NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday raised concerns over reports of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) being threatened and obstructed while carrying out the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal and other states, PTI reported.“Bring to our notice instances of lack of cooperation, threatening of BLOs; we’ll pass orders,” the bench told the Election Commission of India (ECI) after it claimed that its work was being “hindered” in some states.The ECI later stated that if the situation continues to worsen, it would have no option but to take police under deputation. The Commission told the Supreme Court that it has all constitutional powers to deal with the threatening of BLOs and other officials engaged in SIR work.

“Deal with situation or it will cause anarchy,” the SC warned the ECI, referring to the lack of cooperation from certain state governments in facilitating the SIR exercise.The apex court asked the Election Commission to take a firm view of the lack of cooperation from state governments and ensure the exercise is carried out without intimidation or interference.During an earlier hearing, the bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant had flagged the heavy workload placed on BLOs, noting claims of severe stress, pressure, and even deaths linked to the SIR drive. The court directed states to immediately deploy additional manpower, reduce working hours, and consider exemption requests on an individual basis where justified. It reiterated that governments are duty-bound to provide adequate staff.The EC has repeatedly defended SIR as a constitutionally mandated obligation to “clean” the voter lists. It argues that maintaining correct and current electoral rolls is essential to the integrity of the electoral process, and that it retains the exclusive discretion to decide when and how to revise rolls.’This came after several petitions and PILs were filed before the Supreme Court, contending that the design and implementation of SIR threatens the fundamental right to vote of large numbers of genuine voters. Petitioners argue that the documentation requirements, tight deadlines, and house-to-house enumeration make the exercise arbitrary and could lead to large-scale disenfranchisement, particularly of marginalised, poor, migrant, or otherwise vulnerable populations. They contend that the new procedures deviate from older rules, create a “citizenship test,” and fail to ensure proper notice or due process before deleting names. On June 24, the EC issued an order triggering SIR, starting with the Bihar, which was due for assembly elections, and indicating that other states and union territories would follow in a phased drive.

Shardul Thakur and Rohit Sharma (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Indian pacer Shardul Thakur, who was traded to Mumbai Indians (MI) from Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 2 crore ahead of IPL 2026, said former skipper Rohit Sharma played a key role in helping him feel confident and express himself freely. The 34-year-old, part of India’s Test squad during the England tour earlier this year, is hopeful of reliving the “good old days” at his former franchise.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Abhi aur pata chalega jab saath me baithenge toh. Kaafi masti hogi,” said Shardul, looking forward to reuniting with his “chaos partner” Rohit.

Reflecting on their bond, he added, “He made me comfortable, he allowed me to be free with him, he allowed me to express myself. We became comfortable with each other and he played a major part in it,” as quoted on the Mumbai Indians website.Shardul’s association with MI began long before his IPL career took off — back in 2010, when he joined the squad as a support bowler. He said that early exposure helped shape his cricketing journey.“I was lucky enough to experience the dressing room early in my days. I was already feeling comfortable in front of senior players. Somewhere down the line, whatever the way I was treated during Mumbai Indians camp also, that small gesture from the Mumbai Indians helped me a lot to grow in my career.“I was made to play practice games. I bowled with a new ball, so that boosted my morale and confidence to another level, and I was picking wickets.”He credited coaches Rahul Sanghvi and Paras Mhambrey for guiding him through his developmental years, but said the most surreal part was sharing space with icons.“I was seeing Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu… and I’m sharing the same dressing room with them. It was surreal,” said Shardul, who has represented India in 13 Tests, 47 ODIs and 25 T20Is since his debut in 2017.Shardul also shared memories from his younger days in Mumbai, when simply catching a glimpse of cricket royalty felt magical.“So whenever the train passed, we used to get up from our seats, come near the door, and try to sneak in and see who’s practising. Even getting a glimpse of the great Sachin Tendulkar playing, we would have been happy,” he recalled.

The ministry of civil aviation on Tuesday directed senior officials to conduct on-ground inspections at major airports to assess the situation firsthand and review the challenges passengers are facing.This comes as the operational breakdown at IndiGo continues to cause chaos at airports around the country. Officials at the rank of deputy secretary, director and joint secretary have been instructed to reach the designated airports within te next day. The locations under inspection include Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Guwahati, Goa and Thiruvananthapuram, a list reflecting the airports worst affected by passenger distress and repeated cancellations.The DGCA will also cut the IndiGo schedule by 5%. As the airlines has 2,200 daily flight, the reduction means 110 flights daily.“Airline has been told. Which all flights to be cut being worked out,” officials told TOI. The ministry, along with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been monitoring the situation in real time, since December 3, treating the disruptions to IndiGo operations as an extraordinary situation. A statement from the office of Union minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed that a high-level review meeting involving top officials was held to take stock of conditions across airports. Every senior official deployed to airports has been tasked with physically verifying airline functioning and the quality of passenger-related services. Feedback gathered directly from travellers have to be addressed and rectified immediately, the Ministry said in a statement cited by ANI. The crisis was also addressed in Parliament. On Monday, Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told the Rajya Sabha that the hardship faced by passengers has no connection to the Aircraft Maintenance and Scheduling System (AMSS) and was, rather, the outcome of the airline’s internal crew rostering and operational planning.He also pointed out that consultations on Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) were held with all stakeholders and reiterated that safety standards remain non-negotiable. He further noted that stringent Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) exist to safeguard passengers hit by delays and cancellations. Regulatory scrutiny has intensified in parallel to the government intervention. On December 6, the DGCA issued show-cause notices to IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidro Porqueras.

ARPORA: A massive fire at the popular Arpora nightclub Birch in North Goa late Saturday killed 25 people, including five tourists, and injured six. Flames erupted around 11.45pm during a belly-dance performance and engulfed the first-floor dance floor within seconds.Around 150 people were in the DJ area when the blaze broke out, with the dancer performing to Mehbooba O Mehbooba when the fire was first noticed.

Electric firecrackers are believed to have struck the wooden ceiling, igniting the blaze. Smoke quickly filled the building, triggering panic. Some guests fled downstairs to the basement kitchen, where 23 victims suffocated. Two charred bodies were later found on the staircase.The deceased included 20 staffers from Assam, Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Nepal, alongside five tourists. The club, located on a salt pan and surrounded by water, had only a narrow access lane, which trapped revellers and delayed rescue efforts. Investigations revealed the nightclub was operating without proper licences and flouted fire safety norms. Three state government officials have been suspended.Also Read: Goa FireChief minister Pramod Sawant said the chief secretary and DGP Alok Kumar would initiate disciplinary action against the suspended officials. He dismissed initial speculation of a cylinder blast, noting that police and fire service investigations pointed to electric firecrackers as the cause. “The fire spread quickly because of the wooden ceiling,” he said.Postmortems on 17 bodies were completed by Saturday evening, and five were handed over to families. Following the inquiry, the state government sealed Romeo Lane at Vagator, another club owned by the same proprietors, citing inadequate fire safety measures.Police arrested four club staffers—chief general manager Rajiv Modak, gate manager Priyanshu Thakur, bar manager Rajveer Singhania, and general manager Vivek Singh. An FIR has been registered against Delhi-based owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. A police team is in Delhi to serve arrest warrants.Also Read | Goa club inferno: Deaths far away from home force friends to match bodies with WA pics sent by parentsPrime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. CM Sawant separately declared Rs 5 lakh for each death and Rs 50,000 to the injured.DGP Alok Kumar said the fire spread rapidly from the first-floor ceiling, trapping guests in the basement. The incident has raised urgent questions about fire safety standards at Goa’s after-hours clubs.

The long multi-format tour of South Africa to India will now shifts to its final and most explosive phase: a five-match T20 International series. The series opener pits the reigning T20 World Cup champions, India, against a star-studded South Africa side at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. India, led by the aggressive Suryakumar Yadav, is high on confidence after their recent ODI series win and their dominant global T20 form. South Africa, captained by Aiden Markram, is seeking redemption after recent setbacks in the shortest format but possesses an arsenal of power hitters and express pacers, making this a highly anticipated clash between two T20 heavyweights.

IND vs SA, 1st T20I: Match Details

Barabati Stadium Pitch Report

The Barabati Stadium has a very limited history of T20 Internationals, hosting only three previous matches. Historically, the surface has been known to be a balanced track, offering assistance to both pace and spin, although the fast bowlers have a better average here. Crucially, South Africa has won both their previous T20I encounters against India at this venue while chasing. The pitch tends to be on the slower side, making a score around the 160-170 mark defendable. However, with the possibility of dew setting in during the second innings, the captain winning the toss will most likely elect to bowl first to make use of the easier chasing conditions.

India vs South Africa: Team dynamics and key players

India: India are the top-ranked T20I team globally, boasting a formidable batting line-up with the explosive Abhishek Sharma at the top, the returning vice-captain Shubman Gill, and the exceptional stroke play of Suryakumar Yadav. The return of all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah significantly strengthens the side. India’s spin attack, featuring the wrist-spin of Kuldeep Yadav and the mystery of Varun Chakravarthy, is expected to be a key weapon on home pitches.

South Africa: South Africa brings immense firepower to the shortest format, with key returns from Anrich Nortje and David Miller. The batting relies on the experience of Quinton de Kock and Miller, complemented by young, explosive talents like Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs. Captain Aiden Markram provides stability and a handy off-spin option. Their pace attack, featuring Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen, is capable of bowling at high speeds and challenging the Indian batters. They will be keen to exploit their perfect 2-0 record against India at this venue.

Also READ: IND vs SA: 3 South African players who can trouble India in the T20I series

IND vs SA, 1st T20I: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• India wins the toss and bowls first
• South Africa powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• South Africa total score: 160-175

Case 2:

• South Africa wins the toss and bats first
• India powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
• India total score: 175-190

Match result: India to win the contest

Also READ: IND vs SA: 3 Indian players who can trouble South Africa in the T20I series

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A new grain of conflict: Trump takes aim at India’s rice exports

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signalled a fresh flashpoint with India questioning why New Delhi is “allowed” to send large volumes of rice to the United States without facing additional duties, indicating that new tariffs could be on the table as trade talks struggle to advance.The remarks came during a White House meeting where Trump launched a $12-billion support package for American farmers, a core constituency that has been pressing him to counter rising imports.

In an exchange with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump asked, “Why is India allowed to do that (‘dumping rice into the US’)? They have to pay tariffs. Do they have an exemption on rice?” When Bessent replied, “No, sir. We’re still working on their trade deal…”, Trump was firm. “They should not be dumping (rice)… They cannot do that…”Farmers in several states have complained of falling prices and intensified competition from rice-exporting countries such as India, Vietnam and Thailand. Trump told them he would “take care” of the issue, insisting, “They shouldn’t be dumping. I mean, I heard that, I heard that from others. You can’t do that.” Trump’s comments come as both sides prepare for another round of trade talks in New Delhi on December 10.

Trump moved to reassure America’s farm belt with a fresh $12 billion support package, calling it essential relief for growers still dealing with the fallout from recent trade disruptions. He told farmers at the White House roundtable that the payments would offer “much-needed certainty” as they take this year’s harvest to market and plan for the next season. The programme channels $11 billion to row-crop producers through one-time bridge payments, with the remaining funds set aside for other commodities once the details are finalised.Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the payments will be transferred by February 28and described the package as a stabilising measure until wider benefits from new trade agreements materialise. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent characterised the aid as a “liquidity bridge during a period of adjustment”, arguing that many farmers are still recovering from lost export markets and high production costs. The money will be drawn from the Commodity Credit Corporation and offset by tariff revenue, according to the administration.Trump claimed the sector had been “crushed by the worst inflation in modern history and crippling restrictions on energy, water and countless other necessities”, while again insisting that foreign competitors had long benefited from unfair trading terms. He said he had urged China’s President Xi Jinping to expand soybean purchases beyond commitments already made, adding, “I think he’s going to do more than he promised to do.”Critics questioned the approach, with Senator Amy Klobuchar saying the simplest way to offer certainty would be to end tariff-driven pressure on farmers.The push for new duties comes against the backdrop of persistent friction in US–India trade ties. Earlier this year, Washington imposed a combined 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods. Negotiations on the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), first proposed in February, aim to raise trade from USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030, but progress has been slowed by shifting tariff policies and disagreements over market access.Indian officials remain optimistic. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal recently said New Delhi was “very hopeful” of finalising the first tranche of the agreement within the year. The government has also been assessing the impact of a series of US measures, including reciprocal tariffs under emergency powers and changes to H-1B visa rules that could affect skilled workers.During the address, Trump also said he could target fertiliser coming from Canada, arguing that domestic production must be encouraged. “A lot of it does come in from Canada, and so we’ll end up putting very severe tariffs on that, if we have to, because that’s the way you want to bolster here,” he said. “And we can do it here. We can all do that here.”

NEW DELHI: Elon Musk’s Starlink on Monday announced inaugural prices for its satellite venture in India and, as expected, these were many times more than a regular high-speed broadband connection that is currently being provided by terrestrial providers such as Airtel and Reliance Jio.The company put a Rs 8,600 monthly tariff for its satcom services in India, with a hefty additional Rs 34,000 as one-time charge for the requisite hardware.However, as its premium pricing started to create hectic chatter on social media, especially when it’s still some time before it can launch services as the govt continues work on satcom spectrum allocation and its charges, the company withdrew the announcement from its website, blaming a “glitch” for making “dummy test data visible. “The Starlink India website is not live, service pricing for customers in India has not yet been announced, and we are not taking orders from customers in India. There was a config glitch that briefly made dummy test data visible, but those numbers do not reflect what the cost of Starlink service will be in India,” Lauren Dreyer, VP of Starlink Business Operations, said on X. “The glitch was quickly fixed. We’re eager to connect the people of India with Starlink’s high-speed internet, and our teams are focused on obtaining final government approvals to turn service (and the website) on,” she said.Earlier in the day, the company said its India services will “work in all weather” with an “over 99.9% uptime”. It promised that the services are easy to initiate. “Just plug in and start using,” the company said, while promising to provide “unlimited data” and a 30-day trial period.However, the prices – if true – would be a far cry to the dirt-cheap tariffs that Indian internet consumers are used to.On mobile phones, the price per GB of data is less than Rs 10, and monthly packages are under Rs 400 for unlimited 5G mobile data, for example on Airtel. For home broadband on optical fibre, the Sunil Mittal-led company charges just Rs 499 per for a connection which comes with a speed of 40MBPS. Not only this, at Rs 599 per month, they also offer 29 OTT streaming services. The installation charges for home broadband are just Rs 1,500 on Airtel, which itself is an advance payment and can be adjusted in future payments.On the other hand, Reliance Jio’s up to 30 MBPS speed entry-level plan for home broadband costs Rs 399 (excluding GST), with a one-time installation charge of Rs 2,500 (of which Rs 1,500 is refundable security).For Starlink, these are early days and despite giving out the consumer prices (though withdrawn now), the company is not in a position to talk about when it will begin services. This is because there is still no clarity on when the spectrum for satellite communications will be provided by the govt.There are currently discussions, and differences of opinion, between regulator Trai and the department of telecom (DoT) — the nodal ministry on communications matters — regarding the charges that satcom companies need to pay to the govt. Until these issues are resolved, there is no chance of a satcom service beginning consumer services in the country.Starlink, however, is in the process of doing the groundwork for beginning services. It has started hiring in India before services begin commercially while also starting work on setting up the requisite ground infrastructure. Also, it needs to get a final approval from the law-enforcement agencies regarding its infrastructure, including mandated interception and data privacy rules, before beginning any commercial operation.It is believed that while having an aspiration to build its business in India’s urban centres, Starlink will initially find higher takers in rural and mobile unserved areas, apart from specialised use cases in strategic areas such as defence, mining, maritime, and enterprises.

Smriti Mandhana calls off wedding with Palash Muchhal

India women’s cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has announced the cancellation of her wedding with Bollywood composer Palash Muchhal. She has requested privacy while dealing with this personal matter.Following her announcement, Mandhana shared a video on Instagram featuring herself in a mobile phone advertisement. Her caption read: “For me, calm isn’t silence – it’s control.”

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Smriti Mandhana’s Instagram post

Mandhana addressed the situation through an Instagram post on Sunday, acknowledging the recent speculations about her personal life.“Over the past few weeks, there has been plenty of speculation around my life and I feel it is important for me to speak out at this time. I am a very private person and I would like to keep it that way, but I need to clarify that the wedding is called off,” she wrote on her Instagram.“I would like to close this matter here and implore all of you to do the same. I request you to please respect the privacy of both families at this time and allow us the space to process and move on at our own pace.”“I believe there is a higher purpose driving us all and for me that has always been representing my country at the highest level. I hope to continue to play and win trophies for India for as long as possible and that is where my focus will forever be. Thank you for all your support. It’s time to move forward.”The wedding was initially postponed last month when Mandhana’s father was rushed to the hospital with heart attack symptoms on the scheduled day of the ceremony.Palash Muchhal also made a statement on his Instagram account, confirming the development. He criticised those spreading baseless rumours about his personal life.The Indian cricketer, who was part of India’s victorious ICC Women’s World Cup team, has chosen not to disclose the specific reasons behind the decision.Both families have requested privacy during this time as they process the situation and move forward.Mandhana has indicated her intention to focus on her cricket career and continue representing India at the international level.ALSO READ: After wedding cancelled, Smriti Mandhana’s brother shares important update on her next move