HIGHLIGHTS

BOM34 MP-PM-2NDLD CONGRESS INDIA reluctantly backed women quota bill, says PM alleges Cong under urban Naxals sway Bhopal Kickstarting Madhya Pradesh poll campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Congress and its allies in the new ghamandia alliance reluctantly supported the Womens Reservation Bill in Parliament and warned people that if given an opportunity, they will backtrack on the historic legislation.

Following are the top stories at 9 pm.

NATION DEL56 RJ-PM-2NDLD RALLY **** Congress govt in Rajasthan 'kind to terrorists' and criminals, deserves zero marks: PM Modi Jaipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress dispensation in Rajasthan of ''being kind to terrorists'' and criminals, and said the party deserved zero marks for the kind of government it ran in the state for five years. **** BOM34 MP-PM-2NDLD CONGRESS **** INDIA 'reluctantly' backed women quota bill, says PM; alleges Cong under 'urban Naxals' sway Bhopal: Kickstarting Madhya Pradesh poll campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Congress and its allies in the new ''ghamandia'' alliance ''reluctantly'' supported the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament and warned people that if given an opportunity, they will backtrack on the historic legislation. **** MDS17 TN-AIADMK-BJP-LD-TIES **** AIADMK severs ties with BJP-led NDA alliance, to lead separate front in '24 Chennai: Ending its four year-old ties with the BJP, the AIADMK on Monday announced walking out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and said it would lead a separate front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. **** CAL15 BH-NITISH-3RDLD NDA (R) **** Nitish rules out return to NDA, BJP says won't take back even if he begs Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday ruled out returning to the NDA, an alliance he parted with a year ago, to which the BJP retorted he would not be welcome even if he begged for another chance. **** DEL55 DANISH ALI-BIDHURI **** There is 'delay' in taking action; seems comments sanctioned by BJP's top leadership: Danish Ali on Bidhuri row New Delhi: Amid the row over BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's derogatory remarks in the Lok Sabha, BSP MP Danish Ali on Monday questioned the ''delay'' in action against the leader of the ruling party and alleged that the comments seem to have been sanctioned by the BJP's top leadership to build a narrative around him and his community. **** BOM39 CG-POLLS-BSP ALLIANCE **** Chhattisgarh Assembly polls: BSP, Gondwana Gantantra Party announce alliance Raipur: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) on Monday decided to contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh in alliance. **** BOM38 MP-PM EVENT-CONG **** Cong leader Surjewala claims PM's event in MP not well attended; says Chouhan govt's schemes mired in corruption Bhopal: The 'Karyakarta Mahakumbh' addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh was a ''flop show'' as just ''50,000'' attended it against claims by the Bharatiya Janata Party that 10 lakh persons took part, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged. **** CAL14 OD-ASSEMBLY-LD PATNAIK **** No ministers-vs-officers issue exists; expenditure on tours by officials normal: Patnaik Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday asserted that no ministers-versus-officers issue exists in the state, dismissing criticisms from various quarters over holding of people's grievance meetings by a controversial CMO official. **** MDS19 KA-LD CAUVERY **** Cauvery row intensifies as various outfits call for bandh; Deve Gowda seeks setting up external agency to study state's reservoirs Bengaluru: Protesting against the release of Cauvery water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, various organisations have called for two bandhs in the state, as the ruling Congress asserted to more ''forcefully'' present Karnataka's case in the Supreme Court and assured it will not curtail the planned agitations over the inter-state river dispute. **** CAL8 BH-DALIT-LD WOMAN **** Bihar: Dalit woman stripped, thrashed, and urinated on by creditor, CM assures action Patna: A Dalit woman was allegedly stripped, assaulted and urinated on her mouth by a moneylender and his associates in Bihar’s Patna district apparently for complaining to the police about his ''unjustified'' demand for more money even after full repayment of the debt, an officer said on Monday. **** DEL34 IAF-C295-BHADAURIA **** C-295 induction heralds new era for Air Force: Ex-IAF chief Ghaziabad: The induction of C-295 aircraft ''heralds a new era for the Air Force'' and this fleet will in times to come become the backbone of the force's tactical lift capability, former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal (retd) RKS Bhadauria said on Monday. By Kunal Dutt **** LEGAL BOM36 MH-LD-DISQUALIFICATION PLEAS **** Sena split: Official hearing on disqualification pleas to begin on Oct 13; Shinde group opposes clubbing of petitions Mumbai: After hearing arguments from Shiv Sena factions led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has decided to conduct official hearing on disqualification petitions against the MLAs of the Shinde group on October 13, advocate Anil Sakhare who is representing the CM said on Monday. **** LGD16 SC-LD UP STUDENT **** No quality education if student is penalised on ground of religion: SC on UP student slapping case New Delhi: There cannot be any quality education if a student is sought to be penalised on the ground that he belongs to a particular community, the Supreme Court Monday said, as it pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for shoddy probe in a case where a Muslim schoolboy was allegedly slapped by his classmates on the instruction of his teacher in Muzaffarnagar. **** LGD8 DL-HC-AKASA AIR **** Can’t interfere in employment agreement between pilots, Akasa Air: DGCA to HC New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has told the Delhi High Court that it cannot interfere in the employment agreement between pilots and Akasa Air, which has sought action against pilots who have resigned without serving the notice period. **** BUSINESS DEL59 BIZ-NSE-EXTEND **** NSE plans to extend F&O trading hours; seeks Sebi's nod New Delhi: The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is looking to increase trading hours in the equity derivatives segment in a phased manner, a move that will potentially curtail the overnight risk arising from global information flow, a senior official said on Monday. **** DEL37 BIZ-RBI-BANK BOARDS **** RBI found excessive dominance by 1-2 board members even in big commercial banks: Das Mumbai: Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das has said the central bank has noticed ''excessive dominance'' by one or two board members even in ''big commercial banks'' and asked the lenders to desist from such practices. **** FOREIGN FGN24 CANADA-INDIA-MINISTER **** Canada's defence minister expresses concern over measures taken by India; urges cooperation in murder investigation of separatist leader Toronto: Canada's Defence Minister Bill Blair has voiced concern over the measures taken by India including the suspension of visa services for Canadians and urged New Delhi to cooperate fully in the investigation of the killing of a Sikh separatist leader to uncover the truth and work together to resolve it in an appropriate way.**** FGN28 PAK-HC-IMRAN-2NDLD PRISON **** Imran Khan's lawyer says ex-premier shifted to Adiala prison, jail admin denies Islamabad: Imran Khan's lawyer on Monday said he was shifted from the Attock jail to high-security Adiala prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi following a high court order, but Adiala jail officials dismissed claims that the former prime minister has been relocated.**** FGN32 NEPAL-CHINA-LD DEALS **** Nepal, China sign 12 agreements during PM Prachanda's visit to Beijing Beijing/Kathmandu: China and Nepal on Monday signed 12 agreements, including seven MoUs, to enhance bilateral cooperation in sectors including trade, road connectivity, and information technology after Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ''Prachanda'' held wide-ranging talks in Beijing.****