Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday announced waiving charges for the first 100 units of electricity for all households irrespective of their total consumption per month.

"The first 100 units of electricity will be given free of cost to families who consume more than 100 units per month. That is, no matter how much the bill comes, they will not have to pay any electricity charge for the first 100 units," he tweeted.

The chief minister said that keeping the middle-class people in mind, those who consume electricity up to 200 units per month, the first 100 units will be free.

Along with this, fixed charges, fuel surcharge and all other charges for consumption up to 200 units will be waived, he said.

According to sources, only electricity charges need to be given between 100 to 200 units.

Gehlot made the announcement based on feedback received during inflation relief camps in which registration for 10 schemes including the free electricity scheme is being done.

The Rajasthan chief minister, in a tweet, said the bill of those who consume electricity up to 100 units per month will remain zero and they will not have to pay any bill like before.

Gehlot had in the budget earlier this year announced free electricity up to 100 units per month.

Assembly elections in Rajasthan are slated to be held later this year.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court would on Thursday hear a plea for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran is likely to hear the matter, according to the causelist.

On December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the revocation of Article 370, even as it ordered that assembly elections be held in Jammu and Kashmir by September 2024 and its statehood be restored "at the earliest".

Last year, a plea was filed in the top court seeking directions to the Centre for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir within two months.

The application was filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academician, and Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, a socio-political activist.

"It is submitted that the delay in the restoration of statehood would cause serious reduction of democratically elected government in Jammu and Kashmir, causing a grave violation of the idea of federalism which forms part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India," the application said.

The assembly elections and the Lok Sabha polls were conducted peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir without any incident of violence, disturbance or any security concerns being reported, it said.

"Therefore, there is no impediment of security concerns, violence or any other disturbances which would hinder or prevent the grant/restoration of the status of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as had been assured by the Union of India in the present proceedings," the plea said.

The non-restoration of the status of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, the plea said, would result in a lesser form of elected democratic government to the state, particularly given legislative assembly results were declared on October 8, 2024.

Despite the apex court's directions for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir "at the earliest and as soon as possible", no steps have been taken by the Centre to provide any timeline for the implementation of such directions, it claimed.

"Jammu and Kashmir is being operated as a Union Territory for a period of almost five years now, which has caused many impediments and grave losses to the development of Jammu and Kashmir and has affected the democratic rights of its citizens," the plea added.

In its December 2023 verdict, the apex court held that Article 370, which was incorporated in the Indian Constitution in 1949 to grant special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was a temporary provision. The President of India was empowered to revoke the measure in the absence of the Constituent Assembly of the erstwhile state whose term expired in 1957, the court said.