New Delhi: Are fitness bands popularly used for measuring and monitoring physical activities and vital parameters a communication device? Supreme Court Agreed to investigate this question, but noted that its Bluetooth connectivity capability may be the reason for its classification as a communications device.Petitioner GOQii Technologies imported activity trackers/fitness bands, and the consignment was classified as communication devices by the Customs Department, asking the company to execute provisional duty bonds worth Rs 3.64 crore. The goods were released after the company gave a bank guarantee of Rs 1 crore.Petitioner’s counsel Kumar Sambhav told a bench of Justices PS Narasimha, Arvind Kumar and Shri Chandrashekhar that fitness bands measuring/counting devices should have been classified as ‘pedometers and similar/others’, but the Customs department mistakenly treated the goods as devices for ‘transmission or reception of data’ and imposed additional duty.The bench agreed to examine the questions raised by the petitioner, issued notice to the Commissioner of Customs (Import) and posted the matter for further hearing on September 11. “Till the next date of hearing, the bank guarantee shall not be enforced,” the bench ordered.“The main and principal function of the goods, as found on record, is measurement and monitoring of physical activity and vital parameters, and the data-connectivity (Bluetooth) feature is admittedly helpful,” the petitioner said.Justice Kumar said that when it can be connected to communication devices like mobile phones and other satellite-based communication systems through Bluetooth and serve as a communication device, it ceases to be a purely measuring device.The petitioner submitted before the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) that he had sought expert opinion from Bombay IIT that it was not a communication device but a measuring instrument, but the tribunal upheld the Customs Department’s stand.CESTAT had rejected the company’s petition to classify fitness bands as ‘pedometers’, saying, “The essential function of all pedometers is to measure the distance traveled by a person as he takes each step, a mechanism such as swinging a pendulum to one side and then back again or touching a metal contact to a swinging hammer to complete an electrical circuit for measuring each such step.”Maintaining the determination that these fitness bands were communication devices, CESTAT had said, “Once the activity tracker/fitness band or smart watch is synced with the GOQii application, regular activity data and sleep data, automatically and manually tracked, will be visible to coaches, who will provide daily support, resources, motivation, and interpretation of the tracking data to help the individual wearer stay on track to reach personal fitness goals.“

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday accused Kerala’s ruling Congress of choosing “Sharia over the Constitution” in response to a youth’s announcement of opening an “Islam-friendly gym”.“BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that the Congress in Kerala was being “pressured” by its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).Bhandari said in a video on his“It has been clearly proved that because of Muslim appeasement, the Congress Party is now keeping the Constitution at bay, and believing in Shariat over the Constitution…because Due to Muslim appeasement, Congress Party is becoming a threat to the security of Hindus in Kerala.”IUML, with 22 MLAs, is the second largest constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the southern state. UDF has 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly.The controversy centers on a fitness facility in Puthunagaram in Palakkad district. It recently announced plans to transform itself into an “Islam-friendly gym” operating under “Sharia-based guidelines”.The announcement, which was later removed, was posted on the Instagram account “Nawaz Muthu T”. It said the fitness centre, which has been operating for the last 15 years, will introduce a new set of rules for its members.Under the proposed guidelines, music would be prohibited inside the facility, separate workout times would be set for men and women, and members would have to follow a dress code to ensure that their “awrah” – body parts that Islamic teachings dictate should be covered – remain hidden while exercising.The proposed changes also stipulate that men and women will not be allowed to work together, separate schedules will be arranged for each group.Female members will be required to wear attire, including hijab, that covers the body in accordance with stated religious guidelines.The announcement has sparked debate and mixed reactions from various quarters. Supporters have described the initiative as an effort to provide a fitness environment that accommodates religious preferences, while critics have questioned the implications and broader impact of operating gyms based on faith-specific guidelines.

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee with nephew Abhishek Banerjee

New Delhi: What started as a routine conversation in Delhi has resulted in the most serious internal crisis in the history of the Trinamool Congress, resulting in a split that has rocked the party establishment. Mamata Banerjee Almost three decades ago.On Wednesday, a group of 58 rebel MLAs led by expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee claimed control of the TMC legislature party after seeking recognition from Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose. The dramatic developments marked nearly two weeks of heightened tension over allegations of forged signatures, resentment over Abhishek Banerjee’s growing influence and an increasingly visible succession battle within the party.The seeds of the crisis were sown after the party’s assembly election defeat on May 4. Dissatisfaction began to surface among a section of the newly elected MLAs, many of whom privately expressed concerns about the concentration of power around Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s national general secretary and Mamata Banerjee’s nephew.Those concerns became more evident during a meeting of MLAs on May 6 when Mamata Banerjee reportedly asked MLAs to appreciate Abhishek for his role in the election campaign. Although it was intended as a sign of appreciation, some members interpreted it as a sign of a family’s increasing prominence within the party structure.Early signs of disagreementThe first public signs of disagreement emerged on 19 May. During a meeting of MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Entally MLA Sandipan Saha questioned why Falta MLA Jahangir Khan did not face disciplinary action despite publicly withdrawing from the re-poll campaign. Given Khan’s alleged closeness to Abhishek, the criticism was widely seen as a challenge to the party leadership.

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Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh had also raised similar concerns at the time, though he later distanced himself from the rebel camp.turning point A turning point came on May 22 when Ritabrata Banerjee went to Banga Bhawan in Delhi to complete the formalities related to the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure and unexpectedly met Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. After the meeting, Ritabrata publicly praised Adhikari’s decision to invite opposition MLAs and MPs to administrative review meetings, triggering intense political speculation.On May 25, the crisis deepened when allegations were made that fake signatures of several MLAs had been put on the documents submitted to the Speaker regarding the leadership of the legislative party.Two days later, Ritabrata and Sandipan lodged a formal complaint with the Speaker. The Assembly Secretariat later contacted the police, prompting a CID investigation.As the MLAs were questioned over the next few days, the controversy quickly escalated into a broader political confrontation. What started as a dispute over signatures became a rallying point for disgruntled MPs and intense lobbying began behind the scenes.brothers in mob attackTension further increased after the mob attacked Abhishek Banerjee during his visit to Sonarpur on May 30. While party leaders publicly condemned the incident, many TMC leaders privately saw the muted reaction from sections of the organization as evidence of growing rift between the leadership and some MLAs.By the next day, the extent of the challenge facing the leadership became clear. The meeting of newly elected MLAs called by Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence reportedly saw lower than expected attendance, undermining efforts to display unity.The decisive crackdown came on 1 June. Soon after the official revealed that a CID probe was initiated following complaints by Ritabrata and Sandipan, the TMC expelled the two leaders.Instead of ending the crisis, the expulsion energized the dissident camp. Ritabrata and his supporters intensified their criticism of Abhishek Banerjee and accused him of centralizing power within the party. This operation became known as “Operation Crown Prince” in rebel circles.legislative revolution?The leadership’s efforts to establish control through new communications to the Speaker regarding the leadership of the legislature party continued on June 2. However, support among legislators continued to swing towards the rebels.The tension reached its peak on Wednesday when 58 MLAs submitted a letter to Ritabrata Banerjee electing him as the legislature party leader and proposing a new leadership structure. The Speaker accepted the claim and effectively recognized the rebel faction as the official legislature wing of the TMC.Soon after, many of the MLAs involved attended a government review meeting called by Adhikari in Nabanna, underscoring the scale of the political realignment.This development is the biggest break in the 28-year history of the party built around Mamata Banerjee’s leadership and political appeal.It also had an ironically personal twist. Former CPI(M) leader Ritabrata had often cited Vladimir Lenin while describing Mamata Banerjee’s ability to connect with the common people and argued that observing her political style helped him understand the Bolshevik leader’s principles of mass mobilisation.On Wednesday, he found himself leading what his supporters call a “legislative revolution” against the same leader he once compared to Lenin.TMC has been revolving around the same leader for almost three decades. The fourteen-day rebellion has now exposed the risks, tensions and unanswered questions that come with Mamata Banerjee.

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday hit back strongly against Rahul Gandhi’s warning of an “economic tsunami” for India, dismissing it as “classic fear mongering”.“The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha had expressed concern over the escalating situation in the Middle East and its possible impact on India.Responding sharply, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya rejected Rahul’s claims and argued that India is well placed to withstand any economic fallout from the Iran war. Citing several economic and strategic indicators, Malviya stressed that “India is not defenceless” amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.In a post on Twitter, Malviya cited a range of economic indicators to refute Rahul’s claims. He said e-way bill generation grew by 12.9% in May 2026, while manufacturing and services activity remained strong with PMI readings of 56.6 and 58.9, respectively. Retail inflation in April stood at 3.48%, below the Reserve Bank of India’s target, while gross foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows reached a record $94.5 billion in FY26.Pointing to the strength of India’s external sector, Malviya said comfortable foreign exchange reserves and strong services exports have been providing stability amid global volatility.“These are not signs of an economy without shock absorbers. These are signs of resilience. The government has also taken direct measures to protect citizens, businesses and jobs,” Malviya said.The BJP leader also highlighted the steps taken by the Center to protect consumers and businesses from global economic shocks.“When global crude oil prices rose, cuts in excise duty on petrol and diesel provided relief to consumers. Supply side interventions and export restrictions were used when necessary to protect domestic availability and control inflation. Through ECLGS 5.0, MSMEs receive 100% guarantee coverage, while non-MSMEs and airlines receive 90% coverage. Additional credit support up to 20% of maximum working capital, Limited to Rs 100 crore, available to eligible borrowers,” he said.“Airlines facing fuel price volatility may get assistance up to Rs 1,500 crore per borrower. The objective is clear: to protect jobs, maintain supply chains and ensure uninterrupted production,” he said.Malviya further said that the Union Cabinet has approved Rs 37,500 crore for surface coal and lignite gasification projects, with an aim to create 75 million tonnes of gasification capacity and attract investments of Rs 2.5-3 lakh crore.“These are not actions of the government eliminating shock absorbers. These are actions of the government actively strengthening them,” he said.Launching his attack on the previous UPA government, Malviya cited economic indicators from 2009 to 2014. He claimed that the rupee depreciated by 36% during this period, while foreign exchange reserves declined from about $294 billion in July 2011 to about $256 billion in August 2013.“Foreign exchange reserves declined from about $294 billion in July 2011 to about $256 billion in August 2013. Import cover declined by more than six months by September 2013, down significantly from 17 months in March 2004,” he said.“The foreign exchange reserves-to-external debt ratio declined from 95.8% in FY2011 to 68.8% in FY2014. The RBI was forced to open the FCNR (B) window and offer attractive incentives to attract dollar deposits. India ultimately raised $26.6 billion through the scheme, almost twelve times the size of the 1991 IMF bailout.”Malviya urged Rahul to “stop spreading terror”, claiming that India’s economic security had weakened during the UPA era, long before any external shocks emerged.His comments came in response to Rahul’s warning that India was heading towards an “economic tsunami” due to the BJP government allegedly dismantling the country’s economic “shock absorbers” amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.Rahul had said, “An economic tsunami is coming. The reason for this is that the BJP government has removed India’s safety net, which was the shock absorber from the international economy. A dangerous economic tsunami is coming, prices are rising and this is just the beginning.”

New Delhi: The IMD said the south-west (summer) monsoon reached Kerala on Thursday, three days later than its normal date. Monsoon generally enters Kerala on June 1, marking the beginning of the rainy season in India as well as sowing operations.Last year, the monsoon reached Kerala eight days earlier, on May 24. However, the early or late arrival of the monsoon has nothing to do with the overall quantitative or spatial rainfall during the four-month rainy season. The overall position of the monsoon and its progress depends on many climatic factors.Amid the growing threat of El Nino, the IMD has already predicted that monsoon rainfall this year will be ‘below normal’ with a 60% chance of it being ‘deficient’, raising fears of drought.

Announcing the onset of monsoon over mainland India, the IMD said, “Southwest Monsoon will advance over remaining parts of southwest and southeast Arabian Sea, parts of west-central and east-central Arabian Sea, entire Lakshadweep Islands, Kerala and Mahe, parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, remaining parts of Comorin area, southeast Bay of Bengal and some more parts of southwest, west-central, east-central and northeast Bay of Bengal on June 4.” Has increased.”“Conditions are favorable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, entire Goa, parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, some more parts of Karnataka, remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, southwest Bay of Bengal, some more parts of west central, east central and northeast Bay of Bengal, some parts of northeast states during next 2-3 days,” it said.The IMD had earlier predicted the arrival date of monsoon in Kerala as May 26 (+/- with a model error of 4 days). However, the forecast made on 15 May did not prove correct.The Meteorological Department has been issuing operational forecasts for the onset date of monsoon in Kerala since 2005. An indigenously developed state-of-the-art statistical model with a model error of ± 4 days is used for this purpose.

New Delhi: Consumers buying vegan food products will soon find it easier to identify them on store shelves. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified a standardized vegan logo that will be mandatory on all approved vegan food packages from July 1, 2027.The move aims to create a uniform national identity for vegan products and help consumers distinguish them from conventional foods containing ingredients of animal origin. Under the amended Food Safety and Standards (Vegetarian Foods) Regulations, every approved vegan food package must display a green “vegan” logo in a format prescribed by the regulator. The logo consists of a green square-framed symbol consisting of a stylized “V” with a sprouting leaf, indicating that the product is certified vegan and free of animal-derived ingredients.Under an amendment notified on May 21, 2026, FSSAI has introduced a standard vegan logo and prescribed specifications for its use on packaging. The requirement will become mandatory from July 1, 2027.Monita Gehlot, a dietitian at AIIMS Delhi, said the introduction of a dedicated vegan logo is important as it provides consumers with a clear, government-recognized identification mark for vegan foods and establishes a transparent framework to prevent misleading claims. “Consumers following a vegan diet often have to spend a lot of time examining ingredient lists to determine whether a product is truly free of animal-derived ingredients. The new logo will help them instantly identify products that comply with FSSAI’s vegan standards and make informed choices with more confidence,” she said.Vegan foods are products that do not contain animal-derived ingredients, additives or processing aids. Unlike vegetarian foods, which may include milk, dairy products, ghee, cheese and honey, vegan foods do not contain all animal-derived ingredients and rely solely on plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and plant-based milk alternatives. “All vegetarian foods are vegetarian, but not all vegetarian foods are vegetarian,” said Dr.The range is increasingly gaining acceptance among health-conscious consumers, those with ethical concerns about animal welfare and those seeking environmentally sustainable diets.The emphasis on clear vegan food standards comes with another recent FSSAI reform targeted at the plant-based food sector. In a separate notification, the regulator lifted the ban on the use of sal-seed fat, an edible vegetable fat derived from the sal tree, other than in bakery and confectionery products. The move is expected to boost innovation in India’s growing vegan and plant-based food market.

Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi (file photo)

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday reacted to the suicide of a NEET aspirant and launched a fresh attack on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government over the NEET-UG paper leak mess.The senior Congress leader took to social media to mention the case of NEET aspirant Akanksha, who recently committed suicide after failing in the exam.Highlighting the struggles of the student and her family, Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter, “Akanksha wanted to serve the country and society by becoming a doctor. Akanksha’s father is a farmer. To fulfill his daughter’s dream of becoming a doctor, he took a loan of Rs 3 lakh on Kisan Credit Card.” And he got a job as a cook in Nagpur, so that his daughter could take coaching there. A father did everything he could.”Rahul Gandhi blamed the government for this and described it as a “corrupt” education system and linked Akanksha’s death to the NEET paper leak controversy.He said, “Then the NEET paper was leaked. The exam was cancelled. In that uncertainty, Akanksha left us forever. Akanksha’s death was not suicide – it is the result of a corrupt, broken system under Modi ji.”

Congress leader also targeted the Union Education Minister Dharmendra PradhanReiterating the opposition’s demand for accountability in the wake of the NEET paper leak.“And Dharmendra Pradhan ji? He is still in his chair. Same committee. Same transfer. Same investigation. No reform, no justice.”Rahul Gandhi further accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of damaging India’s education system during his tenure.He said, “Modi ji, power is not permanent – ​​it comes and goes. But the extent to which you have ruined the education system in 12 years, an entire young generation of India is paying the price for it.”His comments come a month after the NEET-UG exam was canceled following the paper leak. National Testing Agency (NTA) later announced that the re-examination will be conducted on June 21.The cancellation affected lakhs of medical aspirants across the country, triggering widespread protests and demands for accountability. There have also been several reports of student suicides after NTA’s NEET failure.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches and interrogation at the residence of former Trinamool Congress MLA Shaukat Mollah killed one person in South Bamunia area of ​​Bhangar while investigating a bomb blast that took place shortly before the West Bengal Assembly elections.The investigation was transferred to the NIA following demands for a central probe into the blast. Since taking charge of the case, the agency has arrested many people including TMC leader Wahedul Islam.Officials of a special team of NIA reached Mollah’s residence to gather information and investigate possible links to the case. During the operation, Mollah’s wife and daughter were seen entering the premises.Separately, the NIA had taken over the investigation into the recovery of crude bombs in West Bengal on April 27 after probing the case from a possible terror angle.After receiving instructions from the Home Ministry, the agency registered a new FIR, number RC-25/2026/NIA/DLI.“In compliance with the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the NIA has registered a case related to the recovery of crude bombs in West Bengal. This case pertains to the recovery of 79 crude bombs and other material by the Kolkata Police, which were being stored at one place on April 25, causing threat to human life and property. The NIA had registered the case on April 26,” the NIA said on Monday.The original case, registered as FIR number 62/2026 on April 25 at North Kashipur police station under Bhangar division, invokes provisions of the Indian Code of Justice, 2023 and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. The complaint was registered after the police allegedly received information about storage of crude bombs and materials intended for their manufacture.Acting on a tip-off, police recovered 79 round-shaped objects tied with jute ropes, suspected to be country-made bombs, along with other incriminating materials. Investigators said the explosives were hidden inside an abandoned house near a graveyard in Poilepara area of ​​Majerhat under North Kashipur police station in South 24 Parganas district.