Breaking news on November 20

A paramilitary force is planning to hire approximately 1.2 lakh retired defence and ex-Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel.

Karnataka Dy CM C.N. Ashwathnarayan: Free high speed internet for one hour each day to be provided across Bengaluru. It requires 9 months for implementation of the project. Any company, interested in providing this facility of free internet, is welcome.

"Congress and NCP leaders today had a positive and productive discussion. Further discussions will go on, we will soon give Maharashtra a stable government", said Former Maharashtra CM and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.

A 28-year-old accountant, who worked for a well-known builder, has been arrested for allegedly duping his employer of Rs 20 lakh, police said on Wednesday.

Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, met Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh R K Mathur at the Raj Nivas in Leh on Wednesday and they discussed the strong bond shared between the people of Ladakh and the Army, an official said.

Karnataka issues notification allowing women to work night shifts (7 pm to 6 am) in all factories registered under factories act. 

Congress-NCP leaders' meeting begins at Sharad Pawar's residence amid Maharashtra logjam.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached two immovable properties (measuring 220.19 acres) totaling Rs. 117.87 crores owned by Michael Floyd Eshwer under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in a cheating case.

Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Maharashtra Coordination committee to meet in Delhi today. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut will meet Sharad Pawar after the Congress-NCP meet.

Jawaharlal Nehru University appeals to the students to call off their agitation and return to classes and allow normal functioning of academic activities.

Market benchmark Sensex rose 182 points to end near its record peak on Wednesday, led by strong gains in Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma and IndusInd Bank.

After scaling a lifetime (intra-day) high of 40,816.38, the 30-share index ended 181.94 points, or 0.45 per cent, higher at 40,651.64.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed supplementary chargesheet against accused Sanjeev Punalekar and Vikram Bhave in Pune Sessions Court. Sanjeev Punalekar is already out on bail while Vikram Bhave is presently lodged at Yerwada Jail in Pune.

Three old bombs were found near Raipur Arian village in Bholath sub division in Kapurthala on Wednesday, police said. Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police Satinder Singh said an Army bomb disposal team was called.

The bombs were recovered when soil dug from Mand area was spread on the streets to fill potholes, police said. 

Meeting of Standing Committee on Information Technology meeting begins in Parliament.Committee to deliberate on issues of ‘Citizens’ data security & privacy. Union Home Secretary Ajay K Bhalla & Secretary Ministry of Electronics and IT Ajay Prakash Sawhney to brief the Committee.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development meeting over air pollution in Delhi to begin shortly. BJP MPs Gautam Gambhir and Hema Malini arrive for the meeting.

Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday clarified that No proposal to merge Assam Rifles with Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is under consideration of the Government. 

Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut wrote a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu stating, "Astonished to know that my seating position in RS chamber is changed from 3rd to 5th row. This decision was taken by someone deliberately to hurt Shiv Sena's sentiments and suppress our voice.

He further said, "I also fail to understand the reason for this unwarranted step since there is no formal announcement about the removal from NDA. This decision has affected the dignity of the House. I request to allot us 1/2/3 row seat&uphold House decorum."

Union Minister RS Prasad addressed the Lok Sabha on 'whether the government has taken cognizance of reports of alleged use and purchase of Pegasus spyware by government agencies'. He asserted that some statements have appeared, based on media reports, regarding this. These attempts to malign govt for reported breach are misleading. 

He also said that the government is committed to protecting the fundamental rights of citizens, including right to privacy. Government operates strictly as per provisions of law and laid down protocols. There are adequate provisions in the IT Act, 2000 to deal with hacking, spyware etc.

While addressing the Rajya Sabha on Jammu and Kashmir, MoS Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said, "Now only 609 people are in jail. We have released the rest. Total 5,161 people including stone-pelters, separatists and some political leaders were arrested preventively on August 5."

Reddy's statement comes after Amit Shah addressed Rajya Sabha on situation in Kashmir.

Indian Youth Congress stages a protest in New Delhi against the removal of SPG cover to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Kerala Government has filed an appeal in Kerala High Court seeking re-investigation and re-trial into Walayar rape and murder case of 2 minor girls in 2017.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal nominates Dinesh Mohaniya Vice Chairman of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Shalabh Kumar, a member of DJB, for the joint water quality testing exercise between Central government and Delhi government.

An IndiGo flight, coming from Coimbatore, made an emergency landing at Chennai Airport today, following a smoke alarm in the cargo area of the aircraft. All passengers and crew on board are safe. Authorities say that there was no fire.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is speaking in the Rajya Sabha over the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir 

Here are the pointers:

• Normalcy is gradually returning in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Section 144 is not imposed at 195 police stations.
• The law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir is good.
• None of the civilians has died out of police firing since August 5, the day when Centre abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Availability of medicines is adequate, there is no problem. The administration has taken care of health services.
• Mobile medicine vans have also started.
• Some police stations under section 144 for few hours in a day.
• Jammu and Kashmir authorities can take a decision on internet services in the valley. There are activities by Pakistan too in Kashmir region, so keeping security in mind, whenever the local authority deems it fit, a decision will be taken.
• I challenge Ghulam Nabi Azad to counter these facts which I presented, why don't you object to these figures on record? I am willing to discuss this issue for even an hour: Amit Shah
• All Urdu/English newspapers and TV channels are functioning in Kashmir.
• Banking services are fully functional.
• All government offices and all Courts are open. 
• In recent Block development council elections, 98.3 per cent polling was recorded. 
• Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Christian, Parsi refugees discriminated in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan should get Indian citizenship, that is why Citizenship Amendment Bill.
• The NRC is different from Citizenship Amendment Bill. All citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list.

Eight persons dead in a road accident on National Highway-15 in Orang area of Udalguri district.

One Army jawan died while another got injured in a tank-related incident during an exercise in the Jaisalmer sector, Rajasthan. The incident occurred during the movement of the T-90 tanks near the Phalsund town.

Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday demanded in Rajya Sabha restoration of the Special Protection Group cover to former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the Gandhi family.

Raising the issue in the upper house, he said the cover should be "restored" going beyond "partisan politics."

The party has been raising the issue in both the Houses.

A delegation of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students reach the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD). The Ministry has appointed a high power committee for discussion with students and administration for peaceful resolution of all issues in the University.

Sensex rallies 347 pts to hit record intra-day high of 40,816.38; RIL jumps 4 per cent.

Supreme Court issues notice to Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the appeal of Congress leader P Chidambaram’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court order refusing bail to him in INX Media money laundering case. Next date of hearing is November 26.

A meeting of Congress Lok Sabha MPs, to discuss Parliament strategy, is underway at the Congress parliamentary party office in Parliament. Party interim president Sonia Gandhi is chairing the meeting.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha, over 'purchasing of paddy from Chhattisgarh in Central Pool.'

Union Home Minister and BJP President Amit Shah will speak in Rajya Sabha today.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday hit out at the government over Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's reported remarks that Air India and Bharat Petroleum Corporation could be sold by March, alleging the BJP is making India's best organisations hollow and then selling them.

Her attack comes days after Sitharaman reportedly said the government was looking to wrap up the sale of state-run Air India and oil refiner and marketer BPCL by March 2020.

"Our organisations are our pride. These are our 'golden birds'," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

"The BJP had promised to build the country, but they are working to make India's best organisations hollow and sell them. Sad," the Congress general secretary said.

Sensex opens 260 points higher while Nifty reclaims 12,000 mark.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in New Delhi. 

Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh will hold a rally in Palamu and Garhwa on November 24, as part of the election campaign for the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly Polls.

Amid the winter session of parliament, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and Congress MP Chhaya Verma have been given zero-hour notice in Rajya Sabha 

Singh has given the notice over 'deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi' while Verma got the notice over 'purchasing of paddy from Chhattisgarh in Central Pool.'

Delhi Police has busted a gang which used to manufacture fake cumin in Bawana, using grass, stone powder and sheera (jaggery residue). 

During his Bihar tour, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bhutan Tandi Dorji visited Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya and offered prayers.

Assam's Minister for Industries Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the government has made it mandatory for all factories and industries in the state to keep sanitary pads for the welfare of the working women in the factories.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) formally informed the Congress of deploying 3,000 soldiers in Saudi Arabia.

The move comes amid tensions in the Middle East, especially after the attack on Saudi oil facilities which the US blamed on Iran.