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Supreme Court To Hear Bihar Caste Census Matter On October 6

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has said that it will take up for hearing on October 6 the matter of the caste census in Bihar after the petitioner’s lawyer mentioned before the apex court that the Bihar Government had published caste survey data. The matter was brought before a bench consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti.

The petitioner’s lawyer apprised the court that the Bihar Government has already published the caste survey data, prompting concerns and legal challenges from various quarters.

Petitioners

Among the petitioners are organizations like Ek Soch Ek Prayas and Youth for Equality, who have contested the legality and authority of the caste-based survey.

The Central Government also entered the legal fray, filing an affidavit with the Supreme Court, emphasizing that the Census Act, 1948, bestows exclusive authority upon the Central Government to conduct census-related activities.

The affidavit reaffirmed the government’s commitment to uplift Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in line with constitutional provisions and applicable laws.

One of the petitions, represented by advocate Tanya Shree on behalf of petitioner Akhilesh Kumar, contested the Patna High Court’s dismissal of pleas challenging the Nitish Kumar government’s decision to conduct the caste-based survey. The High Court’s order was issued on August 1.

The petitioner had argued that the state of Bihar lacked the constitutional competence to initiate a caste-based survey and usurped the exclusive authority of the Union Government in conducting a census.

The petitioner had highlighted that the Bihar government’s notification dated June 6, 2022, and the subsequent appointment of a District Magistrate for supervision violate constitutional provisions, including the distribution of powers between the state and the union.

The petitioner contended that the entire exercise is without legislative competence and is riddled with malafide intentions.

Petitioner’s point of contention

The petitioner underscored that only the Union Government possesses the authority to conduct a census in India, rendering the Bihar State Government’s notification null and void.

The Patna High Court had previously dismissed similar pleas contesting the caste-based survey ordered by the Nitish Kumar administration.

The survey aims to collect data related to people of all castes, sub-castes, and socioeconomic conditions, covering an estimated population of 12.70 crores across 38 districts in Bihar.

Crime

Haryana IPS suicide: Punjab Scheduled Caste panel seeks report from Chandigarh DGP

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Chandigarh, Oct 11: The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission on Saturday took suo moto notice in the suicide case of Haryana’s ADGP Y. Puran Kumar in Chandigarh and sought a report from the Chandigarh Director General of Police.

Commission Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi said this matter has come to his notice through the media, on which he has taken action and he has instructed the Director General of Police of Chandigarh to submit a report regarding this matter and the action taken so far on the suicide note and the complaint given by his wife Amneet Kaur through an ADGP-level officer to the commission on October 13.

Also, the Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman will visit the victim’s family’s house on October 13.

Meanwhile, Jai Narayan, a spokesperson for the 31-member committee for justice for Puran Kumar, told the media here that they formed this 31-member committee on Friday to sustain the movement across all over Haryana with key members from various regions.

“The government has not conducted any meaningful investigation, and we demand that at the very least, those responsible be terminated; only then will the post-mortem be performed,” he said.

Meanwhile, protests were held in Rohtak, demanding arrest of the accused in the suicide case. Inspector General of Puran Kumar, who allegedly shot himself dead at his Chandigarh residence on October 7 with his service revolver, left behind a “final note”.

The victim’s spouse, Amneet P. Kumar, a Haryana cadre senior bureaucrat, in a letter to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has sought justice for her husband.

The letter, marked urgent and confidential, two days ago expressed anguish over what she described as a “grave injustice” and “complete administrative inaction” even after more than 48 hours of her husband’s death.

In a nine-page “suicide note”, Puran Kumar reportedly accused nine serving IPS officers of the Haryana Police, a retired IPS officer and three retired IAS officers of “caste-based discrimination”.

The serving officers included DGP Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya.

Meanwhile, the government has removed Bijarniya from his post and has been replaced by Surinder Singh Bhoria as the Superintendent of Police of Rohtak.

No posting has been given to Bijarniya as of now. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter to the wife of late Haryana IPS officer, saying the incident “reveals that even the highest-level officers can be denied social justice on account of discriminatory attitude”.

“The passing away of Mr Y Puran Kumar reveals that even the highest-level officers can be denied social justice on account of the discriminatory attitude and the preconceived notions of the powers that be. Crores of Indians stand with you in your fight for justice,” she wrote.

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Mumbai Press Exclusive News

Crores of rupees were defrauded in the name of government jobs, the accused was arrested from Delhi… The accused had received money from hundreds of unemployed people

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Economic Wing has claimed to have arrested the accused in a case of cheating in the name of getting government jobs in the central and state governments in several districts of Maharashtra. Santosh Ganpat, a businessman from Navi Mumbai, filed a complaint that the accused Nilesh Kanshi Ram Rathore had charged him Rs 5 lakh for a government job and Rs 5 to 15 lakh for medical tests and appointment letters. The EOW has registered a case against him because he has cheated him of Rs 2.88 crore by promising him a job and during the investigation it was revealed that he has cheated him of Rs 10 crore. The Economic Wing has formed a team to arrest the absconding accused and searched him in Akola and other areas. The accused cheated hundreds of youths for recruitment in RCF in 2022. His complaint was filed with the EOW. The EOW received information that the accused was trying to escape from Delhi, on which the police arrested him from Delhi. The accused has been booked in Mumbai EOW and Pune Deccan. A criminal case has been registered and further investigation is underway. This operation has been carried out under the leadership of EOW chief Nisht Mishra.

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Mumbai Press Exclusive News

ANC action, drugs worth crores seized, 6 arrested

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Mumbai: The Anti-Narcotics Cell has claimed to have arrested six drug smugglers, including a Nigerian, including a Nigerian, including MD and Natropum tablets worth Rs 7.01 crore, during operations at various locations in Mumbai. 523 grams of cocaine, worth Rs 5.23 crore, was seized from a Nigerian in Vakola, Mumbai. Five accused were arrested in raids conducted in Ghatkopar, Kurla CST, Mazgaon, tardeo, Borivali areas, from whose possession Mephedone MD worth Rs 54.65 lakh was seized. These are part of five inter-state drug gangs. Other drugs including Natropum tablets were also seized in this operation. This operation was carried out by DCP Nunath Dhule on the instructions of the Mumbai Police Commissioner.

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