1. Lok Sabha polls: 96.8 crore voters eligible to cast vote, ECI vows ‘free and fair’ elections
2. Elction 2024: BJP under PM Modi deploys AI to break language barrier
3. Operation by India on high seas that led to arrest of 35 pirates, rescue of 17 hostages
4. ‘Misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted’: India rejects USA’s criticism on CAA
5. Despite economic turmoil, Pakistan military remains threat for us: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

What Else

• India abstains from voting on Islamophobia in UNGA, claims ‘others also affected by religiophobia’
• India, Maldives hold 3rd core group meeting to review replacement of Indian military personnel
• Pakistan Navy gets its first spy ship, PNS Rizwan, courtesy China
• Pakistan: President vows retaliation as attacks continue
• Pakistan partners with Gates’ Foundation to overhaul FBR

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Lok Sabha polls: 96.8 crore voters eligible to cast vote, ECI vows ‘free and fair’ elections

• Election Commission on Sat announced the schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in 2024 for 543 in 7 phases from Apr 19 and the result will be out on Jun 4
• The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) announced that a total of 96.8 crore voters are eligible to cast their vote in the elections this year.
• CEC said that there would be 10.5 lakh polling stations and 1.5 crore polling officials and security staff would be deployed in the country to conduct free and fair polls.
• ‘Focus on stopping 4Ms’: Money power, Muscle power, Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations, and Misinformation (here)
• Dates of Polls
• Apr 19 -West UP, Raj, Maha, MP, Manipur, UK, WB, AS, SK;
• Apr 26 – West UP, Raj, MP, Maha, Manipur, KT, WB, AS, KR;
• May 7– Maha MP, KT, WB, AS, Guj;
• May 13– Central UP, Maha, MP, Ors, JH, WB, Andhra P;
• May 20– Central UP, Maha, Ors, JH, WB; 
• May 25– Eastern UP, Delhi, Ors, JH, Hr, WB;
• Jun 1–  Eastern UP, Pb, HP, Ors, JH, WB (here)
• Assembly elections in J&K to be held after Lok Sabha polls, announces CEC: CEC on Sat announced that the assembly polls in J&K would be conducted after the LS.
• He further said that the ECI is “seriously” looking into conducting the elections in J&K after the Lok Sabha polls.
• Speaking about the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, Kumar said that the ECI would conduct elections according to the constitutional provisions. (here)
• Center declares Yasin Malik-led JKLF as ‘unlawful association’ for another 5 years: Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sat that the Modi govt at the Centre has declared the “JKLF (Yasin Malik faction)’ as an ‘Unlawful Association’ for 5 years
• Four factions of JKPL also named unlawful associations: In a subsequent post, Shah said, “Pursuing PM Modi Ji’s policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism, the MHA has declared 4 factions of the JKPL (Mukhtar Ahmed Waza), JKPL (Bashir Ahmad Tota), JKPL (Ghulam M Khan) and JKPL (Aziz Sheikh)—as ‘Unlawful Associations’.
• These organizations were involved in inciting terror and abetting secessionism in J&K.
• This came just hours before the dates of the elections were set to be announced (here)

Elction 2024: BJP under PM Modi deploys AI to break language barrier

• PM Modi’s oratory has been described as one of the major causes of the BJP’s meteoric rise to power in 2014.
• As the PM seeks a 3^rd consecutive term in power, the BJP has deployed Artificial Intelligence to reap the electoral dividends of his oratory in the Indian languages apart from Hindi. 
• In recent weeks, the BJP has dedicated several social media handles just to disseminate PM Modi’s speeches in languages such as Bangla, Odia, Telugu, and Malayalam. 
• This time around, the party’s focus is to ensure maximum seats from eastern and southern states where regional parties remain PM Modi’s principal challengers.
• Telangana BJP chief and MP candidate Kishan Reddy said: “We are fortunate to have a PM who wishes to communicate in our language; all his speeches are now accessible in Telugu online.”
• The BJP under Modi is aiming to win 370 of 543 seats. (here)
• INDIA bloc bolsters unity efforts at culmination of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: As Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra concluded at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Sun, leaders of the INDIA bloc, including MK Stalin, Uddhav Thackrey, Priyanka, Tejashwi Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and several others, posing for a show of strength and “unity” in the alliance.
• While addressing the rally Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said, “We have entered politics to work for people…Rahul Gandhi has visited all over India to understand the heart of India. It is a journey to restore India that is destroyed by BJP.”
• NC Chief Farooq Abdullah, speaking at the event called on the voters to safeguard votes and alleged EVMs of being “thieves”.
• “The first Bharat Jodo Yatra started from Kanyakumari and ended in Kashmir. It was snowing in Kashmir and many of the members had never seen snow in their lives… This is our India,” he mentioned.
• RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav lauded Gandhi for the Yatra (march) and said, “He (Rahul Gandhi) has tried to deliver a message which is quite significant in today’s days…To save India’s Constitution, and brotherhood and to defeat hatred”.
• Opposition launches scathing attack on BJP: The INDIA bloc hit out at the BJP-led Centre with NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar calling voters to oust BJP from power.
• “Mahatma Gandhi gave ‘Quit India’ slogan from this city, today we (INDIA alliance) should vow to oust BJP from power…,” he said.
• PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, while addressing the Bharat Jodo Nyay Manzil, said that the people of the ruling party were “scared of Gandhi”. (here)
• Missing from the event were the SP chief and former UP CM, Akhilesh Yadav, WB CM Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, members of the INDIA bloc.

Operation by India on high seas that led to arrest of 35 pirates, rescue of 17 hostages

• An operation carried out by India on the high seas 2,600 km from the Indian coast has led to the arrest of 35 armed pirates, while 17 crew members of former Maltese-flagged merchant vessel (MV) Ruen were rescued amid firing by both sides.
• The 40 hours-operation was overseen by the country’s top security body, saw marine commandos — MARCOS — being airdropped into the high sea by a C-17 aircraft
• The operation also saw the use of Sea Guardian drones besides helicopter and stealth-guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and patrol vessel INS Subhadra of the Navy.
• The Navy issued a short press statement Sat saying INS Kolkata, in the past 40 hours, “through concerted actions successfully cornered and coerced all 35 pirates to surrender and ensured safe evacuation of 17 crew members in the evening today, 16 March, from the pirate vessel without any injury.”
• Exchange of fire between pirates and the Navy: (sources) – after the pirates opened fire at naval assets earlier in the day after being intercepted, INS Kolkata had opened aggressive warning fire to show that it meant business. (here)
• Mariya Gabriel, Dy PM and MFA of Bulgaria posted on X,  “I express my gratitude to the Indian navy for the successful operation to rescue the hijacked vessel Ruen and its crew members, including 7 BG nationals. Thank you for support and great effort. We continue to work together to protect the lives of the crew”

‘Misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted’: India rejects USA’s criticism on CAA

• India on Fri rejected the comments made by a US state deptt spox over the execution of the CAA, which expedites Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from the neighboring Muslim majority, from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
• “The CAA….It addresses the issue of statelessness, provides human dignity, and supports human rights,” the MEA spox said on Fri.
• “The CAA is an internal matter, and is in keeping with India’s inclusive traditions and long-standing commitment to human rights,” the MEA added.
• “We are of the view that it [US remark] is misplaced, misinformed, and unwarranted,” the MEA said while reacting to the statement by the US State Department.
• The US said Thu “We are concerned about the notification of the CAA on Mar 11. We are closely monitoring this Act – how this Act will be implemented,” State Deptt Spox told reporters at his daily briefing.
• “Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles,” he added. (here)
• ‘You can’t give up on principles’: US envoy Garcetti preaches New Delhi: The US on Fri again raked up the issue of the CAA with India, implying the act inflicts harm on ‘the principles of religious freedom.’
• US envoy to India Eric Garcetti preached that “the principles of religious freedom and equality under the law is a cornerstone of democracy.”
• “Partners and well-wishers of India should welcome the intent in this step,” the MEA spox said. (here)

Despite economic turmoil, Pakistan military remains threat for us: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

• Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Mar 16 said Pakistan may be in a kind of economic turmoil but militarily there has been “no denting” in its capabilities and its armed forces “remain a threat for us”.
• During an interaction at a conclave in New Delhi, he also said that India has resources to “take care of our borders”, especially disputed borders in the north, very well.
• He said this in response to a question on some of the biggest security challenges for India in the 21^st century.
• “I think if you look at the armed forces, the biggest challenge would be mostly external (ones). And they are of immediate concern,” Gen Chauhan said.
• The interaction was on the subject of ‘Vision National Security: The Challenges Before the Indian Military’ during the India Today Conclave 2024.
• “As far as the armed forces are concerned, our immediate challenge is the rise of China and the unsettled boundary problem. We have two neighbours, both adversarial to us,”
• But both of them are predictable actually and the Indian military knows that these are the kinds of threats, he said.
• He was also asked if a “financially weaker Pakistan” continues to remain a threat.
• The remarks from the top general comes days after the Indian military conducted the mega exercise ‘Bharat Shakti’ at Pokhran near the IB, where it showcased the prowess of its indigenous defence equipment and platforms. (here)

India abstains from voting on Islamophobia in UNGA, claims ‘others also affected by religiophobia’

• India on Fri said that the phobia against any faith or religion is not restricted to the Abrahamic religions as the nation abstained from voting on a draft resolution aimed at adopting ‘Measures to combat Islamophobia’ in the UNGA introduced by Pakistan.
• India’s permanent envoy to the UN Ruchira Kamboj while explaining the position of New Delhi during the voting on the resolution.
• Kamboj said that the world has been witnessing unequal developments and geopolitical tension which have given rise to “intolerance, discrimination and violence”.
• Kamboj said that the growing violence, discrimination and intolerance against followers of different religions has, hence, been an issue of concern in the present day.
• “We condemn all acts motivated by anti-Semitism, Christianophobia or Islamophobia,” said Kamboj. (here)

India, Maldives hold 3^rd core group meeting to review replacement of Indian military personnel

• Officials from India and Maldives Sun held the 3^rd core group meeting in Malé, where they discussed the ongoing deputation of Indian technical team to replace military operating 3 Indian aviation platforms in the archipelago country.
• Expediting the implementation of ongoing development projects was also discussed, said the MEA.
• The Maldivian govt is yet to issue a statement on the meeting.
• The meeting comes days after the Maldivian govt, led by President Mohamed Muizzu, purchased drones from Turkey for patrolling the country’s maritime area. (here)
• India replaces first batch of military soldiers in Maldives with technical personnel, says MEA: India has replaced its 1^st batch of military soldiers in Maldives with technical personnel, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Fri.
• “The turnaround of the first team of personnel who were operating the ALH helicopter has been completed. .. The turnaround has happened,” MEA spox said in a briefing.
• President Muizzu, who is largely perceived as a pro-China leader, set Mar 10 as the deadline for the withdrawal of the first group of Indian military troops from Maldives.
• His govt had formally requested that India withdraw its troops from Male.
• At present, there are approximately 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft as well as two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives. (here)
• “Maldives is an independent and sovereign nation and that surveillance of the Maldives’ jurisdiction should not concern any EXTERNAL PARTIES”: Muizzu without naming the country(India) at a ceremony of UAV launch

[Neighborhood]

Pakistan Navy gets its first spy ship, PNS Rizwan, courtesy China 

• Away from the spotlight and fanfare of military inductions, the Pakistan Navy has gone ahead and acquired its first spy ship — PNS Rizwan — courtesy China.
• The spy ship is an answer to India’s INS Dhruv, which was inducted into the Navy in 2021 capable to track satellite and ballistic nuclear missiles
• (Sources)- that, while it is believed that the ship is operated by the Pakistan Navy, they are closely operating with the Chinese.
• With this ship, Pakistan has joined an elite list of countries to operate these ships, including India, France, the US, the UK, Russia, and China.
• Popular open-source intelligence expert Damien Symon brought out the first image of the Pakistani spy ship, which was inducted last year.
• The vassal refraining from publicly broadcasting its position while in operation, a movement from China to Indonesia from May to Jun 2023, but not thereafter.
• PNS Rizwan was then designated as an offshore supply ship with an overall length of 87.2 m and a width of 19 m. (here)

Pakistan: President vows retaliation as attacks continue

• Police continued to brave attacks from militants in many districts of KP over the weekend, even as President Asif Ali Zardari vowed to eliminate terrorism
• After 7 troops, including 2 officers, were martyred in N Waziristan’s Mir Ali area on Sat, militants targeted a police checkpost with hand grenades in Ambar Dub Chowk, a tehsil of Mohmand district.
• District Police Officer said that the attack took place at 11:20 pm when unknown attackers attacked the police post with 2 grenades followed by indiscriminate firing
• In Bannu, a team of security forces were attacked in the jurisdiction of Otmanzai police station, on Sun.
• The law enforcers were busy in a search and strike operation in the area when they came under fire.
• However, the assailants fled the scene after an intense exchange of fire. (here)

Pakistan partners with Gates’ Foundation to overhaul FBR

• Pakistan entered into an agreement on Fri to utilise the resources of the B&M Gates Foundation to improve the poor efficiency of the Federal Board of Revenue, aimed at enhancing an extremely narrow tax base and low collection.
• An MoU was signed by representatives of the FBR and Karandaaz Pakistan – an entity sponsored by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• The CEO of Karandaaz Pakistan, Waqasul Hasan, also met with Fin Min Muhammad Aurangzeb before the signing of the agreement.
• Aurangzeb has vowed to completely digitise FBR, aimed at ending corruption and leakages.
• On the instructions of PM Shehbaz Sharif, Karandaaz Pakistan was engaged to revolutionise the obsolete tax system.
• The decision to involve Karandaaz Pakistan underscores that the WB’s $400 million Pakistan Raises Revenue and the ADB’s $300 million Domestic Resource Mobilisation programs have failed to yield the desired results. (here)
• IMF assured of power tariff hike: Pakistan has assured the IMF of a timely increase in electricity prices, including the recovery of pending generation costs totalling over Rs 210 billion – a move that may help the power sector achieve financial viability but at people’s expense.
• Islamabad has also assured the global lender that it stands ready to hand over the power distribution companies to the private sector under concession agreements – a pledge that marks the first but necessary policy departure by the PML-Nawaz govt.
• Last week, PM Shehbaz Sharif constituted a committee to transfer these distribution companies to the provinces. (here)