The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2023 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel to Claudia Goldin “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes.” Claudia Goldin, a professor at Harvard is only the third woman to ever be awarded the economics prize — with just two since it was first awarded in 1969 — Elinor Ostrom in 2009 and Esther Duflo in 2019.
Election Commission announces polling dates for five States; only Chhattisgarh to vote in two phases
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram will go to polls on different days from November 7-30 and votes will be counted for the five States on December 3, the Election Commission of India said on October 9. Mizoram will vote on November 7; Madhya Pradesh on November 17; Rajasthan on November 23 and Telangana on November 30. Chhattisgarh will vote in two phases on November 7 and 17.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list on October 13 a petition filed by Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar’s loyalist, Jayant Patil, to intervene with Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to hear disqualification proceedings against party legislators who have changed fealty to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said the case would be listed on October 13 along with Uddhav Thackeray camp’s plea that Mr. Narwekar was sitting on disqualification proceedings against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his breakaway loyalists whose actions had led to a split in the Shiv Sena party.
The Supreme Court on October 9 stayed the Kerala High Court order rejecting NCP leader Mohammed Faizal’s petition seeking suspension of his conviction in an attempt to murder case, an order which may lead to revocation of his disqualification as Lok Sabha MP for a second time. After the Kerala High Court’s October 3 order, he was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha on October 4. Mr. Faizal, who represented Lakshadweep in Parliament, has been disqualified twice as a lawmaker in 2023.
High Court dismisses Chandrababu Naidu’s bail petitions in scam cases
Former CM N. Chandrababu Naidu suffered a major setback in the Amaravati Inner Ring Road (IRR) alignment and FiberNet scam cases as the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petitions on October 9. The HC also turned down Mr. Naidu’s plea for bail in the case related to violence that took place at Angallu village in Annamayya district during his tour of irrigation projects in August, 2023.
Bombay HC takes dig at Centre’s ‘ease of doing business’, says it is mindful of pendency of cases
The Bombay High Court recently took a dig at the Central government’s “ease of doing business”, and said while it was mindful of the pendency of cases in courts, it was the government that was by far the largest litigant and the one that most often sought adjournments. A division Bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Kamal Khata, which was on October 5 hearing a petition filed by one Ramkali Gupta in 2016 over property-related issues, said it was no stranger to repeated assertions from the Union government regarding the pendency of cases and impediments allegedly caused by the courts.
India’s Net Zero emissions target by 2070 little too long-term: Hardeep Singh Puri
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on October 9 said achieving the net zero emissions target by 2070 is “little too long-term”, indicating that the country may achieve the milestone ahead of the deadline. Under the net zero target, India will completely switch to renewables by 2070. Addressing the 26th Energy Technology Meet, Mr. Puri said: “Our net zero target by 2070 is a little too long-term.” He is of the view that India is moving fast towards energy transition and stated that for GAIL, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and others the energy transition target is 2035 to 2040.
NC, Cong to hold chief executive councillor post in LAHDC-Kargil in rotation: Omar Abdullah
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday said his party had a pre-poll understanding with the Congress about holding the chief executive councillor post in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil in rotation. The National Conference and the Congress together won 22 of the 26 seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil that had gone to polls on October 4. The administration nominates four members with voting rights to the 30-member council.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC), following a four-hour long discussion on October 9, unanimously adopted a resolution to support the idea of a caste census, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said. Mr. Gandhi was addressing a press confrence held following the CWC. The CWC, held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, discussed current political issues such as the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, demand for a country-wide caste census and the upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram.
Israel orders ‘complete siege’ on Gaza Strip
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on October 9 ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip as the military pounded the Palestinian territory with air strikes. “We are putting a complete siege on Gaza... No electricity, no food, no water, no gas -- it’s all closed,” Mr. Gallant said in a video message, referring to the enclave that is overcrowded with 2.3 million people. “We are fighting animals and are acting accordingly,” Mr. Gallant said in Hebrew.
Sri Lanka to take over as Chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association
Several Foreign Ministers, including those of India, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Iran, Malaysia and South Africa, will participate in the Indian Ocean Rim Association Council of Ministers meeting in Colombo on October 11, according to the Sri Lankan government, which is preparing to take over as Chair of the regional grouping this week. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry will chair the Council, the highest decision-making body of the IORA, taking over from the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, the current Chair, for the next two years.
Heavy flooding in southern Myanmar displaces more than 10,000 people
Flooding triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Myanmar’s southern areas has displaced more than 10,000 people and disrupted traffic on the rail lines that connect the country’s biggest cities, officials and state-run media said on October 9. A senior official at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Lay Shwe Zin Oo, said constant rainfall in the Bago region that began last week caused flooding in the low-lying areas of its capital, Bago township. She said there were no casualties reported so far, but that more than 10,000 people had to abandon their homes.
Shubman Gill ruled out of India’s World Cup clash against Afghanistan
Shubman Gill was on Monday ruled out of India’s next World Cup fixture against Afghanistan here on October 11 as he remains under medical supervision in Chennai. The Indian team on Monday travelled from Chennai to Delhi but Gill, who also missed the World Cup opener against Australia due to an illness, stayed back. Ahead of the Australia game, the BCCI said Gill was under the weather and did not specify the nature of his illness.
