NEWS

Five states that are home to just over a quarter (27%) of India's adult population account for three-quarters of private vaccine doses, according to data presented by the government to the Supreme Court. Not surprisingly, these states are the ones that contain some of largest metros - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bengal, Delhi and Telangana in that order.

Interestingly, in the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh just 4.8 lakh doses were administered in the private sector, a little over what was administered in Gujarat, with less than half of UP's population.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday announced that his party will contest 100 seats in the Uttar Pradesh elections next year and that the party has started the process of selecting candidates for the polls.

“I would like to make some things about the UP elections public. We have decided that we will have candidates on 100 seats, and the process to select the candidates has already started and we have issued application forms for it too,” Owaisi tweeted.

He also said the AIMIM will contest the election as part of the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha, which is an alliance of smaller parties being headed by president of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party and prominent OBC leader.

The Bar Council of West Bengal on Sunday wrote to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and sought the removal of Acting Justice Rajesh Bindal of Calcutta High Court, alleging that he is "biased" in the hearing of a few prominent cases.

The six-page letter has been signed by Ashok Kumar Deb, who is the Chairperson of the Bar Council of West Bengal and TMC MLA from Budge Budge.

"Justice Bindal is a partial, unfair and biased judge whose continuance at the High Court interferes with fair and impartial dispensation of justice," the letter read.

The Karnataka Congress discipline committee chairman Rahman Khan has decided to issue show-cause notice to MLAs who said Siddaramaiah would be the next chief minister's face of the Congress.

"Many MLAs have made statements which are not needed now as the [Karnataka Assembly] elections are in two years. We will issue a notice to them and ask them to explain their remarks," said Rahman Khan.

On Sunday, the committee will meet virtually and discuss who to send the show cause notice. Till now, MLAs Ramappa, Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, Bheema Naik and Zameer Ahmed Khan have spoken about the next CM candidate.