AAP workers protest in Nagpur on March 22, 2024 against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
| Photo Credit: PTI
ED terms Arvind Kejriwal the kingpin of Delhi Excise policy scam
The Enforcement Directorate has sought a 10-day remand to interrogate Arvind Kejriwal,as it presented the Delhi Chief Minister before a trial court in Delhi. He willfully disobeyed nine summonses and did not give correct facts when his statement was recorded under PMLA, the ED said. It said that Mr. Kejriwal “took advantage” of being the Chief Minister of Delhi to facilitate money laundering by his Aam Aadmi Party, which is a “major beneficiary” of the proceeds of crimes generated in the alleged liquor scam case.
BJP decides to go it alone in Odisha
Putting all speculations about reviving its alliance with the BJD to rest, the BJP said it will fight forthcoming elections in all 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats in Odisha alone. “This time, the BJP will contest independently across all 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats, aiming to foster a developed India and Odisha under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The goal is to realize the hopes and aspirations 4.5 crore people of Odisha,” said State BJP president Manmohan Samal on the social networking site ‘X’. The BJP and the BJD parted ways in 2009 after being in an alliance for over 10 years from 1998 to 2009.
Tamil Nadu Governor re-inducts K. Ponmudy into Cabinet
Senior DMK leader K. Ponmudy was re-inducted into the Tamil Nadu Cabinet on March 22. Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Ponmudy, in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the Raj Bhavan in Chennai.
The AIADMK released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on March 22. Apart from a proposal to ensure that revenue earned from cess and surcharge is shared with States [a position taken by its arch rival and the ruling party in the State, the DMK], the principal Opposition party also wanted the merger of GST [Goods and Services Tax] compensation cess with the tax itself and the apportionment of 50% of collections under Income Tax with the respective States, as done in the case of Central GST and State GST. At present, the levy of cess is in force till 2026 to to repay the loans taken during the COVID-19 years to make up for the shortfall in revenue collection.
Trinamool lodges complaint against Bengal Governor for interfering in poll process
The Trinamool Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, accusing him of unlawfully meddling in the upcoming Lok Sabha poll process and trying to run a parallel office similar to the ECI. Mr. Bose had launched a portal called ‘Log Sabha’ to listen to the grievances of voters and directly connect with them during the polls. The portal allows citizens to send their communications, complaints, or suggestions directly to the Governor via the dedicated email address.
Water storage in India’s key reservoirs is at 38% ahead of summer season
Ahead of the summer season, the live storage capacity in India’s 150 primary reservoirs stands at just 38% of their total capacity, which is less than the last decade’s average for the same period, according to data. Karantaka, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu have reported lower storage levels compared to last year.
U.S. Congress scrambles to pass $1.2 trillion spending bill ahead of shutdown deadline
The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and Democratic-majority Senate will scramble to beat a midnight government shutdown deadline by passing a $1.2 trillion bill keeping the government funded through September. If they succeed, it will end a six-month battle over the scope of Washington’s spending for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. If they fail, federal agencies will begin a partial shutdown, furloughing thousands of workers nationwide and abroad.
India’s outlook for next fiscal positive: Finance Ministry
The Finance Ministry said that with an uptick in private investment and inflation trending down, India’s outlook for the next fiscal looks positive. The Monthly Economic Review also said that the inclusion of Indian bonds in the Bloomberg bond index from January 2025 should bolster inflows. It said robust investment activity is driving growth amid a steady rise in consumption. India grew above 8% for three consecutive quarters, reaffirming its position as a standout performer amid sluggish global growth trends. Various agencies echo a similar sentiment revising the FY24 growth estimates of India closer to 8%, the Ministry said. “On the whole, India looks positively towards the dawn of FY25,” the review said.
Stock markets rise for third session; Sensex gains 190 points
Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty closed higher for the third straight session on Friday, following gains in index majors L&T, ITC and Maruti and a record rally in the U.S. markets after the Federal Reserve indicated three rate cuts this year. The NSE Nifty advanced 84.80 points or 0.39% to 22,096.75.
IPL 2024 | Comeback-man Pant the highlight as Delhi Capitals take on Punjab Kings
Rishabh Pant’s resilient return to the cricket field in multiple roles will be the focus when Delhi Capitals take on Punjab Kings in their IPL opener in Chandigarh on March 23. Pant’s miraculous escape from a life-threatening car crash in December 2022 has now become a tale of perseverance after the big-hitting wicketkeeper-batter made a faster than expected recovery to be back in action.