Union Government announces the redeployment of troops from the international border with Pakistan in a phased manner.

Jammu & Kashmir Governor Girish Chjander Saxena extends the deadline until October 21 for the political parties to stake claim for the formation of next Government in the State.

Punjab Government stops free power supply to farmers.

October 17

Governor’s rule is imposed in Jammu & Kashmir.

October 18

Justice Gopal Ballav Pattanaik is to take over next Chief Justice of India from November 8.

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first batsman in the history of cricket to complete 20,000 international runs.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee launches country-wide cellular service of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.

October 22

Revenue Secretary A.V. Singh is shifted to Steel Ministry. Expenditure Secretary C.S. Rao is to move to Revenue Department and Banking Secretary D.C. Gupta to Expenditure Department.

October 24

Revenue collections zooms 17 per cent in the first six months to Rs.90,648 crore compared to Rs.77,480 crore in the same period last year.

V. Rama Rao is sworn in as the 12^th Governor of Sikkim in Gangtok.

October 27

Bhutan-based militants of National Democratic Front of Bodoland kill 22 non-tribals in Kokrajhar district near Indo-Bhutan border.

Former Union Minister and former Tamil Nadu Congress President Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy passes away in Chennai.

Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma announces houses and plots for 3.5 crore members of Employees Provident Fund Scheme.

Karnataka releases Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

October 28

Cabinet approves Ordinances for amending Securities and Exchange Board of India Act and repeal of Unit Trust of India Act, the terms of reference for the Twelfth Finance Commission.

Election Commission announces a single-phase poll schedule for Assembly elections in Gujarat.

October 29

Union Cabinet approves the 10^th Five-Year Plan recommendations.

Supreme Court states Chief Secretaries to be held responsible for any deaths due to starvation and malnutrition in the country.

United States Ambassador to India says that the problem in Kashmir is one of "cross-border terrorism" which is "entirely externally driven" and he also justifies India’s actions after the December 13 attack on Parliament.

October 30

Kirit Raval is appointed as Solicitor General of India succeeding Harish Salve.

Delhi High Court rules that intercepted telephone calls could not be used as evidence to prove charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

October 31

Supreme Court rules that minorities have an unfettered right to establish educational institutions of their choice, but the right to administer them is not absolute.

Lt. Gen Nirmal Chand Vij is named the new Chief of Army Staff. He will take over on December 31, 2002.

INTERNATIONAL

Indian runner Sunita Rani is stripped of her Asian Games medals after failing to pass doping tests.

October 17

Pakistan announces troops pull-back from the Indian border.

Viswanathan Anand retains world chess title defeating Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan.

India beat West Indies in the Second Cricket Test Match being played at Chennai.

About 1,000 people are taken hostage by Chechen gunmen in a theatre in southern Moscow.

The minimum floor level wage is increased by Rs.5 at the national level to Rs.50 a day with effect from September 1, 2002.

Supreme Court upheld the validity of the 1999 amendments to the Civil Procedure Code providing the speedy disposal of civil cases which prompts large-scale lawyers’ agitation across the country.

Russian special forces storms Moscow theatre freeing 750 captives. Ninety hostages die in the crisis.

Film Actor Richard Harris passes away.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat announces new cabinet.