A look at the top headlines of the day:

  1. Sachin Pilot a traitor, cannot be next Rajasthan CM, says Ashok Gehlot: In an interview with NDTV, the chief minister alleged that BJP leaders Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan backed the revolt within Congress led by Pilot in 2020.
  2. Explain criteria to shortlist names for election commissioner’s post, SC tells Centre: The court reserved its judgement on petitions seeking an independent mechanism to appoint election commissioners.
  3. Compensation for Morbi bridge collapse victims abysmally low, says Gujarat High Court: A compensation of Rs 10 lakh should be given to the families who died, the court said, as compared to the Rs 4 lakh announced by the authorities.
  4. DCW issues notice to Jama Masjid after it bans entry of women without their husbands, families: The restriction was imposed as girls and women used the religious site to meet with their dates, the mosque’s Imam claimed.
  5. Assam Police firing along Meghalaya border was unprovoked, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma: The chief minister said that the police could have exercised restrained in the case. The Assam Cabinet has decided to transfer the investigation of the firing to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
  6. Delhi child rights body asks NCERT to remove chapter that “normalises violent masculinity”: The chapter in the Class 9 English textbook depicts women in stereotypical ways and teaches children to accept violence at home, the panel alleged.
  7. Centre holding back crucial documents related to demonetisation, P Chidambaram tells Supreme Court: The Congress leader alleged that neither the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India, nor the Union Cabinet had all information about the move.
  8. Supreme Court launches portal to file online RTI applications: The portal can be used only by Indian citizens to file applications and first appeals on matters related to the top court, under the Right to Information Act.
  9. General Asim Munir appointed Army chief of Pakistan: Munir replaces General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who was appointed to the post in 2016.
  10. China reports 31,444 coronavirus cases in a day, highest since the pandemic broke out: Local administrations in several cities have announced strict lockdowns and mass testing of citizens.