TODAY NEWS ON May 23, 2024
News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

No legal mandate to share voter turnout with anyone other than candidates and their agents, EC tells Supreme Court

The Election Commission told the Supreme Court that there was no “legal mandate” to provide voter turnout data to any person other than electoral candidates or their agents. “There is no legal mandate to provide the Form 17C [account of votes recorded] to any other person other than the candidate or his agent,” the EC said in a 225-page affidavit.

In letters to Modi, Jaishankar, Palestine PM blames Israel forces for death of former Indian Army officer in Gaza

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were responsible for the death of former Indian Army officer Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale in Gaza last week, Palestine Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said in letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. In the letters dated May 16, Mr. Mustafa called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza to save lives and end the bloodshed that he described as a “war of genocide”.

Dhankar in Tehran, India shows solidarity with Iran

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar arrived in Tehran on May 22 to participate in memorial services for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, both of whom were among nine officials and crew killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday, a special gesture by New Delhi to show solidarity with Iran amidst the loss of its key leaders.

Norway, Ireland, Spain to officially recognise Palestine; Israel recalls ambassadors

Norway, Ireland and Spain said on May 22 they are recognising Palestine as a country in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from the Palestinians. Israel immediately ordered back its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland. The formal recognition will be made on May 28. The development is a step toward a long-held Palestinian aspiration that came against the backdrop of international outrage over the civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip following Israel’s offensive there.

Iran’s supreme leader presides over funeral for president and others killed in helicopter crash

Iran’s supreme leader presided over a funeral on May 22 for the country’s late President, Foreign Minister and others killed in a helicopter crash. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei held the service at Tehran University, the caskets of the dead draped in Iranian flags with their pictures on them. On the late President Ebrahim Raisi’s coffin sat a black turban — signifying his direct descendence from Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

Pakistan court rejects plea to disqualify Imran Khan for concealing alleged daughter’s name in nomination papers in 2018

A Pakistani court has rejected a petition seeking the disqualification of former prime minister Imran Khan for concealing his alleged daughter Tyrian White while submitting his nomination papers for the 2018 general elections. The Islamabad High Court took up the petition on May 21 after a gap of almost a year, the Dawn newspaper reported. The petition alleged that the 71-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party founder had not disclosed his alleged daughter — Tyrian White — in his nomination papers for contesting the 2018 general elections.

Singapore Airlines cooperating with authorities in probing severe flight turbulence incident

Singapore Airlines on May 22 said it is fully cooperating with relevant authorities in the investigation into the London to Singapore flight which encountered severe turbulence, leading to the death of one passenger and injuring 30 others. Geoffrey Kitchen, a 73-year-old British passenger, died likely due to a heart attack on the flight, said Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, to where the SIA flight was on May 21 diverted under emergency.

RBI approves ₹2.11 lakh crore dividend payout to govt for 2023-24

The Reserve Bank of India on May 22 approved a ₹2.11 lakh crore dividend payout to the central government for 2023-24, more than double the amount it paid for the previous 2022-23 financial year. The decision was taken at the 608th meeting of the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India held under the chairmanship of Governor Shaktikanta Das.

Rishi Sunak calls U.K. national election for July 4

The U.K. will go to the polls on July 4 to elect a new parliament, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on May 22, possibly ending a 14-year run of Conservative government that spanned five Prime Ministers.

Egypt says it may withdraw as Gaza ceasefire mediator

Egypt threatened on May 22 to withdraw as a mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations after CNN reported that Egyptian intelligence changed the terms of the recent truce proposal and scuttled a deal.

1,644 candidates contesting Lok Sabha polls face criminal cases: ADR

Of the 8,337 candidates contesting the Lok Sabha elections, as many as 1,644 have criminal cases registered against them, according to an analysis of data shared by the poll rights body, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Among these candidates, 1,188 face serious criminal charges, including allegations related to murder, attempted murder, crimes against women, and hate speech.

Calcutta High Court cancels five lakh OBC certificates

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday cancelled all Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates issued in West Bengal since 2010.  The judgment, however, clarified that individuals who had already secured employment using these certificates would not be affected by this order.

2024 turns out to be the worst-ever season for mango growers in Rayalaseema in five decades

Mango growers in Chittoor district lament that the yield in their orchards has plummeted by over 80% and the prospects of earing profit with the remaining crop looks remote.

Ilaiyaraaja issues legal notice to makers of Manjummel Boys

Ace music composer R. Ilaiyaraaja has issued a legal notice to the producers of Manjummel Boys for having “unlawfully” exploited the song Kanmani Anbodu Kaadhalan, from the Tamil movie Guna, in their movie without obtaining any consent/permission/licence from him.

Hemant Soren withdraws after Supreme Court says he came with ‘blemished’ plea

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s hopes to be released from jail to campaign for the last two phases of polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections died abruptly as he withdrew from the Supreme Court rather than face an order that he had approached it with “unclean hands”. The hearing began with Justice Datta passing on to senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Mr. Soren, a sheet of paper containing the list of relevant dates in the Soren case. The gesture was meant to convey the impression that the Bench had scoured the petitions with a fine tooth comb. The hearing found Mr. Soren’s lawyer, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, largely on the defensive.

ECI notice to BJP, Congress: ‘Ask your star campaigners to follow model code’

The Election Commission of India on May 22 wrote separate letters to the BJP and the Congress, directing them to issue a formal notice to its “star campaigners” disallowing them from making statements that “divide the society” and may cause tension between different castes and communities. It asked the BJP and the Congress to desist from campaigning along caste, community, language, and religious lines, asserting that India’ socio-cultural milieu cannot be made a casualty to elections.

Congress vows JPC to investigate ‘Modani MegaScam’ if INDIA bloc comes to power

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on May 22 said the “tempo of revelations about the Modani MegaScam has also picked up as the election momentum of the INDIA coalition accelerates”. An investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, reported by The Financial Times, has found that dozens of shipments of low-quality, high-ash coal bought cheaply by Adani from Indonesia in 2014 were sold fraudulently at three times the price to the public sector Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation as high-quality, low-ash coal, the Congress leader said in a statement.

Calcutta High Court scraps OBC status of several classes in West Bengal; benefits obtained already not to be affected

The Calcutta High Court on May 22 struck down the OBC status of several classes in West Bengal granted since 2010, finding such reservations to vacancies in services and posts in the State are illegal. Passing judgment on petitions challenging the provisions of the Act, the court clarified that the services of citizens of the struck-down classes, who are already in service or have availed the benefit of reservation or have succeeded in any selection process of the State will not be affected by the order.

In Haryana’s Kurukshetra, ‘corruption’ losing relevance as poll issue among people

Even as the issue of ‘corruption’ remains a key aspect for political parties to target each other during the ongoing campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the issue appears to be losing relevance among a section of voters in Haryana’s Kurukshetra. As intense electoral campaigning is underway, Kurukshetra, which will vote on May 25, is witnessing practically a direct electoral contest between the ruling BJP and the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance, who as per the seat sharing agreement have fielded an Aam Aadmi Party candidate in the constituency. The Indian National Lok Dal and Jannayak Janata Party candidates are also in the fray.

BJP expels Bhojpuri film star Pawan Singh for contesting against NDA candidate from Bihar’s Karakat seat

The Bhartiya Janata Party on May 22 expelled popular Bhojpuri film star and singer Pawan Singh from the party for “anti-party activities and maligning the image of the party”. Pawan Singh had recently joined BJP but was in the fray to contest the Lok Sabha election as an Independent candidate from Karakat constituency. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) leader Upendra Kushwaha is contesting the parliamentary poll from Karakat as NDA alliance candidate. The Opposition mahagathbandhan has pitted Raja Ram Singh (CPI-ML) against Mr. Kushwaha. In the last 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mr. Kushwaha was defeated by JD-U candidate Mahabali Singh by over 80,000 votes.
Bangladesh MP who went missing in India, found murdered in Kolkata

Veteran Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar, who went missing in India, was found murdered in Kolkata and three people have been arrested, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan announced here on May 22. “Awami League MP Anwarul Azim Anar, who went missing in India, was murdered at a Kolkata flat,” Mr. Khan told reporters. “So far, we have come to know that all the killers involved are Bangladeshis. It was a planned murder,” he said.

Pune Porsche car accident: Juvenile’s father, two pub employees sent to police custody

A sessions court in Pune on May 22 remanded the father of a 17-year-old juvenile allegedly involved in a car accident and two employees of a pub in police custody till May 24. The teenage boy’s father, a real estate developer, and employees of Black Club pub Nitesh Shevani and Jayesh Gavkar, were produced before additional sessions judge S P Ponkshe. The boy, before the accident, had allegedly consumed alcohol at the pub.

Bomb threat email to North Block, security officials conduct searches

A bomb threat has been received by the North Block, which houses the Home Ministry, according to an official of the Delhi Fire Service. The threat was received through an email, according to the official. The DFS official said a dog squad and bomb disposal and detection teams along with police and fire department personnel are conducting searches.

U.S.A. vs Bangladesh, 1st T20 | Harmeet’s power-hitting, Anderson’s finishing cameo take U.S. to upset win

Riding high on Corey Anderson and Harmeet Singh’s valiant effort, cricketing upstarts U.S. pulled off a major upset, defeating Bangladesh by five wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series here at the Prairie View Cricket Complex. At a time the giants and recognised cricketing nations are gearing up for the highly-anticipated T20 World Cup, which is less than ten days away, the co-hosts of the marquee event pulled off an unprecedented victory over a decidedly stronger and much-fancied Bangladesh side.

IPL-17, RR vs RCB: Rajasthan Royals eliminate Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a thriller

In a pulsating contest that saw momentum swing like a pendulum, Rajasthan Royals held its nerve to stop Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s fairytale run with a four-wicket win in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.