2 min readAug 13, 2026 06:40 AM IST First published on: Aug 13, 2026 at 06:40 AM ISTIn the wake of the recent assassination of Gen Vaidya in Pune, a special alert has been sounded by the Delhi Police for the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations. Police sources said pre-Independence Day briefings by the Police Commissioner to his senior officers this year were on a much sterner note. They had been ordered to supervise their men closely as they would be held responsible for any security lapse.AI to buy Boeing 747-SPAir India has decided to go in for a Boeing 747-SP special purpose jetliner for long-range VVIP flights in place of the present 707s. The government has floated a global tender for the purchase of a second-hand Boeing 747-SP, which will basically be a replacement for AI’s “Kanishka”.Bill to hike judges’ salariesAdvertisementThe Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (54th) Amendment Bill and the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill which seek to substantially raise the salaries, allowances and perks of High Court and Supreme Court judges. Both bills received wholehearted support from members of all parties.Row over Article 249Opposition parties, except for the AIADMK and the BJP, strongly opposed in the Rajya Sabha the Government’s first ever resolution under Article 249 of the Constitution, seeking powers to legislate on matters in the state list. The opposition parties ruling in various states — the CPI(M), the Janata, the Telugu Desam and the Akali Dal — denounced the resolution as an attempt to erode the powers of state governments and damage the federal structure.