The Supreme Court addressed the escalating stray dog issue, criticizing civic authorities for neglecting existing regulations. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta highlighted the severity of dog bite incidents and rabies deaths, emphasizing the need for a solution balancing animal welfare and public safety. Senior advocates argued against the order to catch stray dogs, questioning the availability of shelter homes and sterilization efforts, as the court reserves its decision.
The Supreme Court emphasized the need to consider the ground reality in Jammu and Kashmir, citing incidents like Pahalgam, before restoring its statehood. The Centre has been asked to respond within eight weeks to a plea seeking immediate restoration.
The Election Commission has strongly refuted Rahul Gandhi's «vote chori» allegations, deeming them an attack on Indian voters and election staff. Gandhi claimed widespread vote theft in Karnataka, citing duplicate entries and fake addresses. The ECI challenged Gandhi to provide evidence, but Gandhi insists the data is from the Election Commission itself, daring them to deny its accuracy.
The Supreme Court has reserved its order on a plea to stay its earlier directive regarding stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, expressing strong disapproval of local authorities' inaction. The court heard arguments highlighting the severity of dog bite incidents and the need for a resolution, while also considering concerns about the removal of stray dogs from the streets and the lack of adequate shelter facilities.
The US government has declined to comment on the status of Pakistan's F-16 fighter jets during 'Operation Sindoor,' referring inquiries to Islamabad. This stance differs from 2019, when US officials confirmed all F-16s were accounted for after the Balakot strikes.
Following public outcry, Chief Justice B R Gavai intervened after a two-judge bench ordered the removal of all stray dogs from Delhi and NCR. The case has been reassigned to a three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath for rehearing.
Uttarakhand's cabinet approved a stringent amendment to the Freedom of Religion Act, targeting forced conversions with penalties up to life imprisonment and a ₹10 lakh fine. The bill, expected to pass in the upcoming assembly session, increases jail terms and allows arrests without warrants.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested social media influencer Sandeepa Virk for alleged money laundering, following a police case in Mohali. Virk is accused of impersonating law enforcement officers and participating in a Rs 6 crore fraud.
The regulations exclude proposals dedicated exclusively to socially and educationally backward classes, SC/STs and economically weaker sections, proposals in remote, tribal or aspirational districts notified by the competent authorities and courses designed solely for persons with disabilities.
A parliamentary panel has criticized the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for design flaws and over-reliance on builders, leading to premature failures in newly constructed concrete highways. The committee highlighted the indiscriminate shift to concrete roads without proper assessment, resulting in poor quality and wasted funds.
On August 11, a bench of Justices Pardiwala and R Mahadevan took a stern view of the stray dog menace and ordered the Delhi-NCR to start removing stray dogs from all localities within eight weeks and house them in dedicated dog shelters to be set up by civic authorities.
Rahul Gandhi's lawyer filed a statement in a Pune court citing a threat to his life in a defamation case related to remarks against Savarkar, without Gandhi's consent. Gandhi strongly disagreed with the statement, prompting his lawyer to withdraw the application. The complainant, Satyaki Savarkar, alleges Gandhi falsely claimed V.D.
The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) intensified its protest against the Election Commission (EC) and the BJP, accusing them of vote theft. They put up banners labeling the EC as «Vote Chor Commission» outside its Delhi office, following Rahul Gandhi's allegations. They vowed to continue their agitation under the leadership of Gandhi “against vote theft” until the EC provides a digital voter list.
The opposition has been protesting in both Houses of Parliament against the revision of electoral rolls, alleging that the EC's exercise is aimed at «disenfranchising voters» in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections due later this year. They have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses. The ECI published the draft voter list on August 1.
On August 11, a bench of Justices Pardiwala and R Mahadevan took a stern view of the stray dog menace and ordered the Delhi-NCR to start removing stray dogs from all localities within eight weeks and house them in dedicated dog shelters to be set up by civic authorities.
Asaduddin Owaisi, president of AIMIM, has criticised the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's order to close meat shops and slaughterhouses on Independence Day. Owaisi argues that the ban infringes upon citizens' rights to liberty, privacy, livelihood, culture, nutrition, and religion, questioning the connection between eating meat and celebrating independence.
The Supreme Court's order to remove stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and house them in shelters has sparked outrage. Estimates suggest Delhi has up to 10 lakh stray dogs, and activists claim housing them could cost the government ₹10,000 crore.
Opposition parties in India have criticized the appearance of three military officers from Operation Sindoor on a television program. The officers were featured on 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', an entertainment show. Concerns were raised about the appropriateness of discussing a military operation on a private entertainment platform.
At least 14 police personnel were injured after a mob attacked a police team and damaged police vehicles in Assam’s Hojai district on Tuesday, August 12. The incident took place in the Digholbali area, news agency ANI reported.
The Supreme Court has observed that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, requiring 11 documents, is more voter-friendly than the previous summary revision's seven. Despite arguments against excluding Aadhaar, the court highlighted the inclusionary nature of the extensive document list. Petitioners, however, argued that the documents have limited coverage among the population, citing low passport ownership.
BJP has retaliated against Congress's 'vote chori' allegation, asserting that Sonia Gandhi's name appeared on electoral rolls in 1980, before she became an Indian citizen. Amit Malviya highlighted this as a violation of electoral law. Anurag Thakur presented alleged discrepancies in Congress-held constituencies, accusing the party of historical electoral malpractices.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on August 21. This meeting follows increased tariffs imposed by the US on Indian imports. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin. Discussions during that meeting were not disclosed. Putin is expected to visit India before the end of 2025.
