Election Financial News

Allahabad High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by veteran film actor and former MP Jaya Prada seeking quashing of non-bailable warrant issued against her by a trial court in Rampur for alleged violation of election code of conduct and making inflammatory statements. On Thursday, during a hearing by a single bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh, Jaya Prada's counsel told the court that they wanted to file a new application with some new facts and documents and sought permission from the court to withdraw the petition. The court accepted the request and allowed the petition to be withdrawn.

NEW DELHI : India’s foodgrain production is estimated to be 6.1% lower in the 2023-24 crop year (July-June) because of poor monsoon caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon, potentially adding to inflationary pressures ahead of the general election. Total foodgrain production in 2023-24 is estimated to be 309 million tonnes (mt), according to the second advance estimates issued by the agriculture and farmers’ welfare ministry on Thursday. Foodgrain production in the 2022-23 crop year was pegged at 329.6 mt, as per the government’s final estimates.

Iran as the country faces a multitude of challenges following a tumultuous period since the last parliamentary elections in 2020. This will be the first elections in Iran since the nationwide anti-government protests of 2022 that were triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini. The previous election in Iran in 2019 were held after major protests.

Baramati. Therefore, I would like to extend the invitation for the meal at my residence after the event along with his other Cabinet colleagues." Shinde along with his deputies Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are scheduled to attend a job fair, 'Namo Maharojgar Melava', in the premises of Vidya Pratishthan college in Baramati town of Pune district. Sharad Pawar's surprise invitation to Shinde and the two deputy chief ministers came in the backdrop of a split in the NCP, a party founded by him in 1999.

Tejasvi Surya on Thursday claimed divisiveness is «inherent in the Congress' DNA,» amid allegations of pro-Pakistan slogans being raised in the corridors of the Karnataka legislature complex. Addressing a press conference in Maharashtra's Nagpur city, the Lok Sabha member from Bengaluru South alleged that Congress is the original party «responsible for dividing the country.» He also said that BJP president JP Nadda will address a rally of the 'Namo Maha Yuva Sammelan' organised in Nagpur on March 4. More than one lakh youth from Maharashtra will participate in the congregation, the BJP's Yuva Morcha president said. On Tuesday, supporters of Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain allegedly shouted «Pakistan zindabad» slogans after his Rajya Sabha election victory at the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha, which houses the legislature and state secretariat.

BJP, which has consistently failed to win the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat, the bastion of Congress veteran Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh, is making all out efforts this time to bag it, and set the target of inducting 50,000 workers from the rival party ahead of the polls as part of its ambitious plan. Kamal Nath held the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat as many as nine times and it continues to remain with the family as his son Nakul Nath is currently an MP from there. Speculation was recently rife that the senior Nath may join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with his son. However, the 77-old-leader, who was the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for 15 months till March 2020, dismissed the buzz. Chhindwara has always remained the citadel of Congress. From 1952, the party lost this Lok Sabha seat just once in the 1997 by-election. During the 2019 general elections, the BJP bagged 28 out of 29 in MP, but failed to win Chhindwara. According to BJP leaders, the party is eyeing to achieve its ambitious plan of inducting around 50,000 Congress leaders and workers into its fold in Chhindwara ahead of the Lok Sabha polls that are likely to be held in April-May.

CBI summons to him in the mining case before elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said they (CBI) act as a cell of the BJP. Attacking the BJP, Yadav mentioned Chandigarh mayoral poll and alleged that the BJP's «theft» and «dacoity» of votes came to the fore as election was held through ballot and CCTV was there. Yadav was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the PDA conference in which office-bearers of backward, minority and Dalit cells of the party were present. «Summons before elections… they (CBI) act as 'prakoshth' (cell) of the BJP,» Yadav said while here at the party office.

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that if the BJP returns to power at the Centre, the government would hike the price of each cooking gas cylinder to Rs 2,000. The chief minister was addressing a gathering at a government programme here in Jhargram district. «If the BJP wins the elections, they may hike prices of the cooking gas cylinder to Rs 1,500 or Rs 2,000. Then again, we will have to go back to the old practice of collecting wood to light a fire,» Banerjee said. She also gave an ultimatum to the BJP-led central government to complete building houses under the Awas Yojana by April-end, claiming that otherwise, her government would start constructing them from May.

₹11.03 trillion, or 63.6% of the revised annual estimate, according to data released by the Controller General of Accounts on Thursday. The fiscal deficit for the corresponding period of the previous year stood at ₹11.91 trillion, or 67.8% of the annual estimate of ₹17.55 lakh crore for FY23. The budgeted annual estimates for fiscal deficit, which was revised in the vote on account budget on 1 February, was at ₹17.87 trillion for FY24.

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

South Korea’s ruling People Power Party has indefinitely postponed its plans to ease crypto regulations, including the lifting of the ban on local spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

Vladimir Putin delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address on Thursday to Russia's elite, updating them on the war in Ukraine, Moscow's nuclear capabilities, and its relationship with the West. The speech comes two weeks ahead of a presidential election in which Putin is expected to win another six-year term in a landslide. Here are highlights from his speech, which was delivered to members of both houses of parliament, state officials, military commanders and soldiers.

Rajya Sabha elections. With this, the six MLAs cease to be members of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly. After the disqualification, the Congress government has, for now, survived in Himachal Pradesh after a two-day scare over its future due to cross-voting by six of its MLAs in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in the Rajya Sabha election on February 27.

Congress on Thursday asserted that the situation in Himachal Pradesh is «completely under control» and the BJP has failed in its attempts to «destabilise the elected government» in the hill state. The Congress government faces a crisis after the ruling party in the state lost the lone Rajya Sabha seat despite having the numbers due to cross-voting by some of its own MLAs, who are now siding with the BJP. The six MLAS who cross-voted have been disqualified by the Speaker and are likely to challenge their disqualification from the house. Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said like other states, the BJP started the game of using money power, power of the government and muscle power to destabilise the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh but has failed. «Various things are going around in the media regarding Himachal Pradesh. But we want to say one thing very clearly. The Prime Minister and the so-called 'Chanakya' have completely failed in Himachal. After the intervention of the Congress leadership and the promptness of our observers, the situation there is completely under the control of the Congress,» he said in a post in Hindi on X.

K Shivaram, a multifaceted individual known for his contributions to bureaucracy, acting, and politics, passed away at the age of 70 in Bengaluru. Born on April 6, 1953, in Urugahalli village, Ramanagar district, Shivaram ventured into various domains, leaving a mark of versatility and dedication.

Hockey India CEO Elena Norman has recently filed an affidavit in the Delhi High Court and said, the Inquiry Report on alleged irregularities in Hockey India made various general, vague and omnibus allegations against her, which apart from being over and beyond the mandate of the Inquiry Officer, are also entirely bereft of evidence. The affidavit stated that the Inquiry Report failed to notice that the CEO was never a member of the Finance and Audit Committee or the Tender Purchase Committee. It was also submitted that the various general, vague and omnibus allegations against the Deponent/Elena Norman in the Inquiry Report are entirely sans evidence and made in ignorance of the various sub- Committee Rules of Hockey India (apart from being in violation of principles of natural justice), and thus deserve to eschewed and expunged by this Court.

Opposition parties in Assam on Thursday sought the intervention of President Droupadi Murmu for repealing the CAA, asserting that they would undertake a «democratic mass movement» across the state if their demand is not met. The 16-party United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA) submitted a memorandum to Murmu through Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. «This act is not only unconstitutional, but it is also going to nullify the historic Assam Accord of 1985 by putting in danger the history, culture, social fabric, economy and the very identity of the Assamese people,» they said. The UOFA urged her to intervene in the matter and direct the Centre to desist from its decision to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 in Assam, and repeal the «unconstitutional and anti-national» act.

Sanjay Raut takes a jibe at the BJP government while talking about Central Vista in New Delhi. “One should see the condition of Central Vista in New Delhi" in a mocking tone Raut told media persons and further added that “The new parliament is like a five-star jail where you can't work." In May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's new ₹971 crore parliament building in Delhi, accommodating 888 members in the Lok Sabha and 300 in the Rajya Sabha.

Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) in Mumbai. The MVA parties are part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, an amalgamation of leading opposition parties came up last year to fight together in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, second highest after Uttar Pradesh which sends 80 members to the lower house of the Parliament.

Donald Trump from appearing on Illinois’ Republican presidential primary ballot because of his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but she delayed her ruling from taking effect in light of an expected appeal by the former U.S.