Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district, Gandhi, while holding a copy of the Constitution (book), said the ongoing Lok Sabha poll is not a normal election, but a fight between two ideologies. "The poor, STs, OBCs got several rights because of the Constitution which also gave the people MGNREGA, land rights, reservation, and other things. If the BJP comes to power, it will throw away and tear apart this Constitution," he claimed.
Sealing and securing could see a shortage of up to 3,000 SLUs for the last two phases as the symbol loading machines used from phase 3 to phase 5 would not be available for reuse. To avoid a shortage, ECI is learnt to have directed Bharat Electronics and Electronics Corporation of India to ensure availability of the required number of SLUs, including accessories, for the remaining phases, and assembly elections to some states.
The Election Commission reported 66.14% and 66.7% voter turnout for Phase 1 and 2 of Lok Sabha elections. Maharashtra, UP, MP, and Rajasthan had lower female turnout. Bihar had the lowest turnout at 49.2% in Phase 1.
BJP state president CR Patil's ambitious target was not beyond the realm of reality, given his penchant for micromanagement and the hugely successful strategy of page committees and page presidents. What however was not factored in was the unforeseen agitation of the Kshatriyas that now seems to have engulfed the entire state, apart from spilling over to other states as well.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by Asaduddin Owaisi, initially contested one seat in Bihar but faced opposition from the INDIA bloc. In response, they will now contest nine seats in the remaining phases of the general election. The party aims to represent a diverse range of communities and has selected candidates from various backgrounds, including Hindus. This marks the AIMIM's expansion beyond the Seemanchal region in Bihar.
Brookfield Asset Management is reportedly planning to list its luxury hotel chain, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts. The Canada-based asset manager had earlier committed to investing over '1,500 crore in the hotel chain, which was the largest-ever foreign investment in the Indian hospitality sector. The move comes as India's hospitality sector has rebounded strongly post-Covid-19, with a surge in demand for premium experiences. Other luxury operators like Marriott International have also seen a rise in deals... Читать дальше...
The export duty on petrol diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) will continue to be nil. The new rates will be effective May 1, the central board of Indirect Taxes and Customs( CBIC) said in a late night notification Tuesday. The government had on April 16 raised the windfall tax on petroleum crude to 9,600 rupees a metric ton from 6,800 rupees.
According to FCRA rules amended in 2020, "An application for renewal of the certificate of registration shall be made to the Central government in electronic form in Form FC-3C, accompanied with an affidavit executed by each office-bearer, key functionary and member in Proforma 'AA' appended to these rules within six months from the date of expiry of the certificate of registration."
Powerball jackpot has a winner in Portland, Oregon. The story of the lucky one is truly an inspiring.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has been on an aggressive campaign, chasing a target of 20 Lok Sabha seats out of 28 for Congress in the state. In a chat with KR Balasubramanyam, he said INDIA bloc will do better than NDA, whose tally, he said, will not cross 200-220 seats. Edited excerpts:
Prashant Mehta, a trustee of Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre in Mumbai, accused former trustees of misappropriating ₹500 crore in trust funds. Allegations include payments for private disputes, bogus donations, and advances to real estate firms. Prashant named his late uncle Vijay Mehta, cousin Niket Mehta, and aunt Sushila Mehta in the accusations.
Addressing a rally, Shah said that NDA internal assessment was that it would win over 100 seats in the first two phases. "We are walking towards 400 plus seats. Assam, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan we have done well. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala elections are over, the initial trend suggests in southern India we are doing very well."
Appearing on behalf of Kejriwal, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged that the federal agency deliberately "suppressed" statements of accused-turned-approvers wherein they had not said anything incriminatory against Kejriwal. Accusing the ED of selectively using "incriminatory" statements of approvers to falsely implicate his client, Singhvi argued that the prosecution has been completely unfair.
The Godrej family today announced an ownership realignment of their shareholdings in the Godrej Companies. The realignment has been arrived at in a respectful and the division has been done in a mindful way to maintain harmony and to better align ownership in acknowledgement of the differing visions of the Godrej family members, an official release stated.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appointed Devender Yadav as the "interim president" of the party's Delhi unit, addressing the crisis following Arvinder Singh Lovely's resignation. Meanwhile, Gurinder Singh Dhillon, a retired IPS officer from Punjab, joined Congress, expressing admiration for Rahul Gandhi's ideas. Speculation suggests Dhillon may be considered for the Ferozepur seat in the upcoming elections.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed a complaint against the BJP, alleging threats and intimidation against Pahari Muslims to influence their voting in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir. The complaint cites instances where BJP representatives allegedly threatened violence reminiscent of the 1947 partition if Pahari Muslims do not vote for the Apni Party, backed by the Sangh Parivar. The PDP has submitted a video as evidence, urging immediate action to ensure the integrity... Читать дальше...
The Election Commission of India has postponed the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat election in Jammu and Kashmir to May 25 due to logistical challenges caused by adverse weather conditions. The election was originally scheduled for May 7. The decision was made following representations from political parties citing difficulties in campaigning and lack of fair opportunities for candidates due to logistical, communication, and natural barriers of connectivity. The rest of the election schedule remains unchanged.
With their sixth win in 10 games, LSG climbed to the third spot in the IPL standings. MI, on the other hand, slumped to their seventh loss in 10 games. LSG made a watchful start to their chase after Nuwan Thushara struck with his fourth ball to remove impact sub Arshin Kulkarni for a duck on his IPL debut.
From reflections on lost prominence to witty wordplay and musical tributes on the campaign trail, recent political events offer a glimpse into the diverse dynamics of Indian politics. In a poignant moment, former BJP minister Sadabhau Khot expressed nostalgia for the power and influence he once held, contrasting it with the solitude he now experiences. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trademark humour shone through as he cleverly addressed a technical glitch during a speech in Pune, highlighting... Читать дальше...
JDS suspended its Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna from the party over alleged involvement in obscene videos. The suspension, pending the SIT probe, came after thousands of pen drives containing such videos were distributed in Hassan. The scandal has drawn political heat, with Congress questioning JDS and BJP, demanding to know why Revanna was given a ticket. Revanna's father, HD Revanna, has also been named but not yet actioned against. Amidst speculations of his escape, JDS distanced itself, emphasizing it stands against injustice.
The regulator said such FPIs with NRIs and OCIs as clients should be based out of International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in India and regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).
The Election Commission of India is encouraging telecom operators to send SMS messages to voters, aiming to increase voter turnout in the ongoing general election. However, telcos have expressed capacity concerns, citing they can handle only about 20 million SMSes daily, despite the ECI's request for 100 million. The push for increased messaging comes after a decline in polling percentages in the first two phases compared to previous elections. The ECI plans to send these messages before the third phase of polling on May 7.
The Godrej Group founding family has agreed to split the conglomerate. Adi and Nadir will retain Godrej Industries, while Jamshyd and Smita will receive Godrej & Boyce and a Mumbai land bank, aiming to enhance long-term value creation.
The parents of a woman allegedly deceased after receiving the Covishield vaccine plan to file a case against the Serum Institute of India (SII). This decision follows AstraZeneca's acknowledgment in court that their Covid shot can cause a rare side effect, providing hope for the parents in seeking justice. AstraZeneca faces a class-action lawsuit over allegations that its vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, led to deaths and serious injuries, including thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS)... Читать дальше...
