The Supreme Court ruled that the move to demolish the Indian Express building in New Delhi was politically motivated, mala fide and “intended and meant to silence the voice of the Indian Express”. In a historic judgment, the court quashed the demolition notice served on the Express Newspapers Ltd in March, 1980 and held that the construction of its new building in Delhi was with the permission of the Union Government.
India, China Opt out
India and China told the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that they would not use the trust fund facility for the next six years until 1991. Their decision was applauded by delegates at the IMF’s interim committee meeting. India’s decision to opt out of trust funds will not affect its eligibility for other funds granted by the Washington-based organisation.
Bodies Returned
The bodies of the three jawans killed by Pakistani troops in an ambush well within the Indian side of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir were handed over to Indian authorities, according to the Defence Ministry. The three jawans were on routine patrol in the Kargil sector when they were fired upon. Their bodies were later taken away by the Pakistani soldiers.
Taste of Winter
Wintry conditions prevailed for the second day with the day temperature falling by nine degrees Celsius to 25 degrees. The skies were overcast throughout the day even though there was not much rain. The Safdarjung meteorological office recorded only 0.2 mm of rainfall during the day compared to 17 mm the day before. A wintry touch was apparently evident on this cold day with lots of people beginning to wear sleeveless sweaters.
