The Supreme Court delivered a judgment on Thursday declaring that the electoral bonds scheme infringes upon the right to information as enshrined in Article 19 (a).
As calm begins to return to Banbhoolpura town a week after the outbreak of violence due to the razing of an ‘illegal’ madrasa, the local administration eases the curfew. Areas like Gaujajali, Railway Bazar, and FCI godown will see curfew relaxation from 9 am to 4 pm while the rest of the town will experience a shorter reprieve between 9 am and 11 am.
The culmination of a review on a series of legal challenges against the electoral bonds scheme will see the top court’s verdict delivered today. This decision follows a reservation of judgment by a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on November 2 last year. Initiated on January 2, 2018, the electoral bonds were introduced as a means to increase transparency in political donations, replacing direct cash contributions to parties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his counterpart in Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during an official visit that commenced on Wednesday evening. This marks PM Modi’s second official journey to Qatar, and discussions to bolster bilateral ties were at the forefront. Following discussions with Qatar’s Prime Minister, PM Modi is slated to engage in talks with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, addressing both bilateral and broader regional and international issues.
A tragic incident marred a parade celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win with gun violence resulting in 22 people being shot, including eight children. One person succumbed to their injuries. Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves revealed that fans might have played a role in detaining a suspect, and three individuals are currently under arrest. This event underscores the continuing challenge of gun violence at public events in the United States.
After intense conflict on February 8 following the demolition of a madrassa deemed ‘illegal’, the town of Banbhoolpura saw significant unrest that led to stone-pelting and the use of petrol bombs against municipal workers and law enforcement. Consequently, the police sought sanctuary at a local police station, which was later targeted by the rioters. The violent clash resulted in six fatalities among the rioters, and injuries to more than a hundred people, including police and journalists. In response, a curfew was imposed, which has now been tentatively lifted from the outskirts of the town to ease tensions.