24 Aug, 23:19 (IST)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met with a delegation from staff side of the Joint Consultative Machinery for Central Government employees. The meeting coincided with the BJP-led central government's approval of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), which includes Assured Pension and Assured Family Pension.

24 Aug, 20:22 (IST)

The BJP-led central government on Saturday launched the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). The UPS has been introduced amid protests by several non-BJP-ruled states over the New Pension Scheme (NPS). UPS assures 50% of the basic salary for the last 12 months before retirement as a pension for government employees who complete a minimum of 25 years in service.

24 Aug, 18:56 (IST)

The Haryana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has requested the Election Commission to postpone the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for October 1, 2024, citing concerns over low voter turnout due to an extended holiday period.

24 Aug, 16:34 (IST)

A private helicopter flying from Juhu in Mumbai to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh crashed near the Kondhavle village of Paud in Pune district on Saturday afternoon. The police said the helicopter belongs to the Global Vectra company in Mumbai. It is suspected to have crashed due to some technical failure. The pilot suffered injuries and is undergoing treatment in hospital.

24 Aug, 14:25 (IST)

Two persons, including one Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawan, have lost their lives while trying to save others during the floods caused by incessant rainfall in Tripura, officials said.

24 Aug, 12:18 (IST)

The BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) is set to convene on August 25 at the party's headquarters in Delhi to finalise candidate selections for the upcoming Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections.

24 Aug, 11:10 (IST)

The death toll in the tragic bus accident in Tanahun district, Nepal, has risen to 41, as confirmed by Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan. The bus, carrying primarily Indian tourists from Maharashtra, plunged into the Marsyangdi River gorge on August 23.

24 Aug, 09:57 (IST)

Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan on Saturday, August 24, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, two years after his last appearance for the national team. The 38-year-old expressed satisfaction with his career, having represented India in all three formats since his ODI debut in 2010.

24 Aug, 07:48 (IST)

Robert F Kennedy Jr has suspended his independent presidential campaign and pledged his support to Donald Trump. During a rally in Glendale, Arizona, Trump lauded Kennedy as "phenomenal" and "brilliant," welcoming him on stage.

New Delhi, August 24: Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar appealed for the withdrawal of the Maharashtra bandh scheduled for Saturday, August 24, in light of a Bombay High Court ruling. The bandh was originally called by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, of which the NCP(SP) is a member, to protest the sexual assault of two four-year-old girls in a Badlapur school and to pressure the government for swift action.

However, the Bombay High Court intervened, restraining all political parties and individuals from supporting or participating in the bandh. A division bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar directed the Maharashtra government to take necessary measures to prevent the bandh, emphasizing that such actions infringe upon the fundamental rights of citizens. No Maharashtra Bandh on August 24? Sharad Pawar Requests Political Parties to Call Off Statewide Shutdown Over Badlapur Incident After Bombay High Court Order.

Responding to the court's decision, Pawar stated that although the bandh was within the purview of the Fundamental Rights of the Constitution of India, the NCP(SP) respects the judiciary's ruling. He urged all political parties and supporters to withdraw the bandh, acknowledging that an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court was not feasible due to time constraints. PM Modi Wants Peace More Than Putin: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Says ‘Russia Attacked Our Children During PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Moscow, Which Shows Vladimir Putin’s Lack of Respect for Indian PM’ (Watch Videos).

In related political developments, Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance ahead of the Jammu & Kashmir assembly elections. Shah demanded clarification from Congress on its stance regarding reservations for Dalits, Pahadis, and other backward communities, which the JKNC has pledged to review if elected. Shah's comments reignited the debate over reservations following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A by the Modi government.