New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday announced the launch of portal 'SuSwagatam', which would enable advocates, visitors, interns and others to register themselves online and get e-passes to enter the apex court.

As soon as a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud assembled to hear a batch of pleas challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the CJI announced about this online facility.

"'Suswagatam' is a web based and mobile friendly application that allows users to register themselves online and request for e-passes for various purposes such as attending court hearing, meeting advocates…," the CJI said.

Justice Chandrachud said, "The 'Suswagatam' portal was tested as a pilot project since July 25, 2023 and has received positive feedback from the users."

He said that as on August 9, more than 10,000 e-passes have been issued through the portal on a pilot basis.

"You do not have to wait in the queue in the morning. All passes are generated online. This is a facility made available from this morning," the CJI said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present in the courtroom, told the bench that there used to be long queue in the morning hours at the apex court's counter to get the entry pass.

Justice Chandrachud said a video tutorial on how to use the application is also available on the website.

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Islamabad (PTI): At least seven people, including five schoolchildren and a policeman, were killed on Friday in a remote-controlled blast in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, according to media reports.

The blast occurred at 8.35 am near a school at the Civil Hospital Chowk of the Mastung district of the province, Dawn newspaper reported.

“It appears that an IED (improvised explosive device) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai was quoted as saying in the report.

“So far, seven individuals have been killed, including five school students,” Bazai said. At least 22 people were injured in the attack.

Most of those injured were schoolchildren, Geo News reported, adding that they were shifted to a nearby hospital.

A police van and several auto-rickshaws were damaged in the explosion, according to the report.

An emergency was declared across all Quetta hospitals after the blast, the report said quoting the provincial health department spokesperson, adding that all doctors, pharmacists, staff nurses and other medical staff were summoned.