KARNATAKA ELECTIONS ON MAY 10, COUNTING MAY 13

The Assembly elections in Karnataka will be held in a single phase on May 10 and the counting of votes on May 13, the Election Commission announced today, setting the stage for a key electoral contest between the BJP and Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha showdown.

The Janata Dal (Secular) is the third major player in the state, which has a 224-member Assembly. The BJP currently has 119 seats, followed by the Congress with 75. The JD (S) has 28 MLAs, while two seats are vacant.

Indicating that the poll panel was trying to address the apathy among the urban voters, the CEC said the elections had been scheduled on a Wednesday, and not on a Monday or Friday. “People can take a day off and have a long weekend. But by holding the poll on Wednesday, this possibility has been reduced,” he said.

Referring to “urban apathy”, Kumar said in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, nine of the top 20 low voter turnout constituencies were urban. This trend was also noticed in the recently held Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections in 2022.

Meanwhile, the ECI also announced the schedule for the byelection to Punjab’s Jalandhar parliamentary constituency and four Assembly segments in UP, Odisha and Meghalaya for which voting will take place on May 10 and the counting will be on May 13. The Assembly seats which will go to the polls include Jharsuguda in Odisha, Chhanbey and Suar in Uttar Pradesh and Sohiong in Meghalaya.

UNFINISHED WORK ALONG LAC; MILITARY, DIPLOMACY AT WORK: JAISHANKAR

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said there was “unfinished work” along the LAC with China and that the militaries and diplomats on both sides were working to find a solution to the issue.

Jaishankar, speaking at Network18’s ‘Rising India Summit’, deplored attempts by Rahul Gandhi to draw parallels between the situation along the LAC with China and the Ukraine conflict.

"What is today happening in Ukraine, if you follow the two sides, is one would say that they are threatened by the expansion of NATO and the character of the regime in Ukraine," he said.

"The West would say that Russians have expansionist designs. What is the analogy between that and India-China? There is no NATO in play here, there is no regime character in play here. I just don't see the comparison," he said.

Jaishankar also said "canards" were floated about buffer zones being created in India's patrolling areas.

He said since the Galwan clash of 2020, the combination of military and diplomacy has made progress, but admitted that the two sides have not been able to "sort everything out". "Whatever has been done is mutual and negotiated. But this is still unfinished work," Jaishankar said about the present situation along the LAC.

HATE SPEECH IS HAPPENING BECAUSE STATE IMPOTENT: SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court said Wednesday that hate speech “is happening because the State is impotent, State is powerless, State doesn’t act in time”, and will stop “the moment politics and religion are segregated”.

Justice K M Joseph, heading a bench that also comprised Justice B V Nagarathna, also said, “Why do we have a State at all when all this is happening?”. He made these remarks while hearing a plea by Shaheen Abdullah, a multimedia journalist from Kerala, seeking contempt proceedings against Maharashtra Police for not acting to restrain inflammatory speeches at rallies organised by some Hindu outfits despite the court’s direction.

The bench’s remarks drew a sharp response from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who said the Centre was not silent, that states like Kerala were silent when genocidal calls were made against Hindus and Christians at a PFI rally in May 2022. He wondered why the court did not take suo motu cognisance when it knew about it.

Appearing for the Centre, Mehta told the court that in Tamil Nadu, “a spokesperson of DMK” said “whatever Periyar says should have been done… if you want equality, you must butcher all Brahmins”.

As Justice Joseph laughed, Mehta said, “It’s not a laughing matter. I wouldn’t laugh it away… This man does not face FIR. Not only that, he continues to be the spokesperson of a recognised political party.”

Mehta sought the court’s permission to play a clip from Kerala where a child, during a PFI rally in May 2022, had allegedly raised genocidal slogans against Hindus and Christians, but the bench did not oblige. “I want Your Lordships to see it. Unfortunately, it’s from Kerala… Let me play a clip. If petitioner showing something is disturbing Your Lordships, and rightly so, this should shock the conscience of the court on two counts – that such a thing has happened, and this public spirited man (the petitioner), who hails from Kerala, is not bringing this fact to the notice of this court,” he said.

Justice Joseph said he knew about the developments. “We know that,” he said. Mehta said, “If Your Lordships know that, then Your Lordships should have taken suo motu cognisance along with this… Why are we shying away from seeing it?”.

Justice Joseph said, “The major problem is when politicians make use of religion for power.”

CONGRESS ALLEGES RAHUL GANDHI’S ADANI VIDEOS’ VIEWERSHIP ON YOUTUBE SUPPRESSED

Google’s video platform YouTube has told the Congress that it is looking into a claim made by party leader Rahul Gandhi that views on his videos on industrialist Gautam Adani are much lower than his other videos with similar user engagement. The Congress had written to YouTube earlier this month suggesting that it suspects viewership of Rahul’s two videos on Adani were suppressed.

The issue was flagged by Sam Pitroda, head of the Indian Overseas Congress, in a letter to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan on March 11.

Pitroda had argued that Rahul’s social media team used YouTube’s own data and analytics to show that viewership of videos of Mr Adani are being suppressed, perhaps unwittingly or algorithmically.” To back his claim, Pitroda also forwarded a presentation made by the party’s data analytics department, comparing viewership data of the video on Adani and Rahul’s other videos from the Bharat Jodo Yatra and recent speeches in Parliament and at Cambridge University.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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RUSSIA ENDS MISSILE TEST INFO SHARING WITH US

A senior Russian diplomat said Wednesday that Moscow will no longer inform the US about its missile tests, an announcement that came as the Russian military deployed mobile launchers in Siberia in a show of the country’s massive nuclear capability amid the fighting in Ukraine.

Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow has halted all information exchanges with Washington after previously suspending its participation in the last remaining nuclear arms pact with the US.

Along with the data about the current state of the countries’ nuclear forces, the parties also have exchanged advance warnings about test launches. Such notices have been an essential element of strategic stability for decades, allowing Russia and the US to correctly interpret each other’s moves and make sure that neither country mistakes a test launch for a missile attack.

BIBI, BIDEN EXCHANGE FROSTY WORDS OVER BID TO OVERHAUL JUDICIARY

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rebuffed US President Biden’s suggestion that the premier “walks away” from a contentious plan to overhaul the legal system, saying the country makes its own decisions. The exchange was a rare bout of public disagreement between the two close allies.

Asked by reporters late Tuesday what he hopes the Israeli premier does with the legislation, Biden replied, “I hope he walks away from it. ” The president added that Netanyahu’s govt “cannot continue down this road” and urged compromise on the plan roiling Israel. The president also stepped around US ambassador Thomas Nides’ suggestion that Netanyahu would soon be invited to the White House, saying, “No, not in the near term. ”

Netanyahu responded with a statement expressing appreciation for Biden’s years of support for Israel and vowing to seek a “broad consensus” over the legal programme. But he also dismissed the outside pressure. “Israel is a sovereign country which makes its decisions by the will of its people and not based on pressures from abroad, including from the best of friends,” Netanyahu said.

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TMC DROPS ‘EQUIDISTANCE’, MAMATA SEEKS JOINT OPP FIGHT AGAINST BJP

Days after saying that her party will contest the Lok Sabha elections alone, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday sought a joint Opposition fight against the BJP. While she did not mention Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee came out strongly in support of the Congress leader, and said the TMC might take legal action against leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking cues from the case against Rahul.

Indicating a shift of stance, the TMC had earlier on Monday night attended an Opposition meeting called by the Congress – after a long gap — to discuss Rahul’s disqualification and the Modi govt’s measures.

If Rahul could face conviction, and consequently disqualification, over a statement made during a poll rally, Abhishekh said, why should PM Modi not be charged for “hurting the sentiments of women in West Bengal” by his taunt of “Didi o Didi!” for Mamata during the 2021 state Assembly polls.

But if the TMC’s equivocal support will gladden the Congress’s heart, its ally and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar again gave mixed signals on Wednesday. Asked about Rahul’s disqualification and his silence on it, the Bihar CM said he “never spoke on court matters”, while adding that there is a legal provision to move a superior court in such matters.

Mamata, who began a two-day dharna in Kolkata against the Centre over dues owed to the state among other issues, said the BJP will be defeated if the Opposition took it on across states. “Where will the BJP get seats from? Uttar Pradesh? We will go to UP to side with Akhilesh (Yadav) against the BJP. They will not get seats in Bihar, Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra either.”

SANJAY RAUT MEETS SONIA, RAHUL, SAYS EVERYTHING IS FINE

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday met former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and said “everything is fine”, signalling an end to the row over V D Savarkar.

The Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena was upset over Rahul Gandhi’s strident attack of Savarkar, a revolutionary leader revered in Maharashtra, leading to friction in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi coalition with the Congress and the NCP in the state.

ON THE RUN, AMRITPAL RELEASES A VIDEO

On a day the Punjab Police tightened security at two shrines amid reports that Waris Punjab De leader and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh, who has been on the run since March 18, was planning to surrender, he released a video statement on Wednesday in which he termed the crackdown on him as an “attack on the community” and sought to mobilise “Sikhs across the world” by calling for a “Sarbat Khalsa” (Assembly of Sikhs).

Amritpal made no mention of Khalistan or a separate state, but urged Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to call a ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ at the Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, on Baisakhi (April 14).

Seeking to find common ground with the Akal Takht, Amritpal raised the issue of the war of words between acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. While the Jathedar had issued a 24-hour ultimatum for release of those arrested during the crackdown, Mann had accused him of “provoking” people.

The self-styled preacher, who has always been unapologetic about his demand for a separate state, did not mention the issue in his video statement. Instead, he said that it was a fight for the future of the youth of the state and for the existence of Punjab itself.

NCM CHIEF HAILS LEVEL OF PROTECTION TO MINORITIES

India has witnessed a five per cent increase in minority population since independence which shows the level of protection, the country has provided to such communities, National Commission for Minorities Iqbal Singh Lalpura said on Wednesday.

He made the remarks at the annual conference of the state minorities commissions.

Lalpura said from independence till now, India has witnessed approximately five per cent decrease in majority population and five per cent increase in minority population.

“No profession has remained untouched, when it comes to the contribution of minorities. Minorities have immensely contributed to every field and profession including judiciary, sports, healthcare and more,” he said.

‘GOVT IS NOT NATION’ — 300 LAWYERS SLAM RIJIJU’S REMARKS

Criticism of the govt is not tantamount to criticism against the country, over 300 lawyers of the Supreme Court and various high courts have said in a strongly-worded statement condemning Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju’s remarks at the India Today conclave last month.

The statement, whose 323 signatories include 62 senior lawyers, has taken exception to Rijiju’s remarks that “a few retired judges” were “part of the anti-India” gang. 

“We condemn these remarks in unambiguous terms. Such hectoring and bullying are unbecoming of the high office held by the Minister,” said the statement, which has been signed by the likes of Kapil Sibal, Rebecca John, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, and Arvind Datar.

The statement also took note of the minister’s remark that people criticising the govt would “pay a price”. By “threatening retired judges”, the govt is “clearly sending out the message to every citizen that no voice of dissent will be spared”, the letter said.   

The statement from lawyers calls on the minister to publicly withdraw his remarks and refrain from making such statements in the future.

SC ALLOWS CENTRE'S PLEA SEEKING RS 5,000 CR FROM SEBI-SAHARA FUND TO REPAY DEPOSITORS

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a plea by the Centre seeking allocation of Rs 5,000 crore out of Rs 24,000 crore deposited by the Sahara group with market regulator Sebi to repay its depositors.

The direction came on an application filed by the Centre in a PIL by a person, named Pinak Pani Mohanty, who sought a direction to pay the amount to the depositors who invested in several chit fund companies and Sahara credit firms.

A bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar said the amount shall be disbursed to depositors duped by the Sahara group of cooperative societies. The entire process will be monitored by former apex court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, the bench said.

UPI TRANSACTIONS OVER ₹ 2,000 TO ATTRACT UP TO 1.1% FEE

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has notified that an interchange fee of up to 1.1 per cent will be applicable on merchant UPI  transactions from April 1. The charges will be levied if the transaction is more than ₹ 2,000.

The interchange fee varies for the different categories of merchants. It ranges from 0.5% to 1.1% and a cap is also applicable in certain categories.

In a notification issued today, NPCI said that the introduced fee is only applicable for merchant transactions made through prepaid payment instruments. The payments body clarified that no charges will be levied on normal UPI payments which it termed as "bank account- to-bank account based UPI payments."

For telecom, education, and utilities/post office, the interchange fee is 0.7% while for supermarkets the fee is 0.9% of the transaction value. 1% charges will be levied for insurance, govt, mutual funds, and railways, 0.5% for fuel, and 0.7 for agriculture, reported CNBC TV-18.

Interchange will not be applied in the case of peer-to-peer (P2P) and peer-to-peer-merchant (P2PM) transactions. PPP issuers will be required to pay 15 basis points (bps) to the remitter bank as a wallet-loading charge for transactions of over ₹ 2,000.

The pricing will be reviewed by the NPCI on or before September 30, 2023.

FROM IMPACT PLAYER TO UPDATED DRS: THE NEW RULES IN IPL 2023

The Indian Premier League is set to begin on 31 March 2023. The 16th edition of the tournament will bring about some major changes in the playing conditions, set by the BCCI and ICC.

The IPL have introduced two of the biggest changes in the tournament, first, the Impact Player Rule and second, the ability to review No ball and Wide ball calls by the batting and the fielding sides.

Imported from the Australian Big Bash League and tried and tested in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the ‘Impact Player Rule’ might turn out to be game-changer in the IPL 2023 season. According to the Law, teams can change one player in the middle of the game to suit the conditions of the match and the ground better to their favour.

Teams are only allowed to play with 4 overseas players, and a non-Indian player will not be allowed to replace an Indian player if the team already has 4 overseas players in their playing XI. The teams can however choose to field 3 overseas players in their original XI and then draft in one overseas player later on in the game.

Critics have argued that the Impact Player Rule will reduce the reliance on world-class all-rounders because one can always substitute a batter for a specialist bowler in the second innings of the game.

Captains do not need to give out team sheets at the toss any longer. The teams now can nullify the toss advantage by drafting in the teams as per the result of the toss. They are allowed to file XI players with 5 substitutes; out of the 5 substitutes, they are allowed to choose one player as an impact sub during the game.

Experts have argued that this will allow the teams to make 2 separate playing XIs, one of which they will choose dependent on the result of the toss.

Players now are allowed to challenge wide balls and no balls, called by the onfield umpires.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We cannot change our memories, but we can change their meaning and the power they have over us. - David Seamans

OFF TRACK

A blonde visits her husband in prison.

Before leaving, she tells the jailor, "You shouldn't make my husband work like that. He's exhausted!"

The officer laughs, saying, "Are you kidding ? He just eats and sleeps and stays in his cell!"

"Bullshit! He just told me he's been digging a tunnel for months!"