New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9.15 PM: NATION DEL84 CAB-LD CENSUS (7.01 PM)

Cabinet nod for Census 2027; Rs 11,718 cr sanctioned, 30 lakh enumerators to be involved New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Friday approved Rs 11,718 crore for conducting the Census of India, 2027, which would include the caste enumeration for the first time.

DEL67 CAB-COAL (5.38 PM)

Govt approves CoalSETU for auction of coal linkages without end-use restrictions New Delhi: The government on Friday approved the 'CoalSETU' window for the auction of coal linkages for diverse industrial uses and exports to ensure fair access and optimal utilisation of the resource.

DEL72 CAB-EDUCATION-LD BILL (6.07 PM)

Bill to set up single higher education regulator gets Cabinet nod New Delhi: A bill to set up a higher education regulator which will replace bodies such as the UGC and AICTE was approved by the Union Cabinet on Friday, officials said.

DEL77 CAB-NUCLEAR (6.16 PM)

Cabinet nod for Bill seeking to open up civil nuclear sector for private participation New Delhi: The government on Friday approved a Bill that seeks to open up the tightly-controlled civil nuclear power sector for private participation as India eyes 100 GW atomic energy capacity by 2047.

DEL94 CAB-MGNREGA (8.04 PM)

Cabinet clears Bill to rename MGNREGA as 'Poojya Bapu Grameen Rozgar Yojna' New Delhi: The Union cabinet on Friday approved a Bill to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and increase the number of work days, sources said.

DEL75 ENV-FOREST-STRATEGIC FACILITY (6.09 PM)

Govt nod for forest diversion in Assam for strategic underground weapon storage facility New Delhi: The central government has recommended in-principle approval for diversion of 299 hectares of reserved forest in Assam for a tunnel-based underground weapon storage facility, saying the project carries "strategic importance" amid the "changing geopolitical environment in the eastern theater and the associated instability".

DEL100 LSQ-NADDA-DRUGS (9.03 PM)

Over 3,000 drug samples declared not of standard quality in 2024-25: Nadda New Delhi: Of the 1.16 lakh drug samples tested in 2024-25, 3,104 were declared not of standard quality while 245 were found to be spurious or adulterated, Union Health Minister J P Nadda told the Lok Sabha on Friday.

DEL98 CONG-GOGOI (8.19 PM)

Cong would've won Haryana, Maharashtra & Bihar had electoral field been fair: Gogoi New Delhi: Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Friday said had the electoral field been fair, "we would have won Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar" Assembly polls.

DEL88 CAB-LD INSURANCE-BILL (7.38 PM)

Cabinet approves bill to hike FDI in insurance sector to 100 pc New Delhi: In a bid to expand insurance penetration in the country, the Union Cabinet on Friday approved a bill to raise foreign direct investment in the insurance sector to 100 per cent, according to sources.

DEL93 AVI-INDIGO-LD-FLIGHTS (7.53 PM)

IndiGo operating over 2,000 flights under 'scaled down' schedule Mumbai: IndiGo said it is operating over 2,000 flights on Friday as per its revised "scaled down" schedule.

PAR18 LS-NAIDU-AIRFARES (7.45 PM)

Govt has powers to cap airfares but it is not single-way solution: Aviation Minister Naidu New Delhi: The government has exclusive powers in extraordinary circumstances to cap airfares but it is not a single-way solution, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Friday amid rising concerns over high air ticket prices.

DEL91 NIGHTCLUB-LUTHRAS-EMBASSY (7.51 PM)

Thai authorities initiating process to send back Luthra brothers to India New Delhi: Authorities in Thailand are initiating the process to deport Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, the co-owners of the Goa nightclub where 25 people were killed in a fire on December 6, government sources said on Friday.

DEL80 CAB-LD REPEAL BILL (6.48 PM)

Cabinet nod to repeal 71 laws that outlived utility; most are amendment laws New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Friday cleared a Bill to repeal 71 laws which have outlived their utility in the statute books, officials said.

CAL28 AR-ACCIDENT-BODIES (6.15 PM)

Six bodies recovered so far from site of Arunachal accident, many still missing Itanagar: Six bodies were retrieved on Friday from the deep gorge in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district, where a mini-truck on which 22 people from Assam were travelling fell, police said.

CAL30 AN-SHAH-SAVARKAR (6.56 PM)

Savarkar never given recognition he deserves for efforts to eradicate untouchability: Shah Sri Vijaya Puram: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said VD Savarkar was never given the recognition he deserved for his efforts to eradicate untouchability in the country.

DEL66 LSQ-MEA-ARUNACHAL (5.36 PM)

Issue of detention of Indian citizen at Shanghai airport taken up strongly with Chinese side: Govt New Delhi: The government on Friday informed Parliament that it has strongly taken up with Beijing the issue of detention of an Arunachal Pradesh woman at Shanghai airport recently and has also reiterated its position to the Chinese side that the state is an "integral and inalienable part of India" and this is an "indisputable fact".

DEL68 LSQ-DEF-LAND (5.39 PM)

* Of 18 lakh acres of defence land across country, 11,152 acres under encroachment: Govt New Delhi: Out of around 18 lakh acres of defence land across the country, about 11,152 acres is under encroachment, the Centre informed the Parliament on Friday.

DEL78 RSQ-RAIL-SAFETY (6.19 PM)

Only 11 train accidents till November in 2025-26 as safety accorded highest priority: Vaishnaw New Delhi: The number of train accidents has come down significantly from 135 in 2014-15 to 11 in 2025-26 till November as safety is accorded the highest priority, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written statement in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

DEL82ENV-POLLUTION-EXPERT PANEL (6.54 PM)

CAQM sets up expert panel to tackle vehicular pollution in Delhi-NCR New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management has set up a 15-member expert committee to tackle vehicular pollution in Delhi-NCR, saying that such emissions remain a major contributor to air pollution in the region.

DEL85 CPIM-BRITTAS-EMIGRATION (7.01 PM)

CPI(M) MP says Overseas Mobility Bill clause may lead to differential treatment in emigration New Delhi: CPI(M) MP John Brittas on Friday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, expressing concerns over a clause in the draft Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2025, which may inadvertently "lead to differential treatment".

DEL87 CAPFS-HOME-EVICTION (7.39 PM)

CAPF jawans stare at penalties, eviction from their homes due to 2017 policy; plan to move SC New Delhi: Hit by penalties and a near possibility of eviction of their families, hundreds of CAPF personnel -- deployed in hard duty areas hit by Naxalism, terrorism and insurgency -- have decided to petition the Supreme Court and the Union home ministry for succour, officials said on Friday.

BOM25 MH-LOCAL POLLS-MAHAYUTI (6.57 PM)

Mahayuti allies to contest civic elections in Mumbai, elsewhere together: Maharashtra BJP chief Nagpur: Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan on Friday said the ruling parties in the state will contest the coming municipal corporation and local body elections as part of the Mahayuti alliance.

MDS22 KA-SHIVAKUMAR-MLA (5.01 PM)

Shivakumar will become CM after ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature: Cong MLA Belagavi (Karnataka): Karnataka Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain on Friday claimed that D K Shivakumar will become the chief minister after the ongoing winter session of the state legislature here.

MDS26 KA-MEKEDATU-PROJECT-ORDER (R) (8.03 PM)

Karnataka govt issues order to constitute team to expedite Mekedatu project Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Friday said it has issued an order to form a team under the leadership of KERS Director K G Mahesh to expedite the Mekedatu dam works in view of "the favourable Supreme Court order".

DEL96 EC-SIR-OBSERVERS (8.12 PM)

EC deploys SIR observers in 8 states New Delhi: Seeking to ensure greater transparency, the Election Commission has deployed 'special roll observers' in eight states to oversee the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

CAL35 WB-BLO-LD PROTEST (7.55 PM)

Bengal BLOs stage protest outside CEO office, demand to know why SIR phase-1 deadline not extended Kolkata: A section of booth-level officers (BLOs) on Friday protested outside the CEO's office here, demanding to know why the EC refused to extend the deadline of the first-phase of SIR in West Bengal, despite granting similar relaxations to six other states and a Union territory.

CAL31 AS-ZUBEEN-CHARGE SHEET-3RDLD MURDER (6.57 PM)

Zubeen's secy, festival organiser among 4 accused charged with singer's murder in SIT charge sheet Guwahati: The Special Investigation Team, probing the death of Zubeen Garg, charged four accused, including the singer's secretary Siddhartha Sharma and festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, with murder in the charge sheet filed in a court here on Friday.

CAL33 SK-ASSEMBLY-RESOLUTION (7.31 PM)

Sikkim assembly okays tribal status recommendation to 12 'left-out' communities Gangtok: The assembly on Friday passed a resolution ratifying the final report of the Sikkim State High-Level Committee (SSHLC), which had recommended granting tribal status to 12 'left-out' communities.

CAL36 WB-SIR-VOTERS-DELETIONS (7.58 PM)

EC releases constituency-wise data on electoral roll deletions in Bengal Kolkata: The Election Commission on Friday released constituency-wise data on deletions from the electoral rolls, a day after the deadline for submitting enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process ended, revealing significant variations across West Bengal.

BUSINESS DEL71 BIZ-LD-INFLATION (6.00 PM)

Retail inflation rises to 0.71 pc in Nov on higher food prices New Delhi: Retail inflation inched up to 0.71 per cent in November, from a record low of 0.25 per cent in the previous month, on rising prices of food items, government data showed on Friday.

DEL81 BIZ-META INDIA-LD APPT (6.51 PM)

Meta India appoints Aman Jain as new public policy head New Delhi: Meta India on Friday named Aman Jain as the new head of public policy, tasking him with steering policy strategy and engagements in a market the US-headquartered social media giant considers strategic.

LEGAL LGD18 EX-JUDGES-IMPEACHMENT-STATEMENT (6.01 PM)

56 ex-judges denounce attempts to impeach Justice G R Swaminathan of Madras HC New Delhi: Fifty-six former judges on Friday issued a statement denouncing the attempt by the DMK to impeach Madras High Court judge Justice G R Swaminathan, saying it was a "brazen attempt to browbeat judges".

LGD20 DL-COURT-BLAST-CUSTODY (6.28 PM)

Red Fort blast case: Delhi court sends 3 doctors, preacher to 12 days jail New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday remanded three doctors and a preacher who were arrested in connection with the November 10 Red Fort blast case to 12 days of judicial custody.

LGD24 NCR-COURT-AKHLAQ (7.16 PM)

Local court to hear on Dec 18 UP govt plea to withdraw Akhlaq lynching case Noida: A fast-track court at Surajpur in Gautam Buddh Nagar has fixed December 18 for hearing the Uttar Pradesh government's application to withdraw the 2015 mob lynching case of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, officials and counsel for the victim's family said on Friday.

LGD17 SC-MUTUAL FUNDS (5.25 PM)

SC refuses to entertain plea concerning mutual funds advertisement campaigns New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea which alleged that advertisement campaigns like 'mutual funds sahi hai' are misleading and create a false impression of assured financial safety in mutual fund investments.

LGD21 SC-CANCER-PIL (6.34 PM)

SC seeks response of Centre, states on PIL for mandatory national notification of cancer New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and all the states on a PIL filed by a renowned doctor seeking a direction to declare cancer a "notifiable disease" across the country to ensure early detection and proper care of patients.

LGD19 SC-EX-RAW OFFICIAL-CASE (6.58 PM)

SC seeks CBI's reply on ex-R&AW official's plea seeking documents in OSA case New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the CBI on a former R&AW official's plea seeking documents relied upon by the probe agency in a trial against him under the Official Secrets Act.

LGD22 SC-LAW-SYMPATHY (6.41 PM)

Principles of law can't be set aside on grounds of sympathy alone: SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said that liability under the Motor Vehicles Act must be established through credible evidence, and the principles of law cannot be set aside on the grounds of sympathy alone.

FOREIGN FGN40 US-INDIA-AI (5.56 PM)

Kwatra invites US industries to partner in India’s AI journey Washington: Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra invited US industries to become valuable partners in India’s AI journey at a roundtable, ahead of the 'India AI Impact Summit 2026' scheduled to be held in New Delhi in February.

FES34 PAK-IRAQ (6.33 PM)

Pak, Iraq agree to deepen security, counterterrorism cooperation Islamabad: Pakistan and Iraq on Friday agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields including security, counterterrorism, and enhanced pilgrim facilitation, state media reported on Friday. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN42 CHINA-INDIA-VISAS-REAX (7.19 PM)

China welcomes India's decision to expedite business visas for Chinese Beijing, Dec 12 (PTI) China on Friday welcomed India's move to speed up approval of business visas to Chinese professionals visiting the country for short periods, describing it as a "positive" step. By K J M Varma

FGN47 CHINA-INDIA-OFFICIALS (8.11 PM)

Officials from India and China hold new round of consultations on bilateral ties Beijing: Senior officials from the foreign ministries of India and China have held a new round of consultations in Beijing, affirming positive progress in bilateral ties after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in August. By K J M Varma

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