Former bureaucrats Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar have been named as the new election commissioners by a panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, committee member and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. He, however, said the Chief Justice of India should have been part of the selection panel and there was no clarity on how six names were shortlisted from over 200 candidates that are said to have come before the search committee headed by the Law Minister.
A high-level committee recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days. The panel recommended preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India in consultation with state election authorities.
Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, who has been suspended from the Bahujan Samaj Party, met former Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi and is likely to contest again from his Amroha constituency on a Congress ticket. Ali had earlier joined the Rahul Gandhi-led Nyay Yatra at its starting point in Manipur, saying he would be failing in his duty as a politician if he did not be a part of the 'biggest drive for unity and justice'.
Disgruntled TMC leader Arjun Singh said he would return to the BJP after he was denied a party ticket from the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat which he represents. Singh had quit the BJP and rejoined TMC after being elected from the seat in Bengal's North 24 Parganas district in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Farmers in large numbers gathered at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi to take part in a 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' that has been convened to protest against the BJP-led Centre's policies regarding the farming sector. The farmers raised slogans against the Union government at the protest venue.
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ShutterstockGovernment said it has taken action to block 18 OTT platforms and social media accounts associated with them for publishing obscene, vulgar and in some instances pornographic content. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur has emphasised the responsibility of the platforms to not propagate obscenity, vulgarity and abuse under the guise of 'creative expression'.
Observing that the name and photographs of Sharad Pawar cannot be used by the Ajit Pawar faction for political gains, the Supreme Court sought a response from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by the Maharashtra deputy chief minister on a plea of the veteran Maratha leader alleging misuse of his popularity by the rival camp. “Once you (Ajit Pawar faction) have chosen to go separate ways, then you use your own identity only,” a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan told senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the camp led by the deputy chief minister.
Maharashtra government has become the owner of iconic Air India building with the Union government approving transfer of the asset. The Maharashtra government bought the Air India building at Nariman Point in Mumbai for Rs 1,601 crore.
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File ImageIndia's ranking on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) improved by one position in 2022 to 134 out of 193 countries ranked compared to 135 out of 191 countries in 2021. This shows a significant jump of 14 ranks on the GII-2022 vis-a-vis the GII-2021, the women and child development ministry said.
Domestic heavyweights Mumbai ended their eight-year barren run to lift a record-extending 42nd Ranji Trophy title, beating a resolute Vidarbha by 169 runs on the fifth and final day of a thoroughly engrossing summit clash. Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar (102) and the unheralded Harsh Dubey (65) kept Mumbai at bay for the entire first session after Vidarbha resumed on 248 for five, needing another 290 runs to win.