Lok Sabha adjourns till 2 pm amid Opposition protests over SIR
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Monday amid Opposition protests demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The first day of the Winter Session, which will have 15 sittings, saw two adjournments till 2 pm. The proceedings went on for around 12 minutes after the House reconvened at 12 noon following an earlier adjournment.
Several Opposition members trooped into the Well shouting slogans and protesting over SIR, as they have been demanding a debate on the issue.
During the 12 minutes of the Zero Hour, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced three bills besides tabling supplementary demands for grants for 2025-2026.
Two bills to levy excise duty on tobacco and tobacco products, as well as a new cess on the manufacture of pan masala, were introduced. They are the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025.
The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, was also introduced by the finance minister. Earlier, the government had come out with an ordinance on the Manipur GST as the state is under President's Rule.
With the Opposition members continuing with their protests, the House was adjourned till 2 pm.
Opposition leaders, while emerging from an all-party meeting on Sunday, said they will press for a debate on SIR.
The Election Commission had announced SIR in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal will go to the polls in 2026. In Assam, where polls are also due in 2026, the revision of electoral rolls was announced separately. It is being called 'Special Revision'.
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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
