THE HEADLINES:
- Campaigning continues for next phases of Lok Sabha elections; Top leaders hold roadshows and rallies across the country.
- Centre issues first set of citizenship certificates to 14 applicants under Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024.
- Enforcement Directorate arrests Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
- IMD forecasts fresh spell of heat wave over Northwest India from tomorrow.
- Ukraine withdraws its troops from border area of Kharkiv following pressure from Russian forces.
- And in IPL cricket, match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings underway in Guwahati.
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Top leaders are campaigning for their party candidates and alliance for the fifth, sixth and seventh phases of Lok Sabha elections today.
Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi today addressed an election rally at Dindori in the Nashik area of Maharashtra. Speaking on the ocassion, Mr. Modi said that the world has appreciated the way the country responded during the COVID pandemic situation. Mr. Modi emphasized that more than 600 Ayushman Arogya Mandir and many Jan Aushadhi centers were established in villages of Nashik in order to provide accessible health care facilities in the region. Prime Minister Modi also held a rally in Kalyan. Addressing the gathering Mr Moid said he wants to create a foundation which will accelerate the country’s dream for 2047.
Later he also held a roadshow in Mumbai.
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah has asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is committed to taking back Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and will not be deterred by Pakistan. Addressing a rally at Hooghly in West Bengal, Mr Shah said, people of PoJK are protesting and demanding freedom from Pakistan.
In Odisha, all the three major political parties, Congress, BJP and BJD, stepped up their electioneering for the upcoming phases of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined a bike rally and addressed an election rally at Balangir today. Mr Gandhi expressed confidence that the INDI Alliance will form the government at the Centre after the results of general elections are declared on the 4th of June.
Senior leaders and star campaigners of different political parties campaigned in Uttar Pradesh today. Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh campaigned for the party candidate and Union Minister Kaushal Kishore, who is contesting from the Mohanlalganj constituency. Senior BJP leader and Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath also addressed a rally in the Hamirpur constituency. He said, since the BJP government came into power, there have been no issues of corruption and poor law and order.
On the other hand, Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo Mayawati addressed a political rally in the Atarra area of the Banda constituency, which falls in the Bundelkhand region. Ms Mayawati attacked the BJP, stating that the people of the country are fed up with increasing inflation and unemployment.
Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav also attacked the BJP in his address at a political rally in the Gainsadi assembly seat of Balrampur district, where a by-election will be held in the sixth phase. He said that the BJP is working for capitalists.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi campaigned in Raebareli today for Rahul Gandhi. Earlier holding a press conferene in Lucknow, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the 2024 elections are very important to save the Constitution and democracy.
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Election Commission today reviewed preparedness for the 5th and 6th phase of Lok Sabha polls. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu held video conference meeting with Observers being deployed in 49 Parliamentary Constituencies for 5th phase and 57 Parliamentary Constituencies in sixth phase of the General Elections 2024. The fifth phase of Lok Sabha Polls will be held on 20th of this month and sixth phase will be held on 25th of May.
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The Election Commission has summoned the Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police of Andhra Pradesh to explain reasons for failure of administration to contain post poll violence. Sources said, the Commission has summoned them to New Delhi tomorrow to personally explain the preemptive steps being taken to avoid any such incidents in the future.
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A delegation of BJP comprising of party leaders and Union Ministers S Jaishankar, G Kishan Reddy, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Rajeev Chandrasekhar today lodged a complent with the Election Commission over alleged violation of model code of conduct by Congress and the I.N.D.I.A. block leaders. Speaking to media, Dr Jaishankar said, the delegation placed before the Commission 22 such examples and demanded to take action. He said, the delegations filed complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged objectionable remarks against Indian Armed Forces.
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Congress has demanded repoll in eight booths under Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal. The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee has written a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer highlighting false and proxy voting by the ruling party.
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In our series of key constituencies for Lok Sabha polls, today we bring you a report Baramullah Parliamentary Constituency of Jammu and Kashmir. The polling in this constituency is all set to take place on 20th of this month for which the campaigning is in full swing. A report:
The Baramullah Parliamentary Constituency is spread over three northern Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora and the parts of central Kashmir’s Budgam District. The Budgam and Beerwa assembly segments have been clubbed with the Baramullah Parliamentary Constituency after the recent delimitation process. There are a total number of 17 Lakh 32 Thousand 4 Hundred and 59 Voters. The ECI has set up 2,103 Polling Booths in the entire Constituency. Among these, some Polling stations are solely managed by the women and some are specialized for the persons with special abilities. There are a total of 22 candidates contesting for this seat, the main fight will be among former Chief minister Omer Abdullah of National Conference, former Rajya Sabha Member Mir Fayaz Ahmad of Peoples Democratic Party and Former Minister of erstwhile state of J&K Sajad Gani Lone of Peoples Conference. Sunil Koul /Srinagar.
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The first set of citizenship certificates after notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024 were issued today. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla handed over citizenship certificates to 14 applicants in New Delhi. According to the Home Ministry, digitally signed certificates are being issued to many other applicants through email.
Home Secretary congratulated the applicants and highlighted salient features of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 which was notified on 11th of March 2024.
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Home Minister Amit Shah has lauded the decision to grant citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024. In a social media post, Mr. Shah termed it a historic day saying that today the wait of decades has ended. He said, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian brothers and sisters who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution have started getting Indian citizenship.
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Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) today after six hours of inquiry on the second day under Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Mr Alam has been arrested in the alleged Tender Commission scam after recovery of cash amounting to more than 35 crore rupees. The minister was issued summon by ED in this case on the 12th of May and has been interrogated by ED officials since yesterday.
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Ukraine has withdrawn its troops from multiple villages in the border area of Kharkiv following continued pressure from Russian forces. A Ukrainian military spokesman said that the decision to move troops from the Lukyantsi and Vovchansk areas was taken to avoid losses.
On the other hand, Russia has claimed that its forces have gained control over two additional settlements in the region, namely Lukyantsi and Hlyboke, along with the village of Robotyne in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
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India and Russia held bilateral consultations on Afghanistan today in New Delhi. According to the External Affairs Ministry, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov and Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran Division) in Ministry of External Affairs JP Singh discussed the current situation in Afghanistan. They emphasized on the need to provide development assistance for the welfare of the Afghan people.
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India has expressed grief over the demise of Security Coordination Officer in the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS) in Gaza, Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale. The External Affairs Ministry said, Permanent Mission of India to the UN in New York and Indian Missions in Tel Aviv and Ramallah are extending all assistance in the repatriation of mortal remains.
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India’s total exports of merchandise and services in April 2024 is estimated to be 64.56 billion dollars against 60.40 billion dollars in April 2023.
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India Meteorological Department has forecast a fresh spell of heat wave to start over Northwest India from tomorrow including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana till the 18th of this month. It added that hot and humid weather will prevail over coastal Maharashtra and Goa today, and over Gujarat till tomorrow.
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In IPL Cricket, match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings is underway at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Rajasthan Royals were 130 for 7 in 18.1overs, a short while ago.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- Campaigning continues for next phases of Lok Sabha elections; Top leaders hold roadshows and rallies across the country.
- Centre issues first set of citizenship certificates to 14 applicants under Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024.
- Enforcement Directorate arrests Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
- IMD forecasts fresh spell of heat wave over Northwest India from tomorrow.
- Ukraine withdraws its troops from border area of Kharkiv following pressure from Russian forces.
- And in IPL cricket, match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings underway in Guwahati.
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