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Akhilesh claims ‘bias’ against PDA in administrative appointments in Ayodhya

January 24, 2025

Politics

Lucknow, Jan 24 (PTI) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday alleged a glaring disparity in the representation of backward castes, Dalits and minorities in administrative postings in Ayodhya. Sharing a chart on X that highlights the alleged under-representation, Yadav targeted the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for “discrimination in governance.” In his post, Yadav said, “Under BJP rule, the inverse arithmetic of bias prevails. Despite the PDA (a combination of backward castes, Dalits, and minorities) making up 90 per cent of the population, their share in Ayodhya’s administrative appointments is around 20 per cent. Meanwhile, communities that form only 10

Federal judge blocks Trump bid to restrict birthright citizenship

January 24, 2025

General

SEATTLE, Jan 23 (AFP) – A federal judge blocked Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States on Thursday as liberal states scored their first victory against the new president’s hardline agenda. The ruling imposes a 14-day stay on the enforcement of one of the most controversial executive orders Trump signed in the hours after he was sworn into office for a second term. “This is a blatantly unconstitutional order,” US District Judge John Coughenour was reported as saying during the hearing in Washington state. “I’ve been on the bench for over four decades, I can’t remember

Afghan women’s group hails court’s move to arrest Taliban leaders for persecution of women

January 24, 2025

General

January 24, 2025 (AP) — An Afghan women’s group on Friday hailed a decision by the International Criminal Court to arrest Taliban leaders for their persecution of women. The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan announced Thursday he had requested arrest warrants for two top Taliban officials, including the leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Since they took back control of the country in 2021, the Taliban have barred women from jobs, most public spaces and education beyond sixth grade. In a statement, the Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice and Awareness celebrated the ICC decision and called it a “great historical achievement.”

Supreme Court refuses to entertain PIL seeking scrapping of TDS system under IT law

January 24, 2025

Finance

New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking scrapping of TDS (tax deducted at source) framework under the Income Tax Act, saying this is levied “everywhere”. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, however, permitted lawyer petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay to move the Delhi HC with his plea. The bench observed that the plea was “very badly drafted” and should be moved in the Delhi High Court. “Sorry we will not entertain it… It is very badly drafted. However, you can move the Delhi High Court,” the CJI said,