New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) These are the top stories from the northern region at 9.40 pm

These are the top stories from the northern region at 9.40 pm MUZAFFARNAGAR DEL66 UP-RIOTS-CLOSURE UP govt seeks closure of 74 M'nagar riot cases, gets court's nod in none Muzaffarnagar, Jul 24 (PTI) Despite the Uttar Pradesh government seeking closure of 74 cases relating to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, it has failed to get courts' permission to withdraw even a single case, a senior official said Wednesday. LUCKNOW/GORAKHPUR DES47 UP-ADITYANATH-REMARKS Brothers killed in Muzaffarnagar 'immoral': Adityanath in Assembly Lucknow, Jul 24 (PTI) Quoting a police probe in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath termed two brothers murdered in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 “immoral”, describing one of them as a “characterless” person who had an “illicit relationship”. LUCKNOW DEL7 UP-MAYAWATI-KARNATAKA Black chapter in history of democracy, says Mayawati on Karnataka developments Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday said the manner in which the JD(S)-Congress government in Karnataka has been pulled down will go down in the history of democracy as a "black chapter".

AMRITSAR DES40 PB-LD SIDHU Sidhu back in action; meets supporters, says not quitting Cong Amritsar: After lying low for weeks following a change in his portfolio in the Punjab cabinet, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu is meeting his supporters again, telling them he remains with the Congress. HOSHIARPUR DES30 PB-CONVICT PHOTO Hoshiarpur DC orders action against printing press owner over rape convict's photo on hoarding Hoshiarpur (Pb): The Hoshiarpur deputy commissioner has ordered action against a printing press owner for putting the picture of a 2012 Delhi gang rape convict on a hoarding that sought to encourage people to vote.

NOIDA DES14 NCR-NOIDA-CIRCLE RATE GB Nagar admin moves to soften property rates in dist Noida (UP): The Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration has proposed slashing the circle rate of commercial plots in Noida by 21.5 per cent and waiving the six per cent surcharge on housing projects in the district. NEW DELHI DES9 DL-TIWARI-JNU JNU sedition case: BJP targets AAP for not sanctioning prosecution New Delhi: Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday said if Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's government doesn't give sanction for prosecution in the JNU sedition case, the residents of the national capital will teach it a lesson in the coming assembly polls.

JAMMU DEL76 JK-TERRORIST-LD ARREST LeT terrorist carrying Rs 5-lakh reward arrested in JK's Doda Jammu: A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh was arrested in a joint operation in the forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday, police said. SRINAGAR DES5 JK-AMARNATH-TOLL 4 Amarnath pilgrims die; toll in this year's yatra reaches 30 Srinagar: Four Amarnath pilgrims have died over the past 24 hours en route the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the death toll in this year's pilgrimage to 30, officials said on Wednesday.

JAIPUR DES11 RJ-QUESTION HOUR-PROTEST Jaipur: Rajasthan assembly Speaker C P Joshi seemed to be in a reconciliatory mood on Wednesday as he suggested holding a discussion with the protesting opposition BJP legislators on his ruling for allowing only two supplementary questions. PTI ASH ASH.