The Republic of India, commonly known as India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the most populous, secular liberal democracy in the world. India...
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The Republic of India, commonly known as India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the most populous, secular liberal democracy in the world. India has a coastline of over seven thousand kilometres, bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east. India borders Pakistan to the west; the People's Republic of China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north-east; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia.
The name India is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, from Sanskrit Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the ancient Indians as Indoi, the people of the Indus. The Constitution of India and common usage in Hindi also recognise Bharat as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan (Persian: Land of the Hindus), has been in use since the 12th century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied.
After allowing transgenders a separate 'third' identity on electoral rolls, the Election Commission has decided to write to the government to allow under-trials to vote in elections.
Replying to queries from the gathering after delivering the Second Mother Teresa Memorial Lecture at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) here Monday, Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla said under-trials should be allowed to vote.
He noted that under-trials have the right to contest... Read Full Story
Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla Monday said there were difficulties in making voting compulsory in the country due to the huge size of the electorate.
Participating in a question-answer session after delivering a lecture on "Electoral Democracy in India" at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), he said there were 750 million voters in the country and another 30 million would be added to the electorate in January 2010.
"If you were in my place, how would you... Read Full Story
At least nine more people have succumbed to Influenza A (H1N1) taking the national toll due to the contagious virus to 789, the union health ministry said Monday.
Of the nine deaths, five were from Karnataka, and two each from Punjab and Delhi. With these casualties, the number of deaths have gone up to 128 in Karnataka, 20 in Punjab and 56 in Delhi.
Other states, where swine flu has caused havoc, include Maharashtra (249 deaths), Rajasthan (110 deaths), Gujarat (64) and Andhra (52... Read Full Story
Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 9:30 am
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday assured a delegation of Congress MPs from coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema regions that a decision on the Telangana issue could be taken by Tuesday.
"He (PM) said that he understands that it is a grave situation. He said he is sitting with his colleagues and by tomorrow a decision could be taken to bring things in order," said party MP from the state K.S. Rao.
He said, "We... Read Full Story
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PTI
Itanagar, December 20 (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh today called for a joint regional approach by all north eastern states to deal with different ultra groups who have close nexus among themselves. Addressing a press conference here on his return from Delhi after having a discussion with the union home minister, P Chidambaram, state's home minister Tako Dabi said though no home grown ultra group... Read Full Story
Hoping to ensure large-scale voter participation in the local polls early next year, a new campaign 'Jaagte Raho!' (Keep yourself awake) has been launched in Bangalore.
The campaign aims to coax and encourage Bangalore voters to make the forthcoming Feb 21 local elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) a successful democratic exercise.
After a gap of three years with no council, Bangalore will elect one. The last elections to the BBMP took place way back in 2001... Read Full Story
Tension gripped Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district Monday as hundreds of Sikhs carried out violent protests over desecration of their holy scripture, police said.
Agitated over the burning of the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhs went berserk in the Fakarpur area in Bahraich, some 270 km from Lucknow, damaging public property, targeting vehicles and clashing with police.
"Taking into account the violent protests, additional security has been deployed in Fakarpur and its adjoining areas... Read Full Story
Most trains and buses started running again Monday and businesses and schools reopened in Andhra Pradesh following three days of violent protests against the government's plan to split up the southern Indian state. Police, hoping to maintain the fragile calm, also arrested a ruling party lawmaker who was preparing to begin a high-profile hunger strike to protest the splitting of the state. An earlier hunger strike spurred the federal government's surprise decision last week to create a new... Read Full Story
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gopinath Munde was Monday appointed Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Munde's name has been approved by L.K. Advani, who last week took charge as chairman of the BJP parliamentary party, said a party leader.
"Ramesh Bais has been appointed chief whip of the BJP's parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha. In the Rajya Sabha, Advaniji has appointed S.S. Ahluwalia as deputy leader and Maya Singh as chief whip of the parliamentary... Read Full Story
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day Monday following the death of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP S. Acharya.
Acharya, 80, had been ailing for some time and died at 1.45 a.m. Monday, a family member said.
The house, which was supposed to adjourn sine die Monday, will, however, meet Tuesday to hear an expected statement from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the outcome of the Copenhagen climate submit.
Before the adjournment, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari paid tributes... Read Full Story
