INDIA

The publishing of electoral bonds data has created a storm all over India. One of the largest donors to appear on the list is the Qwik Chain supply, a company related to Mukesh Ambani related Reliance group. Qwik Supply Chain Private Limited, the third largest donor to political parties, contributed Rs 410 crores through electoral bonds, now deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Despite a net profit of only Rs 21.72 crores in 2021-22, it donated Rs 360 crore to political parties that year and another Rs 50 crore in 2023-24. The electoral bonds scheme, introduced in 2017, removed donation limits for companies who could contribute anonymously to the political parties. Qwik Supply Chain's three directors, Vipul Pranlal Mehta, Sridhar Titti, and Tapas Mitra, have multiple a...

The schedule for the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections will be announced on Saturday, March 16 by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a press conference. The press conference by the Election Commission will be held at 3 pm on Saturday, March 16, the poll body said. The press briefing will be live streamed on the social media platforms of the ECI.

MEIL, headquartered in Hyderabad, acquired electoral bonds worth Rs 140 crore on April 11, 2023, just a month prior to securing the tender for the Rs 14,400-crore Thane-Borivali twin tunnel project, according to ECI data released on Thursday. The data, Indian express reported, revealed that MEIL, established in 1989, emerged as one of the top purchasers of electoral bonds, with a total investment of Rs 821 crore. The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) issued the tender for the project, involving the construction of two road tunnels under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, in January of that year. MEIL was the sole bidder whose technical proposal met the requirements. L&T contested the rejection of its technical bid through two petitions: one concerning...

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification announcing the establishment of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, which includes a judge from the Delhi High Court, Economic Times reported. This tribunal has been tasked with determining whether there is adequate justification for declaring Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (JeI), as an 'unlawful association'. Previously, on February 27, the Ministry had extended the ban on JeI-J-K for another five years, citing its continued engagement in activities detrimental to the security, integrity, and sovereignty of the nation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the government's commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and separatism, emphasizing that any threats to national security would...

The State Bank of India (SBI) on Tuesday evening submitted data on political contributions made through electoral bonds to the Election Commission of India (ECI), in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order. The Election Commission will now collate and release the data by 5 p.m. on Friday, as per the court order. The Supreme Court had on Monday rejected SBI’s plea to extend the March 6 deadline for submitting the data to the ECI. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud came down strongly on the bank for “willful disobedience” of its orders and warned it of contempt proceedings on Monday. The SBI had claimed that it would take a considerable amount of time to collect, cross-check and release the data, which was stored in two silos to maintain secrecy. In a verdict d...

Hindu Raksha Dal members on Tuesday staged a protest outside Delhi Police headquarters over the suspension of a sub-inspector who allegedly kicked a few people offering ‘namaz’ on a road in Inderlok area. Several members of the right-wing outfit chanted ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and ‘Jai Shree Ram’ during the protest. Sub-inspector Manoj Kumar Tomar shoved and kicked a few people offering namaz on a road in north Delhi’s Inderlok on March 8, leading to a protest by hundreds of locals against the force, and suspension of the accused with immediate effect. "If they have rights to offer namaz on roads, we have rights too to chant Hanuman Chalisa on the roads as well. Our main demand is to bring the sub-inspector back on duty and to cancel his suspension orders," a Hindu Raksha Dal leader tol...

Hours after the central government implemented the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the government and Police in Assam have issued stern warnings against anyone who protests the government's move. Protests had been reported from several parts of the state where people believe that the implementation of CAA would alter the demography of the region. The protesters also raised slogans against the BJP and burnt the copies of the CAA, after which the Assam Police and the chief minister of the state issued warnings. Assam's tumultuous relationship with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) dates back to 2019, characterized by widespread protests marred by violence and casualties. Indigenous communities harbor deep-seated concerns that the implementation of the CAA will pave the way for...

The central government has officially issued the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) on Monday, more than four years after its passage in Parliament. The law aims to expedite the citizenship process for non-Muslims who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh before December 31, 2014, sparking protests nationwide. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, as per a report on Hindustan Times, assured that the rules would be framed before the 2024 national elections scheduled for this summer. Officials confirmed that the entire application process for eligible individuals seeking Indian citizenship under the law will be conducted online. Despite Shah's commitment, the rules were formulated months after the promised deadline. The CAA was passed by Parliament on Dec...

Days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections, the central government is likely to announce the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) today. Earlier this year in January, Union Home Minister said that CAA rules will be implemented within this year. Government sources indicated that the entire procedure would be conducted online, allowing applicants to apply conveniently from their mobile phones, Indian Express reported. "All necessary arrangements are in place, and implementation is likely before the elections. Applicants will need to declare the year of their entry into India without travel documents. No additional documents will be required. Applications submitted after 2014 will be processed according to the new rules," sources added. The Act, passed in D...

On Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Police arrested Hafiz Noor Ahmed Raza Azhari, the state chief of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, following his comments regarding the Yogi government's measures against madrassas. Azhari had strongly criticised the government's actions, alleging a focused campaign targeting mosques and madrassas. He accused authorities of aiming to dismantle these religious institutions and instilling fear within the Muslim community. Azhari asserted that the government's agenda was to "dissuade individuals from enrolling in madrassas," consequently obstructing the religious education of Muslims Last year, the UP police had filed an FIR against Azhari for blaming UP CM over the murders of Atiq Ahmed and his brother, Ashraf in broad daylight.