Rajya Sabha on Thursday reconstituted its panel of vice-chairpersons, nominating six members drawn from the BJP, Congress, AIADMK, and BJD, with effect from April 15.

The reconstituted panel comprises Dinesh Sharma, S Phangnon Konyak, and Ghanshyam Tiwari from the BJP; Phulo Devi Netam from the Congress; M. Thambidurai from the AIADMK; and Sasmit Patra from the BJD.

Members of the panel are called upon to preside over the House when both the Chairman and Deputy Chairman are absent. While in the chair, they exercise the same powers as the Chairperson in conducting proceedings — maintaining order, regulating debate, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the House during sittings.

Unlike the Deputy Chairman, who holds a standing constitutional office, members of the vice-chairperson panel do not occupy a permanent position and preside on a rotational basis as required. (Agencies)

The Punjab Police on Thursday claimed to have busted a terror module backed by Pakistan’s ISI with the arrest of one person and recovery of four hand grenades.

In a joint operation of the State Special Operations cells of Amritsar and Mohali, the Counter Intelligence Wing of the Punjab Police also recovered two foreign-made pistols along with ammunition, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused was acting on the instructions of foreign-based handlers and has links with the terror module involved in the recent grenade attack in Chandigarh, Yadav said in a post on X.

An FIR has been registered at Police Station State Special Operation Cell in Amritsar, the DGP said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify, track and apprehend other members of the module. (AGENCIES)

The ISRO has successfully carried out the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for its ambitious Gaganyaan at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh.

The test is a critical milestone aimed at ensuring the safe recovery of the crew module — the capsule designed to carry astronauts — during re-entry and landing phases of the mission.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh congratulated ISRO on the successful accomplishment, highlighting that the Gaganyaan mission is scheduled for its first human spaceflight next year.

The IADT-02 follows the earlier successful test conducted on August 24, 2025, at the same facility. Air drop tests simulate the final stage of a spacecraft’s return to Earth by releasing a module from an aircraft or helicopter to evaluate system performance under different scenarios.

These tests assess crucial parameters such as parachute deployment in case of mission abort, system reliability even if a parachute fails, and the module’s orientation and stability during splashdown.

During the first test, a 4.8-tonne dummy crew module was dropped from a height of approximately three kilometres using a Chinook helicopter. A complex parachute system consisting of 10 parachutes was deployed, ensuring the module slowed down to a safe landing speed.

The successful completion of IADT-02 marks another significant step forward in India’s journey towards achieving human spaceflight capability.

Justice Yashwant Varma has tendered his resignation to Droupadi Murmu amid ongoing impeachment proceedings linked to the alleged recovery of burnt currency notes from his official residence.

According to sources, the resignation letter, dated April 9, conveyed his decision to step down with immediate effect. In his communication, Justice Varma stated that he did not wish to burden the President’s office with the reasons behind his decision but expressed “deep anguish” while resigning from his position at the Allahabad High Court.

The controversy stems from an incident on March 14 last year, when wads of burnt currency notes were reportedly found at his official residence in New Delhi. Following the episode, Justice Varma was repatriated from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court.

The development comes in the backdrop of impeachment proceedings initiated against him, marking a significant moment in the judiciary. Further action in the matter is expected to follow as per constitutional provisions.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has opposed the plea filed by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other accused seeking the recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma from hearing matters related to the alleged liquor policy case.

In its response before the Delhi High Court, the agency stated that attending a legal seminar organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad does not indicate any ideological bias or association. The CBI argued that such events are routinely attended by members of the judiciary, including judges of the Supreme Court of India.

The agency termed the allegations made by Kejriwal and others as “unscrupulous” and “baseless,” asserting that they were an attempt to undermine the authority of the judiciary and interfere with the administration of justice. It further stated that such claims could amount to contempt of court.

Kejriwal, along with AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak, had sought the judge’s recusal citing apprehensions regarding impartiality. The plea also pointed out that Justice Sharma had earlier ruled against the accused in related proceedings.

Rejecting these grounds, the CBI maintained that judicial decisions cannot be used as a basis to allege bias and described the recusal request as an instance of “forum shopping.” It emphasized that the judge was assigned the roster for cases involving MPs and MLAs by the Chief Justice, which cannot be altered merely on the request of an accused.

The agency also warned that accepting such arguments would set a dangerous precedent, potentially forcing multiple judges to recuse themselves in politically sensitive cases. It stressed that recusal must remain an exception and be exercised cautiously to safeguard judicial independence.

The matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 13.

The Supreme Court of India has expressed serious concern over the alarming rise in child trafficking cases across the country, warning that the situation could spiral out of control if immediate action is not taken by States and Union Territories.

A bench comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice K V Viswanathan, while hearing a plea on Wednesday, observed that organised gangs are actively operating nationwide. The court emphasized that while judicial monitoring is possible, the primary responsibility lies with state governments, police authorities, and administrative agencies.

The bench expressed dissatisfaction over the “lackadaisical” approach of several states and UTs in implementing its April 15, 2025 judgment, which aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks. The judgment had mandated completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis, strengthening of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs), and improved investigation standards.

The court had also directed the formation of state-level committees to monitor trafficking-prone areas and instructed authorities to treat all missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.

Highlighting poor compliance, the bench noted that states including Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab have failed to submit reports in the prescribed format. The court termed some of the submitted compliance reports as “nothing but an eye wash.”

When the Home Secretary of Madhya Pradesh tendered an apology, the court granted a final opportunity but warned that continued non-compliance would result in states being officially labelled as “defaulting.”

The bench further observed that at least 15 states are yet to constitute review committees required to identify and monitor vulnerable areas. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on April 29.

The Supreme Court reiterated that strong political and administrative will is essential to effectively combat child trafficking and safeguard vulnerable children across the country.