The big news: 12 Patidars in BJP’s latest list for Gujarat elections, and nine other top stories
Other headlines: Hadiya will appear in the Supreme Court today, and Indonesia raised the volcano alert in Bali to the highest level.
A look at the headlines right now:
- BJP, Congress release fresh list of candidates ahead of nomination deadline for Gujarat elections: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani will contest the polls elections independently from Vadgam, and Arvind Kejriwal urged voters to choose any party but the BJP.
- Hadiya has been ‘brainwashed’ and ‘mentally kidnapped’, her father’s lawyer says ahead of SC hearing: The advocate said Hadiya’s family hoped the Supreme Court would agree with the Kerala High Court that she did not have a stable mind.
- Volcano alert raised to highest level in Bali after ‘explosive eruptions’ are heard from Mount Agung: Dozens of flights were delayed or cancelled, and people within 10 km of the mount Agung were told to evacuate.
- Legislature, judiciary and executive must strengthen each other within Constitution’s limits, says Modi: Earlier at the event, the chief justice had refuted the law minister’s claim that the judiciary was encroaching on the domain of the legislature and the executive.
- Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approves bill to award death penalty to rapists of girls aged 12 and below: The Public Safety Bill also proposes capital punishment for convicts of gangrape cases and harsher penalties for stalking, harassing or molesting a woman.
- Violent anti-blasphemy protests end after law minister resigns: The agitators held Zahid Hamid responsible for the amended oath that election candidates must take while they are sworn in.
- Indian Muslims are descendants of Ram, they must help build temple in Ayodhya, says Giriraj Singh: Meanwhile, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader said the construction of the Ram Temple will begin at the disputed site in October 2018.
- Gujarat EC notice to archbishop for letter seeking prayers ‘to save India from nationalist forces’: The Gandhinagar District Election Officer Satish Patel said it was an ‘attempt to misguide voters and confuse the minority community’.
- Filmmakers across India stop shoots for 15 minutes in protest against ‘Padmavati’ agitations: The Indian Films and TV Directors’ Association and 19 other organisations took part in the campaign to protect the right to freedom of expression.
- Work on Shivaji memorial yet to take off, but Maharashtra has already spent Rs 15 crore on it: A response to an RTI query said that the government spent Rs 10 crore on the project report and another Rs 5 crore for the foundation ceremony in 2016.