The Returning Officer of the Nemom constituency on Tuesday accepted the nomination papers of BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar for the April 9 Kerala Assembly polls, rejecting objections from Congress candidate KS Sabarinathan over the alleged suppression of material information related to his ownership of a bungalow in Bengaluru.

The nomination was initially put on hold following complaints filed by Sabarinathan but was later accepted during scrutiny.

The Congress, in its complaint, alleged that Chandrasekhar failed to disclose details of a 49,000 sq ft mansion located in Koramangala, Bengaluru.

The property, spread across around one and a half acres in one of the country’s most expensive localities, is estimated to be worth nearly ₹200 crore, based on prevailing land rates of ₹35,000 to ₹50,000 per sq ft, the party claimed.

It also said that property tax for the land was paid on March 17 and shared a link on social media platform X, stating that the details could be verified by the public.

Responding to the Returning Officer’s decision to accept the nomination, UDF’s Congress candidate and complainant KS Sabarinathan said the Returning Officer, being a quasi-judicial authority, does not have the mandate to act on such matters. He added that the issue would be pursued through legal channels.

The Congress has further alleged that the same property had been declared in Chandrasekhar’s 2024 affidavit, and its omission this time amounts to an attempt to mislead the Election Commission. The party has demanded a probe and appropriate action.

In this connection, LDF’s CPM candidate in Nemom, V. Sivankutty, said in a Facebook post that his party would pursue legal action against the decision to accept Chandrasekhar’s nomination, including filing an election petition, as the alleged act is punishable under the Representation of the People Act.

“The alleged concealment of assets worth crores by the BJP’s Nemom candidate is a serious betrayal of voters. Despite tax records confirming ownership of a luxury Bengaluru residence, it was omitted from the affidavit, pointing to a deliberate attempt to mislead. The same property was declared in the previous Lok Sabha election, making this omission suspicious and unlawful,” Sivankutty said in the Facebook post.

Meanwhile, the Returning Officer of the Paravur Assembly constituency on Tuesday accepted the nomination papers of Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader V.D. Satheesan for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections. The scrutiny of his nomination was temporarily put on hold following complaints filed by LDF and NDA representatives regarding the alleged undervaluation of gold assets, unpaid fines on his official vehicle, and alleged undisclosed sources of income.

However, the Returning Officer rejected the objections raised by the LDF and NDA and accepted Satheesan’s nomination after verifying his written explanations and supporting documents.

The complaints were made on the grounds that the real source of income of V.D. Satheesan was not disclosed, details of fines paid for his official vehicle were omitted, and the value of the gold in his possession was not properly declared in the nomination papers.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday presented a Rs 1.03 lakh crore ‘Green Budget’ for the financial year 2026-27, announcing a major overhaul in road and drainage infrastructure and schemes aimed at the welfare of women and elderly.

The chief minister said that she is presenting a “Green Budget” as 21 per cent of the total outlays have been earmarked for projects that will lead to environmental safeguards.

Drainage and road infrastructure revamp

The Chief Minister allocated Rs 160 crore for the improvement of the drainage system in the national capital.

She also announced construction of roads non-conforming areas and allocated Rs 1,000 crore for road construction and development.

CM Gupta allocated Rs 371 crore for the extension of Modi Mill Flyover up to Kalkaji and Rs 454 crore for the construction of two-lane roads on both sides of the Najafgarh drain.

The construction of an underpass at Gagan Cinema, an integrated flyover from Yamuna Vihar to Bhajanpura, the underpass from Saket to Kalkaji, and the flyover extending from Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg to MG Road at a combined cost of Rs 2,100 crore were among the other notable announcements.

The chief minister said that these initiatives will help us “alleviate traffic congestion in these areas.”

Rani Haats, Anganwadi revamp and ‘pink cards’ for women

Delhi CM further announced a slew of initiatives to strengthen existing infrastructure for women and revamp Aanganwadi into model childcare centres.

“A budget of Rs 74.06 crore has been allocated to the Department of Women and Child Development. A provision of Rs 51.10 crore has been made for the ‘Mahila Samriddhi Yojana’,” she said.

Rs 33 crore have been allocated for the Anganwadis and ‘Pink Cards’ have been issued to facilitate free bus travel for women. The free DTC bus ride scheme has been extended for the transgender community as well.

Additionally, Rs 10 crore have been allocated for the establishment of ‘Mahila Haats’ (Women’s Markets).

“These markets will be named ‘Rani Haats’ to empower women and enable them to become self-reliant,” CM Gupta said.

Housing infra push and schemes for the elderly

The Rekha Gupta-led government has also given greater emphasis on improving housing infrastructure in the city, with special improvement for amenities for senior citizens.

A fund of Rs 125 crore has been allocated for the ‘Vayu Anand Yojana’, a programme dedicated to elderly citizens.

A fund of Rs 134 crore has been set aside for the development of slum clusters and for the establishment of ‘Atal Canteens’.

Delhi CM reiterated her government’s commitment to provide ‘housing for all’ and informed that the work was already underway on the renovation of approximately 2,400 flats.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday visited the aggrieved families of those who lost their lives in the fire tragedy in the Palam area of Delhi and assured them all help from her government.

Speaking on the occasion, Rekha Gupta called the untimely demise of innocent people, including children, is extremely distressing and heart-wrenching. She conveyed her deepest condolences to the families and assured that the government stands in full solidarity with them during their hour of distress.

“The pain of losing loved ones is unbearable, something that cannot be expressed in words,” she wrote on social media platform X.

The chief minister has assured that the government is fully committed to providing the affected families every possible assistance, relief, and support.
Earlier, the government had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the cause of the fire and determine how commercial goods, such as cosmetics and clothes, were being stored in a residential building.

The inquiry examine potential safety violations and the legality of using the premises for commercial storage which contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze.
Gupta had earlier announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of kin of those adults who lost their lives in the tragedy, Rs 5 lakh each to the families of deceased minors, and Rs 2 lakh each to the seriously injured.

Declining to contest on the DMK’s symbol in a reduced number of seats, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) of actor-politician Kamal Hassan, a constituent of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), is opting out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly election while extending unconditional support to the front.

“Given the present political context, contesting on the DMK’s symbol and the number of seats promised to us is neither acceptable to me nor to the party workers. Declining to accept with grace what the Chief Minister offers with love is also a form of love. With humility, I would say that I have sowed the seed for a new political culture,” he told reporters after meeting Chief Minister MK Stalin at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam.

“With clarity in the heart and with an open mind, we announce that the MNM will not contest the 2026 assembly election directly but extend unconditional support to the candidates of the DMK-led alliance,” the versatile actor said in a two-page statement earlier. Offering a rationale for this, he explained that the Dravidian Model Government 2.o is necessary for the development of Tamil Nadu and to implement the ideals of Gandhi, ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy, the Dravidian social reformer, and Ambedkar.

The decision of Hassan, who was given a Rajya Sabha berth last year by the DMK, comes within an hour of the new entrant into the alliance, DMDK of Premalatha Vijayakanth, being allotted 10 seats. The DMDK was earlier allotted an RS seat, as part of the deal. Earlier in the day, the VCK, a key ally of the DMK and a fellow traveler for the last three elections, was given 8 seats, 2 more than it contested last time. The two Left parties had inked the pact with 5 seats each, one less than the previous time.

With the inking of the agreement with the DMDK, the DMK had almost completed the seat-sharing exercise with the allies. The Dravidian major will accommodate few other minor parties in a day or two. As of now, the DMK has earmarked 28 seats to the Congress, 10 to the DMDK, 8 to VCK and 5 each to the CPI and CPI(M).

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ruled that civil administration cannot take over parish churches involved in religious disputes, quashing a 2024 order of a single bench directing the collectors of the Ernakulam and Palakkad districts to take over the possession of six churches involved in the Orthodox – Jacobite faction feud.

Allowing the appeals challenging the 2024 order of the single bench direction, a division bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S ruled that civil administration cannot take over parish churches involved in religious disputes in a dispute relating to the religious affairs of a church, which is a parish church governed by the 1934 Constitution, the High Court cannot direct the civil administration to take over possession of the church, the court said.

“In appropriate cases where repeated disobedience of the decree passed by the competent court has resulted in a law and order situation, the High Court, being the constitutional court, can render justice by granting police protection to ensure that there is no law and order issues in the conduct of religious services and other affairs to said church in accordance with the 1934 Constitution as held by the Apex Court,” the court said.

The court clarified that while it can act to ensure compliance with supreme court orders regarding church administration, it cannot authorize the state to take direct control of the properties.

The bench observed that each church dispute must be considered individually based on its specific administrative circumstances.

The ruling is the latest development in a century-old conflict between the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. While a 2017 Supreme Court verdict upheld the 1934 Constitution and gave the Orthodox faction administrative rights, physical takeovers have frequently led to violent resistance and legal battles over the method of implementation.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday presented her government’s second Budget in the assembly, laying out a roadmap for the transformation of the national capital into a modern, inclusive, safe, and environmentally sustainable city.

The Budget for 2026-27 has been pegged at Rs 1,03,700 crore, marking an increase of Rs 3,700 crore as compared to the previous year, with an annual growth of 3.7 per cent.
It is noteworthy that this is Delhi’s first dedicated ‘Green Budget’, with 21.44 per cent of the total outlay, that is Rs 22,236 crore earmarked for environmental protection and sustainable development.

According to the CM, a budget of Rs 19,326 crore (18.64 per cent) has been allocated to the education sector, followed by Rs 13,034 crore (12.57 per cent) for the medical and public health sectors.

Allocations of Rs 12,613 crore (12.16 per cent) have been earmarked for the transport, roads, and bridges sector, and Rs 11,572 crore (11.16 per cent ) for the housing and urban development sector.

A provision of Rs 10,537 crore (10.16 per cent) has been made for the social security and welfare sector and Rs 9,000 crore (8.68 per cent) for the water supply and sanitation sector.

Furthermore, Rs 4,254 crore (4.10 per cent) has been set aside for public debt, Rs 3,938 crore (3.80 per cent) for the energy sector, and Rs 2,734 crore (2.64 per cent) for interest payments.

An amount of Rs 1,777 crore (1.71 per cent) has been designated for agriculture, rural development, irrigation, and flood control, while a provision of Rs 14,915 crore (14.38 per cent) has been made for other heads.

The government has placed infrastructure development at the centre of its agenda, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been allocated Rs 11,266 crore, while NDMC and DCB together will receive Rs 146 crore.
The PWD gets Rs 5,921 crore and the urban development and housing department Rs 7,887 crore.
An outlay of Rs 800 crore is made for improving basic amenities in unauthorised colonies, and Rs 787 crore for rural development through the Delhi Gram Vikas Board.
In 2026-27, 750 km of roads will undergo end-to-end re-carpeting and redevelopment at a cost of Rs 1,392 crore, with MCD roads to get investments of around Rs 1,000 crore, while Rs 160 crore has been set aside for roads and drainage in notified and non-conforming industrial areas.
Major mobility projects include the extension of the Modi Mill flyover up to Kalkaji and a new flyover at Savitri Cinema junction, with a total project cost of Rs 371 crore (Rs 150 crore allocated this year).

The Delhi Jal Board has been allocated Rs 9,000 crore, with plans to revamp the water supply and sewer system, while the government also aims to reduce non-revenue water losses from 45 per cent to 15 per cent.

Talking of the healthcare sector, it has been allocated Rs 12,645 crore, with government emphasizing that completion of pending hospital projects remains a top priority.
Hospitals in Madipur, Siraspur, Hastsal and Jwalapuri will be completed with an investment of Rs 515 crore, while infrastructure will be strengthened at Rao Tula Ram Memorial Hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital and Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital under the SASCI scheme.

The education sector has been allocated Rs 19,148 crore. This includes Rs 200 crore for new school buildings and Rs 275 crore for expansion of existing schools.
The Budget allocates Rs 2,392 crore for social welfare and Rs 227 crore for SC/ST/OBC welfare, with an amount of Rs 80 crore earmarked for improving SC colonies, and Rs 35 crore for housing for persons with mental disabilities.

To improve governance, 13 mini secretariats will be set up (Rs 100 crore), offering integrated public services. All properties will be assigned a unique ID (‘Bhu-Aadhaar’) and land records digitised via the NGDRS portal.

The Green Budget totals Rs 22,236 crore (21.44 per cent of the total outlay), and the environment budget has been increased from Rs 505 crore to Rs 822 crore.
A Rs 300 crore pollution control and emergency response plan includes mechanical sweepers, anti-smog guns and water sprinklers.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday said that prior to the commencement of house’s proceedings, certain objectionable emails were received on his official email ID, as well as on the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s email account.

Gupta, while speaking in the house, stated that the matter was of a sensitive nature and had direct implications on security, assuring the members that the concerned security agencies responded with utmost alertness and promptitude.

He said the matter was immediately examined and all necessary measures were undertaken keeping in view the safety and security of everyone in the complex.
He expressed that despite such attempts, the proceedings of the house were conducted without any delay or disruption.

Meanwhile, it is for the second time that the Delhi Vidhan Sabha and its Speaker have again received such a threatening email.

Sources say a threat email was received on the account of the assembly, and also of the speaker in the early morning hours.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said it is closely monitoring developments in West Asia and the Gulf region, with the safety, security, and well-being of the Indian community remaining its highest priority.

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital on the situation arising out of the conflict in West Asia, Additional Secretary (Gulf), MEA, Aseem R Mahajan, said that since February 28, around 4,02,000 passengers have returned from the region to India, with flight operations continuing to improve.

“In the United Arab Emirates, limited non-scheduled flights continue, with around 85 flights expected to arrive in India today. Flights are also operating from Saudi Arabia and Oman to India. Qatar airspace remains partially open, with Qatar Airways expected to operate around nine non-scheduled flights to India today,” Mahajan stated.

He added that Kuwait and Bahrain airspaces remain closed.

“Jazeera Airways is operating flights to various destinations in India from the Al Qaisumah Airport (AQI) in Saudi Arabia. Gulf Air is also operating special non-scheduled commercial flights from Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia to India. This is facilitating the travel of Indian nationals from Kuwait and Bahrain to India,” Mahajan said.

He noted that transit of Indian nationals continues to be facilitated via Saudi Arabia for those in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq.

“Indian nationals in Iran are being assisted in travelling to India via Armenia and Azerbaijan. Indian nationals in Israel are being facilitated to travel to India via Jordan,” Mahajan added.

Elections to all 309 civic bodies in Rajasthan will be held simultaneously later this year.

The Directorate of Local Bodies (DLB) announced this on Tuesday following clearance and detailed directives from the Rajasthan High Court, which has been hearing petitions on the issue of “one state, one election” and related aspects.

Accordingly, the revision of electoral rolls in 113 civic bodies will begin on April 13, 2026, and be completed on May 8, 2026, with the publication of final voter lists.

These 113 local bodies are spread across about 40 cities and towns, including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer, Nagaur, Tonk, Bhilwara, Bikaner and Sriganganagar.

The schedule of the electoral process, polling and other details will be announced later, an official spokesperson said.

Elections to these bodies and panchayat raj institutions are overdue, as the terms of these civic bodies expired last year on different dates. The opposition Congress and other political groups had been pressing for early elections. However, the ruling BJP was contemplating holding polls under the “one state, one election” framework.

The returning officer of the Nemom constituency in Kerala on Tuesday accepted the nomination papers of BJP’s state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar for the April 9 assembly elections, rejecting objections from Congress candidate K S Sabarinathan over suppression of material information related to his ownership of a bungalow in Bengaluru.

The nomination was initially put on hold following the complaints filed by Congress candidate Sabarinathan before being accepted after scrutiny.

The Congress, in its complaint, alleged that Chandrasekhar failed to disclose details of a 49,000 sq ft mansion located in Koramangala, Bengaluru. The property, spread across around one and a half acres in one of the country’s most expensive localities, is estimated to be worth nearly Rs 200 crore based on prevailing land rates of Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per sq ft, the party claimed.

It also said that property tax for the land was paid on March 17 and shared a link on social media platform X, stating that the details could be verified by the public.

Responding to the returning officer’s decision to accept the nomination, UDF’ s Congress candidate and complainant Sabarinathan said that the returning officer, being a quasi judicial authority, does not have the mandate to act on such matters. He added that the issue would be pursued through legal channels.

The Congress has further alleged that the same property had been declared in Chandrasekhar’s 2024 affidavit, and its omission this time allegedly amounts to an attempt to mislead the Election Commission. The party has demanded a probe and appropriate action.

In this connection, LDF’s CPM candidate in Nemom V Sivankutty in a Facebook post said his party will pursue legal action against the decision to accept the nomination of Rajeev Chandrasekhar, including an election petition, as this is punishable under the Representation of the People Act.

“The alleged concealment of assets worth crores by the BJP’s Nemom candidate is a serious betrayal of voters. Despite tax records confirming ownership of a luxury Bengaluru residence, it was omitted from the affidavit, pointing to a deliberate attempt to mislead. The same property was declared in the previous Lok Sabha election, making this omission suspicious and unlawful,” Sivankutty said in the Facebook post.

Meanwhile, the Returning officer of the Paravur assembly constituency on Tuesday accepted the nomination papers of Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections. The scrutiny of his nomination was temporarily put on hold following complaints filed by LDF and NDA representatives regarding alleged undervaluation of gold assets, unpaid fines on his official vehicle, and alleged undisclosed income sources

However, the Returning officer of the constituency rejected the objections raised by the LDF and NDA and accepted Satheesan’s nomination after verifying his written explanations and supporting documents

The complaints were made on the grounds that the real source of income of VD Satheesan was not disclosed, the details of the fines paid for the official vehicle used were not disclosed, and the value of the gold in his possession was not disclosed in the nomination papers.

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday termed the Delhi Budget 2026-27 historic, stating that it will prove a milestone in the city’s development and environmental protection.

He lauded the budget presented by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta with a total outlay of approximately Rs 1,03,700 crore.
Sirsa, who is Delhi’s Environment Minister, said, “When we presented a Rs 1 lakh-crore budget last year, several questions were raised, where would the funds come from, how would they be mobilized, etc. However, the experience and leadership of CM Rekha Gupta have proven that a Rs 1 lakh crore budget can be successfully implemented.”
Highlighting the environmental commitment, the Minister said, “This is a Green Budget. Whether it is e-waste, road transport, infrastructure, or metro projects, every effort has been made to integrate environmental considerations, including plantation, into each initiative.”

He noted that 21 per cen of the total budget has been allocated to green initiatives, adding that the government will also issue licenses for 1,000 new e-auto permits exclusively for women, enabling safe and dignified livelihood opportunities.
Meanwhile, Health and Transport Minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh expressed his gratitude to CM Gupta, for a comprehensive and welfare-oriented budget, with significant allocations of Rs 13,034 crore for the Health Department and Rs 12,613 crore for the Transport.
He mentioned that these allocations reflect the government’s firm commitment to ensuring accessible, affordable healthcare and building a sustainable, efficient and future-ready transport ecosystem.

He also noted that the government is addressing legacy gaps by completing long-pending infrastructure projects and strengthening service delivery across both sectors.
Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra expressed gratitude to CM Gupta for the inclusive Budget, which he said will run the city’s growth at a high speed on the tracks of development, adding that the ”Green budget is a Green Signal.”

He expressed confidence that the budget will contribute in making youth self-reliant in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’
He further said that this historic budget will help establish Delhi as a global cultural and tourism hub, and the Tourism Master Plan, New Tourism Policy, Delhi Film Policy, and Digital Content Development will pave the way for new employment opportunities.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday adopted a sharply-worded “Resolution on War” at its Jan Aakrosh Rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, condemning the United States and Israel over their military actions in West Asia and accusing the BJP-led Centre of failing to shield India from the economic fallout, particularly rising prices and fuel shortages.

‎The resolution said the ongoing conflict has had a direct and severe impact on everyday life in India, linking global tensions to domestic inflation and supply disruptions. “The US-Israel attack on Iran is having a big impact on our lives,” it said, alleging that cooking gas shortages have reached even small villages and that rising fuel costs have driven up prices of essential commodities. “The resulting increase in the price of vegetables, rice and other essential commodities has added to our burdens,” the party said, blaming the government for not anticipating the crisis.

‎The CPI(M) also made serious allegations about the humanitarian toll of the conflict, claiming that thousands, including political leaders, have been killed and citing incidents such as an alleged attack on a school that led to the deaths of “more than 160 girl students and their teachers.” It further broadened its criticism to US foreign policy, referencing actions in countries like Cuba and Venezuela.

‎Targeting the Centre’s foreign policy stance, the resolution accused the government of aligning with Washington and Tel Aviv. “Instead of condemning these attacks, the BJP government stood with the US and Israel. Under the BJP, India has become a subordinate ally of the US,” it said, calling for India to return to a more independent and non-aligned approach.

‎The party demanded that the government formally condemn the attacks on Iran and Palestine and take urgent steps to protect Indian citizens in the Gulf and West Asia. “The war should end immediately,” the resolution said, urging swift diplomatic intervention.

‎On the domestic front, the CPI(M) warned that the conflict is worsening inflation and deepening supply challenges, especially for fuel and essential goods. It called on the government to take immediate measures to reduce prices and ensure availability. “The government should curb price rise, reduce the price of gas and ensure that cylinders are available to all those who are in need,” it said.

‎The resolution also argued that the crisis has exposed structural weaknesses in India’s energy preparedness, linking global instability to rising transportation and food costs, and calling for stronger policy responses.

‎The Jan Aakrosh Rally, part of a nationwide mobilisation campaign by the CPI(M) against what it describes as “anti-people policies,” brought together party workers from across states to protest issues such as inflation, labour policies and energy shortages.

‎The development comes amid intensifying political debate over India’s handling of the West Asia conflict, which has disrupted key global shipping routes and triggered volatility in energy markets. While the government has maintained that it is addressing the situation through diplomatic engagement and diversification of energy supplies, opposition parties continue to question its preparedness and policy choices as the economic impact becomes increasingly visible.

As US President Donald Trump seeks a way out of the Iran war and his top envoys are already engaged in negotiations with Tehran through intermediaries, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly urged him to continue striking Iran.

According to a report by The New York Times, the Saudi Crown Prince has spoken to Trump several times over the past week and insisted that he continue the attacks on Iran until the country’s regime is changed.

After the US and Israel attacked Iran on May 28, Tehran had retaliated by striking US bases and other assets in several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia.

In view of this, Bin Salman sees Iran as a long-term threat as long as the Ayatollah-led Islamic Republic exists. According to the US daily, he fears Iran could again target Saudi Arabia and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

While Saudi Arabia has publicly called for a diplomatic solution to the war, Bin Salman wants the United States and Israel to launch attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure in order to weaken the Iranian regime.

The report further claimed that MBS has also suggested Trump deploy ground troops in Iran, topple the regime and take control of the country’s energy sources.

He even told Trump that the rise in oil and gas prices is temporary.

The development comes amid Trump’s announcement that the US and Iran have been engaged in peace talks. The US President had also postponed his promised military strikes on Iranian power plants for five days as he thinks the talks were heading in the right direction.

Iran, however, has publicly dismissed Trump’s claim, calling it an attempt to stabilise energy markets. Tehran has said that it will negotiate with the US only after its war goals are met.

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday held that a Scheduled Caste person can belong only to the Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist faiths, and that those who convert to other religions — Christianity in the present case — lose that constitutional and statutory protection.

A Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan said, “…for a person to be recognised as a member of a Scheduled Caste, he must profess the Hindu religion or such other religions (Sikhism and Buddhism) as are expressly recognised under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.”

The Court made these observations while upholding the Andhra Pradesh High Court order quashing criminal proceedings initiated by Chinthada Anand, who claimed to belong to the Scheduled Caste Madiga community despite having converted to Christianity and serving as a pastor. Anand had filed a complaint against six persons under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and the Indian Penal Code.

The Court held that once the appellant converted to Christianity, the caste status he had earlier enjoyed as a member of the Madiga community stood eclipsed in the eyes of the law.

Noting that Anand had converted to Christianity and was functioning as a pastor—and that it was not his case that he had reconverted or been accepted back into the Madiga community—the judgment, authored by Justice Mishra, stated: “Once the appellant (Chinthada Anand) converted to Christianity, the caste status which he earlier enjoyed as a member of the Madiga community stood eclipsed in the eyes of law.”

Rejecting Anand’s contention that caste status is determined solely by birth and continues despite conversion, the Court reiterated that recognition as a Scheduled Caste is contingent upon professing one of the religions specified under the 1950 Order.

The Court also observed that Christianity, by its theological foundation, does not recognise or incorporate caste distinctions. Referring to Christian doctrine, it noted that the New Testament emphasises equality among all believers.

Endorsing the High Court’s view, the Supreme Court further noted that the allegations of wrongful restraint, hurt, and criminal intimidation were based solely on Anand’s statement, with no independent witness attributing any specific overt act to the accused persons.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday about the arrest of godman “Captain” Ashok Kharat, who claimed to be a “divine incarnation”, exploited and physically tortured women in the name of rituals.

Fadnavis said a total of eight cases have been registered against the godman and assured that nobody who helped Ashok Kharat will be spared. Further investigation is underway into the case and information will be provided about it from time to time.

The police have identified six victims and registered a total of six cases, including five crimes based on the statements of five victims and one crime based on the statement of a witness regarding the incident involving his wife, Fadnavis said. “A total of eight cases have been registered in this entire case. Out of these, seven cases are being investigated by a special investigation team (SIT) headed by IPS official Tejaswini Satpute, while one case is being investigated by the Nashik City Crime Unit,” he added.

Fadnavis said the SIT was formed on March 13 to investigate both the serious cases registered against the godman at Vavi and Shirdi police stations. After this, a woman filed a complaint at the Sarkarwada police station on March 17, 2026. She said Kharat had abused her by taking advantage of her religious beliefs and giving her a sleeping pill or sedative. He was arrested the same night on March 17, Fadnavis said.

He said that since there is a possibility that Kharat might flee the country, a lookout circular was issued against him on March 10, 2026.

Fadnavis said that the accused had allegedly demanded a ransom of Rs 5 crore from a woman by threatening to make her photographs go viral. A case has been registered in Nashik police station in this case, he said.

Survivors of the godman’s atrocities have been taken into confidence and counseled and without making any of their identities public when cases were registered, he said.

⁠“A woman filed a complaint at Sarkarwada police station. ⁠This woman was raped repeatedly by giving her a sedative and he also threatened to kill her husband. In the name of ritual, he would move his hands over their stomachs and insert his fingers into their private parts. He would make them urinate over them. He would also threaten that if anyone disclosed anything, the person would incur divine wrath, since he claimed to be a divine incarnation,” Fadnavis said.

During the preliminary investigation of this crime, Rs 6 lakh cash, two laptops were seized. A DVR, revolver, live cartridges and five fired cartridges have been found, he said.

Some more female survivors have been identified and they are prepared to file a complaint. Work is underway to delete the photos and videos of female survivors from Facebook and other social media, Fadnavis said.

Properties owned by Ashok Kharat including 33 acres of land, a farmhouse and other lands, flats, 40 gunthas of land in Panvel, a flat in Pune in the name of his daughter and a marriage hall in Sinnar have been seized. So far, assets worth Rs 40 crore have come to light. An investigation is underway to find out details about properties in the names of Ashok Kharat’s relatives, Fadnavis said.

The Shivnika Sansthan Trust run by the accused is being investigated. Both survivors and the accused in this case have been medically examined. Statements of priests and other people who were with them have also been recorded, Fadnavis informed the house.

Nitish Kumar has once again been unanimously elected as the president of Janata Dal (United), signalling that he is not stepping away from active politics even as he prepares to relinquish the post of Chief Minister of Bihar.

The current party chief was the sole candidate for the post of national president. After scrutiny of nomination papers and the deadline for withdrawal passed, election officer Anil Hegde declared him elected on Tuesday.

After governing Bihar for nearly two decades, Nitish Kumar is now set to move to national politics and head to the Rajya Sabha. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha on March 16 and is expected to take oath as a member of the Upper House of Parliament in Delhi in the second week of April or later.

In a social media post announcing his decision to step down as Chief Minister and contest the Rajya Sabha election, Nitish said that entering the Upper House had long been a personal aspiration. He has previously been a member of the Lok Sabha and both Houses of the Bihar legislature, but this will be his first term in the Rajya Sabha.

With this, he will join a select group of Bihar leaders who have served in the Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.

The JD(U) was formed in 2003 through the merger of George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar’s Samata Party, Sharad Yadav’s faction of the Janata Dal, and Ramakrishna Hegde’s Lok Shakti. Since then, Nitish has served as the party president multiple times.

Nitish Kumar first assumed the post in 2016 after Sharad Yadav stepped down, and was reappointed in 2019. In 2020, he stepped down voluntarily and handed over the responsibility to R.C.P. Singh. After Singh, Lalan Singh became president, but resigned in December 2023. Nitish Kumar then took charge again and has held the position since.

Discussions within the party and the government about his successor had been ongoing, but his decision to continue as party president for another term indicates that his son, Nishant Kumar, will have more time to gain experience.

The move is also being seen as an attempt to reassure party workers who were unsettled by Nitish Kumar’s decision to shift to national politics.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the phone and held discussions on the situation in West Asia and its global economic implications, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday.

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, Jaiswal said, “The External Affairs Minister yesterday spoke with the US Secretary of State. The two leaders discussed the situation in West Asia and its impact on the international economy, with particular focus on energy security concerns.”

In a post on X, Jaishankar on Monday said, “Had a detailed telecon this evening with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Our discussions focused on the West Asia conflict and its impact on the international economy. We particularly spoke about energy security concerns. Agreed to remain in touch.”

These high-level discussions came amid growing concerns over the conflict’s impact on India’s food, fuel, and fertiliser security. The diplomatic outreach follows a recent session of the Cabinet Committee on Security, which outlined measures to protect India’s immediate and long-term supply chains for essential commodities following the military shocks in the region.

In another move to strengthen ties with key energy and diaspora partners, the External Affairs Minister engaged with the diplomatic corps of the Gulf nations in the national capital.

The spokesperson stated, “The External Affairs Minister met with all GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) ambassadors here in Delhi yesterday. There again, he exchanged views on the ongoing conflict in West Asia and thanked each one of them for their continued support to the Indian community in the region.”

The meeting, which included the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar, highlighted New Delhi’s commitment to the well-being of approximately 10 million Indians residing in West Asian nations. Following the meeting, Jaishankar stated that he and the envoys had “exchanged views on the conflict in West Asia,” while he personally “thanked them for their continued support to the Indian community in the region.”

Expanding New Delhi’s efforts to coordinate with maritime neighbours, the spokesperson noted that the discussions extended to the immediate region.
“EAM also spoke with his counterpart, Vijitha Herath, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka. Both leaders discussed the repercussions of this ongoing conflict. External Affairs Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to Neighbourhood First and Mission MAHASAGAR,” Jaiswal added.

The outreach to Colombo is particularly significant as several neighbouring nations have reportedly sought additional fuel supplies from India to manage energy shortages resulting from the crisis. The Minister confirmed on social media that he “discussed the repercussions of the West Asia conflict,” while reaffirming that “India stands committed to Neighbourhood First and Vision MAHASAGAR.”