J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks that the L-G was working as a 'raja (king)’ and that no developmental work had been done in the UT during the last five years.

Speaking at a media event here, Manoj Sinha said that he would resign if more than 75 per cent of the people do not say that work has been done for the welfare of the public in the last five years.

L-G Sinha said that a secret ballot could be carried out to gauge the public sentiment in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370.

After getting interim bail from a Delhi court, Lok Sabha member Engineer Rashid reached J&K’s Srinagar on Thursday and started his campaign for the Assembly elections right away. He hit out at Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti who have been alleging that Rashid has a pact with Centre.

As he came out of the Srinagar International Airport, Rashid bowed his head on the road as a gesture of thanksgiving to Allah for being able to touch the soil of his home place after remaining in Tihar Jail for five years.

Engineer Rashid was granted interim bail by the Patiala House court till October 2 so that he could participate in the poll campaign for his party, the Awami Itihad Party (AIP).

Talking to reporters here, Rashid said, “This is my land”.

A court here on Wednesday extended till September 25 the judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.

CM Kejriwal was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court through video conferencing from Tihar Jail upon the expiry of previously granted judicial custody.

In a brief hearing, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) assured the court that it would supply the soft copy of the charge sheet to the accused and would provide the hard copy within 3-4 days.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has once again targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the India-China border issue, alleging that the PM didn't handle the neighbouring country well and its troops have occupied 4,000 sq km of land in Ladakh.

The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, who is on a three-day visit to the US, made the remarks on Tuesday during a media interaction at the National Press Club in Washington DC.

When asked whether India under PM Modi managed the China competition well, the Congress leader said: "If you call having Chinese troops in 4,000 square kilometres of our territory handling something well, then maybe we have got Chinese troops occupying land the size of Delhi in Ladakh. I think that's a disaster."

"How would America react if a neighbour occupied 4000 square kilometres of your territory? Would any president be able to get away with saying that he's handled that well? So I don't think PM Modi handled China well at all. I think there's no reason Chinese troops should be sitting in our territory," he added.

Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to incarcerated Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid till October 2.

Engineer Rashid had moved a special application seeking bail in the Patiala House Court, so that he could campaign for candidates of his party, Awami Itihad Party (AIP), given the Assembly elections in J&K.

Additional session’s judge, Chander Jit Singh, while granting interim bail to Engineer Rashid said, “I am granting him bail till October 2, he will have to surrender on October 3.”

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal for appointment of six senior advocates as Additional Solicitor Generals (ASG) in the Supreme Court.

Senior advocates S Dwarakanath, Archana Pathak Dave, Satya Darshi Sanjay, Brijender Chahar, Raghavendra P. Shankar and Rajkumar Bhaskar Thakare (Raja Thakare) were appointed as ASGs for a period of three years, or until further orders, whichever is earlier, as per the notification issued by the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.

In a setback to the BJP in Haryana, Kanwaljit Singh, the candidate announced by the BJP from the Pehowa seat for the Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections, has returned his ticket.

He said that there is resentment among some members of my Sikh family, and that is why I have taken this decision. I will fully support whoever the party gives the ticket to.

The Congress on Monday night released its third list of 19 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress party, which is contesting the three-phased assembly polls in alliance with the National Conference, has fielded state working president Raman Bhalla from RS Pura-Jammu South, Chaudhary Lal Singh from Basohli, and former NSUI chief Neeraj Kundan from Bishnah (SC) seat.

In all, the Congress has declared a total of 34 candidates for the assembly polls beginning September 18.

The Delhi government has issued a notification imposing a ban on firecrackers till January 1, 2025 to mitigate air pollution in winter.

Gopal Rai, Minister for Environment of Delhi, on Monday said, “As part of efforts to keep Delhi’s air clean, a notification has been issued to mitigate pollution caused by firecrackers by banning their use in the winter months. The ban will remain in effect till January 1, 2025, to help curb winter pollution."

The ban also covers online sales and delivery of firecrackers in the national Capital.

Pollution levels in Delhi have steadily decreased over the past 12 months said Gopal Rai and added, "However, pollution during the winter months, particularly in November and December, still peaks significantly."

The Congress attacked the Gujarat government on Monday, accusing it of negligence in handling a mysterious outbreak that has claimed 14 lives in the Lakhpat and Abdasa talukas of Kutch district.

Calling it an epidemic, the Congress stated that despite repeated warnings, the Gujarat government failed to act promptly.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has dispatched 22 medical and surveillance teams to the affected areas. This comes after 14 suspicious deaths, including those of six children, were reported till September 8.

The fatalities have largely been attributed to fever and pneumonia, with patients also experiencing difficulty in breathing.

On Monday the Gujarat Congress criticised the state government’s handling of the crisis, accusing it of negligence.