Author: TheStateLine

Kolkata, Feb 20 (IANS) As the initial process of selection of party candidates from the 294 constituencies in West Bengal for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state this year has already started, the Trinamool Congress leadership is considering changing the constituencies of some heavyweight members of the state cabinet and some veteran party legislators.Party sources said that already two rounds of closed-door meetings involving very few select leaders in the topmost structure of the party pyramid took place on Wednesday and Thursday, at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at Kalighat in Kolkata, during which initial discussions were held on the selection of the probable candidates for the Assembly polls later this year.Party sources said that some probable names of existi...

Amaravati, Feb 20 (IANS) Pandemonium prevailed in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council on Friday as the opposition YSR Congress Party insisted on their demand for debate on irregularities in supply of ghee for Tirumala laddu, allegedly involving Heritage Foods, a family firm of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.Alleging that the nexus between Heritage Foods and Indapur Dairy has been exposed after evidence surfaced regarding inflated contracts and reversal of disqualifications, the YSRCP sought to move adjournment motion for a debate on the issue.As Council Chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju rejected the notices given by YSRCP members for adjournment motion, they tried to stall the proceedings by raising slogans.The opposition legislators were carrying pictures of Sri Venkateswara Swamy in thei...

Gandhinagar, Feb 20 (IANS) The Bhupendra Patel government on Friday announced significant amendments to the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, 2006, aimed at making the marriage registration process more transparent and robust while safeguarding daughters and social traditions.Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi outlined the amendments in the state Legislative Assembly under Rule 44, calling them “extremely important and sensitive” for the protection of daughters and preservation of societal structure.Under the new rules, parents will now be formally involved in the marriage registration process. “Marriage registration will now include parents, and a separate portal will be created for this purpose,” Sanghavi said.Parents will receive formal notification, and their c...

New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) A political row erupted in Uttar Pradesh after Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Kamal Akhtar raised a demand in the Assembly to allow the use of loudspeakers during Iftar and Sehri in Ramzan, prompting sharp reactions from leaders across party lines.During Zero Hour, Akhtar argued that since festivals of all religions — including Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Kanwar Yatra, as well as Christian and Sikh celebrations — are observed in the state, similar consideration should be given for announcements from mosques during Ramzan.Reacting to the issue, Samajwadi Party National General Secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav alleged discrimination. “This government is against certain sections of society. It is deliberately acting against them, and that is why it takes such decisions,” he said.S...

New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Friday passed an ad-interim injunction protecting the personality and publicity rights of Bollywood actress Kajol Devgan, restraining various entities from unauthorised use of her name, image and likeness for commercial gains and directing the removal of obscene and pornographic content published against her.A single-judge Bench of Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice in the suit filed by the actress and granted interim protection, restraining the defendants from using Kajol’s photographs and other personality attributes while selling commercial merchandise without her authorisation.Justice Singh further directed the immediate takedown of pornographic and objectionable material circulated on different online platforms in her name.The Delhi High...