THE HEADLINES :-
- Election Commission extends deadlines for Special Intensive Revision in five states and one Union Territory.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump; Says, two countries will continue to work together for global peace, stability, and prosperity.
- President Droupadi Murmu launches development projects worth over one thousand three hundred crore rupees at Imphal in Manipur.
- 21 workers feared dead as truck falls into gorge in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district.
- Key witness in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali case files police complaint alleging deliberate attack by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan after son and driver killed enroute to court.
- In Men’s Cricket; South Africa set a target of 214 runs against Hosts India in second T20 of five-match series in Chandigarh.
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The Election Commission has revised the schedule for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, extending the deadlines for the exercise in five states and one Union Territory. More from our correspondent:
“As per the revised schedule of SIR, In Tamil Nadu and Gujarat the exercise will completed by the 14th of this month. The deadline for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been extended to the 18th of this month, while the deadline for Uttar Pradesh has been extended to 26th of this month. The publication dates for the Draft Electoral Roll have also been revised. The commission also noted that the enumeration period for Goa, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan and West Bengal end today. Draft electoral rolls for these States and UTs will be published on the 16 of this month. Saklen Akhtar, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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The Rajya Sabha held a discussion on election reforms today. The discussion remained inconclusive. The House was later adjourned to meet again tomorrow. Earlier in the day, the Upper House concluded the discussion on the 150th Anniversary of Vande Mataram. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had initiated the discussion on the National Song on Tuesday. Our correspondent reports on today’s proceedings in both Houses of Parliament.
“In the Rajya Sabha, discussion on the 150th Anniversary of the National Song Vande Mataram concluded with the speech of Leader of the House JP Nadda. During his speech, Mr. Nadda stressed that Vande Mataram played a vital role during the freedom struggle and it is an emotional source of inspiration for countrymen. Afterwards, the House began discussion on Election Reforms. During the discussion, treasury bench MPs justified the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls emphasizing that it is intended for purification of electoral rolls. On the other side, opposition benches raised questions over the SIR stressing that it is aimed to exclude the people from the voter list. In the Lok Sabha, Union Ministers replied on the questions related to their Ministries during Question Hour. Replying to a question on Ethanol blending, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, the country’s carbon dioxide emission has witnessed reduction of 736 lakh metric tonnes due to the use of 20 percent Ethanol blending in Petrol. In the post lunch session, MPs raised matters of urgent public importance during the special mentions in the House. With Anand Kumar, Bhupendra Singh, Akashvani News, Delhi”
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BJP MP Tejasvi Surya today criticised the opposition, including the DMK for moving a motion of impeachment against Madras High Court judge, GR Swaminathan in the Lok Sabha, calling it a weaponization of impeachment and an attack on the judiciary of the country. Mr Surya was speaking in the Lok Sabha. He demanded the withdrawal of the motion.
The DMK and other opposition parties moved a motion before the Lok Sabha Speaker yesterday over Justice GR Swaminathan’s judgment on the contentious issue of the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam lamp atop Madurai’s Thiruparankundram hill.
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A total of 11 reports of the parliamentary committee on public undertakings were laid in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha today. Later talking to media, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings Baijayant Jay Panda said, the committee reviewed various sectors including rare earths and nuclear power.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting a special dinner for all National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs at his official residence. This is the first major gathering of the alliance after the victory in the Bihar assembly elections. Sources said, the dinner meeting is intended to create a platform for an open and constructive exchange of ideas among alliance partners. The discussions may also include preparatory strategies for the upcoming Assembly elections in five states including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam with coalition partners likely to fine-tune their approaches ahead of the crucial polls
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump today. In a social media post, Mr. Modi said, the two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. He said that India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability, and prosperity.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi will embark on a four-day visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman from the 15th of this month. On the first leg of his visit, the Prime Minister will travel to Jordan at the invitation of the King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein.
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President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of various development projects worth one thousand three hundred eighty seven crore rupees during an event in Imphal this evening. The projects cover a wide range of areas including health, education, road and highways, tribal development, agriculture and others. Speaking on the occasion, President Murmu said, these projects will generate employment, improve infrastructure, and accelerate economic activity. She added that the projects reflect the Government’s commitment to the inclusive development of Manipur and the empowerment of its people. Expressing concern over the suffering endured by the people of Manipur following recent violence, President Murmu assured that addressing the concerns of the people of the state remains a top priority of the central government.
The President arrived in Imphal this afternoon on a two day visit to Manipur.
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Twenty-one people from Assam’s Tinsukia district are feared dead after a truck carrying 22 workers fell off a cliff in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district, near the China border. So far, 14 bodies have been recovered.Our correspondent has the details:
“14 people from Gillapukri Tea Estate of Tinsukia district of Assam are confirmed dead and seven are missing in the Anjaw district accident. Initial reports said the accident occurred on Monday but was discovered only on Wednesday night after a survivor managed to call his family members in Tinsukia. The accident took place in Chaglagam of Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, GREF and district administration has launched a search and rescue operation. Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has expressed deep sorrow over the death of 14 people from the State. Aminul, Correspondent, Akashvani News, Guwahati.”
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief at the loss of lives in the tragedy. The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of 2 lakh rupees from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased and fifty thousand for the injured.
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In West Bengal, a complaint has been filed by a key witness in the CBI case, Bholanath Ghosh, against arrested and suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan of Sandeshkhali at the Rajbari outpost in North 24 Parganas. Ghosh was critically injured yesterday in a road accident that killed his younger son and his driver while they were travelling to Basirhat Court to testify in a case related to Shahjahan. His family has alleged that the collision was intentional. After lodging the complaint, Mr Ghosh claimed the attack was planned by Sheikh Shahjahan and executed by his associates. Shahjahan, currently in jail, was arrested after a CBI team was attacked in Sandeshkhali in early 2024 during a search operation linked to multiple criminal cases against him. The BJP has condemned the incident.
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Minister of state for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan today said that India is witnessing an unprecedented rise of Nari Shakti across all sectors. Briefing media on the empowerment of women and Divyangjan in New Delhi, the Minister said, due to the launch of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, the country’s gender ratio has reached 1,020 women per 1 thousand men.
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IndiGo has announced compensation of 10 thousand rupees in the form of vouchers to the customers who were impacted due to the Airline’s operational disruption on 3rd, 4th and 5th of this month. IndiGo said, the travel vouchers can be used for any future IndiGo journey in the next 12 months.
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Executive Director of Observer Research Foundation (ORF) America, Dhruva Jaishankar has highlighted that high tariffs imposed by US and renewed US engagement with Pakistan hinder cooperation between India and the US. He said this in his testimony on India-US affairs before the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia. Mr Jaishankar opined that the inability to conclude a bilateral trade agreement, along with continued US engagement with Pakistan’s military leadership, risks preventing the full realization of a India-US strategic partnership.
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Bangladesh will hold the 13th parliamentary election on 12 February next year, marking the first general polls since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A referendum on implementing the July National Charter will be held on the same day. Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin made the announcement while addressing the nation today. The interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus was formed following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League in a student-led protests on the 5th of August, 2024.
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In Pakistan, amid growing tensions within the military establishment, particularly between Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir and factions aligned with former intelligence officials, a military court today sentenced former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Faiz Hameed to 14 years in prison. Hameed, who served as ISI director-general from 2019 to 2021, faced charges of engaging in political activity, misuse of authority, violating the Official Secrets Act, and causing wrongful loss.
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In Men’s Cricket, South Africa have set a target of 214 runs against Hosts India in the second T20 encounter of the five-match series in Chandigarh, this evening. Put in to bat, the visitors posted 213 runs for the loss of four wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. In reply, the Hosts were 19 for 2 in 2 overs when reports last came in. India had won the toss and elected to field. The Men in Blue are currently leading the five-match series 1-0.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :-
- Election Commission extends deadlines for Special Intensive Revision in five states and one Union Territory.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump; Says, two countries will continue to work together for global peace, stability, and prosperity.
- President Droupadi Murmu launches development projects worth over one thousand three hundred crore rupees at Imphal in Manipur.
- 21 workers feared dead as truck falls into gorge in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district.
- Key witness in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali case files police complaint alleging deliberate attack by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan after son and driver killed enroute to court.
- In Men’s Cricket; South Africa set a target of 214 runs against Hosts India in second T20 of five-match series in Chandigarh.
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