2 army officers thrashed, female friend brutally gang-raped in Madhya Pradesh

New Delhi, Apr 6: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament earlier this week.

Murmu also gave her assent to the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025.

"The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the president on April 5, 2025, and is hereby published for general information: The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025," the government said in a notification.

Parliament early on Friday approved the Bill after the Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the contentious legislation following an over 13-hour debate.

The discussion witnessed staunch objections from opposition parties, which termed the Bill "anti-Muslim" as well as "unconstitutional", while the government responded that the "historic reform" would benefit the minority community.

The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it.

It was passed in the Lok Sabha early on Thursday, with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.

Parliament had also approved the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, with the Rajya Sabha giving its nod. The Lok Sabha had already given its assent to the Bill.

After the president gave her assent, it has also become a law.

Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday challenged the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Supreme Court, saying it violated constitutional provisions. 

Jawed's plea alleged the Bill imposed "arbitrary restrictions" on Waqf properties and their management, undermining the religious autonomy of the Muslim community.
The petition, filed through advocate Anas Tanwir, said it discriminated against the Muslim community by "imposing restrictions that are not present in the governance of other religious endowments".

Jawed, the Lok Sabha MP from Kishanganj in Bihar, was a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Bill and alleged in his plea that it "introduces restrictions on the creation of Waqfs based on the duration of one's religious practice".

In his separate plea, Owaisi said the Bill took away from Waqfs various protections accorded to Waqfs and Hindu, Jain and Sikh religious and charitable endowments alike.

Owaisi's plea, filed by advocate Lzafeer Ahmad, said, "This diminishing of the protection given to Waqfs while retaining them for religious and charitable endowments of other religions constitutes hostile discrimination against Muslims and is violative of articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which prohibit discrimination on the grounds of religion."

Riyadh, April 12: In a welcome move for Indian expatriates and other foreign residents in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom has introduced a new online service that allows residents to update their passport information without visiting the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat). The service is available through the widely used Absher platform.

This initiative comes as a major time-saver for Indian expats, especially those renewing their passports, as it eliminates the need for lengthy in-person appointments and physical document submissions at Jawazat offices.

Who Can Use the Service?

The online update feature is available to expatriates aged 18 and above. Once a passport is renewed, Indian expats can log in to Absher (via their employers account), navigate to My Services, select Passport, and then access Resident Identity Services to update the relevant information.

A clear photo of the new passport must be uploaded. The system automatically extracts the passport number and expiry date using advanced digital recognition tools.

Before submitting, users are required to pledge that:

• The old passport has not been lost.
• There are no reports of absence from work.
• There are no pending traffic violations linked to the resident's Iqama.
• There are no security-related restrictions on the expat or the employer.

Important for Indian Families

If family members previously listed on the old passport have been issued individual passports, the online service cannot be used. In such cases, a personal visit to Jawazat is necessary to complete the update.

Likewise, if the passport is lost, the expat must report the loss and update information directly at the Jawazat office. Any misuse or incorrect submission will result in accountability under Saudi law, including potential charges of forgery.

Fee Details

To avail this convenience, a nominal fee of SR69 (including VAT) is applicable for each passport update request.

Why It Matters

With over 2 million Indians living and working in Saudi Arabia, this digital service is expected to ease the bureaucratic burden and save time for thousands of individuals who previously had to navigate crowded offices and long wait times. It also enhances accuracy and ensures smoother processing for both employees and employers.

Indian community associations have welcomed the move, calling it a step forward in digital convenience and administrative efficiency for expatriates.

Mangaluru, Apr 7: The long-standing demand for a separate Beary Development Corporation has hit a wall — the Karnataka government has officially stated that no such proposal is currently under consideration.

Beary-speaking people, mainly settled across Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and parts of Kodagu, have been urging the government to set up a dedicated body for the welfare of their community and the promotion of their unique 1,200-year-old language. But during the recent legislative session, Minority Affairs Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan confirmed that his department has not received any proposal on this matter.

The clarification came in response to a question by MLC Ivan D’Souza, who highlighted the community’s cultural richness and a population of over 25 lakh. “The community has raised this demand several times to support education and social upliftment, but the government hasn’t taken any concrete steps,” he said.

In his reply, the minister pointed out that the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation (KMDC) already runs various welfare schemes for Muslim, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh, and Parsi communities. Since Beary speakers are considered part of the Muslim community, they are eligible for benefits under these existing programs, he added.

Still, many in the Beary community feel that without a separate development body, their identity, language, and specific needs risk being overlooked.