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Trinamool Congress leaders were detained by Delhi Police on April 8 while they were holding a dharna outside the Election Commission’s office, demanding that the chiefs of CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department be changed. TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Mohammed Nadimul Haque, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale and Sagarika Ghose, MLA Vivek Gupta, former MPs Arpita Ghosh, Santanu Sen and Abir Ranjan Biswas, and party’s students’ wing West Bengal vice president Sudip Raha were detained. The party has been alleging that the central probe agencies have been targeting opposition parties at the behest of the BJP-led Centre.
Lok Sabha elections | Congress files complaint to ECI against PM Modi’s remarks on its manifesto
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The Congress complained to the Election Commission of India on April 8 against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks targeting the party and comparing its Lok Sabha poll manifesto with that of the Muslim League. A delegation of Congress leaders met ECI officials and raised several issues, including the use of pictures and large cut-outs of the Prime Minister in government buildings and colleges and demanded that those be removed to maintain a level-playing field in the upcoming parliamentary election.
This is not a ‘contest’, several States coming to court against Union, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court said a steady stream of States are compelled to approach it against the Centre while cautioning the Union government against entering into a “contest” with water-starved Karnataka over its request for drought relief. “Let there be no contest here between the Union and the State… We are seeing various State governments having to appear in court,” Justice B.R. Gavai, heading the Bench, addressed Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, both appearing for the Union government.
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Right against climate change a distinct fundamental and human right, Supreme Court judgment
The Supreme Court has recognised a much-felt, but less articulated right against the adverse effects of climate change as a distinct fundamental right in the Constitution. “It is yet to be articulated that the people have a right against the adverse effects of climate change. This is perhaps because this right and the right to a clean environment are two sides of the same coin. As the havoc caused by climate change increases year-by-year, it becomes necessary to articulate this as a distinct right. It is recognised by Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (right to life),” the Supreme Court observed in a judgment released on April 6.
BRS leader Kavitha denied interim bail in Delhi Excise scam case
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A court in New Delhi on April 8 denied interim bail to BRS leader K. Kavitha in the Delhi Excise policy-related money laundering case. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja dismissed the plea, saying the stage was not right to enlarge her on interim bail. Ms. Kavitha had approached the court for interim bail, saying her 16-year-old son has exams and needs his mother’s “moral and emotional support”. The ED also questioned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s personal assistant Bibhav Kumar and AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak in the case, officials said.
‘Kanyadaan’ not necessary for solemnising marriage under Hindu Marriage Act: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court has held that ‘kanyadaan’ is not necessary for solemnisation of marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, and only ‘saptapadi’ is an essential ceremony. A Bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi made the observation while hearing a revision petition filed by one Ashutosh Yadav, who had stated that his marriage under the Act mandated a ‘kanyadaan’ (giving away the bride) ceremony, which was not performed in his case.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 8 hit out at the Opposition Congress, saying it overlooked needs of the poor for decades since independence and never understood their pain. Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district, which will go to polls on April 19, he also said that the Congress’ manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections has the Muslim League imprint. During the Congress regime, corruption had become the country’s identity, he said. “Since independence, the Congress overlooked needs of the poor for decades and never understood their pain,” the PM said.
Bhupatinagar blast case in West Bengal | NIA issues summons to three Trinamool Congress leaders
“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has issued summons to three Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders asking them to appear before its officers for questioning in connection with the Bhupatinagar blast case,” an official said on April 8. “The three leaders — Manab Kumar Karaya, Subir Maity and Naba Kumar Ponda — have been asked to appear before the NIA officers, in Kolkata, on April 8,” he said. “Three TMC leaders have been summoned to our city office for questioning on Monday morning,” the officer said.
Forty-two of the 102 Lok Sabha seats going to polls in the general election’s first phase are constituencies that have three or more candidates facing criminal cases, according to a poll rights body. The Association for Democratic Reforms has analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 1,618 candidates out of the 1,625 contesting the elections in its first phase on April 19. Out of the 1,618 candidates, 16% or 252 candidates are named in criminal cases, with 10% or 161 candidates facing serious criminal charges, according to the analysis of their affidavits by the organisation.
BJP MLAs demanding discussion on Delhi Jal Board ‘irregularities’ marshalled out of Assembly
BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly on April 8 as they pressed for a discussion on alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board. The proceedings of the House began with members raising issues of their constituencies. The BJP legislators started demanding a discussion on alleged irregularities in the DJB. Speaker Ram Niwas Goel rejected the request and asked the Opposition members to sit down. As the BJP MLAs continued to press their demand, Mr. Goel asked marshals to take them out. Later, the BJP MLAs staged a protest near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue inside the Assembly premises.
The BJP’s “ideological ancestors” supported the British and the Muslim League against Indians in the freedom struggle, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said on April 8 as he hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his ‘Muslim League imprint’ remarks on the party’s manifesto. Mr. Modi had earlier attacked the Congress, charging that its poll manifesto bore the imprint of the Muslim League and utterances of its leaders showed hostility towards national integrity and Sanatan Dharma.
The Supreme Court on April 8 stayed a Karnataka High Court order of March 22 which allowed board examinations to be conducted for Classes 5, 8, 9 and 11 in schools affiliated with the State Board. A Bench headed by Justice Bela Trivedi directed the State to keep in abeyance and not communicate or circulate the results of the examinations at any cost either to the students or parents. The petitioners had submitted that the Karnataka State Quality Assessment and Accreditation Council, following the High Court order on March 22, had issued a direction on April 4 to schools to publish the examination results on April 8.
The Congress was left red-faced after a video surfaced on social media, showing a picture of Union Minister and BJP candidate Faggan Singh Kulaste on a banner at Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla Lok Sabha seat on April 8. While the Congress termed the goof-up a “human error”, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the Opposition party had accepted defeat even before the elections.
Top U.N. court opens hearings in case accusing Germany of facilitating Israel’s Gaza conflict
Preliminary hearings are opening on April 8 at the United Nations’ top court in a case that seeks an end to German military and other aid to Israel, based on claims that Berlin is enabling acts of genocide and breaches of international humanitarian law in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Nicaragua argues that by giving Israel political, financial and military support and by defunding the United Nations aid agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, “Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide.”
U.S. lawmakers reach agreement on data privacy legislation
Two key US lawmakers have reached an agreement on draft bipartisan data privacy legislation, as per a report published by Reuters on Sunday. The legislation would restrict the collection of consumer data by technology companies and empower Americans to prevent the sale of personal information or demand its deletion. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of the Commerce Committee, and Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, struck the deal. It would grant individuals control over the use of their personal information and mandate disclosure if data is transferred to foreign adversaries.
Brazilian Supreme Court investigates Elon Musk for alleged obstruction of justice
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has launched an inquiry into Elon Musk, as reported by Reuters on Sunday, citing a court document. This development follows Musk’s challenge against Moraes’ decision instructing X to block certain accounts. The specifics of the accounts subject to the blocking order have not been disclosed by Musk, X, or Brazilian authorities. Musk claimed the restrictions were unconstitutional and announced that X would lift them. In response, Moraes emphasized in his ruling that X must adhere to all court orders, or face fines of 100,000 reais ($19,740/₹16,43,297) per day.
Air India and BIAL sign agreement to make Bengaluru premier aviation hub of south India
Air India and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) have entered into an agreement intended to develop Bengaluru as a premier aviation hub for southern India. Air India (along with other Tata Group airlines — AIX and Vistara) and BIAL will collaborate to enhance international connectivity, operational efficiency, and passenger experience over the next five years. This includes strengthening the group’s presence at Kempegowda International Airport, (KIA) through an enhanced network and establishing a dedicated domestic lounge for premium and frequent travellers of Tata Group airlines Air India and Vistara.
IPL-17 | Inconsistent Punjab Kings face unpredictable Sunrisers Hyderabad in mid-table clash
An inconsistent Punjab Kings will hope to come out with an attacking display to match the ultra-aggressive approach of Sunrisers Hyderabad as the two teams clash in a mid-table battle in the IPL on April 9. Both SRH and PBKS have two wins and two losses from their four matches to be tied with two other teams in the middle with four points and they will be desperate to break out of the mid-table logjam first. While SRH have been unpredictable sometimes they have displayed their might with the bat with their top-order firing on all cylinders on most occasions. But the same cannot be said about the Kings.