THE HEADLINES:
Campaigning for Assembly polls intensifies in Assam; Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi addresses a rally at Gogamukh, says, welfare of the poor and middle class remains a top priority for the party.
Rajya Sabha begins discussion on Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill 2026.
Goods and Services Tax collections surge 8.8 per cent to cross two lakh crore rupees in March, register 8.3 per cent growth in Financial Year 2026.
Enforcement Directorate conducts raids on two locations in Kolkata in extortion-related money laundering case.
Commercial LPG gas cylinder price hiked by 195 rupees and 50 paise, across Metropolitan Cities amid West Asia conflict.
Human Rights activist raises Balochistan’s issues in United Nations; Calls on global community to hold Pakistan accountable.
And, in IPL Cricket, Lucknow Super Giants to take on Delhi Capitals in Lucknow this evening.
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Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi today said that the welfare of the poor and middle class remains a top priority for the party. Addressing an election rally at Gogamukh, in Assam, the Prime Minister said the BJP has consistently focused on infrastructure, education and healthcare to achieve inclusive development.
Mr. Modi said that in the last ten years of NDA rule in Assam, the state has witnessed significant progress. He added that the “double engine” government has helped bring lasting peace to the state, with many youths moving away from violence towards a more secure future.
The Prime Minister said Assam is globally known for its tea and noted that with the upcoming semiconductor plant in Morigaon, the state will soon gain recognition for semiconductor chips.
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Vice President C P Radhakrishnan today said that the 58 Murals in the Samvidan Sadan are more than just works of art, they are the visual representation of India’s civilizational journey. Mr Radhakrishnan said this while releasing the book, Tides of Time, authored by Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty in New Delhi. Mr Radhakrishnan said Democracy is often seen as a modern system that came from the West. He added that India’s ancient texts clearly testify that the concept of democracy is not new to the country.
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Rajya Sabha has taken up the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, for consideration and passing. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had introduced the Bill last week, which aims to regulate the general rules governing the recruitment and conditions of service of Group A General Duty Officers and other officers in the Central Armed Police Forces. The Bill has provisions that 50 per cent of the total posts in the rank of Inspector General, and a minimum of 67 per cent of the posts in the rank of Additional Director General, and all posts in the rank of Special Director General and Director General shall be filled by Indian Police Service (IPS) officers on deputation.
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Both Houses of Parliament have given their nod to the statutory resolution to impose a Special Additional Excise Duty of 50 rupees per litre on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, moved the resolution under Section 3B of the Central Excise Act, 1944, to amend the Eighth Schedule of the Finance Act, 2002. The move is in response to the rising global crude oil prices and increased operational costs in the aviation sector.
This measure has been designed to balance rising global fuel costs against the need to avoid a massive spike in domestic airfares.
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Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has rejected the Opposition’s charge that the government is avoiding a discussion on rising fuel and essential commodity prices due to West Asia crisis, asserting that the issue had already been debated extensively in both Houses of Parliament.
Responding to the Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s demand of a short discussion on LPG crisis, in the Upper House, Mr Kiren Rijiju said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken comprehensively in both Houses during the Finance Bill discussion and the Finance Minister had given a detailed reply on concerns related to LPG, petrol and diesel prices.
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Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that a record budget allocation has been made for Railways, which is benefiting every citizen of the country, especially the poor and the middle class. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha today, Mr Vaishnaw said, significant investments made in the railway sector over the past decade have directly benefited every citizen of the country.
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With the start of the new financial year today, a set of reforms including key financial rules change have came into force. Over six decade old Income tax Act has been replaced by the new Income Tax Act, 2025 from today. It is designed to simplify the tax system by removing outdated provisions, streamlining complex rules and making compliance more straightforward for taxpayers. All digital payment transactions in the country will be required to meet the norms of two-factor authentication from today as directed by the Reserve Bank of India. The revised FASTag annual pass fee for financial year 2026-27 has also come into force from today. The revised rules for applying for or updating a Permanent Account Number PAN card also came into effect from today.
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Only six days are left for the Assembly election campaigning in Keralam. More from our Thiruvananthapuram Correspondent.
“As the campaigning is at it’s peek, State and National leaders of political parties are busy with attending road shows and meetings in various parts of Keralam. Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend the roadshow at Pothankodu near Thiruvananthapuram this afternoon. Senior Congress leader and Telungana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will attend the road show at Nemom near Thiruvananthapuram today. Senior CPM leader and Chief Minister of Keralam Pinarayi Vijayan is attending various programmes in Alappuzha District today. BJP National President Nitin Nabin is attending raod show at Mattannur while is BJP leader and Union Minister of State Dr. L Murugan is attending various programmes at Kodungallur and Devikulam. AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, CPM Polit Bureau Member Prakash Karat and other senior leaders are attending public meetings in various districts in Keralam. Smithy M Palluruthy, Akashvani News, Thiruvananthapuram.”
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The total gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections grew 8.8 per cent to over two lakh crore rupees in March this year as compared to the same month last year. The total gross GST revenue in March, 2025 was over one lakh 83 thousand crore rupees.
Meanwhile, Gross GST revenues rose to 22 lakh crore rupees in the financial year 2025-26, an 8.3 per cent increase over 20 lakh crore rupees recorded last year.
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The searches of Enforcement Directorate ED are ongoing at two locations of Ballygunge area in Kolkata in connection with money laundering case. On the other hand, industrialist and business man Pawan Ruia has been produced today before the Bidhannagar court in Kolkata by the police in connection with cyber fraud case. Pawan Ruia was arrested by the police yesterday.
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Oil marketing companies have increased the price of commercial LPG gas cylinder by 195 rupees and 50 paise, across Metropolitan Cities amid the conflict in West Asia. As per the Indian Oil Corporation Limited website, retail price of commercial LPG gas cylinders in Delhi is now two thousand 78 rupees and 50 paise. Similarly, commercial LPG prices have been increased to two thousand 208 rupees in Kolkata, 2 thousand 31 rupees in Mumbai, and two thousand 246 rupees and 50 paise in Chennai. The revised price of the 19-kilogram commercial LPG cylinder has come into effect from today. Meanwhile, the price of domestic LPG cylinders has remained unchanged in the country.
The Government has clarified that the price of commercial LPG cylinders, used by industries and hotels, are deregulated, market determined and revised normally on a monthly basis. In a social media post, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said that their consumption is less than 10 percent of the total LPG consumed in the country.
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News Just In, The Lok Sabha has passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
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Senior IAS officer of 1992 batch Chanchal Kumar has taken charge as Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting today. He has replaced senior IAS officer Sanjay Jaju. Bihar Cadre officer Mr Kumar was earlier serving as Secretary of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.
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Odisha is celebrating its 91st Foundation Day, Utkal Divas today. Odisha has a special place in Indian history because it was the first state created on the basis of language, giving identity to Odia-speaking people.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have greeted the people of Odisha on its Statehood Day.
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Baloch Women Forum(BWF), a Human Rights group, has urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for continuous enforced disappearances and the extrajudicial killings committed by the Pakistani forces in Balochistan and called for an impartial probe into the alleged abuses.
Addressing virtually the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Baloch activist Shalee Baloch drew attention to the human rights abuses across Balochistan. Expressing concern over the enforced disappearances and murders she stated that Pakistan is constantly engaged in targeting and killing Baloch civilians. Citing data, she claimed that in 2025 alone, over 1,300 enforced disappearance cases and more than 200 murders have been reported. She urged the international community to take appropriate action against Pakistan for such inhuman activities.
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In IPL Cricket, Lucknow Super Giants will take on Delhi Capitals today in the fifth match of the IPL Cricket in Lucknow. The match will begin at 7:30 PM.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms accompanied with hailstorms over Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Telangana till tomorrow. The weather agency has predicted heavy rainfall over Meghalaya and Assam for today and over Arunachal Pradesh till tomorrow. The Met department predicted Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha and Telangana will experience thunderstorms and lightning during the day.
IMD has said that Northwest India will witness a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by two to four degree Celsius till Friday. Meanwhile, maximum temperatures will dip by two to four degree Celsius in Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and the eastern part of the country till tomorrow.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
Campaigning for Assembly polls intensifies in Assam; Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi addresses a rally at Gogamukh, says, welfare of the poor and middle class remains a top priority for the party.
Lok Sabha passes Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2026.
Goods and Services Tax collections surge 8.8 per cent to cross two lakh crore rupees in March, register 8.3 per cent growth in Financial Year 2026.
Enforcement Directorate conducts raids on two locations in Kolkata in extortion-related money laundering case.
Commercial LPG gas cylinder prices hiked by 195 rupees and 50 paise, across Metropolitan Cities amid West Asia conflict.
Human Rights activist raises Balochistan’s issues in United Nations; Calls on global community to hold Pakistan accountable.
And, in IPL Cricket, Lucknow Super Giants to take on Delhi Capitals at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow this evening.
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