HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1.20 pm: NATION LGD13 SC-2ND LD LAWMAKERS-IMMUNITY ****No immunity for MPs, MLAs taking bribe to vote, make speech in House: SC New Delhi: MPs and MLAs taking bribes to vote or make a speech in the House are not immune from prosecution, the Supreme Court said on Monday in a landmark, unanimous verdict that overrules its 1998 judgment protecting such lawmakers.**** DEL29 PM-SC-LAWMAKERS ****PM lauds SC verdict in JMM bribery case, says it will ensure clean politics New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the Supreme Court verdict in the JMM bribery case as a ''great judgment'', saying it will ensure clean politics and deepen people's faith in the system.**** DEL33 DL-LD BUDGET ****Delhi govt presents FY25 budget with Rs 76,000 crore outlay; to give Rs 1,000 per month to every woman New Delhi: Delhi's finance minister Atishi presented the FY25 budget in the state assembly on Monday with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, announcing the 'Mukhyamamantri Mahila Samman Yojana' under which women aged 18 and above will get Rs 1,000 per month, and asserted the government is inspired by the ideals of Ram Rajya.**** DEL34 KEJRIWAL-LD ED ****Kejriwal skips 8th ED summons, says ready to appear virtually before agency after Mar 12 New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who skipped the eighth Enforcement Directorate summons in connection with the excise policy case on Monday, has expressed readiness to appear before the agency through video-conferencing after March 12, government sources said.**** DEL24 CH-MUNICIPAL-LD POLLS ****Chandigarh Municipal Corporation: BJP's Kuljeet Sandhu wins senior deputy mayor post in reelection Chandigarh: BJP's Kuljeet Singh Sandhu was elected to the post of senior deputy mayor in repolls in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Monday.**** MDS8 TL-PM-LD PROJECTS ****PM Modi launches development projects worth Rs 56,000 crore in Telangana Adilabad (Telangana): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects related to power, rail and road sectors in Telangana worth more than Rs 56,000 crore.**** DEL16 MHA-KA-LD BLAST ****Bengaluru cafe blast probe handed over to NIA: sources New Delhi: The probe into the blast at a cafe in Bengaluru has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), sources said on Monday.**** DEL11 RAHUL-YOUTH-EMPLOYMENT ****INDIA bloc will open 'closed doors' of jobs for youth: Rahul New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at the Narendra Modi government for ''not filling up'' vacant posts and asserted that it is the INDIA bloc's resolve to open the ''closed doors'' of jobs for the youth.**** MDS2 KL-STUDENT DEATH-REMAND REPORT ****Kerala Veterinary student death: Stripped, assaulted using a belt and wire, says remand report Wayanad: The remand report of the suspect linked to the recent death of a second year student at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Wayanad has alleged that the victim was assaulted viciously.**** CAL4 WB-EC-MEETINGS ****EC full bench holds meetings with political parties in Bengal Kolkata: The full bench of the Election Commission (EC) on Monday started meeting representatives of political parties, and would later meet government officials to discuss preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, an official said.**** CAL7 WB-TMC-MLA ****TMC MLA Tapas Roy expresses displeasure over party functioning, hints at quitting Kolkata: Senior TMC MLA Tapas Roy on Monday expressed displeasure over the functioning of the party and the way the Sandeshkhali issue was handled, dropping hints at quitting the organisation ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.**** LEGAL LGD12 SC-STALIN-REMARKS ****SC rebukes Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his 'eradicate Sanatan Dharma' remark New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rebuked Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over his 'eradicate Sanatan Dharma' remark and asked why he has moved the top court with his plea after abusing his right of freedom of speech and expression.**** LGD6 SC-SISODIA ****AAP's Manish Sisodia seeks hearing of curative pleas in SC, says trial court not hearing bail plea New Delhi: Jailed AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Monday sought early hearing of his two curative petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the 2023 verdict of the court denying him bail in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.**** FOREIGN FGN12 PAK-SHEHBAZ-OATH ****Pakistan's PM-elect Shehbaz Sharif to take oath of office on Monday Islamabad: Shehbaz Sharif will take the oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan on Monday, taking over the reins of the country for a second time since 2022, amidst staggering economic and security challenges faced by the country.**** FGN7 US-ELECTION-LD HALEY ****Nikki Haley beats Donald Trump in Washington DC for first primary victory Washington: Indian-American presidential candidate Nikki Haley has won her first Republican nominating contest by defeating rival Donald Trump in Washington DC, injecting new life into her campaign ahead of the crucial Super Tuesday contest. By Lalit K Jha****