Top news headlines of today – 2 Dec 2025

New Delhi: Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday rejected Opposition charges that the Sanchar Saathi mobile app is a surveillance tool, stating that the application is optional and can be removed by users at any time.

“This app does not enable snooping or call monitoring. You can activate or deactivate it as per your wish. If you do not want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It is optional,” Scindia told reporters outside Parliament, amid a political row over a recent directive of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

The controversy began after the DoT ordered all mobile device manufacturers and importers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on smartphones to be sold in India from March 2026. 

The move is part of a wider effort to curb telecom-related cyber frauds by giving users tools to report suspicious communications, verify SIM ownership and block lost or stolen devices through IMEI-based tracking.

Opposition parties, however, criticised the pre-installation mandate, saying it opens the door to state overreach into personal devices even if users are allowed to delete the app later. 

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Dec 02, 2025 16:43 IST
Apple, Samsung to engage govt after DoT orders mandatory Sanchar Saathi install on all phones
Apple and Samsung will discuss Sanchar Saathi app order with the government and try to find a middle path on the directive for its pre-installation on mobile phones, sources said.
 
In an order dated November 28, 2025, the Department of Telecom has directed manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets to ensure that its fraud reporting app, Sanchar Saathi, is pre-installed on all new devices and installed via a software update on existing handsets. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 16:28 IST
Maharashtra local polls: 35% turnout till 1.30 pm; parties accuse each other of malpractices
An estimated 35.05 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 1.30 pm on Tuesday as voting for underway for elections in 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra, officials said.
 
Polling was peaceful barring some places at Mahad in Raigad, Akot in Akola and Muktainagar in Jalgaon district, where there was tension among workers of different parties accusing each other of violating rules. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 16:15 IST
Shivakumar will become CM when Cong high command decides: Siddaramaiah
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday asserted that there are no differences between him and his deputy D K Shivakumar, and that they both are running the government unitedly like "brothers", and will continue to do so in the future too.
 
Reiterating that both of them will abide by the decision of the Congress high command on the leadership issue, he said Shivakumar will become the CM when the high command decides.
 
In an apparent display of unity, Siddaramaiah on Tuesday visited Shivakumar's residence for breakfast, just days after the two broke bread in the wake of a raging power tussle. Following breakfast, both leaders asserted that they and the entire party were united. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 15:24 IST
SC questions legal status of Rohingyas, asks can intruders be given red carpet welcome
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply questioned the legal status of Rohingyas living in India and asked whether "intruders" should be given a "red carpet welcome" while the country's own citizens grapple with poverty.
 
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made sharp observations while hearing a habeas corpus (bring the person) petition filed by rights activist Rita Manchanda alleging disappearance of few Rohingyas from the custody of authorities here.
 
Now, the hearing in the case has been adjourned to December 16. Read More



Dec 02, 2025 14:56 IST
Priyanka’s Sanchar Saathi Spin: Cherry-picked clause, manufactured panic
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has tried to turn a routine cybersecurity notification into a full-blown “snooping” scare.
 
Her viral post on X, built around one line from the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) November 21 circular, is less about facts and more about feeding a ready-made narrative: Modi government equals mass surveillance.
 
The target this time is the Sanchar Saathi app. Read More Here



Dec 02, 2025 14:33 IST
Bombay HC defers Maharashtra local body counting to December 21 over pleas against SEC order
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct the counting of votes for the local body polls on December 21, instead of December 3.
 
The HC's order came on a day when polling was underway for elections to 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra, days after the SEC rescheduled the elections in some local bodies to December 20. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 14:22 IST
SC upholds SEBI penalty against RIL over delayed clarity on Jio-Facebook deal
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal of Reliance Industries Limited and two of its officials against a decision of the Securities Appellate Tribunal, which had upheld a penalty imposed by markets regulator SEBI for not making prompt clarification to stock exchange about the Jio-Facebook deal.
 
In June 2022, the capital markets regulator SEBI imposed a penalty totalling Rs 30 lakh on RIL and two individuals, Savithri Parekh and K Sethuraman, for not making prompt clarification to the stock exchange pertaining to the Jio-Facebook deal, which was disclosed through media reports. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 13:42 IST
Govt ready for discussion on SIR, but refuses timeline as oppn stalls Parliament
With vociferous Opposition protests over the SIR stalling Parliament proceedings for a second day, the government on Tuesday told both Houses that it has invited leaders from various parties for talks to end the stalemate, but stressed that no timeline be set for the discussion.
 
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was willing to discuss any issue and had invited leaders from various parties for a dialogue, but asserted that the proceedings cannot be disrupted over one demand. Read Here



Dec 02, 2025 13:27 IST
BIF slams SIM-binding directions for msg apps; calls for talks, pause on implementation timelines
Broadband India Forum (BIF) on Tuesday flagged "serious concerns" over the government directive mandating a continuous, active SIM for use of messaging apps, and urged the Centre to pause implementation timelines and hold stakeholder consultations on the SIM-binding issue.
 
BIF said that, while well-intentioned in its stated goal of curbing cyber-fraud originating from abroad, the directions raise significant questions of jurisdiction, consumer impact, and risk, creating obligations that extend far beyond the mandate of the Telecom Act or the purpose of the Telecom Cyber Security Rules. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 13:11 IST
Sanchar Saathi app optional, not a snooping tool: Telecom minister Scindia amid row
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday rejected Opposition charges that the Sanchar Saathi mobile app is a surveillance tool, stating that the application is optional and can be removed by users at any time.
 
“This app does not enable snooping or call monitoring. You can activate or deactivate it as per your wish. If you do not want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it. It is optional,” Scindia told reporters outside Parliament, amid a political row over a recent directive of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 12:42 IST
Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition members protest against SIR
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Tuesday following vociferous protests by Opposition members against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
 
During the Zero Hour, which went on for around 10 minutes, various papers and standing committees' reports were laid on the table of the House.
 
Members of Congress and some other Opposition parties protested and shouted slogans against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, an issue on which they have been demanding an immediate discussion.



Dec 02, 2025 12:34 IST
Maxwell breaks silence, calls IPL journey unforgettable as he exits this year’s auction
Glenn Maxwell, whose IPL career over the last decade has largely been underwhelming, decided to pull out of the upcoming mini auctions scheduled in Abu Dhabi on December 16.
 
The 37-year-old, popularly known as "Big Show" for being a phenomenal talent in his younger days, has played every IPL season since 2012, barring one in 2019.
 
He has managed only 2819 runs in 141 games at a strike rate of 155 plus and an average of less than 24, which doesn't justify the kind of prices that he has been consistently fetching in auctions over the years. He also picked 41 wickets with his off-breaks at an economy rate of 8.30. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 12:24 IST
Ranveer Singh apologises for imitating Rishab Shetty's scene from 'Kantara'
Actor Ranveer Singh issued an apology to Rishab Shetty for mimicking the scene from "Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1" and said his intention wasn't to "hurt anyone's sentiments".
 
Both the actors were present at the closing ceremony of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, which was held on November 28.
 
Singh stuck his tongue out as he imitated the scene from the film. As the clip surfaced on social media, the actor was trolled by many users for his distasteful behaviour.



Dec 02, 2025 12:14 IST
7.94% turnout till 9.30 am in Maharashtra local polls; 2 'bogus' voters caught, claims Cong
An estimated 7.94 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling on Tuesday for elections to 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra, officials said.
 
Two suspected bogus voters were caught at a polling station in Buldhana barely an hour-and-a-half after voting began for the municipal council elections there, the Maharashtra Congress claimed.
 
It also alleged that Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad was bringing people to cast "bogus" votes in the Buldhana Municipal Council elections. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 12:01 IST
Tarique Rahman signals return for Bangladesh elections as Khaleda Zia battles critical illness
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman is set to return soon to lead the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the February parliamentary elections as his mother is in critical condition.
 
BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed said that the party’s senior leaders held detailed discussions on the political situation, and Tarique Rahman, who is the acting chairman of the BNP, joined the meeting through video conference from London. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 11:42 IST
Kharge, Sonia, Rahul, other opposition MPs protest against SIR in Parliament complex
Several opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday staged a protest in the Parliament House complex against the SIR and demanded a discussion on electoral reforms.
 
The leaders held posters and placards against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. They also had a huge banner which read 'Stop SIR-Stop Vote Chori' and raised slogans against the government.
 
Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, DMK's K Kanhimozhi, and T R Baalu were among the opposition leaders protesting in front of Parliament's Makar Dwar. Read More



Dec 02, 2025 11:28 IST
DoT push for compulsory Sanchar Saathi installation sparks user privacy concerns
The Department of Telecom has directed manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets to ensure that its fraud reporting app Sanchar Saathi is pre-installed in all new devices within 90 days.
 
According to the direction dated November 28, all mobile phones that will be manufactured in India or imported after 90 days from the date of issuing of the order will need to have the app. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 11:16 IST
Cong MP Renuka Chowdhury moves adjournment notice on Sanchar Saathi application issue
Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury has filed an adjournment motion notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking suspension of business to discuss the government's directions on installation of the Sanchar Saathi App in new mobile handsets.
 
The Congress has criticised the directions of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app in new mobile handsets as unconstitutional, and demanded its immediate rollback.
 
The party MP has demanded a discussion under Rule 267 which calls for setting aside all other business to take up the matter. READ MORE



Dec 02, 2025 11:07 IST
Small Cos limit hiked to Rs 100 cr turnover, big boost to MSMEs’ ease of doing business
New Delhi: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has raised the financial thresholds for classifying “small companies” under the Companies Act, 2013, nearly doubling the existing limits.
 
Read more...



Dec 02, 2025 10:58 IST
Hyderabad-bound IndiGo flight diverted to Mumbai airport due to bomb threat, lands safely
A Kuwait-Hyderabad IndiGo flight was diverted to Mumbai on Tuesday following a bomb threat email, police said here.
 
The flight landed safely in Mumbai, they said.
 
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here received the threat email claiming that "certain anti-social elements are planning to carry out an attack using remote-controlled explosive devices on board the flight once it lands in Hyderabad".



Dec 02, 2025 09:45 IST
Siddaramaiah at Shivakumar's residence for second breakfast meeting
#WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reaches Dy CM DK Shivakumar's residence, at his invitation for a breakfast meeting

(Visuals from outside Dy CM DK Shivakumar's residence) pic.twitter.com/OmWK5dpwmT
— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2025



Dec 02, 2025 09:16 IST
Congress slams DoT order to pre-install Sanchar Saathi app as ‘unconstitutional’
New Delhi: The Congress has rejected the directions of the Department of Telecommunications on pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app in new mobile handsets as unconstitutional, and demanded its immediate rollback.
 
Read more...



Dec 02, 2025 09:15 IST
Wakefit's Rs 1,289-cr IPO to open on Dec 8; sets price band at Rs 185-195/ share
New Delhi: Home and furnishings company Wakefit Innovations Ltd is aiming to raise Rs 1,289 crore through Initial Public Offering (IPO), which opens for subscription on December 8.
 
Read more...



Dec 02, 2025 09:14 IST
2,208 booths in Bengal under scanner after no dead, duplicate voter found
Kolkata: A total of 2,208 booths in West Bengal are under the scanner after all the distributed enumeration forms were returned filled up, indicating that there is not a single dead, duplicate or untraceable voter in these booths, EC sources said.
 
Read more...