THE HEADLINES:-
- Election campaigning gains momentum for Bihar assembly polls; Tomorrow is last day for withdrawal of nominations for second and final phase.
- Centre notifies a key amendment to Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability Regulation Order, 2011; Aims to bring regulation and transparency across edible oil sector.
- NHRC seeks detailed reports from Kerala, Manipur and Tripura in the matter of reported attacks on journalists at different places.
- A Belgian court approves extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to India in connection with 13,500-crore rupee Punjab National Bank fraud case.
- In Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup, England set a target of 245 runs before Australia in Indore.
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Campaigning for Bihar Assembly elections has gained momentum as several leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Grand Alliance held election rallies and meetings today. Our correspondent has filed this report:
Janata Dal (United) national president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addressed public meetings in Kateya, Raghunathpur, and Barharia in Gopalganj and Siwan districts.
Addressing a rally in Kateya in Gopalganj, the JD(U) Chief said that if the NDA returns to power, the dream of making Bihar a developed state will be fulfilled.
Meanwhile, BJP senior leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, while addressing a rally in Gayaji, said that the formation of a double-engine government of the NDA at both the Centre and the State would pave the way for further development of Bihar.
He also addressed rallies in Banka.
Chirag Paswan, the president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Union Minister, addressed a public meeting in Parbatta in Khagaria. He claimed that the Golden period of Bihar will again return if NDA voted to power.
RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav claimed that if Grand Alliance is voted to power the Jeevika Didis and contractual workers will be regularized as permanent government servants.
On the other hand, Congress poll observer and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the Grand Alliance is completely united.
Congress Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru alleged that the BJP and JD(U) leaders are trying to misled people and they should answer about the questions of employment, migration and poor condition of education. Dharmendra Kumar Rai, Akashvani News Patna.
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In the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, tomorrow is the last day for withdrawal of nominations for 122 constituencies. Voting will be held on 11th November across 122 assembly constituencies spread over 20 districts. Meanwhile, in the Mohania (Reserved) constituency of Kaimur district, the nomination papers of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Shweta Suman were cancelled today after her Scheduled Caste certificate was found invalid. In the Valmiki nagar Assembly constituency of West Champaran district the nomination papers of Drig Narayan Prasad, the Jan Suraj Party candidate, were also cancelled as he failed to resign from government teacher post before filing his nomination. Voting will be held in both these constituencies in the second phase.
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The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has notified a key amendment to the Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability (Regulation) Order, 2011 (VOPPA Order). The Ministry, in a statement, said that the amended VOPPA Order, 2025, aims to bring greater regulatory oversight and transparency across the edible oil sector in India.
As per the amended order, it is now mandatory for all edible oil manufacturers, processors, blenders, and other stakeholders to register and submit monthly production and stock returns through the designated online portal. According to the Consumer Affairs Ministry the regulatory enhancement is a crucial step in ensuring accurate data collection, real-time monitoring, and improved policy intervention in the edible oil sector. It underlined that the non-compliance with the amended order will be treated as a violation, and units failing to register or submit their returns will face penal action. The Department is also planning to initiate inspection drives and field verification of non-compliant units. These checks are intended to reinforce the seriousness of compliance and maintain the integrity of the national data ecosystem for the edible oil sector. With Anand Kumar, Rohan for Akashvani News Delhi
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Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2025 to amend the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules – IT Rules, 2021. These amendments strengthen the framework of due diligence obligations of intermediaries under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The Ministry added that specifically, the amendments to Rule 3(1)(d) provide additional safeguards to ensure that removal of unlawful content by intermediaries is carried out in a transparent, proportionate and accountable manner. Under this Rule, intermediaries are required to remove unlawful information upon receiving actual knowledge either through a court order or notification from the Appropriate Government. According to the Ministry, the amended Rules will come into effect from the 1st of next month.
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The National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC) India, has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of Kerala, Manipur and Tripura in the matter of reported attacks on journalists at different places, calling for detailed reports on the matter within two weeks. Reportedly, in all the three cases, the victims were hospitalised for treatment and cases were registered by the police. Taking suo moto cognizance of media reports, the Commission has asked the DGP of the following state to intimate the present status of investigation in the case and the steps taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.
The NHRC has also issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and DGP of Gujarat over the reported death of a differently-abled RTI activist. Reportedly, the victim’s body was found in a canal on the 14th of this month after being abducted on the 12th from an area near his residence in Gujarat’s Tharad district. Taking suo moto cognisance of a media report, the Commission has called for a detailed report within two weeks.
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A Belgian court in Antwerp has approved the extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to India in connection with the 13,500-crore rupee Punjab National Bank fraud case. The court upheld the legality of his arrest by Belgian authorities, marking a key advance in India’s pursuit of the absconding jeweller. Choksi had argued in court that he was allegedly abducted from Antigua and faced the threat of political persecution and inhumane treatment in India but the court found no concrete evidence to support those claims.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that Operation Sindoor witnessed extraordinary jointness and integration among the three Services. He added that it also reaffirmed the Government’s resolve to devise coordinated, adaptive and preemptive defence strategies to deal with the challenges arising out of the changing world order and evolving methods of warfare. Mr Singh made these remarks while addressing a book launch in New Delhi. This book is titled ‘Civil-Military Fusion as a Metric of National Power and Comprehensive Security’, written by Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd).
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The Union Home Ministry’s High Powered Committee today held talks with leaders of Ladakh over various issues in New Delhi. This was the first formal dialogue on key issues since violence hit the union territory last month. A dialogue mechanism has been established with Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance through the Home Ministry’s High Powered Committee on Ladakh. Speaking to media after the meeting, Member of Kargil Democratic Alliance Sajjad Hussain Kargili said, their demand for the past six years has been democracy in Ladakh and a solution for this is statehood. He said, this issue can not be resolved in one or two meetings and the process is ongoing.
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The GST Bachat Utsav kicked off on 22nd September as the Narendra Modi government slashed GST rates in many sectors, benefitting citizens across the country. Today, our correspondent brings a report on how the new GST rates in healthcare sector are helping citizens.
In order to provide major relief to the common man the government has made significant tax reduction in the healthcare sector. Under the next generation GST reforms the government has waived off taxes on 36 life saving drugs used for the treatment of cancer and severe chronic diseases. This move has lowered the costs for policyholders and encouraged wider insurance coverage across the country. Similarly, Under GST 2.0, essential medicines and medical equipment like gauze, bandages, diagnostic kits, glucometers and thermometers have been reduced from 12 percent to 5 percent. Along with this, the taxes on Health and life insurance premiums, which previously attracted 18 per cent, have also been made tax-free. This rationalisation in healthcare has brought down treatment costs for patients and is benefitting people from the Middle Class and Lower Middle Class families. Talking to the Media, Kamal Gurung, a consumer, has said that medicines have become more affordable after GST reforms and has helped people to save on medical expenses.
These significant tax reductions under the new GST is strengthening the healthcare system across the nation, by lowering the cost of medical services for the people. With Arzoo, Rohan, for Akashvani News, Delhi.
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Indian Railways will run one thousand and 500 Special Trains over the next five days to cater to Chhath festival rush with an average of 300 special trains per day. These trains will be operated in addition to the regular train services. Ministry of Railways in a statement said that for the upcoming Chhath Puja and ongoing Diwali season this year, Indian Railways is running a robust special train schedule to manage the festive travel rush.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red colour warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall over Andhra Pradesh, North Tamil Nadu, South Interior Karnataka and Kerala for tomorrow. The IMD predicted heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Kerala, Mahe, Konkan, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, South Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal for the next two days. Talking to Akashvani News, senior scientist in MET department, Dr. R. K. Jenamani said that heavy to very heavy rainfall will continue over North, Interior and Coastal Tamilnadu and South Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, a low pressure area over SouthWest Bay of Bengal off Tamilnadu Coast moved further northwestwards and lay over the same region.
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In Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup, chasing a target of 245 runs set by England, Australia were 210 for 4 in 37.2 overs in Indore, when reports last came in.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Election campaigning gains momentum for Bihar assembly polls; Tomorrow is last day for withdrawal of nominations for second and final phase.
- Centre notifies a key amendment to Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability Regulation Order, 2011; Aims to bring regulation and transparency across edible oil sector.
- NHRC seeks detailed reports from Kerala, Manipur and Tripura in the matter of reported attacks on journalists at different places.
- A Belgian court approves extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to India in connection with 13,500-crore rupee Punjab National Bank fraud case.
- In Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup, England set a target of 245 runs before Australia in Indore.
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