New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) These are the top stories at 1700 hrs:

These are the top stories at 1700 hrs: NATION DEL46 MEA-JADHAV India evaluating Pak's proposal of facilitating consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav: MEA New Delhi: India is evaluating Pakistan's proposal of facilitating consular access to Indian death row convict Kulbhushan Jadhav in the light of the recent verdict by the International Court of Justice, the External Affairs Ministry on Thursday said. DEL6 PREZ-LD TRIPLE TALAQ President gives assent to triple talaq bill New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the triple talaq bill passed by Parliament, turning it into a law which makes the practice of instant divorce among Muslims a punishable offence, a government notification said.

DEL43 SENGAR-BJP-2ND LD EXPEL Unnao rape case: BJP expels its MLA Kuldeep Sengar New Delhi: Faced with massive public outrage across the nation, the BJP on Thursday expelled its jailed Uttar Pradesh lawmaker Kuldeep Sengar, accused of raping a minor girl from Unnao two years ago and killing two members of her family, party sources said. DEL24 HEALTH-STRIKE-2ND LD HOSPITALS Resident docs boycott work, hold marches, raise slogans against NMC Bill New Delhi: Resident doctors at several government hospitals, including AIIMS and RML, in Delhi held demonstrations and withdrew all services including that at emergency departments to protest against the National Medical Commission Bill tabled in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. DEL47 NC-3RDLD PM NC delegation calls on PM, seeks conduct of JK polls before year end New Delhi: A National Conference delegation, led by its patron Farooq Abdullah, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and conveyed to him that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir should be held before the end of the year.

DEL29 DL-LD KEJRIWAL-POWER Consumers using up to 200 units electricity need not pay bills: Delhi CM New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced that people consuming up to 200 units of electricity won't have to pay power bills. LEGAL LGD39 SC-4TH LD UNNAO Unnao rape: SC directs transfer of cases to Delhi; orders Rs 25L compensation to survivor New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday directed the transfer of all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident from a court in Uttar Pradesh to a court in the national capital.

LGD8 DL-COURT-CHIDAMBARAM Aircel-Maxis deal: Delhi court extends protection from arrest to Chidambaram, Karti till Aug 9 New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday extended till August 9 the interim protection from arrest to former Union minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti in Aircel-Maxis cases filed by the CBI and the ED. FOREIGN FGN22 PAK-JADHAV Pak to grant consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Friday: Foreign Office Islamabad: Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan, will be granted consular access by Friday, Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said on Thursday. By Sajjad Hussain FGN11 US-INDIA-LD IRAN 'Highly gratified' by cooperation from 'great friend' India on Iranian sanctions: US Washington: The US is "highly gratified" by the cooperation from a "great friend" like India in enforcing the oil sanctions on Tehran, the White House said on Wednesday as the Trump administration slapped sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. By Lalit K Jha FGN14 PAK-US-TALKS US, Pak to hold talks on ongoing Afghan peace process Islamabad: Pakistan and the US were on Thursday poised to hold crucial talks here on the Afghan peace process, amid reports that the Trump administration is close to signing an MoU with the Taliban during the upcoming parleys in Doha. By Sajjad Hussain FGN7 THAI-NZ-JAISHANKAR Jaishankar discusses bilateral ties with Thai, New Zealand counterparts Bangkok: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met with his Thai and New Zealand counterparts separately in Bangkok and discussed a host of key issues, including Indo-Pacific and maritime partnership..