New Delhi, Jan 25: Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said the independence and professionalism of the Election Commission of India (ECI) was compromised by the government.
He made this statement on the occasion of National Voters Day and accused the
Taking to the micro blogging website, Jairam Ramesh said that January 25 was being celebrated as National Voters Day since 2011 to mark the day on which the Election Commission came into being 75 years ago in 1950.
"Sadly, over the past decade, the professionalism and independence of the Election Commission has been severely compromised by the PM-HM duo. Some of its decisions are now under challenge in the Supreme Court," he wrote.
He said the Election Commission was a Constitutional body and its first Chairman was the legendary Sukumar Sen whose role in establishing the foundations of our electoral democracy was crucial. "He was the sole Chief Election Commissioner for eight years. His report on the First General Elections in India 1951-52 is a classic. But the preparations of the draft electoral roll for the first elections had been completed before Sen took over," he wrote on X.
He said the story of this historic endeavour and of the people involved in it is narrated very finely by Ornit Shani in her definitive "How India Became Democratic.
He said there have been other distinguished CECs amongst whom TN Seshan stands tallest and whose contributions were seminal.
"Its stand on the concerns raised in the recent assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra has been shockingly partisan. There will be a lot of self-congratulation today but that will not obscure the fact that the Election Commission as it has been functioning makes a mockery of the Constitution and is an insult to the voters themselves," he wrote on X.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar dismissed the Congress claims of tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections, asserting that the Supreme Court has vouched for the reliability of these devices.
New Delhi, May 12: A massive protest organised by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) broke out near the Shastri Bhawan on Tuesday, against the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG this year. The exam was held on May 3, following which allegations of paper leak surfaced, triggering investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and central agencies. Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, and said the examination will be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately. In a statement, the NTA said the decision was taken with the approval of the Government of India in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.
Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 15.48 lakh traffic violation cases in 2025, with authorities collecting more than Rs 34.17 crore as penalty under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha in response to a question raised by MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal. According to the official data, 15,48,525 challans were issued across the Union Territory in 2025, while the penalty amount recovered stood at Rs 34,17,36,740. The figures further show that in 2024, a total of 15,44,105 violations were registered with a penalty collection of around Rs 43.40 crore, while in 2023, 12,38,584 challans were issued and Rs 34.56 crore was collected. For the current year, till February 8, 2026, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 1,63,531 traffic violation cases, with revenue collection of about Rs 2.11 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 are aimed at ensuring better compliance and deterrence. It also said that traffic enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of States and Union Territories. The government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for electronic monitoring and is promoting technology-driven enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras integrated with the VAHAN database. Awareness campaigns under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan are also being carried out to improve road safety.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. “Hundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,” said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the faculty’s demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. “We are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,” he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. “The irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,” he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for “equal work, equal pay” gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. “Promises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,” he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. “This issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Jammu, March 10: J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Tuesday chaired a meeting to review the status of vacancies and the progress of recruitments being undertaken through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) across various departments of the Union Territory. The meeting was attended by the concerned Administrative Secretaries, Chairperson JKSSB, Secretary JKPSC and other concerned representatives from different departments. While reviewing the progress, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for expeditious filling of all critical vacancies to strengthen governance and improve public service delivery. He called upon all Administrative Secretaries to hold regular follow-up meetings with their departments and recruitment agencies to ensure that pending issues are resolved and vacancies are filled at the earliest. He emphasized that timelines fixed for ongoing recruitment drives must be strictly adhered to, and directed that all posts received by the recruiting agencies should be advertised without delay. The Chief Secretary further advised the recruiting agencies to prepare and publish examination calendars simultaneously, enabling aspirants to have clarity regarding the schedule of examinations and adequate time to prepare. During the review, the Chief Secretary also took note of several bottlenecks affecting certain recruitments in JKPSC and JKSSB. He examined each issue in detail and directed the concerned departments to issue necessary clarifications and resolve procedural hurdles immediately so that the recruitment process is not delayed. Observing that prolonged recruitment cycles often create uncertainty for job aspirants, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance of conducting recruitment within a defined timeframe. He noted that a predictable recruitment cycle would allow applicants to plan their careers better and reduce anxiety among candidates. During the meeting, the Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), M.Raju presented a comprehensive overview of vacant posts across government departments. The data revealed that a total of 40,661 posts are currently vacant in different departments, including 3,808 Gazetted, 24,507 Non-Gazetted, and 12,351 Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) posts. Among major departments, Health & Medical Education accounts for a significant share of vacancies with 2,497 Gazetted, 8,088 Non-Gazetted and 2,712 MTS posts, while other departments with substantial vacancies include Agriculture Production, Power Development, Finance, Revenue, Forest, Public Works (R&B) and Youth Services & Sports. While reviewing the recruitment being undertaken by the JKSSB for Non-Gazetted and MTS posts the Chairperson SSB, Vikas Kundal revealed that since 2019 the Board has received 46,744 posts, out of which 9,260 were withdrawn, leaving 37,484 posts for recruitment. The Board has already completed selections for 32,956 posts, including 27,449 selections pertaining to this period. He further added that at present, 10,035 posts remain under different stages of recruitment with JKSSB. These include 2,532 posts yet to be advertised, 4,768 posts at the examination stage, 1,258 at the selection stage, and 1,477 posts under live advertisements awaiting completion of the recruitment process. Meanwhile the Secretary, JKPSC, Bashir Ahmad Dar apprised the meeting about the status of posts referred to the JKPSC for recruitment. He divulged that at present, 1,745 Gazetted posts are under process with the Commission out of these, against 1,573 posts selection schedule has already been drawn, while 172 posts are yet to be scheduled due to certain procedural issues. He also gave out that a recruitment timeline has been worked out by the Commission for filling these posts. As per the schedule, 630 selections are targeted for completion by March 2026, 476 during April–May 2026, 158 during June–July 2026, and 309 during August–September 2026. Additionally department-wise analysis shows that the highest number of posts with JKPSC pertains to Health & Medical Education (872 posts) followed by School Education (470 posts), General Administration (170 posts) and Higher Education (129 posts), among others. The meeting was informed that all departments have shared the latest status of advertised posts, vacant positions and posts proposed to be referred to recruiting agencies. It was resolved that all clear vacancies without legal or procedural issues will be referred to the respective recruiting agencies at the earliest for timely recruitment.
Jammu, Jan 18: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Youth Services & Sports, Information Technology, ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma Sunday said that the remarkable achievements of Jammu and Kashmir’s youth are a powerful testament to what can be accomplished through fair opportunities, modern infrastructure and unwavering government support. Addressing the gathering during the SRIJAN initiative conference, the Minister stated that the success of young athletes clearly demonstrates that with the right ecosystem in place, the UT youth are capable of overcoming every challenge and competing confidently at national and international platforms. Highlighting the core focus areas of the SRIJAN programme, Satish Sharma said "the initiative is playing a transformative role in strengthening the sports landscape of the Union Territory by expanding grassroots sports infrastructure across Jammu, Kashmir and other regions. This is being done by ensuring transparent, merit-based selections free from any bias; integrating sports with education and skill development; promoting greater participation of girls and enhancing inclusivity and establishing sports as a dignified and sustainable career option with viable livelihood opportunities, he said0. He reaffirmed the government’s firm commitment and said that sustained efforts were underway to create international-standard sports facilities, including modern cricket stadiums in Jammu and Srinagar. He also highlighted the strengthening of Khelo India Centres, promotion of traditional sports such as Dangal and enhanced collaboration with the Union Ministry to transform Jammu & Kashmir into a national sports hub. “As Sports Minister, I assure our athletes that the government stands firmly with them. Our focus is not only on infrastructure creation but also on nurturing talent, discipline and confidence among the youth,” he said. The Minister lauded the determination, resilience and dedication of young sportspersons, describing them as the living legacy of the SRIJAN mission. He urged them to continue training with passion, remain disciplined and dream fearlessly, assuring them of full institutional support at every step of their journey. Satish Sharma expressed hope that the conference would serve as the foundation of a new era where every talented child, from the mountains of Kashmir to the plains of Jammu, is provided an equal opportunity to shine on the global stage. He concluded by reiterating the government’s resolve to make sports a powerful vehicle for youth empowerment, social inclusion and regional pride in Jammu and Kashmir. Director General, Youth Services and Sports, Anuradha Gupta and prominent persons from different fields and states along with senior officers of the Youth Services and Sports Department, were also present on the occasion.
New Delhi, June 23: Google restored instant messaging app Telegram on Tuesday morning as a temporary ban imposed by the government ended in the midnight of June 22. The platform was accessible to some existing users before Google restored it. The app continued to remain delisted on Apple's Appstore till around 10 am. An emailed query sent to Apple did not elicit an immediate response in this regard. The government had temporarily imposed a blanket ban on Telegram until June 22 and sources indicated that there is no change or extension of timelines in the order. The government had ordered the ban on Telegram following its failure to prevent the circulation of fake examination papers of NEET, dissemination of misleading information and other fraudulent activities that impacted the examination process. Before imposing the ban, government officials met Telegram representatives on June 3 where these concerns were flagged. Thereafter, the Centre decided to block the app and its associated web links, including the web version, till June 22. Telegram has also been directed to block its message editing feature till June 30. The NEET re-examination was conducted on June 21 and so far there has been no report of any fraudulent activity. Telegram Founder and CEO Pavel Durov had criticised India's IT ministry for banning Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. He alleged that Reliance, in which Meta has a partial stake, may have lobbied, along with its competitor WhatsApp, to impose the ban on the company's app in the country.
New Delhi, Jun 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress on Monday for decades of unabated Maoist violence in the country and said the hands of those who are waving the Constitution now were trembling then. Addressing the "Republic Summit 2026" here, Modi also said Bharat is not only a fast-growing economy, but also a credible and reliable global power and the country is scripting the future of the next 1,000 years. He said the previous Congress governments had labelled Naxal-affected areas as backward regions but the NDA government undertook the challenge of transforming those areas, helping the people there rise above despair and igniting their aspirations for progress. To reflect this new approach, Modi said his government renamed those areas as aspirational districts and blocks and today, these aspirational districts and blocks are driving the growth of those regions. He said a significant proportion of the population in these regions lived in poverty but over the last few years, 25 crore people have overcome poverty, with aspirational districts playing a crucial role in this achievement and those areas that were once affected by Naxalism are seeing new rays of development now. The prime minister said even in the 21st century, terrorists had prevented any facility from being established in the tribal areas. He added that even a government vehicle could not pass through as it would be riddled with bullets. Governments came and went, generations came and went and it seemed that this misfortune of violence would persist just like that, Modi said. "Between 2004 and 2014, more than 17,000 violent incidents occurred due to Maoist terrorism and nearly 7,000 lives were lost. After 2014, we moved forward with the resolve of Nation First to change the situation. "Today, Maoist terrorism in the country is counting its final breaths. This became possible because it required total dedication. Today, those who are waving the Constitution, their hands were trembling to even show the Constitution then," he said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been seen carrying a copy of the Constitution for different occasions, including while taking oath as an MP after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Srinagar, May 14: Jammu and Kashmir Health and Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Thursday called for a transparent investigation into the alleged ‘NEET-UG paper leak’ incident. The minister said all those involved in the fraud must face strict punishment, irrespective of their influence or position. Talking to reporters, Sakina Itoo said the alleged fraud has deeply affected students who worked tirelessly for years to qualify one of the country’s most competitive examinations. “This is unfortunate because children work very hard and put immense effort into qualifying this examination,” she said. She said any malpractice in such examinations amounts to playing with the future and careers of deserving students. “The investigation should be conducted properly and in a transparent manner. Whoever is involved should face strict action and severe punishment,” she said. Responding to a question regarding downsizing of government vehicles and related measures announced by the administration, the minister said everyone should contribute if any step helps reduce the country’s problems. “If there is any problem in the country and if we can help in reducing it in any way, then we should also play our role,” she said. Asked about reports of a possible shift to virtual education in view of recent developments, the minister said no such decision has been taken so far.
