Polling officials check the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and other election material at Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology on the eve of the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Prayagraj on May 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
58 seats to vote in Phase 6 on May 25
A total of 58 Lok Sabha seats in six States and two Union Territories will go to polls in the sixth and penultimate phase of the general election on Saturday. Over 11.13 crore people, including 5.84 crore men, 5.29 crore women and 5,120 third-gender electors, will exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 889 candidates. Over 8.93 lakh registered voters above 85 years of age, 23,659 centenarians, and 9.58 lakh voters with disabilities have been provided with the option to vote from their homes, the Election Commission (EC) said.
IPL-17 Qualifier 2: Shahbaz, Abhishek do the star turn for Sunrisers
A splendid bowling effort, masterminded by left-arm spinners Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma, helped Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Friday and march into its third Indian Premier League final.
Supreme Court denies interim order on booth-wise voter data
The Supreme Court on May 24 refused an NGO’s plea to issue the Election Commission of India to upload authenticated, scanned and legible copies of Form 17C showing the account of votes recorded booth-wise after each phase of polling in Lok Sabha elections.
Modi calls Congress weak, says people in Himachal know value of ‘strong’ govt.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Congress on Friday, calling it “weak” and accusing it of failing to keep its promises in Himachal Pradesh, where the party is in power. Mr. Modi said people in the State understand the significance of a “strong” and “resilient” government.
Hindu monks hit the streets in Kolkata to protest Mamata’s remarks
Hundreds of Hindu monks on Friday descended on the streets of Kolkata in protest against the remarks by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directed at certain religious orders and monks. During an election rally in Hooghly district, the Chief Minister referred to Hindu religious orders like Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Ramakrishna Mission and ISKCON. Ms. Banerjee had targeted a monk of Bharat Sevashram Sangha Kartick Maharaj and accused him for Beldanga riots in Murshidabad during Ram Navami procession last month.
The Ministry of External Affairs has served a show-cause notice to suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna asking why his diplomatic passport should not be cancelled as sought by the Karnataka government in view of allegations of sexual abuse against him, people familiar with the matter said on May 24.
In a startling revelation, Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madras High Court on Friday wrote that two highly placed persons met him in person and requested him not to decide on merits a habeas corpus petition filed against YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar’s preventive detention under the Goondas Act.
Medha Patkar convicted in defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena
A Delhi court on May 24 convicted Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar in a defamation case lodged against her by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena. Ms. Patkar and Mr. Saxena have been locked in a legal battle since 2000 after she filed a suit against him for publishing advertisements against her and the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA).
Pune Porsche accident: Two policemen suspended for dereliction of duty
The Pune police suspended two officers for dereliction of duty in connection with Porsche car accident in which a drunken minor killed two persons on May 19. Authorities said that Police Inspector Rahul Jagdale and Assistant Police Inspector Vishwanath Todkari had reportedly ‘mishandled’ the investigation and failed to inform the wireless control room about the accident in time.
Cyclone Remal may make landfall along West Bengal coast on May 26: IMD
According to the latest input of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Remal is likely to cross the coast between Sagar Island of West Bengal and Khepupara of Bangladesh around 6 p.m. on May 26, with wind speeds at 110-120 kmph, and gusts at 135 kmph.
Volatile oil prices pose a risk, but farm sector rebound will firewall India: FinMin
The Finance Ministry has flagged geopolitical tensions and volatile global commodity prices, especially of petroleum products, as “substantial multi-frontal challenges” to the economy, but noted that positive indications for the farm sector from a normal monsoon should “firewall” India against such adverse pressures and also help food prices and retail inflation to ease.
U.N. top court orders Israel to ‘immediately halt’ Rafah offensive
The top UN court ordered Israel Friday to halt military operations in Rafah, a landmark ruling likely to increase international pressure for a ceasefire more than seven months into the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack.
‘I am worried’: Novak Djokovic heads to the French Open with no titles in 2024
Novak Djokovic will defend his French Open title in Paris without a trophy this season, after losing in the Geneva Open semifinals on May 24. The 44th-ranked Tomas Machac beat Djokovic 6-4, 0-6, 6-1 in the last clay-court event to prepare for Roland Garros, where main draw play starts on Sunday. “Of course, I am worried. I haven’t been playing good at all this year,” Djokovic said.