President Droupadi Murmu Approves 78 Gallantry Awards, Including Posthumous Honors, Ahead of Independence Day President Droupadi Murmu has approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 posthumous honors, for personnel of the armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) on the eve of Independence Day. The Ministry of Defence announced the awards, which recognize acts of bravery and distinguished service rendered during various military operations. The recipients include members of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and paramilitary forces, with several honors conferred posthumously to those who lost their lives in the line of duty. The awards encompass a range of gallantry medals, including nine Kirti Chakras, seven of which were awarded posthumously. Among the recipients of the Kirti Chakra are Lieutenant Colonel Maneo Francis PF of 21 Para (Special Forces) and Major Jitendra Rathee of 2 Para (Special Forces). Havildar Gajendra Singh of 2 Para (Special Forces) was also honored posthumously. Additionally, six personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces and other forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs received the Kirti Chakra posthumously. These include Head Constables Jagbir Singh and Bashir Ahmad, Special Grade Constables Jaswant Singh, Balvinder Singh, and Tariq Hussain, as well as Inspector Sunil Kumar of the Special Task Force. The Shaurya Chakra, another prestigious gallantry award, was conferred on 19 personnel, including one posthumous recipient. The awardees include Major Paramveer of the Garhwal Rifles, Major Tarun Vasudevan of the Corps of Engineers, and Major Keshav Kumar of 12 Dogra. Lieutenant Commander Shivam Kumar of the Navy and Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar of the Air Force were also recognized with this honor.#indian_army #president_droupadi_murmu #navy #air_force #central_armed_police_forces
Supreme Court Agrees to Implement ECI Circular on Vote Counting Deployment The Supreme Court has clarified that the Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s petition challenging the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s circular on the deployment of central government employees for vote counting in West Bengal assembly elections was not outright rejected. Instead, the court acknowledged the validity of the TMC’s argument and directed the ECI to implement the circular as proposed. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the TMC in the Supreme Court, stated that the court’s ruling aligns with the ECI’s circular, which mandates the joint deployment of central and state government employees for vote counting. The circular, issued on April 13, outlines the involvement of both central and state government personnel in the process. The court emphasized that the ECI must fully and appropriately implement the circular without further orders. Sibal clarified that the TMC did not challenge the circular itself but sought its enforcement. He explained that the ECI’s circular includes provisions for random selection of personnel for vote counting and the use of a dedicated module in the ECINET system to manage the process. The court reiterated that the ECI’s directive is valid and must be followed strictly. The TMC had previously argued that the circular was flawed, citing concerns about potential irregularities in vote counting. However, the Supreme Court noted that the ECI’s circular is legally sound and that the TMC’s objection was based on a misinterpretation. The court also highlighted that the ECI has assured the judiciary that the circular will be implemented in its entirety. The court’s ruling comes after the TMC challenged the High Court’s dismissal of its petition.#trinamool_congress #supreme_court #election_commission_of_india #central_armed_police_forces #kapil_sibal
