THE PTI (physical training instructors) teachers, 1983 in number,  were appointed by the Haryana Staff Selection Board (HSSB) on April 10, 2020. The PTI teachers were then posted in schools across the state of Haryana. Those who were not selected challenged the selection procedure in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The high court passed an order on September 11, 2002 and set aside the selection of the PTI teachers. The PTI teachers and the Haryana government challenged this order of the high court in the supreme court.

THE employees and officers of BSNL, organised black-flag demonstrations throughout the country on July 16, 2020, protesting against the cancellation of BSNL’s tender to procure 4G equipments. Day-long black-badge wearing was also done by the employees and officers on that day.The All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB), the umbrella organisation of all the major trade unions and officers’ associations, organised these programmes. Lockdown, prohibition under section 144 and other severe restrictions are imposed throughout the country, to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

THE COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown virtually brought life to a standstill but, sadly, there has been no halt in caste-based discrimination and atrocities in Tamil Nadu. Attacks against members of the Scheduled Caste (SC) and the Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities are, in fact, increasing day by day.

AS Indian Customs officials widened the net of inquiry a woman named Soumya confessed that her husband Sandip who is currently absconding was connected with the gold smuggling mafia. Soumya, who was taken into custody from Kochi said that Sandip smuggled gold from Dubai and he keeps close contact with Sarith and Swapna Suresh former UAE consulate employees and that both of them are  involved in the case.Meanwhile, mainstream media tried a futile attempt to name Sandip Nair as a CPI(M) activist.

ON June 24, the CPI(M) and AIKS held their 29th Victory Day public meeting at Pendhari village in the Tansa Lake area of Shahapur tehsil in Thane district. Over 2,000 adivasi peasants, including a large number of women and youth, attended with great enthusiasm.28 years ago on June 24, 1992, the police aided by the forest officials had resorted to indiscriminate firing in this area to drive out hundreds of adivasi peasant families who had been cultivating forest land there.