THE HEADLINES:-
- Notification issued for third phase of Lok Sabha elections; Polling to be held for 94 seats on the 7th of May.
- Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi to address public meetings in Barmer and Dausa districts of Rajasthan today.
- Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to lead I.N.D.I.A bloc’s rally in Coimbatore.
- US hosts first ever trilateral summit with Japan and Philippines amid their territorial disputes with China.
- In Wrestling, India clinches a silver and two bronze medals on the opening day of Asian Championships in Kyrgyzstan.
- In IPL Cricket, Mumbai Indians defeat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets.
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The Election Commission today issued notification for the third phase of Lok Sabha election. Elections will be held in 94 Lok Sabha seats in 10 States and two Union Territories in this phase. All 26 seats of Gujarat, 14 seats of Karnataka, 11 seats of Maharashtra, 10 seats of Uttar Pradesh, Eight seats of Madhya Pradesh, Seven seats of Chhattisgarh, Five seats of Bihar, Four seats each in Assam and West Bengal, two seats each in Goa and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and one seat in Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in this third phase.
Notification for Betul constituency in Madhya Pradesh was also issued today. Election for Betul Parliamentary constituency which was to be held in 2nd Phase was adjourned due to the death of a contesting BSP candidate.
Nominations can be filed till 19th of this month. Voting for this phase will be held on the 7th of May.
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With the first phase of polling around the corner, major political parties have geared up their election campaign. In Rajasthan, BJP and Congress have put in their full might to woo the voters. Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader, Narendra Modi will address a public meeting, Vijay Shankhnad at Barmer’s Adarsh Stadium in support of BJP candidate Kailash Choudhary today. In the evening, Mr. Modi will lead a road show in Dausa. Our correspondent reports that other star campaigners will also campaign for their party candidates in various Lok Sabha constituencies.
Now, just a few days are left for campaign of the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, hence Congress and BJP are leaving no stone unturned in the campaign. Today, senior BJP leader and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma will campaign in Suratgarh and Hanumangarh, Vinay Sahastrabuddhe in Jaipur, Vijay Rahatkar in Sirohi and State President CP Joshi in Badi Sadri in favor of party candidates. Apart from them, many other star campaigners will participate in campaigning at various places. On behalf of Congress, State President Govind Dotasara will hold public meetings for party candidates in Alwar and Dausa today. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot will also campaign for Congress candidates at various places. RLP Chief Hanuman Beniwal will also conduct public meetings in his constituency Nagaur today. Jitendra Dwivedi, Akashwani News, Jaipur.
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Senior BJP leader and Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, is scheduled to hold back-to-back rallies in Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand today. He will address a public gathering in Champawat, Chamoli, and Kashipur with a strategic focus on capturing the attention of the military-influenced electorate in the region. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is also arriving in Haridwar today to attend public gathering at various places.
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Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is visiting Coimbatore today to garner support for the INDI bloc candidates. He is likely to share stage with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter and DMK leader M K.Stalin.
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In Madhya Pradesh, after the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission teams have seized material and cash worth more than a hundred crores in a period of less than a month. Election campaigning is also at its peak in Madhya Pradesh. More from our correspondent:
Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan has informed that since the implementation of model code of conduct, various materials worth 103 crore 33 lakh rupees have been seized so far. These include cash worth 13 crore 77 lakh rupees, liquor of around 24 crore 64 lakh rupees and drugs of about 19 crore rupees. There are other materials worth Rs 36 crore. At the same time, 2 thousand 852 complaints of violation of code of conduct have been received so far on the C-Vigil app. Meanwhile, thBJP National President JP Nadda will campaign in Sidhi and Chhindwara today, while Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will campaign in Ashoknagar and Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav will campaign in Balaghat, Chhindwara and Mandla. Similarly, state Congress president Jeetu Patwari, MP Vivek Tankha and former Union Minister Arun Yadav will jointly campaign in Vidisha and Raisen. Sanjeev Sharma, Akashvani News, Bhopal.
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In our series, covering profiles of key constituencies across States and Union Territories during the Lok Sabha elections, today we bring a report on Purnia Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar. Constituency is going to polls in the second phase on 26th of April. Geographically located in Seemanchal area, the constituency shares boundaries with districts of Kishanganj, Katihar and Araria which have bordering areas with West Bengal and international border with Nepal. We have more in this report:
In Purnia parliamentary constituency, more than 22 lakh voters will decide the electoral fate of seven candidates including JD(U) and RJD. In NDA, the JD(U) is contesting this seat repeating sitting MP Santosh Kushwaha, while from Grand Alliance, the RJD has fielded Bima Bharti. She had recently migrated to RJD from JD(U) over differences with party high command. The rebel candidate of Grand Alliance Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav is making the contest triangular on this seat. Pappu Yadav had recently merged its party with Congress but failed to get an official party symbol. Along with Purnia, the expansion of Purnia Lok Sabha seat is also in Katihar district. It is constituted with six Assembly segments of Kasba, Banmankhi, Rupauli, Dhamdaha, Purnia and Korha. In the political equation three seats of the constituency are presently held by BJP, JD(U) had succeeded on two and Congress on one assembly seat. Dharmendra Kumar Rai, Akashvani News, Patna
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United States President Joe Biden hosted the first ever trilateral summit with leaders of Japan and the Philippines at the White House in Washington amid territorial disputes of the two Southeast Asian countries with China.
A joint vision statement issued after the meeting said, they have gathered in Washington as equal partners and trusted friends, united by the vision they share of a free and open Indo-Pacific and international order based on international law.
In the joint statement, the leaders expressed serious concerns about China’s dangerous and aggressive behavior in the South China Sea. They also said they were concerned by the militarization of reclaimed features and unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea.
At the summit, the US President Biden indirectly warned China. He said, the United States defense commitments to Japan and to the Philippines are ironclad.
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The United Kingdom has appointed Lindy Cameron as its new High Commissioner to India, to succeed Alex Ellis. Cameron is the first woman to be appointed British High Commissioner of India.
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The seventh round of negotiations for the India-Peru Trade Agreement concluded in New Delhi yesterday. The negotiations involved understanding the priorities and concerns of both countries and ensuring mutual respect and benefit. The discussions encompassed across the chapters including Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, Movement of Natural Persons, Rules of Origin, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Technical Barriers to Trade,Custom Procedures and Trade Facilitation.
Around sixty delegates from both sides participated in the negotiations including officials from the Department of Commerce, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Revenue, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and the legal and economic resource persons.The next round of negotiations are expected to take place in June 2024.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review preparedness for the ensuing heat wave season. The Prime Minister was briefed about the temperature outlook for the period from April to June this year. He was also updated about the likelihood of above normal maximum temperatures over most parts of the country, especially over Central India and western peninsular India during summers. The preparedness in the health sector was reviewed in terms of essential medicines, intravenous fluids, ice packs, ORS and drinking water.
The Prime Minister stressed upon the whole of Government approach. Mr Modi also stressed upon awareness creation along with adequate preparation in hospitals.
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India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall over Central India today. Light to moderate rainfalls accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds are also likely over Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, Marathwada and Madhya Maharashtra. The weather office has also forecast isolated heavy rainfall over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan and Muzaffarabad on Saturday and Sunday and Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.
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In IPL Cricket, Mumbai Indians defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai last night. Mumbai Indians overhauled the target of 197 runs in 15.3 overs, posting 199 runs for the loss of three wickets. Ishan Kishan scored 69 off 34 balls and Suryakumar Yadav scored 52 in 19 balls.
Earlier, put in to bat first, Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted 196 for the loss of eight wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Skipper Faf Du Plessis with 61 was the top scorer and Dinesh Karthik with 53 runs made valuable contributions. For Mumbai Indians, Jasprit Bumrah scalped five wickets while. He was adjudged Player of the Match.
Lucknow Super Giants will take on Delhi Capitals in Lucknow today. The match will start at 7.30 PM.
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India clinched a total of three medals on the opening day of Asian Wrestling Championships at Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan yesterday. 19-year-old Udit won the silver medal in the Men’s 57kg category while Abhimanyou in Men’s 70kg and Vicky in Men’s 97kg grabbed the bronze medals. This was the first time since 2019 that India did not win the gold medal in the category.
Indian wrestlers Akash Dahiya in 61kg, Yash Tushir in 74kg, Sandeep Mann in 86kg, Vinay in 92kg and Anirudh Kumar in 125kg will be in action in the remaining five men’s freestyle weight categories today.
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In Monte Carlo Masters 2024 tennis tournament, Indian player Sumit Nagal was ousted in the second round of the men’s singles in Monaco last night. Sumit Nagal, upset world No. 63 Flavio Cobolli of Italy 6-2, 6-3 in the first round before accounting for the 55th-ranked Argentine Diaz Acosta 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 in the second round.
In the process, Nagal became the first Indian tennis player to qualify for the main draw of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in 42 years. Ramesh Krishnan was the last Indian to feature in the main draw of the Monaco event back in 1982.
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NOW, FOR A LOOK AT TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS,
- Campaigning in Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Modi says – terror spreads in weak governments, Modi government enters homes of terrorists and kills, is the top story in the Indian Express.
- Asian Development Bank projects India’s GDP growth in 2024-25 at 7 percent, is the front page story in The Hindu.
- Jailed BRS leader K.Kavitha arrested by CBI, in connenction with Delhi Excise Policy Scam, says The Pioneer.
- Lindy Cameron is the new British envoy to India, reports The Asian Age.
- Apple warns of Pegasus like attack on politicians, scribes, according to a report in The Tribune.
- Fed talk, Geo-political tensions may keep markets on edge, reports The Hindu Business Line.
- And Finally OJ Simpson, fallen NFL hero, acquitted of murder in “Trial of Century” dies at 76, says The Times of India.
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HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.
- Notification issued for third phase of Lok Sabha elections; Polling to be held for 94 seats on the 7th of May.
- Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi to address public meetings in Barmer and Dausa districts of Rajasthan today.
- Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to lead I.N.D.I.A bloc’s rally in Coimbatore.
- US hosts first ever trilateral summit with Japan and Philippines amid their territorial disputes with China.
- In Wrestling, India clinches a silver and two bronze medals on the opening day of Asian Championships in Kyrgyzstan.
- And, in IPL Cricket, Mumbai Indians defeat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets.
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