The Jammu & Kashmir Government on Thursday introduced the “Jammu and Kashmir Private Universities Bill, 2026” in the Legislative Assembly. The proposed law, introduced by Minister for Higher Education Sakina Masood Ittoo, provides a legal framework for establishing private universities and for regulating their functioning, management, and academic standards. According to the proposed legislation, a sponsoring body can set up a private university in Jammu & Kashmir only if must be registered for at least three years, have education as its primary objective, sound finances, clean credentials, and lawful possession of adequate land and facilities. The sponsoring body must also…
Author: KO Web Desk
Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday cautioned Pakistan against attempting any provocation, stating that India would respond in a “decisive and unprecedented” manner if challenged. Addressing a Sainik Samman Sammelan in Kerala, Singh, said that the “evolving geopolitical situation could tempt our neighbour to exploit the moment,” but asserted that India remained fully prepared to counter any such move. “Our neighbour, in the current circumstances, may attempt a misadventure. If that happens, India’s response will be firm and decisive,” he said, without naming Pakistan directly. His remarks come ahead of the first anniversary…
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday ordered a major reshuffle in the prosecution department, appointing 104 officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Prosecution Service as Public Prosecutors (PPs), Additional Public Prosecutors (APPs) and Assistant Public Prosecutors (Asst PPs) in courts across the Union Territory. The notification, issued by the Home Department from the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, was made under Sections 18 and 19 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 with the objective of strengthening prosecution in criminal cases at the district, sessions and special court levels. Issued by order of the Lieutenant Governor, the notification was…
A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah in a money-laundering case, observing that he had already been granted relief in the predicate NIA terror-funding case. Special Judge Prashant Sharma said Shah being granted bail by the Supreme Court was a material fact in his favour. “It is an admitted position that the accused Shabir Ahmad Shah was granted bail by the apex court in the predicate offence (NIA’s terror-funding case), vide order dated March 12, and is also an admitted position that said accused was not arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) during investigation,…
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday raised alarm over “deliberate and sinister efforts” to trap Jammu and Kashmir’s youth in drug addiction, calling for an urgent, comprehensive action plan combining strict enforcement and preventive measures to dismantle the nexus of drug smuggling and narco-terrorism. “Deliberate and sinister efforts are being made to push the youth of Jammu Kashmir into the abyss of drug addiction. A comprehensive, whole-of-government approach, combining stringent enforcement, robust preventive measures, and a carefully calibrated multi-pronged action plan, is urgently required to dismantle the entire ecosystem of drug smuggling and narco-terrorism,” the Lieutenant Governor said while reviewing…
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch in Jammu and Kashmir conducted searches at three locations in Srinagar and Budgam on Thursday in connection with a large-scale fraud allegedly perpetrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The action was taken as part of an investigation into FIR No. 11/2026, registered at the EOW police station in Srinagar under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology Act. According to an agency spokesperson, the case was initiated following a complaint filed by M/S Sanjay Trading Company, based in Najafgarh, New Delhi. The firm’s proprietor, Sanjay Kumar Sahu,…
by Amanjeet Singh 20 March remains a day of deep mourning in the collective memory of Kashmir’s Sikh community. It recalls the heartbreaking events of 20 March 2000, when 35 innocent Sikh men of Chittisinghpora village in Anantnag district were killed in a brutal act of violence that shook the conscience of the entire region. More than two decades later, the pain of that night still lingers, not only in the homes of those who lost fathers, sons, brothers, and husbands, but also in the wider history of Kashmir. Chittisinghpura was known as a peaceful village where Sikh families had…
A Pakistani intruder was detained by Border Security Force (BSF) along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Wednesday, officials said. Alert BSF troops picked up the movement of an elderly Pakistani opposite Border Out Post Bhaller in Ramgarh sector and subsequently challenged him when he intruded into this side, the officials said. He is likely to be repatriated after completion of necessary formalities shortly, the officials said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday directed the stakeholders to prioritise collaboration and create an environment where a strong professional community is built through networking, best practices, national and international exposure, and joint training programmes. “Today’s challenges are complex and multi dimensional. Their solution is possible only through collective effort and we must focus on this to actively drive Jammu Kashmir’s rapid growth,” the Lieutenant Governor said. The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that people from different sectors must come together to deliberate, share experiences, and jointly find solutions. He said, through cooperation and dialogue we can forge a strong, inclusive model…
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi late on Tuesday, sources from the hospital said. According to reports quoting sources, the Rajya Sabha MP is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital, and her condition is being monitored.