3 Things

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Niharika Nanda
It’s the 14th of March and here are the top stories of the day.

The panel led by former President Ram Nath Kovind on simultaneous elections has recommended that the government implement a "one-time transitory measure." This measure would require the Union government to identify an "appointed date" immediately after a Lok Sabha election. Subsequently, all state assemblies that go to poll after this date would have their terms expire with Parliament. Among the 47 political parties that expressed their opinions on simultaneous elections, 32 supported the idea, while 15 opposed it. 

The high-level committee led by PM Modi today selected retired IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as the new Election Commissioners. However, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Opposition member in the panel, registered dissent, questioning the process. He stated that the shortlisted officer names were not provided to him in advance, despite his request for a short list containing details of all candidates under consideration.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act rules, which were notified earlier this week, will take away jobs and resources from the poor citizens of India. Urging Home Minister Amit Shah to pay heed to his objections, Kejriwal said that the law was dangerous for the country’s security. He also added that the country should bring back those 11 lakh industrialists and businessmen who left India because of BJP’s adverse policies, enabling them to generate employment opportunities for Indian youth.

The Supreme Court today sought an undertaking from the Ajit Pawar faction of NCP, saying that it will not use pictures of Sharad Pawar in its posters, and asked it to explore the option of selecting its own symbol. Justice Surya Kant said to the Ajit Pawar faction, quote “You are a different political party now so why to use his picture etc. Go with your own identity now… you have chosen not to be with him,” Unquote.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has expressed confidence that the water crisis in Bengaluru may not pose an immediate threat to hosting the Indian Premier League matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. KSCA CEO Shubendu Ghosh told the media, quote “We are not having any crisis at the moment. We are following state government guidelines on water usage. We will hold meetings with the stakeholders to plan how to proceed,” he said. Unquote.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, we talk to Indian Express' Vikas Pathak about the Citizenship Amendment Act, what it means for the BJP and how concerned it is about a potential backlash, so close to the Lok Sabha polls.

Second, Indian Express’ Varinder Bhatia joins us to talk about the recent political developments in Haryana, the reasons behind it and its possible consequences with the Haryana assembly elections scheduled later this year. (13:59) 

Lastly, we talk about the Election Commission's plan to reveal the details of the electoral bonds redeemed by all political parties. (28:05)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Written and Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited and Mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Niharika Nanda
It’s the 13th of March and here are the top stories of the day.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday resigned from the Karnal assembly seat in the House, vacating it for the new CM Nayab Saini.During the assembly, he said, quote “Although I’m the MLA from Karnal while Nayab Saini has yet not contested the assembly elections… he also has to contest polls.” “So, I announce in this House today that I resign from Karnal Vidhan Sabha seat…Now, Nayab Saini shall take care of Karnal constituency…” unquote. As for himself, talking about responsibilities, Khattar said, he will fullfil whatever responsibility is handed to him to the best of his abilities.  

President Droupadi Murmu has approved Uttarakhand’s Uniform Civil Code Bill, the government in the Himalayan state said on Wednesday. In February the Bill, which seeks to “govern and regulate the laws related to marriage and divorce, successions, live-in relationships and matters related thereto”, was passed by the Assembly following a two-day discussion. After the Bill was passed, the state government formed a Rules Making and Implementation Committee headed by retired IAS officer and UCC draft committee member Shatrughan Singh. While the Bill only defines the provisions and sections of the UCC, rules made by the committee will define in detail how the sections will be implemented.

Chandigarh Mayor Kuldeep Kumar today claimed that Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit and BJP MP Kirron Kher misbehaved with him. While addressing media persons along with Congress party in-charge and President H S Lucky, Kumar said, “I felt bad when Kher got the mic sanitised after my address”. He also referred to Purohit’s comments that a supply of free water to the residents wasn’t possible and that they should have thought before speaking and making promises.Reacting to the Chandigarh mayor’s allegations, Kirron Kher told The Indian Express, that a completely innocent act is being politicised, and that her PSO santises the mic whenever she is not wearing a mask. 

The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday detained a man from Ballari who is alleged to have interacted with the main suspect involved in the blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on the night of March 1, around eight hours after the explosion, as the main suspect escaped from the Karnataka capital.Identified as Syed Shabbir, police sources said his association with the main suspect in the cafe blast case is yet to be ascertained and that he was detained based on technical analysis.

Senior Congress leader Padmakar Valvi from Maharashtra joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Mumbai today, marking a significant loss for the Congress in the state. Valvi, a three-time MLA from Nandurbar, was known for his popularity in the tribal-dominated district. He had previously served as the sports minister of the state and was a prominent figure in north Maharashtra. His shift comes amidst Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Maharashtra.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath talks about the concept behind simultaneous polls and the recommendations made by the Law Commission to overcome constitutional and logistical challenges in order to implement this idea.

Next, Indian Express’ Vidhatri Rao tells us about recent Indian films that are attempting to capitalize on the dominant political narrative in the country (11:42).

And in the end, Indian Express’ Shantanu Chowdhury discussed the exit of two BJP leaders in West Bengal (24:42).

Hosted, written and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Niharika Nanda
It’s the 12th of March and here are the top stories of the day.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Manohar Lal Khattar at the inauguration of the prestigious Dwarka Expressway project, he was removed as the Chief Minister of Haryana by the BJP, and replaced by the party’s Kurukshetra MP and its state unit chief, Nayab Singh Saini. Opting for an OBC leader in place of Khattar, who has held the CM position since 2014, particularly with the Lok Sabha and the Haryana assembly elections around the corner, seems to be a strategic move on the part of BJP. 

Tejas, the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, crashed in Rajasthan today, during an operational training exercise. According to a post by the Indian Air Force on X, the pilot was able to eject safely. The incident is said to have occurred at Jawahar Nagar in Jaisalmer, with the crash site being around 100 km away from the venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing the Bharat Shakti programme. 

A day after the Ministry of Home Affairs notified the rules for implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Centre today announced a new portal for people who want to apply for CAA and shared the link for the same. According to the rules of the act, a Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who entered India before December 31, 2014, can now seek Indian citizenship without producing a valid passport of these countries or a valid visa from India. 

In further news on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act,West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee, while addressing an administrative meeting at Habra in the state’s North 24 Parganas district urged people to not apply for citizenship under the act. She said that the act lacks clarity and if they did apply, they would be quote “marked as refugees and infiltrators” and “deprived of government schemes” unquote. She said that she will not let CAA be implemented in her state. 

The Ministry of External Affairs today “rejected” the comments by China objecting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh on the 9th of March during which he launched several projects of the Central government in the region. On Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, when asked about PM Modi’s visit said, quote “China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the Indian leader’s visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary. Quote. The MEA in its statement added that China’s objections will not change the reality that the State of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, we talk to Indian Express' Ritika Chopra about Election Commissioner Arun Goel's resignation.

Second, Indian Express’ Kiran Parashar joins us to talk about the Bengaluru water crisis. (8:12)

Lastly, we talk about the acquittal of Delhi University professor G N Saibaba. (18:59)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Written and Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited and Mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Niharika Nanda.
It’s the 11th of March and here are today's headlines.

The Supreme Court, in a hearing on Monday, directed the State Bank of India to furnish the details of individuals and companies who bought its electoral bonds to fund political parties by Tuesday. The court gave the order after rejecting a plea by the government-run bank seeking more time to do so. The SBI had earlier requested time till the 30th of  June to disclose details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties.

In further news from the Supreme Court, it rejected a plea by the Maharashtra government seeking a stay on the March 5 Bombay High Court order acquitting former Delhi University professor G.N. Sai Baba and others in a UAPA case over alleged Maoist links. The court noted that the acquittal of Saibaba and others was prima facie well reasoned,  as reported by the news agency PTI.

The much-anticipated Mumbai Coastal Road Project  was partially inaugurated today by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. With a cost of nearly 14 thousand crore, the 10.58 km long high-speed corridor will link Marine Drive with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, representing the BMC’s most expensive undertaking to date. The BMC states that the coastal road will result in a 34 percent reduction in carbon footprint.

At the 96th Academy Awards ceremony held today in in Los Angeles, Christopher Nolan’s epic biographical thriller Oppenheimer swept seven awards, including Best Picture, while also earning Nolan and actors Cillian (KILL-IAN) Murphy and Robert Downey Jr awards for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. In the Best Actress category, Emma Stone won the Academy Award for her performance as Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Subhash Yadav, a man allegedly associated with the Rashtriya Janata Dal, in Patna as part of a money laundering probe related to alleged illegal sand mining in Bihar. On Sunday, the ED had also carried out search operations at six locations linked to Yadav and his close associates.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Sujit Bisoyi discusses the reasons why, after parting ways 15 years ago, the BJP and BJD are coming together to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Next, Indian Express’ Harish Damodaran talks about the challenges India will face in meeting the rising demand for milk and ensuring that prices do not continue to rise (11:02).

And in the end, Indian Express’ Kiran Parashar tells us about  the nomination of author, philanthropist, and former chairperson of Infosys Foundation Sudha Murthy to the Rajya Sabha (21:16).

Hosted, written and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Niharika Nanda
It’s the 8th of March and here are the top stories of the week.

The Supreme Court on Monday overruled its 1998 majority ruling in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha bribery case in which the apex court had said that members of Parliament and state legislatures were immune from prosecution for accepting bribes for voting or speaking in a certain manner in the House. The court said, quote, “corruption and bribery by members of the legislature erode probity in public life”. Unquote.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to the Enforcement Directorate, saying that he was ready to answer the probe agency’s questions. The ED had summoned the AAP leader for the eighth time this week in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Seeking a date after the 12th of March, Kejriwal said that he was ready to give answers but through video conferencing. Following this, a Delhi court on Thursday summoned Kejriwal to appear before it on the 16th of March after the agency filed a complaint saying he had skipped multiple summons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met a group of women from Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders have been leveled. During this recent visit to the state, he said that the 'storm' induced by the recent violence in Sandeshkhali will reach every part of the state. The Prime Minister had traveled to Kolkata to inaugurate a section of the city’s Metro’s East-West corridor — which is India's first-ever metro route passing underwater.

The Indian Embassy in Israel has issued an advisory for Indian nationals working in Israel, particularly in border areas, to relocate to safe areas within the country. The Embassy stated that they are in touch with Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of all Indian nationals. Additionally, the Indian Embassy shared a helpline number and email address for clarification. This advisory was issued shortly after an anti-tank missile, allegedly fired from Lebanon, struck the Margaliot region of Israel, resulting in the death of one Indian national and injuries to two others. All three victims are from Kerala.

Days after the Ministry of External Affairs said that India is trying its best for an “early discharge” of around 20 Indians working as support staff to the Russian army, a group of seven men have released a new video claiming that Russia is forcing them to fight in the Ukraine war against their will. In the now-viral video, the seven men can be seen inside a room, wearing army uniforms. The video, recorded in a room with a closed window, shows six of them standing in a corner as another talks about their situation.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Last September, the Lok Sabha cleared the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill 2023 which aims at bringing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies. Cleared with near unanimity, the bill also extends the quota to the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Now, since 1996, nearly every government has attempted to push a women’s reservation bill. However, the current bill stands out because its implementation is linked to the contentious delimitation exercise.

In this episode, Indian Express' Apurva Vishwanath and Manoj CG join us to discuss everything you need to know about it — from what it states and how it will be implemented, to why its rollout is going to be significantly delayed, and the previous attempts to pass such bills.

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Written and produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar