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December 23, 2025 2:00 PM

Midday News

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THE HEADLINES

 

  • Election Commission publishes draft voter list for Madhya Pradesh following Special Intensive Revision exercise; Draft rolls for Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands to be released later today.

     

  • First phase of hearings in West Bengal for unmapped voters to begin from Saturday; To cover approximately 32 lakh people.

     

  • India to provide a 450 million dollar reconstruction package to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka.

     

  • Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan calls for making AI an integral part of curriculum in schools and colleges to equip students with problem solving skills.

     

  • Several organisations protest outside Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi over atrocities against minorities and mob lynching of Dipu Chandra Das.

     

  • Dense fog disrupts flight and train operations in Delhi-NCR region; Very dense fog likely to prevail in Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

     

  • In Women’s Cricket, India to take on Sri Lanka in second T20 in Visakhapatnam this evening.

     

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The Election Commission of India published the draft electoral roll of voters for Madhya Pradesh today after over one-and-a-half month of door-to-door Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state. The voter roll was published in all 230 Assembly constituencies of the state. The draft voter list has been made available at all polling stations, where voters can check their names. As per the directions of the Election Commission, name of voters who are absent, have moved, are deceased, or are duplicates have been removed under the SIR process. Voters whose names are not included in the list can submit claims and objections with the required documents. Claims and objections will be accepted till the 22nd of next month, while the final voter list will be published on the 21st of February next year. 

The draft voter list for Kerala, Chhattisgarh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will also be released today. The Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) and District Election Officers (DEOs) will provide printed copies of the draft voter lists to all recognised political parties. The draft rolls will also be made available online on the CEO and DEO websites.

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In West Bengal, the first phase of hearings as part of Special Intensive Revision drive of the electoral rolls will cover approximately 32 lakh unmapped voters. Hearings for this category, in which individuals were unable to locate their own names or the names of related persons in the 2002’s voter list, will begin from the 27th of this month.

According to the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, notices have already been issued to 10 lakh such voters, while an additional 22 lakh notices are scheduled to be dispatched from today.

 

During the enumeration phase, a total of thirty-one lakh sixty eight thousand four hundred and twenty four unmapped voters were identified across the state. Proceedings will be conducted at district magistrates’ offices, sub-divisional offices, various government departments, as well as in schools and colleges.

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India will provide a 450 million dollar package to Sri Lanka to assist in the reconstruction of areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar made the announcement while addressing the media in Colombo. He stated that the package comprises a 350 million concessionary line of credit and 100 million dollars in grants, aimed at supporting the rebuilding of cyclone-affected regions of the nation. The External Affairs Minister met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had a detailed discussion on the damage caused by the Cyclone and handed over a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dr Jaishankar underlined that under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India delivered around 11 hundred tonnes of relief material and over 14.5 tonnes of medicines and medical equipment to the neighbouring country. Dr S Jaishankar also met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and assured India’s steadfast commitment to Sri Lanka’s rebuilding post Cyclone Ditwah.

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India has said the Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand underscores the commitment of both nations to deepening economic ties and harnessing mutual opportunities in the rapidly evolving financial services landscape. The Union Finance Ministry said, the agreement will establish a robust institutional and regulatory framework to accelerate bilateral cooperation, enhance market access, and promote deeper integration between the two nations.

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Several organisations, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal today held protests outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi over the atrocities against minority Hindus in Bangladesh and the mob lynching of Dipu Chandra Das. Security has been increased outside the High Commission and the area has been secured with three layers of barricading, with force from the police and paramilitary deployed in the area. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has said, India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh.

 

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern over rising violence in Bangladesh, stressing that all minorities must feel safe. Violence has intensified in Bangladesh following political unrest after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year. The killing of leader of last year’s protest, Sharif Osman Hadi who had been the spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha fueled tensions further earlier this month.

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President Droupadi Murmu has said the Intelligence Bureau has been playing a stellar role in providing security to the countrymen and assuring unity and integrity of the nation. Delivering the 38th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture in New Delhi today, the President said, during the last decade security agencies like Intelligence Bureau have neutralised numerous threats within the country. She said, the Intelligence Bureau is an agency of invisible heros. 

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Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan has called for making Artificial Intelligence (AI) an integral part of curriculum in schools and colleges to equip students with problem solving skills.The Vice President said this while addressing the National Conclave on AI Evolution- the Mahakumbh of AI in New Delhi.

The Vice President also emphasized that AI is crucial for the country as it charts its inspiring journey towards a self-reliant, inclusive and technologically empowered Viksit Bharat by 2047.

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Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that an allocation of over one lakh fifty-one thousand crore rupees has been proposed under the Viksit Bharat: G RAM G scheme to ensure adequate funding for employment generation and comprehensive rural development. In a video message, the Minister said, the workers are now legally guaranteed 125 days of employment instead of 100 days.

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National Farmers’ Day is being observed across the country today. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was widely respected for his deep understanding of rural issues and steadfast commitment to farmers’ welfare. The day honours the invaluable contributions of farmers to the nation’s growth and development. We have a report:


“India_s agricultural sector, employing nearly half of the nation_s population, remains a cornerstone of the country_s economy and a key driver of nation-building. Recognizing the vital role of farmers, the government has taken several initiatives to support their socio-economic upliftment and ensure sustainable agricultural growth. These programmes include the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana, aimed at providing financial security, risk mitigation, and long-term social security for farmers. The total food grain production is  estimated at over 357 million tonnes this year, which is 7.65 per cent higher as compared to last year. The foodgrain production in the country has increased by around 42 per cent in comparison to 2014-15. With Dipendra Kumar, Saklen Akhtar, Akashvani News Delhi.”

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the former Prime Minister, on his birth anniversary. In a social media post, Prime Minister Modi said, Chaudhary Charan Singh dedicated his life to the progress of agriculture and the prosperity of farmers.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to Chaudhary Charan Singh.

Speaking at an international conference organised by Delhi University’s Aurobindo College in New Delhi today, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said, the former Prime Minister placed villages and farmers at the centre of the country’s mainstream politics.

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The 24-hour countdown has begun for the launch of new generation US communication satellite by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In a commercial mission, ISRO is scheduled to launch the Bluebird Block-2 spacecraft on board its heavy lift launch vehicle LVM3-M6 at 8.54 am tomorrow from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. It is part of a next generation of BlueBird Block-2 communication satellites, designed to provide space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard mobile smartphones. 

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Dense fog conditions have disrupted several flights and train operations in Delhi and NCR region today. Talking to Akashvani News, an official from Delhi Airport said, around 10 flights were cancelled due to low visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Delhi Division of Indian Railways said that more than 50 trains are delayed by upto six hours.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for very dense fog in Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. A yellow alert has been issued in Uttarakhand, for dense fog in the plain areas for the next five days. The Met Department also predicted dense fog conditions over other parts of North India and North Eastern part of the country.

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Benchmark domestic equity indices, the Sensex and the Nifty, were trading mixed in afternoon trade today. The Sensex slipped marginally by nine points to 85 thousand 559, while the Nifty was up by 16 points to 26 thousand and 188, when reports last came in.

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In Women’s Cricket, India will take on Sri Lanka in second T20 of the five-match series in Visakhapatnam today. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 PM Indian Standard Time. The hosts have taken 1-0 lead in the series.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN

 

  • Election Commission publishes draft voter list for Madhya Pradesh following Special Intensive Revision exercise; Draft rolls for Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands to be released later today.

     

  • First phase of hearings in West Bengal for unmapped voters to begin from Saturday; To cover approximately 32 lakh people.

     

  • India to provide a 450 million dollar reconstruction package to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka.

     

  • Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan calls for making AI an integral part of curriculum in schools and colleges to equip students with problem solving skills.

     

  • Several organisations protest outside Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi over atrocities against minorities and mob lynching of Dipu Chandra Das.

     

  • Dense fog disrupts flight and train operations in Delhi-NCR region; Very dense fog likely to prevail in Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

     

  • In Women’s Cricket, India to take on Sri Lanka in second T20 in Visakhapatnam this evening.