Top Headlines: ELECTIONS 2024: Worried over dip in voting, Election Commission plans to boost turnout

  1. ELECTIONS 2024: Worried over dip in voting, Election Commission plans to boost turnout
  2. DD’s return to Saffron Logo just start, Modi 3.0 has “Big Plans” for MIB, Prasar Bharati
  3. Rajnath Singh to visit Siachen today to interact with soldiers
  4. ‘Gave names of 8 people, but…’: Hubballi Congress councillor slams Karnataka Govt amid daughter’s murder probe
  5. HK, Singapore food regulators red flag ‘cancer-causing’ ingredient in certain MDH, Everest spices

What Else

  • Goa-born people with Portuguese citizenship can apply for OCI card
  • Tata Institute of Social Sciences suspends PhD student over activities, not in national interest
  • Maldives moves further away from India: Parliamentary poll give more power to pro-China president Mohamed Muizzu
  • Indian tourist arrivals to Maldives drop by over 50pc
  • Pakistan: Iranian president to touch down in Islamabad today [Mon]
  • Pakistan: Foreign national reportedly abducted from Islamabad
  • Nexus claimed between religious and secular militants
  • Pakistan denounces ‘political use of export controls’ after US sanctions alleged missile suppliers
  • G7 countries slam Chinese firms’ support for Russia’s defence industry

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ELECTIONS 2024: Worried over dip in voting, Election Commission plans to boost turnout

  • Concerned over the drop of nearly 3% in overall voter turnout in the first phase of elections this year as compared to 2019, with the decline recorded in 19 of the 21 states and UT that voted on Fri, the poll body will be making a mid-poll correction.
  • The polling latest figure now 66% and expected to rise further by at least 0.1-0.2% – it is still way short of the 69.2% turnout recorded in 2019 for the same 102 constituencies.
  • Conceding that the EC “is very concerned about the dip in turnout”, one of its senior functionaries said that voter enthusiasm, though apparent, was not enough to bring them to the polling stations. (here)
  • Re-polling at 11 booths in Manipur; After violence marred the first phase of the poll in Manipur, re-polling will be held at 11 booths in the I-Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency on Mon.
  • Incidents of violence were reported in parts of Manipur on Apr 19, when miscreants fired at a polling booth in the state causing panic and disturbances.
  • Security has since been tightened in poll-bound areas of the violence-hit state.
  • After the conclusion of the 1st phase of the poll, the Manipur Chief Electoral Officer announced that re-polling would be conducted at the 11 polling booths.
  • The decision to conduct the polls once again at 11 booths came after an order by the Election Commission, which declared the initial polls held on April 19 as void. (here)
  • Names of candidates for remaining parliamentary constituencies and assembly by-elections will be announced soon: CM Sukhu
  • Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu said that names of the candidates for the remaining parliamentary constituencies and assembly by-elections would be announced soon and if there is one party that has played a vital role in strengthening the democracy and the security of this country, it’s the Congress. (here)
  • No one can stop implementation of CAA in West Bengal: Rajnath: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sun reaffirmed BJP’s commitment to fulfilling promises, highlighted CAA implementation in West Bengal.
  • Emphasized achievements like Article 370, Ram Temple, ‘Ram Rajya’.
  • Criticized Mamata didi and TMC for obstructing progress and welfare projects.(here)
  • Democracy will end if ‘Modi-Shah sarkar’ returns to power: Kharge: Congress president Kharge warns against the return of ‘Modi-Shah sarkar’, alleging democracy will perish if NDA comes back to power. Kharge accuses PM Modi and HM Shah of planning to abolish the Constitution. (here)
  • PM has gone on record to say that there will be no changes to the Constitution. The instruction that was reiterated on more than one occasion was overlooked by a bunch of party leaders.
  • Straying from the party line, they made comments about the need to revisit some of the provisions of the Constitution, without explicitly stating which ones.
  • Sensing the alarm that such a comment can stoke among the communities who benefit from caste-based reservation, and are coveted by the BJP. (here)
  • Omar Abdullah alleges PDP’s actions serve BJP’s interest in J&K: NC leader Omar Abdullah accuses the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP of inadvertently aiding the BJP in J&K elections.
  • Abdullah emphasizes the importance of countering communal forces and highlights the alliance with the INDIA bloc.
  • The upcoming Lok Sabha elections are seen as a semi-final to the anticipated Assembly elections later this year in the state. (here)
  • ‘Those who can’t win polls..’: PM Modi’s dig at Sonia Gandhi for taking RS route: PM Modi on Sun took a veiled dig at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and said people who cannot win elections fled the ground and took the Rajya Sabha route to Parliament.
  • Addressing a public rally in Rajasthan’s Jalore, PM Modi said the country is punishing the Congress for its “sins” and the party that had once won 400 seats is unable to contest 300 seats in the Lok Sabha election 2024. (here)
  • AAP leader launches scathing attack on BJP; ‘Osama Bin Laden & Gabbar Singh are preaching non-violence’: AAP’s Sanjay Singh on Sun launched a scathing attack on the BJP claiming that when the saffron party talks about corruption, it feels as if “Osama Bin Laden and Gabbar Singh are speaking about non-violence.” (here)

DD’s return to Saffron Logo just start, Modi 3.0 has “Big Plans” for MIB, Prasar Bharati

  • The return to the original ‘orange’ logo for Doordarshan is just the start.
  • (source)-The Modi govt is planning a host of changes and introductions at the Ministry of Info and Broadcasting and Prasar Bharati if it wins a 3rd term
  • DD India will be developed as a global brand with bureaus in 15 countries,
  • Prasar Bharati’s SHABD portal will be developed as a global news agency by onboarding over 1000 media entities, including foreign outlets, and an AI Hub is planned.
  • There is a plan to announce a ‘Global Media and Entertainment Summit’ and counter ‘fake news’ by expanding the ‘PIB Fact-Check Unit’ across regions.
  • The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) could see a Masters Course.
  • All this is part of a 100-day and 5-year-plan being drawn up for ‘Modi 3.0’ by ministries on the directions of PM Modi.
  • A controversy broke out after DD returned from its blue logo to orange.
  • This was the original color chosen by Indira Gandhi in 1982 for the channel and has been restored, the BJP has said.
  • The opposition has termed it an election code violation.
  • The big plan for Prasar Bharati is to enhance India’s soft power and explain the foreign footprint of Indian broadcasting and of Indian films, sources said. (here)

Rajnath Singh to visit Siachen today to interact with soldiers

  • Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Siachen on Mon to interact with the soldiers deployed on the glacier, the world’s highest and coldest battleground, amid the ongoing national election campaign.
  • He was scheduled to travel to Siachen in Mar to celebrate Holi with the soldiers there but the visit was postponed due to bad weather.
  • He then spent Holi with soldiers in Leh, where he called Ladakh India’s “capital of valor and bravery.”
  • His description of the UT drew attention to the Indian Army’s role in guarding the country’s farthest frontiers where the Indian and Chinese militaries have been locked in a dragging standoff for almost 4 years. (here)

‘Gave names of 8 people, but…’: Hubballi Congress councillor slams Karnataka Govt amid daughter’s murder probe

  • In a scathing rebuke of his own party, Congress Councillor Niranjan Hiremath said on Sun that he openly named 8 people, whom he believes are involved in his daughter’s murder. However, the state govt has failed to apprehend them.
  • Neha Hiremath, daughter of Congress Councillor from Hubballi Municipal and a 1st-year MCA student at KLET University, Hubballi, was killed by her former classmate Fayaz at her college earlier this month.
  • Neha’s murder on the campus of her college here sparked widespread condemnation and protests across the state.
  • “This is a shocking incident and we condemn it…CM Siddaramaiah’s and Home Minister’s statements on this incident are objectionable.
  • Their statements dilute the investigation.
  • The people of Karnataka will not spare the current govt for its appeasement politics.
  • The state govt should hand over the case to the CBI if the State Police is incapable of a fair probe. (here)

HK, Singapore food regulators red flag ‘cancer-causing’ ingredient in certain MDH, Everest spices

  • Food regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore have warned people against using 4 products from 2 big spice brands — 3 from MDH and 1 from Everest — over the presence of ethylene oxide (EO)at “levels exceeding the permissible limit”.
  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified EO as a ‘Group 1 carcinogen’.
  • The Centre for Food Safety, Hong Kong’s food regulatory authority, said that three spice products of MDH — Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala, and Curry Powder — along with Everest’s Fish Curry Masala contain “a pesticide, ethylene oxide”.
  • Both MDH and Everest Foods were yet to comment on the food regulators’ claims.
  • Meanwhile, the Singapore Food Agency also ordered a recall of Everest’s Fish Curry Masala due to the presence of EO at levels “exceeding the permissible limit”. (here)
  • According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, “ethylene oxide is a human carcinogen”: [updated on Apr 11, 2024]
  • At room temperature, ethylene oxide is a flammable colorless gas with a sweet odor.
  • It is used primarily to produce other chemicals, including antifreeze.
  • In smaller amounts, ethylene oxide is used as a pesticide and a sterilizing agent.
  • The ability of ethylene oxide to damage DNA makes it an effective sterilizing agent but also accounts for its cancer-causing activity. (here)

Goa-born people with Portuguese citizenship can apply for OCI card

  • In a move that could pave the way for people from Goa with Portuguese citizenship to apply for an OCI [Overseas Citizen of India] card, the MEA reportedly instructed passport authorities across India to mandatorily issue a “revocation order”.
  • After a Nov 2022 memo by the MEA, the authorities started revoking the Indian passports who had acquired Portuguese citizenship, for “suppressing material information” about acquiring foreign nationality.
  • The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously.
  • The GoI, however, grants OCI under certain conditions and restrictions which gives OCI cardholders certain rights.
  • OCI can purchase residential and commercial properties in India, but can’t purchase agricultural land, including farmland or any kind of plantation property. (here)

Tata Institute of Social Sciences suspends PhD student over activities, not in national interest

  • Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences has suspended a PhD student for 2 years for allegedly performing activities that were “not in the interest of the nation”.
  • P Ramadas (30), who is pursuing his doctorate in Development Studies, has been banned from entering TISS campuses in Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad, and Guwahati.
  • A notice dated Mar 7th, 2024 was sent to Ramadas that accused him of screening Anand Patwardhan’s controversial documentary ‘Ram ke Naam’ on Jan 26.
  • The notice called it a “mark of dishonor and protest” against the Ram Mandir idol consecration in Ayodhya. (here)
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[Neighborhood]

Maldives moves further away from India: Parliamentary poll give more power to pro-China president Mohamed Muizzu

  • The president, Mohamed Muizzu came up trumps in the parliamentary polls Sun with the main ruling party, PNC, poised to win a “super majority” in People’s Majlis.
  • The outcome will be seen by many as a double whammy for India as it unshackles Muizzu, who came to power on the back of his India Out campaign
  • From opposition oversight at a time his govt is moving away from Male’s India First policy and tilting towards China.
  • Final figures from Maldives Parliamentary elections (94): Ruling PNC (64), Opposition MDP (14), Independent (11), JP – (1), MNP (1), and MDA (2)
  • Maldives’ polls a test of President Muizzu’s India policy too Leaked report on corruption allegation against President Muizzu stirs controversy in Maldives
  • The Muizzu administration will see the results as an endorsement of its foreign policy, particularly the decision to expel Indian troops from the Maldives.
  • The results are a major setback for the pro-India and main opposition party, MDP, which was hoping to retain majority in Parliament and facilitate a strong legislative oversight of the executive. (here)

Indian tourist arrivals to Maldives drop by over 50pc

  • According to the Mar 2024 data released by the Maldives govt, Indian tourist arrivals to Maldives have plummeted by over 50% compared to the same month in the last year.
  • In Mar 2023, 18,099 Indian tourists travelled to the country, whereas in Mar 2024, the number dwindled to a mere 8,322—a stark 54% decrease.
  • This is not limited to a month; it extends across the Q1 of 2024, with only 34,847 Indian tourists visiting the Maldives from Jan to Mar, against 56,208 during the Q1, of 2023.
  • The decline coincides with a period of strained diplomatic relations between India and Maldives, largely attributed to the policies of Maldives President Muizzu.
  • Chinese tourist arrivals have seen a remarkable surge, with 13,608 Chinese visiting Maldives in Mar 2024—a staggering 78.6% increase compared to Mar 2023. (here)

Pakistan: Iranian president to touch down in Islamabad today [Mon]

  • Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi is arriving here on Mon on a visit that will be closely watched by the world against the backdrop of Tehran’s ongoing tensions with Israel.
  • Despite the storm clouds brewing in the region, the president of Iran has decided to travel to Pakistan, suggesting the importance Tehran attaches its ties with Islamabad.
  • The visit was scheduled before the recent tensions between Iran and Israel and was intended as part of efforts to mend relations with Pakistan, which had been strained by tit-for-tat missile strikes in January.
  • It said the Iranian president will be accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation comprising the FM and other members of the cabinet, senior officials as well as a large business delegation. (here)
  • ‘Iranian gas will come at a price for Pakistan’: Experts believe that the two issues foremost on his mind, which he will want to discuss with his Pak counterpart President Asif Ali Zardari, will be border security and the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline.
  • “This visit comes at the most troubling time for the region,” Inter Press Service (IPS) quoted Senator Mushaid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the Islamabad-based Pakistan-China Institute, as saying.
  • He pointed to the war in Gaza and the resurgence of terrorism from Afghanistan, which borders both Pakistan and Iran. (here)
  • [Meanwhile, the United States threatens Pakistan with sanctions if it builds a pipeline to import gas from Iran.]

Pakistan: Foreign national reportedly abducted from Islamabad

  • A foreign national [Samaa TV reported Saudi Arabian citizen] was reportedly abducted from Islamabad on Sun within the limits of the Margala police station.
  • The Margalla PS registered an FIR at the request of the foreign embassy.
  • The foreign missing approached the law enforcement seeking recovery of the abducted citizen and also named an accused.
  • The FIR states that the accused kidnapped the foreign citizen from the F-8 area.
  • Read Over 200 kidnappings reported in two months (here)

Nexus claimed between religious and secular militants

  • A senior police officer claims to have identified a nexus between jihadi and sub-nationalist secular militant groups in the country and said that they are providing each other safe havens.
  • DIG and novelist Omar Shahid Hamid also said young people are inclined towards militancy due to a disconnect between them and the state.
  • He was speaking at a talk on the rising trend of terrorism, crime, violence and solutions to curbing these, organized by Concerned Citizens Alliance in collaboration with the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) at the PMA House on Fri.
  • By bringing up the latest terrorist attack on foreign nationals in the city earlier in the day, DIG said that law enforcement agencies are facing difficult times where they are seeing a downward spiral due to the state of the country’s economy. (here)

Pakistan denounces ‘political use of export controls’ after US sanctions alleged missile suppliers

  • Pakistan rejected what it said was the “political use of export controls” after the US imposed sanctions on 4 entities for their alleged involvement in supplying “missile-applicable items” to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, the FO said on Sat.
  • The US State Department claimed on Friday evening that the entities — 3 Chinese and 1 from Belarus — were particularly assisting Pakistan’s long-range missile endeavors.
  • The statement specified that “the ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive behavior change.”
  • The entities facing sanctions include the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, the People’s Republic of China-based Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Ltd, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd and Granpect Company Ltd.
  • As per the sanctions imposed under Executive Order 13382, all property and interests in property of the designated entities that are in the US or under the control of US persons are now blocked.
  • Furthermore, any individuals or entities with ownership, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more by the designated persons are also subject to these sanctions. (here)

G7 countries slam Chinese firms’ support for Russia’s defence industry

  • FMs from the G7 countries have expressed “strong concern” about the transfer of materials and weapons components from Chinese businesses to Russia for its military.
  • At a meeting on the Italian island of Capri, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged his counterparts on Fri to increase pressure on China, which the US accuses of supporting war effort through its provision of critical components for weaponry.
  • As they ended their meeting, the G7 ministers said transfers of such material from Chinese companies were being used by Russia “to advance its military production”.
  • German FM Annalena Baerbock said her country could not accept China pursuing closer relations with Russia.
  • Instead, Baerbock called on China “to make use of its influence on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin”.
  • Last year, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a “no limits partnership” and a “new era” or cooperation”. (here)

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