1. BJP to mark one year since abolition of triple talaq as 'Muslim Mahila Adhikar Diwas'
The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to go really big on July 31 and August 1 to celebrate the first year anniversary of the historic passage of Muslim Women's Right Protection Bill, which abolished triple talaq or instant talaq.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs will be commemorating the historic passage of this law today.
2. SC to hear plea against UGC circular on final term exams
An apex court bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan will hear a case on petitions seeking cancellation of final term examinations of colleges amid the COVID-19 crisis. The bench will hear the case through video conferencing and will hear the case next on 31 July.
The petitions seek quashing of guidelines issued by the UGC on 6 July on conducting final-year examinations by 30 September.
More than a dozen students from across India, who have tested COVID-19 positive, have challenged the directive to colleges and universities.
3. Delhi Congress to stage protest against tax hike by SDMC
The Delhi Congress has threatened to protest today against the BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation if the taxes proposed by SDMC are not withdrawn. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Anil Kumar said that SDMC's professional tax violates the BJP's 2017 MCD election manifesto that no new tax will be levied on the people. The Congress alleged that in the 2017 MCD election manifesto, the BJP promised that there will be no new taxes but for the first time the professional tax is being levied in violation of the BJP's promise.
4. ACB team to go to Delhi to serve notices to two Rajasthan MLAs
An ACB team will leave for Manesar and Delhi today to give notices to Rajasthan Congress MLAs Bhanwarlal Sharma and former tourism minister Vishwendra Singh. The MLAs had been sent notices previously on July 20 and July 24 but both failed to respond. The two notices were sent by ACB following the FIR lodged by Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi claiming that the accused were in cahoots with others to topple the state government.
5. Om Prakash to take charge as new chief secretary of Uttarakhand
Additional chief secretary Om Prakash will take charge as the new chief secretary of Uttarakhand today. He replaces outgoing chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh who is retiring today. Om Prakash is a 1987 batch IAS officer and believed to enjoy the confidence of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, having served under him as Secretary, Agriculture, when Rawat was Agriculture Minister under BC Khanduri and then RP ‘Nishank’. When Trivendra Singh Rawat was chosen by the BJP to be the Chief Minister in 2017, Om Prakash became his Principal Secretary and then his Additional Chief Secretary.
6. Unlock 3.0: Odisha chief secretary to hold press conference
Odisha chief secretary Asit Tripathy will address the media today. He is likely to announce Unlock 3.0 guidelines for Odisha during this press briefing.
