Nation Briefs

Orissa HC upholds the 2-child norm for panchayat member

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has reaffirmed the importance of family planning and population control while dismissing an appeal challenging the disqualification of a gram panchayat member for having more than two children. A Division Bench comprising Justices Krishna Shripad Dixit and Chittaranjan Dash, in a recent judgment authored by Justice Dixit, upheld the termination of the appellant’s membership under Section 25(1)(v) of the Odisha Grama Panchayats Act, 1964, which bars persons with more than two children from holding office in Panchayati raj institutions. The appellant had challenged a December 5, 2025, order of a single judge dismissing his writ petitions. He argued that he was entitled to protection under the proviso to the relevant provision, as his third and fourth children were born in 1993 and 1994.

Raj: man arrested in Jaisalmer on charges of spying for Pakistan

Jaipur: Rajasthan Police has arrested a 28-year-old man from the border district of Jaisalmer on charges of spying for Pakistan’s intelligence agency, officials said on Friday. The accused was found to be allegedly involved in anti-national activities and sharing strategically sensitive and confidential information related to the Indian Army across the border, they said. Additional Director General (Police Intelligence) Prafull Kumar said intelligence agencies in the state are keeping a continuous watch on the activities of Pakistani intelligence.