‘Consensual sex not rape if promise of marriage is broken’
Cuttack, July 7: In a landmark verdict, the Orissa High Court has held that in a relationship, initially started and developed genuinely with friendship but souring after the male partner decided not to marry his partner, sexual intimacy should not always be branded as a product of mistrust and mischief, thereby accusing him of rape. This judgement was delivered by a bench of Jutice R.K. Pattanaik on July 3, while hearing a petition challenging the legality of criminal proceedings initiated against a man in a case where a relationship had gone sour after seven years. The court observed that in case that a relationship goes sour and a person decides not to marry his partner, the sexual intimacy that preceded should not always be considered as rape. (IANS)
Nat’l Sikh conclave forms panel to discuss UCC
New Delhi: July 7: A national Sikh conclave held here on Friday formed an 11-member committee to confer with the government on the Uniform Civil Code to ensure the community’s rights and practices are not tinkered with, DSGMC office-bearers said. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) President Harmit Singh Kalka said the draft of the UCC is yet to be released by the Central government so “there could not be a decision whether to support or oppose it.” A DSGMC statement quoted Kalka as saying that the conclave decided that it was wrong to oppose UCC without seeing the draft document. An 11-member committee has been formed to hold discussions with the Union government to ensure that the rights and religious practices of the Sikhs are not tinkered with, Kalka told a press conference after the conclave at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib.(PTI)
Joshi, Yadav in-charge for Raj MP polls
New Delhi, July 7: The BJP on Friday appointed Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhupender Yadav its in-charge for assembly polls in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh respectively, stepping up the party’s campaign for key state polls before the Lok Sabha contest in 2024. Former Union minister Prakash Javadekar and another senior party leader Om Prakash Mathur was made poll in-charge for Telangana and Chhattisgarh respectively, a party statement said. Former Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and Haryana leader Kuldeep Bishnoi will be co-incharges for the Rajasthan polls, and Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya will be the co-incharge for Chhattisgarh. (PTI)
Modi gifts projects worth Rs 12,110 crore to Varanasi
Varanasi, July 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 29 development projects worth around Rs 12,110 crore here on Friday. Addressing a public meeting at Wazidpur, the Prime Minister said that his government had ensured that the benefits of schemes reach the beneficiaries. “We have been sending the benefits to the people and also talking directly to them to ensure that they have received the benefits of the schemes. This leaves no room for middlemen or scams,” he said. (IANS)