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State Government Assures High Court of Upcoming Constitutional Appointments in Jharkhand
A division bench, led by Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Rajesh Shankar, was reviewing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) urging the immediate filling of these positions. Government counsel informed the court that the delay was due to the lack of a Leader of the Opposition, but now that this role has been filled, appointments will proceed without further hindrances.
Senior advocate Dheeraj Kumar confirmed that the state’s promise was acknowledged by the court, which has scheduled the next hearing for August.
The delay in these appointments had previously attracted the attention of the Supreme Court. In a January 2025 session, a bench led by Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh directed the largest opposition party in the Jharkhand Assembly to appoint a Leader of the Opposition within two weeks to enable the formation of statutory selection committees.
Subsequently, the BJP elected Babulal Marandi as Leader of the Opposition on March 6, with the announcement made by Assembly Speaker Rabindranath Mahato the following day.
The ongoing vacancies have created significant administrative challenges, especially within the State Information Commission, Lokayukta, and the Women’s Commission. The lack of appointed leaders has left numerous complaints and cases unresolved, undermining public confidence in grievance redressal systems.
Notably, in August 2024, the state government had assured the High Court that these appointments would be completed within 15 days. Almost a year later, the positions remain unfilled, leading to multiple extensions and legal scrutiny.
With the Leader of the Opposition now in place, judicial observers and civil society members are hopeful that this development will lead to the revitalization of these essential democratic institutions.
New Delhi: An 18-year-old MBBS student has accused a 20-year-old male friend of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area. The alleged incident took place on September 9, police officials said.
According to the complaint, the accused, who is also a medical student, invited the woman to “Hotel Apple” on the pretext of spending time together. Once there, he allegedly gave her a drink laced with drugs and then raped her.
The survivor told police that the accused recorded obscene videos and took pictures during the assault. He later threatened to make the content viral if she reported the incident.
The woman, a native of Jind in Haryana, is currently staying at the hostel of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College in Rohini, Delhi.
Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A search is underway to locate and arrest the accused, officials added.
In a separate case earlier this month, a school manager in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 8 student. In February, a tuition teacher in Delhi’s CR Park area was accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old student over three years and threatening her with blackmail.
Jaipur: Eight patients died after a fire broke out at the trauma centre of the state-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur late Sunday night.
Officials said the blaze started in the storage area of the Neuro ICU, possibly due to a short circuit. There were 11 patients in the ICU at the time. Smoke quickly spread, causing panic among patients and staff.
Hospital workers and attendants tried to rescue patients, even moving them out on their beds. Firefighters controlled the blaze in about two hours.
Families of the victims alleged that hospital staff ignored early warnings about smoke and fled during the fire.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and other ministers visited the hospital to review the situation and assured a detailed probe into the incident.
Uttar Pradesh: A 75-year-old man who remarried in search of companionship died barely hours after his wedding, sparking shock and speculation in his village.
The deceased, identified as Sangruram, a resident of Kuchhmuchh village in Jaunpur district, had been living alone after losing his first wife a year ago. With no children, he supported himself through farming. Despite advice from relatives against remarriage, Sangruram wed 35-year-old Manbhavati, a resident of Jalalpur area, on Monday, September 29.
The marriage was first registered in court, followed by traditional rituals at a local temple. According to Manbhavati, the couple spent most of the wedding night conversing, as Sangruram assured her that she would take responsibility for the household while he would “take care of the children.”
However, by the next morning, his health deteriorated suddenly. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The unexpected death has triggered varied reactions in the village. While some residents believe it to be a natural occurrence given his age, others have expressed suspicion about the circumstances.
Relatives, including nephews residing in Delhi, have halted funeral rites until their arrival. They have also raised questions about whether a police inquiry or post-mortem examination will be conducted before the cremation.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding further investigation.
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