The INDIA bloc is set to convene on September 30 in New Delhi to formulate a unified strategy regarding the Election Commission, focusing on the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The meeting will also address coordinated protests and the CEC selection process, bringing together diverse opposition parties.
This article provides a comprehensive schedule for Indian athletes competing at the Asian Games on September 26, 2023. It details events across various sports including athletics, badminton, kabaddi, boxing, hockey, and more, with specific timings in IST.
'When the House adjourned, they were not yet getting 360. They were short of that, maybe by six or seven or ten.' 'So they wanted to break more parties and get their support, and they were engaged in that.'
India's Monsoon session of Parliament remains formally unprorogued 40 days after adjournment, setting a new record. This unusual delay fuels speculation that the government intends to introduce a key legislation, possibly an amendment to the women's reservation law, without convening a new session. The proposed amendment aims for a 50 per cent seat expansion to address concerns over delimitation.
Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu voiced strong displeasure regarding the "not really well organised" badminton scheduling at the Asian Games, citing three matches in 24 hours and insufficient recovery time.
Indian skipper Shubman Gill sustained an elbow injury during a net session after being hit by a Mohammad Siraj delivery, though he later returned to practice. Meanwhile, veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also batted together. Separately, the West Indies cricket board announced a 25% reduction in retainer fees for players as part of a financial restructuring.
Nine passengers died in a bus fire on the Yamuna Expressway after the driver and conductor allegedly ignored repeated warnings about a burning smell and refused to stop the vehicle. An FIR has been lodged based on a passenger's complaint, accusing the crew of gross negligence.
Anand's re-election as Deputy President means Bharat Singh Chauhan's bid for vice president is ineligible due to FIDE rules against multiple representatives from the same federation on the council.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged significant investment in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and quantum technology, identifying them as India's next major growth frontiers. Speaking at an IIT Madras Alumni Association event, she emphasized the need to build hardware, skills, and institutional ecosystems to harness these technologies, countering perceptions that India is lagging in AI. Sitharaman also highlighted the potential for increased investment in defence production, particularly in unmanned systems and drones, stressing collaboration between academia and industry.
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy expresses confidence in his team's ability to secure an ODI series victory in India, a feat not achieved in 24 years. Despite their 10th ODI ranking, Sammy believes the team has made significant progress and highlights key players like Shai Hope, Amir Jangoo, Sherfane Rutherford, Alzarri Joseph, and young wrist-spinner Vitel Lawes as potential game-changers against Shubman Gill's side.
Kumar Kushagra's composed century and Shams Mulani's four-wicket haul propelled India A to a commanding 163-run lead over Australia A on day two of their four-day match in Puducherry. Kushagra scored 113, helping India A reach 334, while Mulani's spell dismantled Australia A's batting, bowling them out for 171.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Mirabai Chanu for winning Asian Games silver, praising her determination as the medal completed her major championship collection and lifted India's tally to 11.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has strongly refuted Opposition allegations that the decision to levy a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on specific UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 was influenced by external pressure. She clarified that the decision was a professional one made by the payment ecosystem, not a government imposition or a tax on consumers, with collected funds distributed among banks and UPI entities to ensure a sustainable digital payments framework.
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh clinched silver medals at the Asian Games, showcasing their potential despite falling short of gold against formidable Malaysian opponents and missing direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
BJP legislators in Karnataka protested during a special legislative session by reciting the full version of Vande Mataram after the official recording played in the Assembly and Council ended after only two stanzas. The Congress government in the state has a standing order to play only the first two stanzas at its programmes, except for high-profile events.
Govinda made a late-night return from the US to join his wife Sunita Ahuja and children Tina and Yashvardhan in their cherished Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, continuing a family tradition started by his late mother.
Tata Trusts, the majority shareholders of Tata Sons, have proposed merging two operating companies, Tata Electronics Systems Solutions Pvt Ltd (TESS) and Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), with Tata Sons. This restructuring aims to shed Tata Sons' classification as a non-banking financial company (NBFC) and a core investment company (CIC), thereby allowing it to retain its status as an unlisted private company and resolve ongoing disputes regarding its future ownership.
Veteran Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar have secured a medal for India in the Asian Games mixed doubles squash event by reaching the semi-finals.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has once again introduced a rare English word, "quockerwodger," to social media, defining it as a "political puppet." He used the term to criticise the ruling party, suggesting they have "spawned a few of these." Tharoor has a history of using obscure words like 'allodoxaphobia', 'farrago', and 'troglodyte' to make political points and engage social media users.
Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the Mamata Banerjee camp's candidate for the Nandigram bypoll, withdrew her nomination just hours after the Election Commission assigned a new party name and symbol to the faction. This development leaves the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress without a candidate in the crucial Nandigram constituency.
Students and political parties in Odisha are protesting widespread errors in school textbooks, demanding the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond. The CJP has extended support to the Navnirman Yuva Chhatra Sangathan's 'satyagraha', while the state government has begun distributing corrected textbooks.
The article details a history of internal disagreements among Election Commissioners in India, highlighting instances from 1993 to the present, including clashes between CECs and commissioners over various issues like removal recommendations, dissent notes, and affidavits, culminating in recent objections regarding voter list revisions.
A 17-year-old girl recounted her horrific ordeal to the police, detailing how three men allegedly separated her from her friend, snatched their phones, and subjected her to gangrape at knifepoint inside southeast Delhi's Astha Kunj Park.
A seven-year-old girl in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, died after allegedly collapsing due to loud music from a Ganesh immersion procession. Two individuals, the DJ owner and operator, have been arrested, and a police officer suspended for negligence. The incident has led to a ban on DJs during upcoming festivals in the municipal area.
Heavy rainfall has severely impacted Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand, leading to casualties, widespread flooding, and significant disruptions. The Char Dham Yatra was suspended, flights were cancelled, and standing crops were damaged. Other regions like Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Delhi also experienced varied weather conditions, including snowfall and light rains.
An analysis by ADR and National Election Watch reveals that 111 MPs and MLAs changed parties after winning elections between 2022 and 2026. Nagaland and West Bengal recorded the highest number of switches. The report also highlights party-level impacts and suggests reforms to the anti-defection framework.
Virat Kohli has expressed strong confidence in Shubman Gill's leadership potential, stating that Gill possesses the right perspective and intensity to captain India for a long time.
Abhijeet Dipke has issued a strong call to Indian opposition parties, urging them to boycott elections if they genuinely believe the electoral process is rigged, arguing that their continued participation only legitimises alleged unfairness.
Indian badminton players, including PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda, were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games individual competitions, failing to secure any medals.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson acknowledges India as the benchmark in white-ball cricket but expresses confidence in his team's ability to challenge them at the Asian Games. He also defended Pakistan's T20 performance, highlighting their improved ranking and series wins, while downplaying captaincy speculation for Sahibzada Farhan.
IIT Madras has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art robotics laboratory, established with CSR support from Bechtel India. This collaboration aims to accelerate research, innovation, and industry applications in robotics and automation, specifically for the construction and infrastructure sectors, fostering advanced technological solutions and workforce development.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select high-value UPI transactions is not a tax or cess, and its collections will not go to the government. She explained that MDR is a charge within the digital payments ecosystem, shared among participants to maintain infrastructure, and will not be passed on to consumers. The NPCI's new framework, effective October 15, applies a 0.4% MDR on person-to-merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, with most transactions remaining free and small merchants exempt.
'There is a long set of decisions that have to be made along the way for anything to actually get actuated in the real world.'
Three BJP allies, including LJP (Ram Vilas), TDP, and RLM, have called on the Election Commission for a clearer explanation regarding concerns raised by two Election Commissioners over the voter list revision process. Union Minister Chirag Paswan warned that public faith in elections was at stake, while the EC asserted that differing views among its members were normal and final decisions were unanimous.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the North East Seva Innovation Challenge (NESFIC), envisioning the region as India's 'living laboratory' for technology and problem-solving. The initiative aims to empower young innovators to address real-world challenges faced by government, industries, and citizens, with a focus on practical implementation and government procurement.
In 100 days in office, Chief Minister V D Satheesan has ordered five SITs. This would appear to be some kind of a record, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Buying a mature rocket technology gives companies the designs and hardware know-how, but not necessarily the decades of engineering wisdom needed to make it work.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the withdrawal of all cases against the Kurmi community filed by the previous TMC government. He also pledged to include Kurmali and Rajbanshi languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and reactivate the Kurmi Development Board, allocating Rs 50 crore for community development.
The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation challenging the constitutional validity of the 2018 amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The amendment had restored restrictions on anticipatory bail and removed requirements for preliminary inquiry and prior approval before arrest. The court cited its 2020 verdict which had already upheld these amended provisions, rejecting arguments about potential misuse and "reverse discrimination."
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged statutory duty violations and the controversial deletion of 13 crore voters during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, claiming decisions were made without the concurrence of other election commissioners.
