A look at the headlines right now:

  1. SC asks Centre for files related to appointment of Arun Goel as Election Commissioner: Goel was appointed to the post on November 19, a day after he was given voluntary retirement from service as a bureaucrat. The top court has said the government has hindered the Election Commission’s independence.
  2. Assam forest office, two vehicles in Meghalaya torched after police shooting: BJP’s North East Democratic Alliance has failed the region, the Congress has said after five civilians died in the shooting.
  3. Congress leader files petition asking SC to review 10% EWS quota: Jaya Thakur argued that the quota violates Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution as OBCs, SCs and STs cannot seek the benefits of the reservation.
  4. Shraddha Walkar murder gets media spotlight but these recent intimate partner violence cases did not: The National Crime Records Bureau listed ‘love affairs’ as the motive for murder in 1,566 cases in 2021.
  5. Waiting period for US tourist visa appointment reaches over 900 days in India: The US Department of State had said that it is ‘successfully lowering’ visa interview wait times worldwide, following closures during the pandemic.
  6. India made second-highest requests for user data from Meta, shows transparency report: Earlier this month, Facebook’s oversight panel raised concerns about content being removed against the Community Standards on the request of government bodies.
  7. Satyendar Jain approaches court to restrain media from broadcasting Tihar jail footage: The development came hours after the BJP tweeted CCTV visuals from Jain’s cell, which showed him eating.
  8. US panel says religious freedom is threatened in India: The commission reiterated its recommendation from April that the United States government should designate India as a ‘country of particular concern’.
  9. Azam Khan granted bail in 2019 hate speech case: On October 27, the Samajwadi Party leader was sentenced to three years in jail for making remarks about Chief Minister Adityanath.
  10. BJP suspends 12 rebel leaders for contesting against party ahead of Gujarat elections: On November 20, the party had suspended seven of its leaders for filing nominations as independent candidates for the first phase of the polls.
  11. Mangaluru autorickshaw blast case to be formally handed over to NIA soon, say Karnataka Police: The blast took place on November 17 inside a moving autorickshaw leaving two persons injured, including the accused man identified as Shariq.