Legendary Telugu filmmaker and actor K Viswanath passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. He was hospitalised for age-related illness at a private hospital in Hyderabad.
In a setback to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena combine in Maharashtra, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi-backed candidates clinched two of the five Legislative Council seats, which were up for grabs in biennial elections from teachers and graduates segments, and appeared poised to bag a third seat also.
The BJP managed to win the Konkan division teachers constituency, while Independent candidate Satyajit Tambe, whose rebellion rocked the state Congress ahead of polls, won the Nashik graduates constituency comfortably. The Nashik graduates constituency, represented by Satyajit Tambe's father Sudhir Tambe for three terms, was in focus due to the former's rebellion.
Satyajit Tambe defeated his nearest rival, independent candidate Shubhangi Patil, who was supported by the MVA, by 29,465 votes. Satyajit Tambe won 68,999 votes, whereas Shubhangi Patil bagged 39,534 votes. Voting for five Council seats - three teachers segments (falling in Nagpur, Konkan and Aurangabad divisions) and two graduates constituencies (Nashik and Amravati divisions) was held on January 30 and counting began on Thursday morning. Teachers and graduates fulfilling certain criteria and enrolled as voters formed the electoral college for these elections.
The Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging the Centre's decision to ban the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
CJI DY Chandrachud has listed the petitions for urgent hearing which will now be heard by bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and MM Sundresh.
Muslim woman can exercise her rights to dissolve a marriage through the 'Khula' procedure by approaching a family court, but cannot do so before private bodies such as a Shariat Council, ruled Madras High Court on Thursday.