A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Varsities must be defended as free spaces, says Vice President Hamid Ansari: The rights to dissent and agitate are ingrained in our Constitutional rights, he said while speaking at Punjab University’s 66th convocation ceremony.
  2. Elections should be conducted using ballot papers, says Akhilesh Yadav: The former chief minister alleged that the police department under CM Adityanath’s administration was transferring police personnel from a particular caste.    
  3. Lights across the world will go off to mark Earth Hour: Among the famous buildings taking part are the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, London’s Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and Sydney’s Opera House.
  4. Woman forced to drink acid by attackers who wanted her to drop an eight-year-old gangrape case in UP: The complainant said she was on a train to Lucknow when the assault took place, and that this was not the first time this had happened.
  5. Court frames defamation notice against Arvind Kejriwal and five others in case filed by Arun Jaitley: The court scheduled the next hearing for May 20 after the accused pleaded ‘not guilty’.
  6. Woman forced to drink acid by attackers who wanted her to drop an eight-year-old gangrape case in Uttar Pradesh: The complainant said she was on a train to Lucknow when the assault took place, and that this was not the first time this had happened.  
  7. Subramanian Swamy’s new Bill seeks the death penalty for those who slaughter cows: Among other measures, the BJP leader’s legislation wants the Centre to set up an authority that monitors the animals’ population.
  8. Eight teachers accused of raping 13-year-old over the course of 18 months in Bikaner, say reports: The matter came to light when the girl was diagnosed with blood cancer three months ago.  
  9. Sebi bars Reliance Industries from equity derivative market for a year: The case dates back to 2007, which the company merged its petroleum arm into itself.