HIGHLIGHTS

DEL96 CONG-2NDLD PREZ Cong leaders meet Kovind raise mistreatment of MPs by cops, seek withdrawal Agnipath scheme New Delhi Top Congress leaders on Monday met President Ram Nath Kovind and raised the issue of alleged ill-treatment of party MPs by police during their protest against the ED questioning of former party chief Rahul Gandhi and sought the withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme for defence recruitment.

Following are the top stories at 2100 hrs: NATION DEL112 2NDLD AGNIPATH Scattered protests during bandh against Agnipath; Army issues notification for registration by aspirants New Delhi/Patna: Road and rail traffic was partially affected in some regions on Monday during a 'Bharat bandh' called against the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, while protests appeared to taper off in many states, with authorities stepping up security and imposing curbs after days of unrest. MDS17 KA-PM LD-REFORMS Reforms may be unpleasant temporarily, but beneficial over time, says PM Bengaluru/Mysuru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said decisions and reforms may be unpleasant temporarily but with time the country would experience their benefits.

DEL97 PREZ POLL-LD OPPOSITION Presidential poll: Gopalkrishna Gandhi refuses to contest; Opposition leaders to meet Tuesday New Delhi: With three of its probable presidential candidates declining to contest, leaders of Opposition parties will meet here on Tuesday afternoon to finalise a joint nominee for the July 18 election that will decide the successor to President Ram Nath Kovind. DEL96 CONG-2NDLD PREZ Cong leaders meet Kovind; raise 'mistreatment' of MPs by cops, seek withdrawal Agnipath scheme New Delhi: Top Congress leaders on Monday met President Ram Nath Kovind and raised the issue of alleged ill-treatment of party MPs by police during their protest against the ED questioning of former party chief Rahul Gandhi and sought the withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme for defence recruitment. DEL83 EC-UNRECOGNISED PARTIES EC decides to delete from register 111 'non-existent' parties New Delhi: The Election Commission decided on Monday to delete from its register 111 political parties that were found to be ''non-existent'' during a verification exercise aimed at cleaning up the system.

DEL61 ED-2ND LD RAHUL ED questions Rahul Gandhi on 4th day in National Herald money laundering case New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for the fourth day of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case. DEL89 MHA-SHAH-LD CYBER Those who do not want to see India safe attempt cyber attacks, says Amit Shah New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said those who do not want to see India safe attempt various types of cyber attacks and some countries have even created cyber armies. DEL103 NIA-JK-SEARCHES NIA conducts searches in J&K, arrests 4 for harbouring Pak-based JeM terrorists Srinagar: The NIA on Monday conducted searches at seven locations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama and arrested four people for allegedly harbouring terrorists of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). CAL23 WB-ASSEMBLY-LD NUPUR-MOTION Bengal Assembly passes motion condemning Nupur Sharma remarks, Mamata sees design to spread hatred Kolkata: The West Bengal Assembly on Monday passed a motion condemning the controversial remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammad, as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the comments as part of ''greater design to spread hatred among communities ahead of Lok Sabha polls.'' DEL104 FLOODS-SHAH Inter-Ministerial Central Team to visit Assam, Meghalaya to assess floods damage: Amit Shah New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said an inter-ministerial Central team will visit the flood-affected areas of Assam and Meghalaya to assess the damage. DEL86 CBI-WB-LD BIRBHUM VIOLENCE West Bengal: CBI files 2 charge sheets in March 21 Birbhum violence New Delhi: The CBI has filed two separate charge sheets in the killing of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh and the arson allegedly triggered by it in which nine people were burnt to death in Bogtui village of West Bengal's Birbhum district on March 21, officials said on Monday. DEL59 DL-JAIN-HOSPITAL (RPT) Delhi minister Satyendar Jain admitted to LNJP Hospital: Sources New Delhi: Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, who is currently in judicial custody in a money laundering case being probed by the ED, was on Monday admitted to the LNJP Hospital here, and his condition is stable, sources said. DEL76 HP-TIMBER TRAIL-5THLD STUCK HP: Cable car with 11 onboard gets stuck mid-air in Parwanoo, all rescued Shimla: Eleven people, including five women, were stranded for hours after a cable car was stuck mid-air at Parwanoo Timber Trail in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district, officials said on Monday.

LEGAL LGD9 SC-AGNIPATH Plea filed in SC against Agnipath scheme New Delhi: A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme alleging that the government has quashed the century-old selection process for the Armed forces which is contrary to the constitutional provisions and without having parliamentary approval. FOREIGN FGN48 PAK-INDIA-LD FISHERMEN 20 jailed Indian fishermen released by Pak repatriated to India through Wagah border Lahore/Islamabad: Twenty Indian fishermen who were released by the Pakistani government in a goodwill gesture crossed Wagah Border on Monday evening as they were repatriated to their homeland. By M Zulqernain/Sajjad Hussain FGN42 VIRUS-SAUDI-INDIA-TRAVEL Saudi lifts Covid-related travel restrictions on citizens travelling to India, 3 other nations Dubai: Saudi Arabia on Monday lifted coronavirus-related travel restrictions on its citizens travelling to India and three other countries.

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