NewsBytes

The Supreme Court on Monday directed that Aadhaar card "must" be included as an identity proof of voters in the special intensive revision exercise of electoral rolls in Bihar and asked the Election Commission to implement the direction by September 9. Adding the Aadhaar card to the list of 11 prescribed documents in the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi made it clear the Aadhaar will not be a proof of citizenship. In its order on the much debated issue, the apex court said the Election Commission can ascertain the genuineness of Aadhaar card number submitted by an elector for inclusion in the electoral roll. The top court also sought EC's explanation on showcause notices it issued to poll officials for not accepting Aadhaar card from voters.

India has cut down the local remedies exhaustion period for Israeli investors to three years from the earlier five years under the Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) signed on Monday between the two countries. A similar provision was included in India's investment pact with the UAE, which came into effect last year. The India-Israel BIA, aimed at providing comfort to investors of both countries, also includes portfolio investments in a deviation from such treaties in the past. Local remedies exhaustion means that investors must first try to resolve their disputes using the legal system of the host country before they can take the matter to international arbitration. Normally, India keeps a five-year period for this. An official said that the India-Israel BIA was signed on the lines of the India-UAE bilateral investment treaty. Israel is the first OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) member with which India has inked this agreement.

People from all walks of life gathered at the Bhupen Hazarika Samannay Tirtha in Guwahati on Monday to pay homage to the legendary singer on his 100th birth anniversary, ushering in year-long celebrations of the Assam icon. Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state Congress president Gourav Gogoi were among the leaders who joined countless school children, college students, office goers and music lovers from across the city to pay tribute to Hazarika at his memorial, the place where he was cremated in November 2011. Hazarika, hailed as the 'Bard of Brahmaputra', created songs that continue to resonate across generations. His compositions, such as 'Bistirno Parore', voiced the struggles and aspirations of the common people, while numbers like 'Dil Hoom Hoom Kare' and 'Ganga Behti Ho Kyun' brought his evocative music to national audiences. Assamese classics like 'Manuhe Manuhor Babe' and 'Moi Eti Jajabor' reflected his cultural pride and deep-rooted connection to the land.

The world is seeking a stable and predictable environment for trade and investment and economic practices should be fair, transparent and to everyone's benefit, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, amid increasing global concerns over Washington's tariff tussle. In an address at a virtual BRICS summit, the External Affairs Minister said India strongly believes that the foundational principles such as open, fair, transparent and non-discriminatory approach of the international trading system must be protected. Jaishankar represented Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the summit that saw participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other leaders of the grouping. The summit was convened by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to discuss trade disruptions triggered by Washington's policies on trade and tariff.