LPG cylinder prices increased by Rs 25; details here
New Delhi, Aug 18: Domestic cooking gas LPG price on Wednesday was increased by Rs 25 per cylinder - the second straight month of increase in rates.
Subsidised LPG now costs Rs 859 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi, according to a price notification of oil companies.
This is the second straight month of a price increase. Rates were hiked by Rs 25.50 per cylinder on July 1.
Non-subsidised LPG rates were increased on August 1 by the same proportion, and now the subsidised cooking gas prices have been raised.
There is hardly any difference in the rate of subsidised and non-subsidised cooking gas.
Industry sources said the subsidised LPG price was not raised on August 1 because Parliament was in session and the government could have been attacked by the opposition.
The latest increase in subsidised LPG price now has taken the cumulative rate hike since January 1 to Rs 165 per cylinder.
The government eliminated subsidies on LPG by raising rates every month. These monthly increases led to the elimination of subsidies by May 2020.
The price of domestic cooking gas has more than doubled in the last seven years. The retail selling price of domestic gas was Rs 410.5 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 1, 2014.
In Mumbai, a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder now costs Rs 859.5, while in Kolkata, it is priced at Rs 886. For people of Chennai, an LPG cylinder will now cost Rs 875.50, up from Rs 850.50.
Meanwhile, diesel prices were cut by 19 to 21 paise across the country, while petrol prices remained unchanged, according to the price notification.
This is the first change in price in over a month. Petrol continues to remain unchanged at Rs 101.84 a litre in Delhi.
Diesel rates have, however, been reduced to Rs 89.67 per litre from Rs 89.87. In Mumbai, the fuel now costs Rs 97.24 per litre.
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Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: SC expresses disappointment over non-production of witnesses in trial
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday expressed disappointment over the non-production of witnesses in the ongoing trial against Ashish Mishra, son of former Union minister Ajay Mishra, and others in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the status report filed before it by the Uttar Pradesh government has not assigned any reason whatsoever for the non-production of witnesses.
It noted that no witnesses have been examined in the trial for the last two months.
"We direct the presiding judge to take lawful measures to secure the presence of witnesses," the bench said.
It asked the trial judge to make an endeavour to conclude the trial in a time-bound manner, and also to file a status report before it.
The trials in two cases related to the incident are going on before a court in Uttar Pradesh.
The bench noted that in the first case, out of 131 witnesses to be examined, 44 have been examined, 15 have been discharged and 72 are still to be produced.
In the second FIR, out of 35 witnesses, 26 have been examined and nine were left, it said.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Ashish Mishra, said that as per the latest status report filed by Uttar Pradesh, 44 witnesses have been examined so far in the first FIR.
"No witnesses have been examined in the last two months," Dave said.
He argued that the last status report filed by the state in March also said that 44 witnesses had been examined.
"What have you done from March till today?" the bench asked the counsel appearing for Uttar Pradesh.
The state's counsel said that 3-4 witnesses were summoned for the recording of their deposition during the trial.
The bench said at least 7-8 witnesses should be summoned instead of three or four for a day, so that even if some of them do not turn up, the trial court could proceed with the recording of statements of those appearing before it.
The top court also wondered how official witnesses can remain absent during the trial.
"We are disappointed to note that the so-called status report does not assign any reason whatsoever for non-production of witnesses...," the bench said.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the relatives of the farmers who were allegedly mowed down in the incident, said the apex court will have to do something regarding the manner in which the trial was going on.
The bench noted that besides the two FIRs, another FIR was registered in October last year concerning alleged witness intimidation.
It said that, as per the state's status report, the chargesheet was filed against the main accused in that case.
The bench noted that the status report reveals that, as far as Ashish Mishra is concerned, his alleged role in the third case is still being investigated.
The top court directed the investigating officer of the third case to conclude the pending probe and ensure that the appropriate report is filed before the concerned court within four weeks.
The bench posted the next hearing in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case for July.
On October 3, 2021, eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri district during a protest by farmers against Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area.
Four farmers were mowed down by a sports utility vehicle. A driver and two BJP workers were then allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.
In one of the cases, the trial court in December 2023 framed charges against Mishra and 12 others for alleged murder, criminal conspiracy and under other penal laws in the case of the farmers' deaths, paving the way for the trial.
