VHP rakes up demand for Ram temple construction in Ayodhya

New Delhi: The Ministry of Law and Justice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has made an amendment to the Conduct of Election Rules, restricting public access to certain electoral documents that were previously available.

The original Rule 93(2)(a) of the 1961 Conduct of Election Rules stated, “all other papers relating to the election shall be open to public inspection.” However, following the amendment on Friday, the rule now reads, “all other papers as specified in these rules relating to the election shall be open to public inspection.”

Activists have raised concerns, claiming that the insertion of the phrase “as specified in these rules” limits access to various official documents created during elections to Parliament and Assemblies, which are not explicitly mentioned in the rules.

RTI activist Venkatesh Nayak pointed out that there are numerous documents, though not listed in the rules, that are generated by election officials such as Presiding Officers, Sector Officers (responsible for constituency vulnerability mapping), and those in charge of EVM movement and replacement of defective machines on polling day. These include reports from general, police, and expenditure observers, as well as Returning Officers and Chief Electoral Officers.

Nayak emphasized, “Access to these documents is crucial for ensuring the fairness of elections and the accuracy of results.”

The amendment comes shortly after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Election Commission to provide video footage and documents related to votes cast at a polling station in the recent Haryana Assembly elections to lawyer Mehmood Pracha. Pracha has criticized the amendment, asserting that it will withhold essential information. “This is a reconfirmation of the Election Commission’s bias,” he said.

Nayak further stated, “This amendment undermines the principle of full transparency established by the Supreme Court in the Electoral Bonds case. The notification of this amendment on the very day Parliament was adjourned sine die has deprived MPs of the opportunity to challenge its necessity in real time.”

Dhaka: Bangladesh's interim government said on Monday that it has sent a diplomatic note to India to send back deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to Dhaka.

Hasina, 77, has been living in exile in India since Aug 5 when she fled the country amid the student-led protests that toppled her 16-year regime. Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for "crimes against humanity and genocide".

“We have sent a note verbale (diplomatic message) to the Indian government saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process,” Foreign Affairs Adviser or de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain told reporters at his office.

Earlier in the morning, Home Advisor Jahangir Alam said his office has sent a letter to the foreign ministry to facilitate the ousted premier's extradition from India.

“We have sent a letter to the foreign ministry regarding her extradition. The process is currently underway,” he told reporters in response to a query.

Alam said an extradition treaty between Dhaka and New Delhi already exists and Hasina could be brought back to Bangladesh under the treaty.

New Delhi: The mortal remains of former prime minister Manmohan Singh were consigned to flames at the Nigambodh Ghat here on Saturday amid the chanting of religious hymns.

The funeral pyre was lit by his eldest daughter Upinder Singh. Sikh priests, family members of former PM Manmohan Singh recite verses from Gurbani before his last rites.

The last rites were performed in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other top leaders and foreign dignitaries.

Top leaders, including foreign dignitaries, on Saturday paid their last respects to former prime minister Manmohan Singh at Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat.

King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful were among the foreign dignitaries to paid tributes to Singh.

Besides President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Leaders of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were among the top leaders who paid their last tributes to the former prime minister at the crematorium.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the three services chiefs also paid their last respects to Singh.

Draped in the Tricolour, the flower-bedecked casket was placed at a raised platform, where leaders cutting across party lines laid wreaths on Singh's mortal remains.

India's relations with several key countries, including Bhutan and Mauritius, saw a significant upswing during Singh's prime ministership.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers also paid their last respects to Singh at Nigambodh Ghat.funeral of ex-PM Manmohan Singh.

Earlier, the final journey of Singh began from the AICC headquarters on Saturday morning after Congress leaders paid homage to their departed leader.

The flower-bedecked vehicle carrying the mortal remains of Singh left the Congress headquarters in a procession amid chants of "Manmohan Singh amar rahe".

A large number of Congress workers and leaders along with hundreds of Singh's well-wishers walked along as "Jab tak suraj chand rahega, tab tak tera naam rahega" slogans rent the air.

Former Congress chief and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also accompanied the procession alongside Singh's relatives.

Singh's mortal remains were taken to the AICC headquarters from his residence on 3, Motilal Nehru Road a little before 9 AM.

The mortal remains were kept inside the AICC headquarters for about an hour, with several top leaders of the Congress, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, paying their last respects, among others.

Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur and one of his daughters also laid a wreath on his body and paid their last respects.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and several ex-Union ministers were among those who paid tributes to the former PM.

Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu were also there.

Meanwhile, the funeral preparations were given final touches at the Nigambodh Ghat where the last rites of former the prime minister would be performed at 11.45 am with full state honours.

In light of the state funeral, traffic officials have issued advisory implementing key diversions and restrictions in place from 7 am to 3 pm across the city.

Singh passed away on Thursday night at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences due to age-related medical complications. He was 92.

Considered the architect of India's economic reforms, Singh served as the prime minister for 10 years between 2004 and 2014.

A seven-day national mourning is being observed throughout the country as a mark of respect to the former prime minister during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the nation, the Union Home Ministry has announced.