Lok Sabha elections 2024 | PM Modi begins roadshow in Chennai’s Panagal Park
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 9 took out a roadshow in Chennai’s T Nagar locality, ahead of the April 19 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister was joined by BJP state president K Annamalai and the saffron party’s candidates for South Chennai, Central Chennai and North Chennai. Tamilisai Soundararajan has been fielded from South Chennai while Vinoj P Selvam and RC Paul Kanagaraj are the party’s picks from Central Chennai and North Chennai, respectively. Standing atop a decorated car, the PM waved at his supporters who lined up on either side of the road and he also carried a small cutout of the BJP’s symbol, the Lotus.
Arvind Kejriwal to remain in Tihar jail, Delhi HC dismisses plea challenging ED arrest
The Delhi High Court on April 9 dismissed a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in judicial custody in a money laundering case linked with the alleged excise scam, challenging his arrest. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma pronouncing the order said the national AAP convenor’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate cannot be termed as ‘illegal’. Kejriwal will move the Supreme Court after the High Court’s dismissal, AAP sources said on the day.
BRS leader K. Kavitha’s judicial custody extended till April 23
A court in New Delhi on April 9 extended the judicial custody of BRS leader K. Kavitha by two weeks in the Delhi Excise policy money laundering case. Special judge for ED and CBI cases Kaveri Baweja extended Ms. Kavitha’s custody till April 23 after she was produced before the court on expiry of her judicial remand granted earlier.
The Maharashtra Opposition alliance the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s seat sharing issue has finally been resolved on April 9. The coalition has sealed the final seat allocation for the Lok Sabha Election 2024 and announced the seat sharing and candidates at a joint press conference held at ‘Shivalaya’, the Shiv Sena (UBT) office in south Mumbai on the day of Gudi Padwa, the beginning of Marathi New Year.
The Election Commission on April 9 issued Congress leader Randeep Surjewala a show-cause notice for his alleged undignified remarks against actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Hema Malini. The poll body also sought a response from Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on the steps taken to ensure strict compliance with its advisories on upholding the honour and dignity of women during public discourse by its leaders.
Trinamool Congress leaders who were detained by Delhi Police while staging a dharna outside the Election Commission’s office continued their protest at Mandir Marg police station on April 9. AAP leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj, met the protesting TMC leaders who camped overnight at the police station.
The Supreme Court on April 9, 2024, held that candidates can retain their right to privacy and need not lay out every scrap of his personal life and possession, past and present, for the voter to rifle through. “It is not necessary that a candidate declare every item of moveable property that he or his dependent family members owns such as clothing, shoes, crockery, stationery, furniture etc,” a Bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sanjay Kumar observed in a judgment. Justice Kumar said only a “substantial” asset, which may give an inkling to the voter about the affluence of a candidate, need to be disclosed.
West Bengal Police issues summons to NIA officer in Bhupatinagar attack case
West Bengal Police on April 9 issued summons to the NIA officer who was injured in the alleged attack during the Central probe agency’s raid in Purba Medinipur district last week, to appear before the investigating officer of the Bhupatinagar police station on April 11, an official said. The Bhupatinagar police station investigating officer has also asked the NIA to bring the vehicle which was damaged allegedly during the attack on April 6, stating that they want to conduct a forensic test of it, he said.
The ED on April 9 conducted searches at 30 locations in the State connected to Jaffar Sadiq, an expelled DMK functionary and a film producer who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau last month in a ₹2,000 crore drug trafficking case, sources said. These searches were conducted at the house belonging to Jaffer Sadiq in Arulanandam Street, Mylapore, film director Ameer’s office in T. Nagar and his house at Chetpet, at the house of Buhari hotel’s owner Buhari, in Shastri Nagar, Adyar, JSM hotels in Purasawalkam, an house in Kodungaiyur and an office of tour and travel operator in Eldams Road and Teynampet.
ED makes fresh arrest in money-laundering case against former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren
“The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made a fresh arrest in connection with its ongoing money-laundering investigation against former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren,” official sources said on April 9. “Mohammed Saddam was lodged in jail as part of an alleged land scam case of Jharkhand and the Central agency took his custody under the anti-money laundering law after an application was made to the court,” the sources said.
The Leh administration on April 9 withdrew restrictions imposed on public gathering under Section 144, days after climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and the Leh Apex Body (LAB) called off their border march to highlight pastures usurped by China. Santosh Sukhadeve, District Magistrate, Leh, in an order said the restrictions were revoked after the Senior Superintendent of Police informed there was “not any imminent apprehension of breach of peace and public order”.
Former Union Minister Birender Singh, wife join Congress
Former Union Minister Birender Singh along with his ex-MLA wife Prem Lata on April 9 joined the Congress in Delhi. Mr. Singh, who was the Union Steel Minister in the Modi Government, and his wife resigned from the BJP on April 8. Their joining comes a month after their son Brijendra Singh joined the party after quitting the BJP. Birender Singh (78) is the maternal grandson of the farmer leader Sir Chhotu Ram and had quit the Congress in 2014 to join the BJP. On his return to the Congress, Birender Singh said, “It is not just my ‘ghar wapsi’ but also ‘vichar wapsi’.”
March is tenth straight month to be hottest on record, scientists say
For the tenth consecutive month, Earth in March set a new monthly record for global heat — with both air temperatures and the world’s oceans hitting an all-time high for the month, the European Union climate agency Copernicus said. March 2024 averaged 14.14 degrees Celsius, exceeding the previous record from 2016 by a tenth of a degree, according to Copernicus data. And it was 1.68 degrees C warmer than in the late 1800s, the base used for temperatures before the burning of fossil fuels began growing rapidly.
To cut a deal with Hamas or not: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu faces tough choices
Increasing pressure from the U.S., growing international criticism over the civilian casualties in Gaza, a spreading protest movement at home demanding his resignation and bringing hostages back and widening cracks in his Cabinet. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving Prime Minister, is finding himself in a spot as the war on Gaza has entered the seventh month. Israeli leaders have vowed to attack Rafah. But the U.S., Israel’s most important ally, has made it clear that it doesn’t support a large scale operation in the town over fears that it could trigger another wave of civilian casualties.
May 9 riots | 20 convicts freed after reprieve by Pakistan Army chief ahead of Eid
Ahead of Eid, at least 20 people sentenced by military courts for their involvement in the May 9 violence that erupted after the arrest of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan last year have been released by the military authorities following a pardon by Army chief General Asim Munir. The decision was shared by the federal government on April 8 with the Supreme Court, which has been hearing a set of intra-court appeals (ICAs) against its October 23, 2023, unanimous ruling nullifying the military trials of civilians.
U.S. aims to bolster front against China at talks with leaders of Japan, Philippines
U.S. President Joe Biden hosts the leaders of Japan and the Philippines this week to boost economic and defence ties as the allies seek to offset China’s growing might and manage risks ranging from North Korea to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Mr. Biden’s bilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on April 10 will bring an upgrade in defence ties with Japan, Washington’s cornerstone ally in the Indo-Pacific region and an increasingly important global partner.
Thousands of people at risk as floods hit Russia’s south
Floods are threatening Russia’s southern Kurgan region, putting more than 19,000 people’s lives at risk, the state news agency said on April 9, days after unprecedented flooding displaced thousands of people and inundated a city in the Ural region. Citing the local branch of Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, TASS news agency reported that at least 4,000 homes could also be affected. “Emergency measures were put in place in the region,” it added.
Paytm Payments Bank MD and CEO Surinder Chawla quits
Beleaguered Paytm Payments Bank’s managing director and CEO Surinder Chawla has resigned from the company, a regulatory filing said on April 9. Mr. Chawla’s resignation comes amidst Paytm Payments Bank facing prohibitory action from banking regulator RBI.
Markets settle lower after hitting record peaks in intra-day; Sensex breaches 75,000-milestone
Benchmark equity indices ended marginally lower on April 9 amid profit-taking after the BSE Sensex breached the historic 75,000-mark for the first time ever in early trade and the Nifty climbed to its fresh peak. Putting a break on its record-breaking rally, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 58.80 points or 0.08 per cent to settle at 74,683.70. During the day, it climbed 381.78 points or 0.51 per cent to reach the all-time peak of 75,124.28.
Yashasvi Jaiswal would be desperate to let his bat do the talking when an unbeaten Rajasthan Royals take on an under pressure Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League in Jaipur on April 10. Rajasthan Royals could not have asked for a better start to the season, registering four consecutive wins from as many games.
Delhi High Court asks Sports Ministry to respond to WFI’s plea challenging suspension
The Delhi High Court on April 9 sought the Centre’s response on a plea by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) challenging its suspension. Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and asked it to file its reply to the petition within four weeks.
