NEW DELHI: The Congress party has nominated the present Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and former MLA Vem Narender Reddy as its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Telangana, ahead of polling scheduled later this month.The nominations were announced as part of the biennial elections to the Council of States, with voting set to take place on 16 March and counting scheduled for 5 pm the same day, according to the Election Commission.The two seats from Telangana will fall vacant on 9 April, when the terms of Congress Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MP K R Suresh Reddy come to an end.Singhvi is widely expected to retain his seat, given the Congress party’s numerical strength in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, which determines the outcome of Rajya Sabha elections through proportional representation.The Congress has also fielded Vem Narender Reddy, a former MLA and adviser to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who is considered a close associate of the chief minister.Reacting to his nomination, Narender Reddy expressed gratitude to the party leadership. In a post on X, he thanked Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, MP Priyanka Gandhi, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Congress in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and Telangana PCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, along with the party’s high command.The Telangana seats are part of 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states that are set to fall vacant in April as the terms of sitting members conclude. These seats belong to Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana.According to the Election Commission’s schedule, the notification for the elections was issued on 26 February, initiating the nomination process. The last date for filing nominations is 5 March, with scrutiny scheduled for 6 March and candidates permitted to withdraw their nominations until 9 March.

NEW DELHI: The Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued an advisory asking Indian nationals in Iran not to approach any of the country’s land border points for travel out of the country without prior coordination with the mission.In a statement, the embassy said any movement towards land border crossings must be undertaken only after obtaining explicit guidance from the Indian mission.“Indian nationals are hereby advised not to approach any of the land borders of Iran for travel outside the country without prior coordination with the embassy,” the advisory said.The embassy cautioned that it may not be able to assist individuals once they leave Iranian territory but fail to enter a third country.“It may please be noted that the Embassy will not be in a position to extend assistance once individuals have exited Iranian territory and are unable to enter the third country concerned,” the statement added.The mission said it remains available to assist Indian nationals in Iran and urged them to stay in touch through its emergency helplines.The embassy shared helpline numbers: +98-9128109115, +98-9128109102, +98-9128109109 and +98-9932179359, along with the email address cons.tehran@mea.gov.in for consular support.The advisory comes as the embassy continues to monitor the situation and coordinate with Indian nationals in Iran regarding travel and safety.Earlier in the day, external affairs minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India believes that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate the tensions in the Middle East. While outlining India’s stand in Rajya Sabha, Jaishankar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the developments and relevant ministries are coordinating to ensure effective responses.“The Prime Minister continues to closely monitor the emerging developments, and relevant ministries are coordinating to ensure effective responses. Given the gravity of the situation, the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) met on March 1, under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. It was briefed on the airstrikes in Iran and the subsequent attacks in several Gulf countries. The CCS was concerned over the safety and security of the Indian community in the region,” he added.The EAM said that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is of “particular concern” for India as over one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf nations and region. He also added that the region is key to India’s energy security and includes many important suppliers of oil and gas.

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday hit back at the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, calling it a “fake news factory” after the West Bengal chief minister accused the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of insulting President Droupadi Murmu.The row erupted after the President expressed displeasure over arrangements during her visit to Bengal to attend an international Tribal conference near Siliguri, including the change of venue and the absence of senior state representatives to receive her at Bagdogra airport.

The BJP’s West Bengal unit responded to Banerjee’s allegation that PM Modi had insulted the President by remaining seated while she stood to present an award to BJP leader LK Adavani, saying in a post on X that the claim was misleading and accusing the TMC of spreading misinformation.

“TMC’s Fake News factory at it again. The truth behind TMC’s manufactured outrage,” the party said.“As per official protocol during the presentation of Bharat Ratna award, others present remain seated while the award is being conferred. There was absolutely no breach of decorum,” the post added.The BJP further said, “It is shameful that TMC is once again trying to twist a dignified moment involving the Hon’ble President Smt Droupadi Murmu, PM Shri Narendra Modi and Bharat Ratna Shri LK Advani for petty politics. Respect the dignity of the highest constitutional office instead of spreading misinformation.”The political exchange intensified after PM Modi earlier on Sunday accused the TMC government of “insulting” a tribal woman President.Responding at a protest in Kolkata, Banerjee rejected the allegations and questioned the timing of the criticism, suggesting it was politically motivated ahead of the state assembly elections.Banerjee also displayed an enlarged photograph of an event showing the Prime Minister seated while the President stood nearby to present the Bharat Ratna award to veteran BJP leader LK Advani, saying it contradicted the BJP’s charge.“The picture shows that the PM is seated when the President is standing. We never do that. It is the BJP which carries the culture of insulting the President, not us,” she claimed while presenting the image as “evidence”.“You are targeting Bengal on the eve of assembly elections by saying whatever pleases you. Why? Why? Why?” she added from the sit-in platform in central Kolkata.She reiterated that the state government had “full respect for the chair of the President and the Constitution of India, which we consider our mother; do not blame us”.The chief minister also denied any breach of protocol during Murmu’s visit and said the state government had not been informed about the details of the programme by the organisers.According to Banerjee, if there had been mismanagement at the venue, including issues such as garbage, problems with the green room and the absence of women’s toilets, the responsibility lay with the private organisers and the Airports Authority of India, on whose premises the event was held.“We did not pick the venue, you did,” she said.Banerjee added that Siliguri mayor Goutam Deb had been present at Bagdogra airport to receive the President and maintained that protocol had been followed. Explaining her own absence, she said, “I am sitting in a dharna to protect people’s rights. How can I leave?”

NEW DELHI: The Indian embassy in Riyadh on early Monday denied reports of any Indian deaths in an incident where an Iranian “military projectile” hit a residential building in Saudi Arabia’s Al Kharj amid crisis in the Middle East region. However, there was an injury reported to one Indian national.In a post on X, the embassy said the injured person is being treated at a government hospital in Al Kharj and that officials are in touch with Saudi authorities. The embassy wrote, “It is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj yesterday evening. The Embassy has been in touch with the concerned Saudi authorities regarding this issue. Counsellor (CW) Shri Y. Sabir visited Al Kharj last night and met the injured Indian national involved in this unfortunate incident. He is currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Al Kharj.”The embassy’s statement came after the General Directorate of Saudi Civil Defence confirmed the projectile fell on a residential area in Al-Kharj Governorate. The Civil Defence said two people were killed and several others injured. The fatalities were Bangladeshi nationals, along with 11 injured Bangladeshis and one injured Indian, according to the agency.The incident comes amid rising tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Earlier, celebrations broke out in Iran after Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was named the new Supreme Leader. Press TV reported that the IRGC and General Staff of the Armed Forces pledged support for Mojtaba Khamenei, and large crowds took to the streets after the Assembly of Experts made the appointment.Meanwhile, amid rising global oil prices due to the conflict, US President Donald Trump said the “short-term” spike is worth it if it eliminates Iran’s nuclear threat. On Truth Social, he wrote, “Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for USA, and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!”

NEW DELHI: With just one out of 33 judges in SC and around 15% of judges in HCs being women, CJI Surya Kant, on International Women’s Day, admitted that their fair and equal participation in the judiciary remained an unfinished task and appealed to HC collegiums to consider elevation of more women to the bench.Of the total working strength of 781 judges in 25 HCs, the number of women judges is only 116. Over the years, 291 women judges had been appointed in HCs out of a total appointment of 5,161, which makes it a meagre 5.6%. No woman judge has been appointed to SC since Sept 2021.Speaking on “Half the Nation, Half the Bench” at an event on SC premises, the CJI said women judges do not bring a different standard of justice but they do bring in a distinct perspective, and diversity. He said the institution must rise to address the concern of 650 million females in the country and make them believe the justice system understands the realities and would respond to them with fairness. He said institutional intent is not enough and should be accompanied by institutional imagination to realise the goal.“HC collegiums must recognise that the moment for measured action is not in the future, it is now… when suitable and meritorious women members are available at the Bar, then their consideration should not be an exception but a norm,” the CJI said.He underscored the need to widen the zone of consideration for judicial appointments and urged HCs not to reject candidates merely because they do not strictly meet the age requirement. “Where in certain HCs, if suitable women candidates within a particular age limit are not immediately available, that should not become a barrier,” he said.Justice Kant said the concern of enough women representation was being addressed, but more was needed. He said at present, two HCs have women chief justices, and with the elevation of Justice Lisa Gill, the number will rise to three. He mentioned Punjab and Haryana HC, which has 18 sitting women judges.“Every woman who takes a place on the bench sends a clear message to those who still face obstacle that your perseverance is not unseen and it is not in vain,” he said.

PATNA: Outgoing Bihar CM and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar’s 50-year-old son Nishant Kumar, who had long stayed away from public life, entered active politics and joined the party Sunday after his father filed his Rajya Sabha nomination three days ago.Crowds of party workers thronged the JD(U) headquarters in Patna, welcoming Nishant with garlands and a celebratory cavalcade of elephants, horses and camels.

Nishant promises to strengthen organisation

Wearing a white kurta-pyjama and flip-flops, he was inducted by party national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, who handed him the membership slip at a programme attended by senior functionaries. The alumnus of BIT Mesra had kept distance from politics until his 75-year-old father decided to move to Rajya Sabha after serving 10 terms as CM over roughly two decades.Addressing workers in his first speech as a party member, Nishant Kumar promised to strengthen the organisation and justify the trust placed in him. “I will try my best to live up to expectations of workers, party and public,” he said.Nishant called his father’s decision a personal choice respected by family and said he would continue working under his guidance. He credited his father for Bihar’s development. “People will not forget his contribution,” he said to loud applause.Soft-spoken and reserved, Nishant rarely interacted with media. After joining the party, he offered prayers at Mahavir Mandir in Patna, visited a tomb near Patna high court and distributed sweets to reporters. “Ishwar, Allah and Waheguru, all are same,” he said.Opposition reacted sharply. RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya mocked Nitish’s long criticism of dynastic politics. “Chacha ji… where has your hollow argument on dynasty politics disappeared? There has always been a big gap between your words and actions,” she wrote on X, adding Nitish represented “political and ideological contradictions”.Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh welcomed Nishant’s entry but said Nitish himself should answer questions on dynasty politics.Nishant’s debut places him in a long line of children of Bihar CMs who entered politics. Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi’s family has one of the largest political footprints, with several of their nine children active in politics. Lalu’s youngest son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav served two terms as deputy CM.

KOLKATA: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee dug out Sunday an undated picture of PM Modi seated and President Droupadi Murmu standing at an event, flagging it as “proof of who actually shows respect” while contesting his charge that TMC govt had “gravely insulted” the presidential chair with a protocol breach at Siliguri.“Why were you sitting when she was standing?” Mamata said from her SIR protest dais. “We honour every person holding constitutional posts.”

Bengal being singled out ahead of polls: Didi

The PM attacks and disrespects Bengal before every election,” said the CM. Mamata alleged that Bengal was being singled out ahead of the assembly polls.She insisted the state had written to the organisers of the International Santal Conference on March 4, citing its inability to be part of the event due to various reasons. “But the Centre ignored it. If anything went wrong at the event, the Centre should be held responsible. Don’t blame us,” she said.The Siliguri conference, the CM insisted, was a private programme the state govt had never been asked to support. On allegations about inadequate toilets and other facilities, she said the venue was under the Airport Authority of India’s jurisdiction. “The green room, too, had been set up by the organisers in AAI territory. If anything went wrong there, it is their failure.”On the PM invoking International Women’s Day while criticising how Bengal treated a woman President, Mamata said, “We will celebrate Women’s Day a thousand times. We have been celebrating it since our childhood. You do not have the right to criticise us.”Chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty, who received a communication from Union home secretary Govind Mohan seeking an explanation for the “protocol breach”, formally responded in the evening, sources said.The controversy appeared to unite the opposition behind TMC. Congress’s Supriya Shrinate said the President’s office must not be used to “advance BJP’s political agenda”.