and the final verdict.

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Used money to build India, not ‘Sheeshmahal’: PM Modi jabs Kejriwal’s Delhi model

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New Delhi, Feb 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that his government has consistently strived to uplift the living standards of people as well as enhance their financial power, unlike the previous governments which focused on filling their own coffers and letting corruption thrive under their watch.

Replying to the Motion of Thanks on President’s address, PM Modi cited many public-driven projects and schemes to harness the country’s resources and said that his government used the money to build the nation, and not ‘Sheeshmahal’, a luxurious palace for former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal allegedly built on the taxpayers’ money.

“Earlier, the newspapers were filled with news of scams and corruption. In the past 10 years, we have saved crores of rupees which have been used for the public. We have not used that money to build a ‘Sheeshmahal’, instead we used that to build the nation,” said the Prime Minister, amid vigorous desk thumping by the treasury bench members.

The Prime Minister also took a swipe at a former Congress PM and mocked his obsession for becoming ‘Mr Clean’.

“A former PM used to say that when Rs 1 was sent from Delhi, only 15 paise reached the bottom. Everyone can understand who was getting the 15 paise,” he said while stating that it happened at a time when there was only one party from the panchayat level to the central level. The PM was referring to ex-prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

PM Modi asserted that his government tried to find a solution and not merely keep the situation lingering for decades.

“Our model is ‘Bhachat bhi Vikas bhi’, ‘Janata ka paisa janata ke liye,” he asserted.

PM Modi listed several schemes like JAM Trinity while talking about ethanol as an alternative to fuel and explained they have proven to be big money-minting projects.

“Under the Jan Aushadi Kendra, 80 per cent discount is available on medicines. Beneficiaries are saving about Rs 30,000 crore in medicines,” PM Modi pointed out.

“Because of our intensified focus on LED bulbs and energy saving, the prices of LED bulbs have come down from Rs 400 to Rs 40. Countrymen have saved a whopping Rs 20,000 from this,” the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi also quoted a UNICEF survey and said that the world body found that those families being part of the sanitation drive have saved Rs 70,000 per family in a year.

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