Newspaper Headlines: Top Court Rejects Review Petitions On Rafale Fighter Jet Deal, Other Big Stories

The Times Of India: The Supreme Court gave clean chit to the NDA government in procuring 36 fully loaded Rafale fighter jets. The Supreme asked a seven-judge bench to evolve guidelines to decide in the Sabarimala case, The Times Of India

Hindustan Times: S-400 missile defence systems by Russia to India remains on track with the latter having made the first payment of $850 million. Supreme Court referred pleas seeking a review of its September 28, 2018 order allowing the entry of women of all ages into the ancient Sabarimala temple to a larger seven-judge bench. Hindustan Times

The Indian Express: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spelt out the government's approach to foreign policy in his first major speech in New Delhi. He provided an assessment of the last 70 years of India's foreign policy choices and challenged past positions. The Supreme Court referred the review petitions challenging its 2018 verdict on the entry of women into Sabarimala temple in Kerala to a larger Bench a batch. The Indian Express

The Telegraph: The Supreme Court dismissed the review petitions on the Rafale deal but one of the three judges said the CBI was free to register an FIR for alleged corruption. A five-judge constitution bench on Thursday decided by a 3:2 majority to refer to a seven-judge bench the question whether women of childbearing age can enter the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. The Telegraph

The Asian Age: The Supreme Court gave a clean chit to the Narendra Modi government's acquisition of 36 Rafale fighters in a ready-to-fly state and a direction to the CBI to register an FIR for alleged commission of "cognisable offences" in the deal. The Supreme Court referred to a seven-member Constitution Bench the question of the entry of menstruating women in the 10-50 age group at Lord Ayyappa's Sabarimala temple. The Asian Age