HIGHLIGHTS

DEL113 NAVEEN-2NDLD-PM MEET Naveen Patnaik rules out joining any alliance, says BJD to go solo in Lok Sabha polls New Delhi The Biju Janata Dal BJD will go solo in next years Lok Sabha polls as it has always done, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Thursday, days after JDU leader Nitish Kumar met him amid efforts to forge a united opposition.

Following are the top stories at 9.30 pm.

NATION DEL110 LDALL SHIV SENA **** SC says Thackeray can't be restored as Maharashtra CM as he quit without facing floor test, faults Governor; Shinde to continue as CM New Delhi/Mumbai: Eknath Shinde will continue to be the chief minister of Maharashtra after the Supreme Court held on Thursday it cannot reinstate the MVA coalition government headed by Uddhav Thackeray since the Shiv Sena leader chose to resign without facing the floor test in the wake of a rebellion in his party. **** DEL116 AAP-LDALL SERVICES **** Development work will be 10 times more now, officers who 'obstructed' work will face consequences: Kejriwal after SC verdict New Delhi: With the Supreme Court ruling in his government's favour on administration of some services in Delhi on Thursday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pledged the speed of work will increase 10 times now that his hands are no more tied as he warned officers who ''stopped'' people's work of consequences and announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle in the coming days. **** DEL113 NAVEEN-2NDLD-PM MEET **** Naveen Patnaik rules out joining any alliance, says BJD to go solo in Lok Sabha polls New Delhi: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will go solo in next year's Lok Sabha polls as it has always done, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Thursday, days after JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar met him amid efforts to forge a united opposition. **** MDS19 ELECTIONS-KARNATAKA-LD PARTIES **** Exit polls give jitters to Cong, BJP leaders; JD(S) expects hung verdict, eyes role in govt formation Bengaluru: With most exit polls predicting a tight contest between the Congress and BJP in the Assembly polls in Karnataka, leaders of the two parties seem ''jittery'' over the outcome, while the Janata Dal (Secular) appears to be expecting a hung verdict, which would enable it to play a role in government formation. **** DEL112 CONG-2NDLD MANIPUR **** Manipur violence seems 'pre-planned', President's Rule must be imposed in state: Cong New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Manipur violence seemed ''pre-planned'' and demanded immediate imposition of President's Rule in the state to help restore peace and normalcy. **** DEL103 RJ-3RDLD-PILOT **** Sachin Pilot steps up pressure on Congress leadership, begins 5-day yatra over 'corruption' Jaipur: Dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot began a 125-km foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur on Thursday, challenging Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the party's top brass as assembly elections in Rajasthan approach. **** DEL77 PB-2NDLD EXPLOSION **** Punjab: Five arrested after another explosion near Golden Temple Amritsar: Five persons were arrested on Thursday in connection with the low-intensity blast incidents near the Golden Temple here, hours after another explosion took place in the area, police said. **** DEL94 RAIL-LD-AGNIVEER **** Railways offers reservation, age relaxation, exemption from physical tests for Agniveers New Delhi: The Railways will provide a cumulative reservation of 15 per cent in non-gazetted posts to Agniveers in direct recruitment under its various departments, and also offer them age relaxation and exemption from fitness tests, sources said Thursday. **** MDS24 KL-DOCTOR-KILLING-ORDINANCE **** Kerala govt to issue ordinance amending hospital protection law to ensure safety of healthcare professionals Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Thursday said it was going to issue an ordinance amending the law for protection of hospitals to ensure the safety of doctors and healthcare professionals in the state. **** DEL101 DL-JAIL-TRANSFER **** Over 90 jail officials transferred days after stabbing incident inside Tihar Jail New Delhi: More than 90 jail officials here were transferred on Thursday, days after gangster Tillu Tajpuriya was killed inside Tihar Jail allegedly by members of a rival gang, officials said. **** LEGAL LGD46 SC-4THDLD SERVICES **** Delhi govt has control over services except for public order, police and land: SC on Delhi-Centre power row New Delhi: The Delhi government has legislative and executive powers over administration of services except for public order, police and land, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday in a huge victory for the ruling AAP dispensation in its festering feud with the Centre. **** LGD38 DL-HC-SISODIA-WIFE-VIDEO CALL **** Excise policy scam: HC asks jail authorities to ensure Sisodia's virtual meeting with ailing wife on alternate days New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday directed the Tihar jail superintendent to allow video calls between former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and his ailing wife for an hour every alternate day. **** LGD62 SC-LD SAME SEX MARRIAGE **** SC reserves verdict on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage after a marathon hearing of 10 days. **** FOREIGN FGN82 PAK-SC-LDALL IMRAN **** Pak Supreme Court declares Imran Khan's arrest 'illegal', orders his immediate release Islamabad: In a major relief for embattled Imran Khan, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday declared the former prime minister's arrest ''illegal'' and ordered his immediate release after he was produced before a bench on its orders. By Sajjad Hussain **** FGN67 UN-IMRAN-VIOLENCE-RIGHTS **** UN rights chief urges restraint by security forces in Pakistan; calls on protestors to refrain from violence United Nations: The UN Human Rights chief has called on protestors in Pakistan to refrain from violence and urged restraint by security forces, saying the rule of law is key to resolving political conflicts as anti-government protests engulfed the country following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan. **** FGN66 UK-UKRAINE-2NDLD MISSILES **** UK 'donates' long-range cruise missiles to support Ukraine in Russian conflict London: The UK government on Thursday confirmed that it is supplying long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine in support of its counter-offensive in the conflict with Russia. ****