Thiruvananthapuram: Order of Higher Education Department granting menstrual leave to female students of all universities under the Higher Education Department of the state.
Minister R Bindu said that maternity leave of up to 60 days has been allowed for female students who have crossed the age of 18 years.

The order has been issued by fixing the attendance limit for girl students at 73 percent including the period of menstruation. The minister said that the universities have been instructed to make necessary amendments to the university rules.

Students need 75 percent attendance to appear in each semester. But Kochi University of Science and Technology was the first to bring an amendment to allow women students to appear for the exam even if they have 73 percent attendance considering the period of menstruation. This decision was taken because it will be implemented in all the universities as a relief to female students.

Kottayam:  The police have taken the car that ran over the girl in Pala. The owner of the car that hit the girl is Norbut George, a native of Poonjar, an X Service officer. He is currently working as security in SBI, Erattupetta.

The incident happened yesterday afternoon. The girl’s hand was injured in the accident. Sneha Omanakuttan, a native of Katturutthi Ayamkudi, was injured. After hitting Sneha in the middle of the road, the car kept going without stopping. 

Kochi:  The High Court rejected the plea seeking a CBI probe against minister Saji Cherian in the Mallapally speech. The court also stated that the demand for a CBI investigation into the Mallapilli speech is immature. The court also said that the petitioner can approach the Magistrate Court with a restraining order against the referral report of the investigation team.

The High Court had earlier rejected the plea to disqualify Saji Cherian from the post of MLA for allegedly making unconstitutional remarks. The police had submitted an investigation report that Saji Cherian MLA did not speak in contempt of the Constitution when he was a minister. It was also stated in the report that further action will be taken on the complaint regarding this. Today, the High Court rejected the petition filed by the CBI seeking an investigation against this.

Kochi: The High Court has issued an ultimatum to immediately confiscate the assets of Popular Front of India in the incident of violence under the guise of hartal. The court also directed to complete the confiscation proceedings and submit the district wise report immediately. It is suggested that the report be submitted by January 23.

The court’s order came while hearing a case taken up by the court on its own initiative regarding the damage caused by the Popular Front hartal. The petition was heard by the Division Bench of the High Court. The Division Bench has also clarified that there is no need to issue notice for confiscation proceedings.

Earlier, the court had expressed its displeasure and severely criticized the lack of movement for confiscation by the government. Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Dr. V. Venu, who was present in person, expressed his regret in the High Court for the delay in the action. The government had also assured that the confiscation process would be completed by January 15. The case was heard again today to check the progress in the proceedings. The petition is being considered by the division bench comprising Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice CP Muhammad Niaz.

After the NIA raided the popular front offices and arrested the leaders, the lightning hartal was unleashed in the state wide tension. The court also asked the leaders to pay Rs 5.2 crore as compensation for the attacks on the hartal. The court ordered the confiscation of the properties of the Popular Front of India and state general secretary A Abdul Sattar to recover the losses incurred during the hartal day.

Kochi: Gold worth Rs. 46 lakh, which was brought in capsule form, was seized from the Kochi International Airport. Masad, a native of Malappuram who had come from Dubai, was arrested in the incident.

He injected 906 grams of gold in the form of four capsules.