Evening digest: Govt climbs down on porn sites ban, tells SC it can't do moral policing

GN Bureau | August 10, 2015



Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that it can not ban porn except for child pornography. During the resumption of hearing in the apex court on a petition seeking ban on pornographic websites, the Centre said the government can't do moral policing. Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi told a bench headed by chief justice HL Dattu that the government is committed to block websites of child pornography but said that adult pornography sites can't be banned in the country.

SC okays repair work at Ayodhya's makeshift Ram temple
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed repairing of covers and providing other facilities at makeshift Ram Lalla Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. The exercise has to be undertaken by district collector of Faizabad under the supervision of two independent observers, the SC bench said on Monday. Earlier, the The supreme court asked the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to consider providing better amenities feasible in the present scenario to pilgrims at 'Ram Janma Bhoomi' site near the disputed structure at Ayodhya. "Let us do something. If possible, do something for the upkeep of the place and provide facilites for visitors," a bench of Justices AR Dave and Kurian Joseph said.

6.2-magnitude quake hits Afghanistan, tremors felt in north India
Strong tremors jolted Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi on Monday afternoon around 330pm as an earthquake of 6.2 magnitude rocked Afghanistan. Tremors were also felt in the neighbouring Pakistan. The epicenter of the quake was 88 kilometers (54.68 miles) from Feyzabad in Afghanistan, at a depth of 209 kilometers (129.87 miles), the US Geological Survey said. Panic-stricken people ran out of their homes and offices in Srinagar and Chandigarh but no loss to life or property has been so reported so far.

Dayanidhi Maran Ordered to Surrender to CBI in 3 Days: Report
Dayanidhi Maran, the former telecom minister who is being investigated for corruption, has been given three days to surrender to the CBI by the Madras High Court, according to the Press Trust of India. Maran's interim or temporary bail was cancelled today, the news agency reported. The CBI had asked for the bail to be revoked because it alleged Maran was not cooperating with the inquiry against him.

AAP's Alka Lamba caught on CCTV footage allegedly vandalising shop
An FIR has been registered against Delhi MLA Alka Lamba.The FIR was registered after seven shopkeepers complained against her for trespassing. As per a CCTV footage, the AAP MLA and her supporters had allegedly vandalised a shop during a drive against drugs in Kashmere gate area of Delhi. On the other hand, Lamba had said yesterday that she was attacked during an anti-drugs campaign in north Delhi's Kashmere Gate area and sustained head injuries.

Land bill not to come before parliament before Winter Session
The contentious land acquisition bill will not come to Parliament before the Winter Session, with the Joint Committee of Parliament examining the measure today deciding to seek more time to finalise its report after Congress and TMC sought more time to study certain clauses.The decision to seek further extension till the first week of the Winter Session came after a sharp exchange of words between BJP and Congress as the latter was opposed to any changes in the retrospective clause of the bill dealing with compensation of land acquired under the 1894 Act, which was replaced by the 2013 law passed by the UPA government.

Parliament will function once Sushma Swaraj answers our questions: Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi today said Congress will allow parliament to function only after external affair minister Sushma Swaraj discloses her family's financial transactions with Lalit Modi and hit out at prime minister Narendra Modi for praising chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan while remaining silent on their "illegal" acts. The Congress vice president attacked Swaraj for being "secretly" kind and charitable to Lalit Modi, whom he termed as a criminal, and asked her to tell the country how much money she and her family "have received" in their bank accounts from the former IPL chief.

Prior approval norm for aircraft import may go
To simplify procedural requirements for carriers, the Civil Aviation Ministry plans to do away with the prior approval norm for importing aircraft. The ministry has written to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Reserve Bank requesting them to amend their rules.

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