Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil on Wednesday called on Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi in New Delhi and sought the Central government’s support for various schemes, keeping in mind the interests of the hill state.

He urged Nadda to provide sufficient funds for expanding and strengthening healthcare facilities at the Dr Radha Krishnan Government Medical College at Hamirpur, the Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College at Nahan, the Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College at Chamba, and Dr Rajender Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda.

He also requested the central assistance for the purchase of modern medical equipment.

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

L-G Manoj Saxena administered the oath of office to Abdullah and his council of ministers at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office to Omar Abdullah along with his council of ministers.

National Conference MLA from Mendhar Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar from Rafiabad, Sakina Itoo from DH Pora and Surinder Kumar Chowdhary were also administered oath by LG Sinha as ministers in Cabinet.

The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday announced that by-elections for four Assembly seats in Punjab will be held on November 13. They are Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (reserved), Gidderbaha and Barnala.

Divulging details, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C. said as per the programme issued for these by-elections, the notification will be issued on October 18. The last date for filing nominations is October 25 and the scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on October 28, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 30.

Sibin C. said voting would take place on November 13, and results will be announced on November 23.

He said with the announcement of the by-elections, the election code of conduct has come into effect in the districts where these constituencies are located: Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Barnala. The code of conduct will remain in force until the completion of the election process till November 25.

The Delhi government on Monday imposed a complete ban on the production, storage, sale and use of firecrackers till January 1, 2025. The measure is part of the city government’s ongoing effort to curb rising air pollution levels during the winter season.

Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai issued instructions regarding the ban. The ban applies to both physical and online sales of firecrackers.

A letter by the Environment Ministry has been sent to the Delhi Police Commissioner to strictly implement the ban.

“The Government of NCT of Delhi has decided to impose Complete Ban on manufacturing, storage, selling (including delivery through online marketing platforms) on all kinds of firecrackers and bursting thereof up to January 1, 2025 in the territory of NCT of Delhi,” the letter said.

After the Finance Ministry flagged Delhi’s revenue deficit projections for the year 2024-25, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Thursday responded by challenging the BJP to show even one state where they govern with a profit.

"BJP governs 22 states. I challenge them to name one where they are in profit. I will present Delhi's accounts, and let the BJP do the same for any state they control," Atishi said during a press conference here on Thursday.

She expressed confidence in Delhi's financial management and promised to present the government's accounts for public scrutiny.

In a key decision at a cabinet meeting, Atishi announced an increase in the MLA fund from Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore annually.

National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah is set to be the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after being unanimously elected as the leader of the legislature party.

The decision to elect Omar Abdullah as the leader was taken in a meeting held at the NC headquarters at the ‘Nawa-e-Subha’ complex in Srinagar city on Thursday. And the party will soon stake its claim to the UT's top post.

NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah, Vice President Omar Abdullah, senior leaders of the party and recently elected MLAs were present in the meeting.

In his first statement after the Congress' debacle in Haryana, Rahul Gandhi said, on Wednesday, that the party will inform the Election Commission of India (ECI) about the complaints concerning the counting process.

He also said the results were being analysed by the party.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha while reacting to his party's shock defeat in the state elections, said in a post on X, "We are analysing the unexpected results of Haryana. We will inform the Election Commission about the complaints coming from many Assembly constituencies."

He said further, “Heartfelt thanks to all the people of Haryana for their support and to our Babbar Sher workers for their tireless hard work. We will continue this fight for rights, for social and economic justice, for truth, and will keep raising your voice.”

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah will become the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said his father and NC chief Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday.

“Omar Abdullah will be the chief minister,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters here when asked who would be the alliance’s CM face.

"People have given their mandate. They have proven that they don't accept the decision that was taken on August 5... Omar Abdullah will be the chief minister," said senior Abdullah.

Omar Abdullah won the Budgam and Ganderbal Assembly seats in Kashmir by big margins.

Even as the BJP improved its tally in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, its UT chief Ravinder Raina lost the Nowhsera Assembly constituency.

National Conference's Surinder Kumar Choudhary won the seat with a margin of 7,819 votes as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) data.

Raina secured 27,250 votes while Choudhary bagged 35,069 votes.

The firebrand BJP leader was seeking to retain his stronghold in the 2024 elections with an even bigger vote share. In 2014, Raina won the seat by defeating Choudhary by a margin of 9,503 votes. Raina had secured 37,374 votes polling a 49.51 per cent vote share.

Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Tuesday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for allegedly betraying the INDIA Bloc and undermining the Congress in Haryana.

Maliwal accused the AAP of entering the Haryana elections with the sole purpose of damaging the Congress Party’s prospects, claiming that this move betrayed the Opposition coalition’s unity.

In a post in Hindi on X on Tuesday, Maliwal said, “The party entered Haryana only to weaken the Congress. It falsely accused me of being a BJP agent, and today it itself is betraying the India Bloc and splitting votes of the INC!”