Election Commission will disclose all details on electoral bonds in time, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar was quoted by PTI as saying on Wednesday. The poll panel chief’s statement comes a day after the State Bank of India submitted all details of electoral bonds to the EC on Tuesday. “In compliance of Hon’ble Supreme Court’s directions to the SBI, contained in its order dated Feb 15 & March 11, 2024 (in the matter of WPC NO.880 of 2017), data on electoral bonds has been supplied by State Bank of India to Election Commission of India, today, March 12, 2024,” the Election Commission had posted on Tuesday. The Supreme Court had asked the poll panel to publish details of electoral bonds on its website by 5 pm on March 15. The SBI has filed a compliance affidavit before the top court, mentioning the details of electoral bonds that were purchased and redeemed between April 12, 2019 and February 15 this year. Dig Deeper
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday in a fresh attack on the newly notified Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), said she does not want ‘detention camps in Bengal just like in Assam’. “The CAA is related to NRC, that is why we are opposing it. We don’t want detention camps like those in Assam,” the Trinamool Congress chief was quoted by PTI as saying. According to an HT report, the Assam government in 2009 notified detention centres to house people “declared foreigners” by tribunals till they are deported. These centres were created inside jails as a temporary measure till a permanent place was constructed or found to keep them. The state’s largest detention centre, the Matia Transit Camp, became operational in January last year. It is built on a 28,800 sq. ft area in Goalpara, about 130km from state capital Dispur. Dig Deeper
The Latest News
Election Commission chief reacts to electoral bonds case: ‘Will disclose all…’ Dig Deeper
Congress national secretary Ajay Kapoor quits party, joins BJP. Dig Deeper
Ahmednagar becomes Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra Cabinet approves name change. Dig Deeper
India News
Haryana floor test: Nayab Saini govt’s easy win despite Dushyant Chautala-led JJP’s whip. Dig Deeper
Cabinet okays two new Delhi Metro corridors at ₹8400 crore project cost | All you need to know. Dig Deeper
Mukhtar Ansari, gangster-turned-politician, sentenced to life imprisonment in 36-year-old case. Dig Deeper
Global Matters
Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal wins confidence vote in Parliament; 3rd time in 15 months. Dig Deeper
Alexei Navalny aide Volkov attacked with hammer; Lithuania police launches probe. Dig Deeper
Key issues in Russia will face massive impact by upcoming elections, set to give Putin 6 more years. Dig Deeper
Entertainment Focus
Dev Patel and his directorial debut, Monkey Man, have taken Hollywood by storm! This intense action story of a young man, who seeks revenge for his mother’s death, is a visual extravaganza and an emotional experience, say those who watched the film at SXSW on Monday night. However, more than making a much-deserved spectacular directorial debut, what the 33-year-old Slumdog Millionaire star has managed to do is take Indian mythology and make it mainstream Hollywood cinema. This is a feat that no one else has achieved. Set in Mumbai, Monkey Man is inspired by Lord Hanuman. Dev revealed he was introduced to the Ramayana and Lord Hanuman’s stories by his grandfather, who used to narrate them to him when he was a child. Dig Deeper
Lifestyle and Health
Insomnia has become more of a norm than exception in modern times when factors ranging from stress to long screen hours often overstimulate the mind and interfere in the process of falling and staying asleep. During and even post Covid times, insomnia cases have seen a massive uptick with more and more people unable to get their mandatory 8-hour sleep every night. When it comes to sound sleep, experts recommend following proper sleep hygiene which means adopting healthy habits around the bedtime that can help one have a good night’s sleep. How you sleep can have a profound impact on your mental health. A deep, relaxing sleep can prevent anxiety, stress and depression from overtaking your life, while a broken and restless slumber can do the opposite and also lead to issues like high blood pressure and diabetes. Dig Deeper
Sports Goings
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings after finishing with a nine-wicket match haul in his 100th Test match. Ashwin picked up 4/51 and 5/77 in the fifth and final Test against England at Dharamsala to lead India to a huge win by an innings and 64 runs. The victory also meant India demolished England’s Bazballers 4-1. Ashwin displaced teammate Jasprit Bumrah to start his sixth stint at the top of the rankings. He first became number one in December 2015. Ashwin also ended up as the highest wicket-taker of the five-match series with 26 scalps to his name. Player of the Match Kuldeep Yadav, who became the fastest Indian in terms of balls bowled to take 50 Test wickets, has risen 15 places to a career-best 16th position after finishing with seven wickets in the match. Dig Deeper
