Newspaper Headlines: Centre Announces Big FDI Reforms To Shore Up Economy

The Times of India leads with the Supreme Court's decision to set up a constitutional bench to hear the petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of the presidential order scrapping Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 and Parliament's approval of a law splitting it into Union territories of J&K and Ladakh. Another important story on the page is the INX media case in which former Finance Minister P Chidambaram is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate. The probe agency has told the court that it has collected credible evidences against Mr Chidambaram.

The Hindustan Times reports that the Supreme Court's decision on Jammu and Kashmir was one of a string of tough rulings delivered by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. The other important story is cabinet's decision to ease norms on single-brand retail FDI.

On the front page of The Indian Express is the union cabinet's decision to ease the local-sourcing norms for single-brand retailers, in addition to allowing 100 per cent foreign investment in coal mining and contract manufacturing as part of the government's effort to boost growth.

The Asian Age leads with the supreme court's decision, announced on Friday, to seek centre's response to 14 petitions that challenged the abrogration of Article 370. The daily also reports that the security forces have laid new sandbag bumkers in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir over the past couple of weeks. The other important story is centre's decision to ease FDI rules in various sectors, including single-brand retail and digital media.

The centre's relaxation of Foreign Direct Investment in many sectors, including single brand retail, coal and lignite mining, contract manufacturing and digital media, is the lead story in The Pioneer today. The paper also reports on Jammu and Kashmir Governor's announcement to provide 50,000 jobs for locals withing three months.