Source: The Print Media ( The Hindu, Indian Express and other media)

Lok Sabha Speaker sets in motion the process to remove Allahabad High Court Justice Yashwant Varma

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) set in motion the process of removing Justice Yashwant Varma of Allahabad High Court by admitting a motion, signed by 146 members, and constituting a three member inquiry committee to probe the charges against Justice Varma.

Petitioners argue ECI does not have the authority to determine citizenship

The Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) order to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar. In the previous hearing, a Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi cautioned the poll body that the court would “not hesitate to act” if the revised list reflected “mass exclusions.” The petitioners have criticised the SIR process as a form of “citizenship screening.”

Retail inflation in July slips to 8-year low of 1.55%

Retail inflation slipped to an eight-year low of 1.55% in July mainly due to subdued prices of food items, including vegetables and cereals, according to government data released on Tuesday (August 12, 2025). The consumer price index (CPI) based inflation was 2.1% in June and 3.6% in July 2024. The July 2025 inflation is the lowest since June 2017 when it was at 1.46%.

Centre has not transferred ₹3.69 lakh crore of cess collections to the designated funds, CAG finds

As of 2023-24, the Central Government has failed to transfer ₹3.69 lakh crore worth of cess collections to the relevant funds for which the cess was implemented, the Comptroller and Auditor General has found. A cess is a levy over and above a tax and has to be used for a particular purpose. These short allocations date back to cesses imposed in 1974 and thus show lapses across governments.

Aadhaar, voter ID not proof of citizenship, says Bombay High Court rejecting bail plea of alleged Bangladeshi man

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) rejected the bail plea of Babu Abdul Ruf Sardar, accused of illegally entering India from Bangladesh and obtaining forged Indian identity documents, citing national security concerns, ongoing investigation, and the risk of absconding.

AI startup Perplexity makes $34.5-billion bid for Google’s Chrome browser

Perplexity AI said it has made a $34.5 billion unsolicited all-cash offer for Alphabet’s Chrome browser, a low but bold bid that would need financing well above the startup’s own valuation. Run by Aravind Srinivas, Perplexity is no stranger to headline-grabbing offers — it made a similar one for TikTok U.S. in January, offering to merge with the popular short-video app to resolve U.S. concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership.

Petroleum Ministry says E20 fuel helps better ride quality, refutes impact on insurance

Addressing contestations about the impact of blending ethanol with petrol for vehicular fuel, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) in a detailed statement Tuesday (August 12, 2025) underlined it would provide better ride quality alongside ensuring greater income for farmers and bearing a positive impact on foreign exchange reserves. The statement also refuted prevailing assertions about insurers refusing claims for damage to vehicles from the blended fuel.

Rajya Sabha passes two Sports Bills, Opposition walks out demanding debate on SIR

The Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday (August 12, 2025), passed two Bills for the sports sector, which the Union government said will improve the sports infrastructure and facilities in the country. The National Sports Governance Billand the National Anti-Doping Bill, both passed by Lok Sabha, were passed without any Opposition members participating in the discussion. The Opposition members walked out of the House demanding a discussion on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Parliament passes new Income Tax Bill to replace six-decade-old law

Parliament on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) passed a new Income Tax Bill to replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961, that will come into force from April 1, 2026. Piloting the Income Tax Bill, 2025 in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it did not impose any new tax rate and only simplified the language, which was required for understanding the complex Income Tax laws. The new Bill removes redundant provisions and archaic language and reduces the number of Sections from 819 in the Income Tax Act of 1961 to 536 and the number of chapters from 47 to 23.

Trump’s Washington D.C. takeover begins as National Guard troops arrive

Some of the 800 National Guard members deployed by President Donald Trump began arriving in the nation’s capital on Tuesday (August 12, 2025), ramping up after the White House ordered federal forces to take over the city’s police department and reduce crime in what the president called — without substantiation — a lawless city.

ED summons to lawyers: Supreme Court reserves verdict in suo motu case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) reserved for judgment a suo motu case concerning the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to two senior advocates merely for giving professional advice to their client. Appearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta agreed that no lawyer could be summoned for giving an opinion on a legal issue. However, Mr. Mehta said if a lawyer had participated in any act beyond his professional duty, amounting to an offence, the “same law which applies to others would apply to lawyers also”

Iran says it detained 21,000 suspects during the June war with Israel

Iran’s police detained 21,000 suspects during the 12-day air war between Israel and Iran in June, state media reported on Tuesday. A report by state TV quoted a police spokesperson, Gen. Saeed Montazeralmahdi, as saying people reported the suspects to the authorities. “The arrest of 21,000 suspects during the 12-day war indicated high awareness and participation of people in providing security,” he said. Gen. Montazeralmahdi did not elaborate on what charges the suspects might face. However, he said more than 260 were suspected of spying and another 172 were arrested because of illegal filming.

IAF prioritises induction of long-range missiles after Operation Sindoor success

In the aftermath of the successful use of long-range stand-off weapons during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is now prioritising the induction of air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles with strike ranges exceeding 200 km. This shift is aimed at enhancing India’s ability to engage targets from safer distances, beyond the reach of enemy air defences.

John Abraham writes to CJI, calls for review of Supreme Court’s directive on stray dogs

Actor John Abraham on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) wrote a letter to Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, urging a review and modification of the recent Supreme Court directive ordering the removal of street dogs from the Delhi NCR region. The letter came a day after the Supreme Court directed the authorities to permanently relocate all strays from streets to shelters “at the earliest”.

No coercive steps against owners of old vehicles in Delhi-NCR: Supreme Court

In a relief to owners of diesel vehicles of over 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) ordered authorities not to take coercive against them. The Supreme Court was dealing with a plea seeking recall of its October 29, 2018 order upholding a National Green Tribunal’s directive.

IGNOU now offers M.A. in Bhagavad Gita, Disaster Management Diploma, Agricultural Cost Management, and B.A. in Home Science

IGNOU has introduced new academic programmes, including an M.A. in Bhagavad Gita, offering a structured study of Indian knowledge traditions. It also offers a flexible, distance-learning postgraduate diploma in Disaster Management for preparedness and mitigation; a Diploma in Agricultural Cost Management to promote sustainable, profitable farming.

Is a ‘potentiality of abuse’ of BNS Section 152 a ground to declare the law unconstitutional, asks the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) asked if “potentiality of abuse” by the state of Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which punishes “acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India”, could be a ground to declare the law itself unconstitutional.