Tamil Nadu CM Vijay To Meet AP Counterpart Naidu Today; Krishna Water Sharing High On Agenda
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is scheduled to meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu today in Vijayawada. Marking their first official bilateral meeting, talks at Naidu's residence will primarily focus on interstate river water management and sharing disputes involving the Krishna-Godavari river system. Chief Minister Vijay is slated to land in Vijayawada at 3:30 p.m., followed by bilateral talks with Naidu at 4:15 p.m. Later in the evening, Vijay is scheduled to offer prayers at the Kanaka Durga Temple and visit the National Saras Exhibition during the ongoing Vijayawada Utsav 2.0 celebrations before departing for Chennai around 8:30 p.m.
Karnataka High Court Quashes SC-ST Quota Hike Passed by Bommai Regime
The Karnataka High Court struck down provisions of the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Reservation Act 2022 that increased quotas for Scheduled Castes from 15 percent to 17 percent and Scheduled Tribes from 3 percent to 7 percent. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice KS Hemalekha ruled that Section 3 of the Act was unconstitutional as the enhancement breached the 50 percent aggregate reservation ceiling. The legislation, enacted under the previous Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government, raised total reservations to 56 percent and was challenged by social activist Mahendra from Raichur citing Supreme Court precedent.
Kerala Congress Post on CJI Triggers Row, BJP Slams Remark, Staffer Sacked
A political row erupted after the Kerala Congress posted and subsequently deleted a social media remark addressed to the Chief Justice of India demanding a resignation over law and order. The Bharatiya Janata Party attacked the opposition party, accusing it of targeting constitutional institutions and the judiciary. The Congress leadership distanced itself from the remark, reiterating its faith in the judiciary and confirming that the person responsible for the social media post had been sacked. Leaders from both political sides traded accusations regarding the protection of democracy and constitutional rights.
Row Over Batman Mask: Union Minister Takes Jibe at Rahul Gandhi, Kharge Over Protest Optics
A political controversy has erupted after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were seen donning Batman masks inside a bus during an opposition protest march towards the Supreme Court. Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary took a sharp jibe at the opposition, remarking that Delhi is not Gotham and the country does not need a dark superhero or Robin. The minister targeted the political optics of the opposition, drawing a sarcastic comparison between the Congress leadership and the comic book vigilantes as the INDIA bloc leaders staged their demonstration in the national capital.