Akshay Kumar downplays romancing Wamiqa Gabbi, 32, in Bhooth Bangla, Priyadarshan says 'actor's screen age is different'Apart from Akshay Kumar, Bhoot Bangla director Priyadarshan also addressed the age-gap, emphasising that he sees no issue with it. Mar 25, 2026
CoinDCX promoters Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal, arrested in a ₹71.6 lakh fraud case, were granted bail by a Thane court. The duo was accused of cheating an insurance advisor with false cryptocurrency investment and franchise promises. Their defense argued mistaken identity
Jewar Airport latest update: IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India Express confirm flight operations, expected routes, and launch timeline for Noida International Airport. The upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar is set to emerge as a major aviation hub for North India
Energy-related infrastructure in Iran’s Isfahan province and the southwestern city of Khorramshahr has been struck, according to Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency. The reported attacks come a day after US President Donald Trump announced a pause by extending his deadline for Iran to halt
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season is set to get underway on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Begaluru facing Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. With a fresh stack of players across all 10 franchise following the mini-auction process from last
The Supreme Court addressed the Bihar electoral roll revision as a "trust deficit issue," noting that a vast majority of voters seemingly didn't require additional documentation due to existing records. Petitioners, however, raised concerns about potential disenfranchisement and data discrepancies.
As the row over the ongoing SIR escalated inside and outside Parliament, the top court also observed that the dispute was "largely a trust deficit issue” since the Election Commission(EC) has claimed that roughly 6.5 crore people of the total 7.9 crore voting population in poll-bound Bihar didn't have to file any documents for them or their parents featured in the 2003 electoral rolls.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said inclusion and exclusion of citizens or non-citizens from the electoral rolls was within the remit of the Election Commission and backed its stand to not accept Aadhaar and voter cards as conclusive proof of citizenship in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list in Bihar.
As the row over the ongoing SIR escalated inside and outside Parliament, the top court also observed that the dispute was "largely a trust deficit issue” since the Election Commission(EC) has claimed that roughly 6.5 crore people of the total 7.9 crore voting population in poll-bound Bihar didn't have to file any documents for them or their parents featured in the 2003 electoral rolls.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi made the remarks as it commenced hearing a batch of pleas challenging the EC's decision to conduct the SIR exercise.
After senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for one of the petitioners, accused the EC of "presumptive exclusion" of five crore people in the SIR, the court indicated that if anything suspicious was found in making them invalid it could give a direction to include all of them in the electoral rolls. Leaders of opposition parties including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress were among others who have filed the petitions.
Posing searching questions to the petitioners, the court said any inadvertent error in declaring a living person dead or dead person alive could be rectified.
"The law of granting or taking away citizenship has to be passed by Parliament but the inclusion and exclusion of citizens and non-citizens from the electoral rolls is within the remit of the election commission," the bench told Singhvi.
The top court also agreed with the EC decision to not accept Aadhaar and voter cards as conclusive proof of citizenship in the ongoing exercise and said it has to be supported by other documents.
"You see, the election commission is correct in saying that Aadhar can't be accepted as conclusive proof of citizenship, it has to be verified. Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, specifically says so," the bench told Singhvi.
The senior lawyer contended that in the 22-year period between 2003 (year of last intensive revision in Bihar) and 2025 many people had voted in five to six elections but suddenly before two months of the election there was "presumptive exclusion" saying these people will not be on the list.
"Presumptively citizenship cannot be doubted for five crore people," Singhvi said, accusing the poll panel of declaring five crore people invalid.
While Singhvi agreed that the EC had the power for inclusion or exclusion of citizens or non-citizens from the electoral roll, he said the poll panel couldn't determine citizenship.
"EC was never intended to be the policeman of citizenship… What is happening here is de facto deletion. Non-inclusion is the clever word being used here. EC cannot become the determiner of citizenship," he added.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for RJD leader Manoj Jha, said despite residents holding Aadhaar, ration cards and EPIC cards, poll officials refused to accept these documents.
"Is it your argument that people who have no documents but are in Bihar and therefore he should be considered as a voter of the state. That can be allowed. He has to show or submit some documents (sic)," the bench said.
When Sibal said people were struggling to find birth certificates and other documents of their parents, Justice Kant said, "It is a very sweeping statement that in Bihar nobody has the documents. If this happens in Bihar, then what will happen in other parts of the country?"
"If out of 7.9 crore voters, 7.24 crore voters responded to the SIR, it demolishes the theory of one crore voters missing or disenfranchised," the bench told Sibal.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, questioned the timeline for the completion of the exercise and the data of 65 lakh voters who were declared as dead or migrated or registered in other constituencies.
Political activist Yogendra Yadav, who addressed the court in person, questioned the data given by the poll panel and said instead of 7.9 crore voters there was a total adult population of 8.18 crore and the design of SIR exercise was actually to delete the voters.
"They (EC) were not able to find any individual whose name was added and the booth level officers visited house to house for deletion of names," Yadav said, calling it a case of "total disenfranchisement".
Interestingly, he produced in court three persons, who he said were declared dead by the EC, prompting senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the poll panel, to object.
Dwivedi protested against "such drama" in the courtroom and said if Yadav was so concerned, he could help the poll panel in updating the records by including their names.
The bench said in case of any inadvertent error, there could be rectification as it was only the draft stage.
Dwivedi pointed out the exercise of such nature was "bound to have some defects here and there at the draft stage" and to claim dead persons were declared alive and alive as dead could always be corrected.
The draft roll was published on August 1 and the final roll is scheduled to be published on September 30 amid opposition claims that the ongoing exercise will deprive crores of eligible citizens from their right to vote.
The EC affidavit has justified its SIR in Bihar, saying it adds to the purity of the election by "weeding out ineligible persons" from electoral rolls.
Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: Kerala moves Supreme Court to postpone voter roll revision Mamata Banerjee moves Supreme Court against voter roll revision in Bengal Will not allow anyone to create impediment in electoral roll revision exercise Shocking revelations in latest Epstein files tranche that mentions Trump Donald Trump describes himself as ‘Acting President of Venezuela’ in Truth Social post EC says 98.2% voters have filed documents in second phase of Bihar’s electoral rolls revision CEC Gyanesh Kumar calls post-election roll revision illegitimate amidst SIR controversy in Bihar Congress hails SC verdict on Bihar voter roll revision Bihar roll revision Bill Gates addressed Epstein ties ‘candidly’ at foundation meeting
A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment, PTI reported. Andrabi, alleged to be the founder and chief of the banned all-women separatist group Dukhtaraan-e-Millat, and two of her associates had been convicted under the Unlawful Activities
1 days ago
Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge has sparked fresh buzz after viewers realised that the character Pinda is inspired by real-life drug dealer and militant Rinda. This detail is now being widely discussed as fans connect the film’s story with real events
1 days ago
IndiGo warns of demand hit as Iran war drives up flight ticket pricesIndiGo's warnings come even as an escalating Iran war continues to rattle global crude oil markets and complicates flight paths. Published on: Mar 24, 2026 5:13 PM IST By HT Business Desk Share via Copy link IndiGo has warned that
1 days ago
Losing stubborn belly fat isn’t just about cutting calories, but it’s about choosing the right kind of movement. The fat stored around your abdomen, especially visceral fat, is closely linked to metabolism and overall health. The good news is that you don’t need hours in the gym
1 days ago
And so the long goodbye begins for the 'Egyptian King' - undoubtedly, one of the greatest footballers the Premier League has ever seen. Mohamed Salah has worn the Liverpool shirt 435 times across all competitions. At most, he will get the opportunity up to 15 more times between now and the end of
1 days ago
At his factory in Visakhapatnam, Sanjeev Relhan produces surgical gowns and protective gear that doctors and nurses routinely use in hospitals while handling an infectious patient or for a surgery. Usually, Relhan sells gowns to hospitals for Rs 80 a piece. In the last few days
1 days ago
Kerala Police asks X to remove posts related to ECI document with BJP sealKerala Police on Tuesday issued notices to social media users and asked platform X to remove posts related to an Election Commission of India (ECI) document that carried the seal of the BJP Published on: Mar 25
1 days ago
JICA is eager to partner with India on semiconductor and new energy initiatives. The agency plans to invest JPY 275 billion this year, a significant increase from last year's JPY 191 billion. JICA's chief representative, Takeuchi Takuro, highlighted semiconductor manufacturing and biogas as key
1 days ago
One minute, he’s catching heat for a quiet cameo in the Madrid derby. And the next, he’s at the centre of a bizarre controversy that’s got France and Spain pointing fingers — and Real Madrid sweating. Mbappe’s substitute appearance against Atletico Madrid didn’t exactly wow anyone
1 days ago
Premier League’s edge blunted as La Liga continues to dictate tempo and control in Champions League Updated on: Mar 25, 2026 6:08 AM IST By Aditya Maheshwari Share via Copy link Premier League may be the most competitive, but La Liga’s technical edge outclasses it in the UEFA Champions League
1 days ago
Once operational, will Jewar International Airport in Noida, likely to be inaugurated on March 28, be India’s largest airport? There is understandable confusion around this claim. But the short answer is — not yet. But it could be India’s largest airport in the future
1 days ago
If you cancel between 24 hours and 8 hours before the journey, 50% of your ticket fare will be cut, along with the minimum applicable charge. The Indian Railways has made some major changes to its ticket cancellation fee. From now on, if you cancel your ticket between 24 to 72 hours before the
1 days ago
Globally, tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death and according to the World Health Organization, over 10.7 million people fell ill with TB in 2024, with more than 1.25 million deaths recorded globally. Despite decades of medical advances
1 days ago
A tarot reader predicts financial growth for these 5 zodiac signs before March 2026 ends. Here’s whyMarch 2026 Horoscope: According to a tarot reader, Manisha Koushik, a few zodiac signs may experience financial progress before the month ends. Published on: Mar 25
1 days ago
From April 1, 2026, filing your income tax return (ITR) is set to undergo a significant transformation. With the new Income-tax Rules, 2026 coming into effect, the government is not just tweaking forms—it is reshaping how income, tax and deductions are reported across the system.From April 1
1 days ago
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to withdraw the temporary fare caps on domestic airfares starting today (March 23). New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to withdraw the temporary fare caps on domestic airfares starting today (March 23)
1 days ago
22-year-old UK woman lands job in Bengaluru, asks if relocating to India is safeThe woman shared that she is also worried about feeling lonely in a new country if she decides to move from the UK to India. Published on: Mar 25, 2026 6:10 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link A 22-year-old
1 days ago
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed by voice vote the 2026 Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Amendment Bill. The bill will now be moved to the Rajya Sabha. If cleared by the Upper House of Parliament, it will be sent for presidential assent. Introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 13
1 days ago
Opposition parties are carefully responding to a government proposal to speed up the Women's Reservation Act. They are not opposing it directly but are requesting an all-party meeting. This meeting is proposed to take place after the upcoming assembly elections conclude
1 days ago
Apex court issued broad directions to correct past injustices and to guarantee equal opportunities in the future. In a landmark judgment stregthening gender equality in the armed forces, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers are entitled to Permanent
1 days ago
HDFC Bank has appointed domestic law firms Wadia Ghandy and Trilegal, along with a leading US-based firm, to review the circumstances surrounding former chairman Atanu Chakraborty’s abrupt resignation, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET), citing people familiar with the matter
1 days ago
Singer-rapper Badshah has reportedly tied the knot with Punjabi actress and model Isha Rikhi. Recently, Isha’s mother, Poonam, took to her Instagram handle and shared a series of pictures which suggest that the two are now married. In the photos
1 days ago
Malaika Arora, in a recent interview, mentioned that she is a massive fan of two Thai dishes. She spoke about her love for green Thai curry rice and mango sticky rice and went on to share how she makes these dishes at home. Green Thai curry or Gaeng Khiao Wan is a fragrant coconut milk-based dish
1 days ago
Delays in visa appointment scheduling are affecting not only H-1B visa holders but also H-4 dependents, L-1/L-2 employees, and F-1 students. After arriving in India in December, holders with H-1B visas are now ‘stranded in their home country’
1 days ago
Thousands of Malayalees return home from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Gulf states during election seasons to exercise their franchise. Expatriate groups even arrange chartered flights for their members to travel. This year this crowd would have been bigger
1 days ago
Nandini, the dairy brand of Karnataka Milk Federation, will be the Official Dairy Partner for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2026 IPL season. This partnership unites two prominent Karnataka-based brands. The collaboration aims to connect with passionate RCB fans
1 days ago
On March 19, Ras Laffan, the largest liquified natural gas terminal in the world, supplying one-fifth of the world’s super-chilled fuel, was hit by Iranian missiles and drones. The Qatari terminal suffered substantial damage in the strikes – fires were raging across the gas-to-liquids facility
1 days ago
