HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9.15 pm:
    
    NATION
    
    DEL109 EC-LDALL RAHUL
    * Rahul claims proof of poll fraud, BJP-EC 'collusion'; BJP says "calculated deceit", EC asks for signed declaration
    New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday made explosive claims of a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through "collusion" between the BJP and the Election Commission and called it "a crime against the Constitution", as he cited an analysis of voter rolls in a constituency in Karnataka last year. *    

    DEL97 BJP-2NDLD RAHUL-EC
    * Rahul's poll fraud allegation a calculated deceit, Cong's larger conspiracy against democracy: BJP
    New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday termed Rahul Gandhi’s allegation of poll fraud against the Election Commission a “calculated deceit” and accused the Congress of “systematically” attacking constitutional institutions under a larger conspiracy against India's democracy and the Constitution. *
    
    DEL93 DOVAL-LD RUSSIA
    * Ground being prepared for Putin's visit to India
    New Delhi: NSA Ajit Doval has said during his meetings in Moscow that dates for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India are being worked out, according to sources. *    
    
    DEL83 EC - VP ELECTION- 2NDLD NOTIFICATION
    * Notification for vice president's election issued, nomination process begins
    New Delhi: The nomination process for the September 9 poll to elect the next vice president began on Thursday with the Election Commission issuing a notification. *

    DEL88 LD UTTARKASHI
    * 274 rescued as rescue operations gather pace in Uttarkashi, over 60 still missing
    Dehradun: Rescue operations gathered pace on Thursday in the disaster-hit Dharali village in Uttarkashi as weather improved and more than 270 people stranded in different locations in the district were evacuated to safety with the help of IAF's Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters. *
    
    DEL110 NDA 2NDLD VICE PRESIDENT
    * NDA authorises PM Modi, Nadda to pick its VP candidate
    New Delhi: The National Democratic Alliance on Thursday authorised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda to pick the ruling bloc's vice presidential candidate, as the Election Commission kick-started the nomination process for the poll by issuing a notification. *
    
    DEL102 CONG-RAHUL-KHARGE
    * Time to save democracy, Constitution, country: Kharge backs Rahul's 'vote fraud' charge
    New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday backed Rahul Gandhi's allegations on "vote fraud" in Karnataka and said it was time to save democracy and the Constitution as well as the country. *

    DEL80 EC-RAHUL-LD KARNATAKA
    * Share names you believe were wrongfully included, removed from poll roll: Karnataka chief electoral officer to Rahul
    New Delhi: The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka on Thursday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to share the names of electors he claimed were either included or excluded wrongfully from the voters' list of the state along with a signed declaration for the poll authorities to initiate "necessary proceedings" in the matter. *
    
    BOM28 MH-RAHUL-EC-CEO
    * Congress did not object to voter lists ahead of 2024 assembly polls: chief electoral officer
    Mumbai: The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra on Thursday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to submit a signed declaration with the names of ineligible persons allegedly included in voter lists and eligible voters who were excluded, so that necessary action can be taken. *
    
    DEL105 NIA-TRAFFICKING
    * NIA arrests two men for involvement in trafficking youth to US via dunki route
    New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested two accused for involvement in trafficking of youth to the US via the infamous dunki route. *
    
    BOM25 MH-PIGEONS-PROTEST-LODHA
    * Jains had no role in forceful opening of pigeon feeding spot in Mumbai: Minister Lodha
    Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Thursday claimed Jain community members had no role in the protest at a popular pigeon feeding spot in Mumbai, where agitators forcibly removed a tarpaulin cover to offer grains to the birds. *
    
    CAL24 BH-RAHUL-YATRA
    * Rahul to kick-off 'Matdata Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar on Aug 17
    Patna: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be in Bihar later this month to kick-off a fortnight-long ‘Matdata Adhikar Yatra’, aimed at highlighting alleged attempts to deprive people of their right to vote through the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. *

    DEL96 TL-REDDY-BJP
    * 'Insult to Telangana': CM Reddy accuses Centre of 'preventing' meeting with president on reservation
    New Delhi: The Telangana government on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of interfering to prevent a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu on Bills proposing 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes in education, employment, and local body elections in the southern state. *

    PAR17 LS-LD MANIPUR-APPROPRIATION-BILL
    * Lok Sabha passes Rs 30,969 cr Manipur Appropriation Bill
    New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Manipur Appropriation Bill, 2025, authorising the state to spend Rs 30,969 crore for meeting expenditure requirements during the current financial year. *
    
    CAL18 BH-LD TEJASHWI
    * 2 EPIC numbers: Poll authorities faulting me for their mistake, claims Tejashwi
    Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday charged the election authorities in Patna with faulting him for their "own mistake" by sending him a notice on having two EPIC numbers. *

    DEL101 INTERVIEW-SHINDE-UDDHAV
    * Uddhav supping with Congress that insulted Balasaheb: Eknath Shinde
    New Delhi: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday hit out at bete-noire Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of supping with the Congress that had rewarded former chief election commissioner M S Gill, who had "snatched" the voting rights of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. *    
    
    PAR15 RS-LD SHIPPING BILL
    * Parliament passes bill to facilitate cargo shipping along Indian coast
    New Delhi: The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025, which aims to facilitate cargo shipping along the Indian coastline, was passed by Parliament on Thursday, with the Rajya Sabha giving its nod to the bill. *


    
    
    BUSINESS
    
    DEL78 BIZ-TRUMP TARIFF-MEA-SECY
    * No logic behind Trump's 50 pc tariff; talks continue with US: MEA official
    Mumbai: There is no logic or reason behind the Trump administration's "unilateral" move to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports to the US, a senior Indian diplomat said on Thursday. *

    
    
    
    LEGAL
    
    LGD30 SC-STEP MOTHER-PENSION
    * SC urge Centre, IAF to liberalise definition of mother to include step-mother for family pension
    New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday batted for liberal interpretation of word "mother" to include step-mothers too in grant of benefits under social welfare schemes including family pension. *
    
    LGD23 SC-CONSENT-AGE
    * 'Shields minors': Centre defends statutory age of 18 yrs for consent in SC
    New Delhi: The Centre has defended in the Supreme Court the statutory age of consent of 18 years, saying the decision was a "deliberate, well-considered, and coherent" policy choice aimed at shielding minors from sexual exploitation. *
    
    LGD18 SC-PMLA-REVIEW
    * ED can't act like 'crook', must work within four corners of law: SC
    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate cannot act like a "crook" and has to confine itself within the four corners of the law, the Supreme Court on Thursday said as it flagged low conviction rates in cases investigated by the central agency. *

    LGD22 SC-VARMA-CJI
    * Not mere post office, CJI bears responsibility to ensure judiciary transparent: SC
    New Delhi: Defending the Chief Justice of India's authority to act on any judicial misconduct, the Supreme Court on Thursday said he couldn't be "merely a post office" but had the moral responsibility to ensure the judiciary functioned in a transparent, efficient and constitutionally appropriate manner. *
    
    LGD20 SC-2ND LD VARMA
    * SC rejects Justice Varma's plea, says his conduct does not inspire much confidence
    New Delhi: Observing that in-house procedure was scrupulously followed, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma's plea seeking invalidation of an in-house inquiry report finding him guilty of misconduct in the cash discovery row. *
    
    LGD28 DL-HC-FILM FRAUD
    * Delhi HC refuses interim relief to 'Drishyam 2' producer in fraud case
    New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to quash an FIR against Bollywood movie "Drishyam 2" producer Kumar Mangat Pathak in an alleged fraud case related to movie's rights. *
    
    LGD27 DL-HC-RIOTS
    * Delhi riots 2020: Video evidence shows not involved in violence, Devangana Kalita tells HC
    New Delhi: Activist Devangana Kalita on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that there was "video evidence" indicating she had no role in February 2020 riots. *
    
    LGD21 DL-HC-MOVIE
    * Delhi HC reserves order over release of 'Udaipur Files' movie
    New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has reserved its order for later on Thursday over the release of movie "Udaipur Files", which is reportedly based on tailor Kanhaiya Lal murder case. *

    LGB3 MH-HC-YOGI-FILM
    * Why insist on NOC from any authority to certify film 'based on' Adityanath? HC to CBFC
    Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday questioned as to why the censor board was insisting on a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from an authority for clearing a movie purportedly based on the life of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. *

    BOM26 GJ-HC-ASARAM-BAIL
    * Gujarat HC extends temporary bail of Asaram till Aug 21; cites his critical health condition
    Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Thursday extended till August 21 the temporary bail plea of self-styled godman Asaram, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Gandhinagar court in a 2013 rape case. *

    
    
    
    FOREIGN
    
    FGN41 ISRAEL-INDIA-NETANYAHU
    * Netanyahu meets Indian envoy, discusses expanding cooperation in security and economy
    Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday met with India's Ambassador to Israel J P Singh and discussed the expansion of bilateral cooperation, especially on security and economic issues. *
    
    FGN39 RUSSIA-DOVAL-LD SHOIGU
    * Russia's Shoigu meets Doval, says Moscow committed to further active cooperation with India
    Moscow: Russia is committed to further active cooperation with India to form a more just and sustainable world order and ensure the supremacy of international law, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu said Thursday as he met NSA Ajit Doval here. By Vinay Shukla *

    FGN34 IRELAND-INDIANS-ATTACK
    * 6-yr-old Indian-origin girl, hotel worker latest targets of attacks in Ireland
    London: An Indian-origin nurse who has been working in Ireland for eight years is distraught after her six-year-old daughter was attacked by a group of boys while she played outside her home in the city of Waterford. By Aditi Khanna *
    
    

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)