From verdict on triple talaq to Gorakhpur hospital tragedy and Gurmeet Singh rape case here are top news of August 2017

Top news of August 2017

The month of August witnessed important events beginning from Venkaiah Naidu taking oath as Vice-President of India, Gujarat Rajya Sabha Polls and major judgments pronounced by Supreme Court. Besides this tragedy in Gorakhpur where children died due to lack of oxygen in BRD medical college and floods in UP, Bihar and most of the Northern and Eastern states of the country were among the top news of the month. Let us now take a look at some of the other top news of August.

M Venkaiah Naidu takes oath as Vice-president of India

Former Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu took oath as the Vice President of India at a special ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday. The new VP later moved to Parliament, where he apid homage to Bhimrao Ambedkar before being felicitated in Rajya Sabha as its new chairman. Naidu was elected as the next Vice President of India on Saturday as he received 516 out of electoral college of 785 votes during poll.

Ahmed Patel wins Gujarat Rajya Sabha Polls

In the battle of prestige between BJP and Congress in controversy ridden Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls, Congress candidate Ahmed Patel emerged as the winner on August 9.

SC declares Triple talaq unconstitutional

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pronounced its verdict on the controversial instant triple talaq practice terming it “unconstitutional". The apex court termed the Islamic practice unconstitutional and in violation of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which provides for equality before the law. The 5-judge constitutional bench, headed by the Chief Justice JS Khehar, delivered a spilt verdict (3:2) invalidating the practice as part of the Muslim Personal Law.

SC declares Right to Privacy is a fundamental right

The Supreme Court's nine-judge Constitutional bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar upheld Right To Privacy as fundamental right on August 24. All the nine judges had consensus over upholding Right To Privacy as fundamental right.

Floods create havoc in different parts of India

Hundreds and thousands of people have been rendered homeless and standing crops of worth millions have been destroyed due to floods in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Assam. And it is not over yet. The metropilitan Mumbai was also affected due to torrential rains worst ever since 2005 cloud burst in Mumbai

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh gets 20 years in prison

A special CBI court on August 28 sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years in prison after his conviction in a 2002 rape case that triggered violence leaving 38 dead and scores injured in Haryana. CBI Judge Jagdeep Singh, who holds the court in Panchkula, near Chandigarh, pronounced the sentence in a special courtroom set up inside the Sunaria jail.

AIADMK rival factions merge

Over six months after a bitter split, rival AIADMK factions merged following a power sharing arrangement under which K Palaniswami will remain the chief minister and O Panneerselvam will be his deputy.

Demonetisation result

Reserve bank of India has revealed that 99% of the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have returned to the banking system. Former finance minister, P Chidambaram lashed out at the reserve bank saying the decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes did not give the desired result. He also questioned the Narendra Modi government whether its demonetisation decision was designed to convert black money into white.

Is Doklam stand-off with china is over?

As part of the disengagement, the Chinese troops have left the disputed area of Dokalam along with bulldozers and removed the tents which they had pitched, according to a top Indian government official.

Over 60 children dead at BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur

Over 60 children had died at BRD Medical College Hospital since August 7, many allegedly for want of oxygen whose supply was disrupted after bills were not paid to the vendor.

Sindhu won the Silver medal at BWF World Badminton Championships in Glasgow

Japanese star shuttler Nozomi Okuhara defeated India's PV Sindhu in a thriller women’s singles final of the BWF World Badminton Championships in Glasgow. Sindhu won the Silver medal.

ISRO'S IRNSS-1H launch unsuccessful

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman AS Kiran Kumar on August 31 confirmed that the mission to launch India's eighth navigation satellite, ‘IRNSS-1H' from the second launch pad at the spaceport of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota was unsuccessful.