Lok Sabha Poll Live Updates: BJP, Congress hold Central Election Committee meetings

The Union Government has notified the Citizenship Amendment Act rules 4 years 2 months after it was cleared by the Parliament. The law aims to grant Indian citizenship to undocumented Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan if they entered India before December 31, 2014.
The Big Question- Do Muslims In India Have Anything To Fear Due To CAA? 

“The high-powered committee, led by the Prime Minister and responsible for appointing election commissioners, is scheduled to convene on March 14 to conclude the selection of two new ECs, as per reliable sources. The Law Ministry has issued a revised communication to all panel members, setting the meeting time for 12 noon on March 14, instead of the previously scheduled 6 PM on March 15.”

Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) has cleared names for 12 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, Nakul Nath will contest from the Chhindwara seat: Sources

On the CAA notification, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh says, “Why was there such a delay? If it had to be delayed then why couldn’t it be done after the elections? Their (BJP) only aim is to make every issue about Hindus and Muslims…”

On the CAA notification, North East DCP Joy Tirkey says, “We have made arrangements in the North East district. Our experience in 2020 was unpleasant which resulted in heavy loss. The rules will be notified today and we were alerted by the Police Headquarters. We had a meeting of the Aman Committee where we briefed people of both communities. We have tagged the potential troublemakers and some known criminals. We are in touch with our beat constables and keeping an eye on social media too. We are doing a flag march for two days and will have an extensive flag march from tomorrow. Special care will be taken in sensitive areas through drones…”

The Modi government on Monday, March 11, announced the implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). The CAA will facilitate the granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. This will pave way for the persecuted to find citizenship in India. Read full story here

India today tested Mission Divyastra – the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. This will ensure that a single missile can deploy multiple war heads at different locations. The project director is a woman and has significant women contribution: GOI sources

“Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology,” PM Modi said on an X post.

“Only Congress and its arrogant alliance are facing the biggest problem with these development works worth lakhs of crores of rupees being done in the country. They are not able to sleep. That’s why they are saying that Modi is doing work worth lakhs of crores of rupees because of elections. The country has changed so much in 10 years, but the views of Congress and its friends have not changed. The number of their glasses is still the same – all negative,” PM Modi said.

“India of the 21st century is an India of big vision. This is an India of big goals. Today’s India cannot compromise on the pace of progress. I cannot think small, nor do I dream small, nor do I make small resolutions. Whatever I want… I want it big, I want huge and I want it at a fast pace because in 2047 I want to see the country as a ‘Viksit Bharat’,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Gurugram.

Where Dwarka Expressway has been constructed today, there was a time when people used to avoid coming here after dusk. Even the taxi drivers used to refuse that they should not come here. This entire area was considered unsafe. But today many big companies are coming here and setting up their projects. This area is becoming one of the fastest developing areas of NCR.”

“Not even three months have passed since 2024, and in such a short time, the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore has been laid and inaugurated. These are only the projects in which I have been involved. Apart from this, several Chief Ministers and Ministers have also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects,” PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Through modern technology connectivity, lakhs of people in every corner of the country are connected to this program. There was a time when programs were organised from Delhi, and the country used to get connected. Times have changed, today the program is organised in Gurugram, and the country has connected, Haryana is showing this potential. Today the country has taken another big step towards modern connectivity, I am happy that today I have got the opportunity to dedicate the Dwarka Expressway to the country. More than ₹9,000 crores have been spent on this expressway. From today, the experience of traffic between Delhi and Haryana will change forever. This modern expressway will work to shift gears not only in vehicles but also in the lives of the people of Delhi NCR. I congratulate the people of Delhi, NCR, and Haryana for this modern expressway. I wish you many good wishes.”

“…This project has actually become a state of the art. With the completion of this project, not only Gurugram, not only Haryana, but all the states of North India, South India, and the people of the West will get benefit. Whether we have to go out of Delhi, whether we have to go to Jaipur or Mumbai, it is of great use. I am very happy to see this project. On the occasion of the inauguration of the project, I express my gratitude to the PM…” Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said.

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday drew parallels between the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and Mahabharat, saying the elections will be a battle between the “good and evil” and “virtue and unfairness”.

Addressing party workers in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, the former Union minister asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win this battle as he represents “cultural nationalism with a commitment to the country’s safety, prosperity, and empowerment of all”. “Modi ji has upheld the flag of justice, morality, and righteousness just like the Pandavas. He has replaced the political prevarication of phony seculars with his priority on equitable development. However, the Kauravas are trying to tarnish the global glory of Bharat,” Naqvi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated and laid foundation stone for 114 National Highway projects across the country worth about Rs 1 lakh crore. Among key National Highway (NH) projects, Modi inaugurated the Haryana section of the landmark Dwarka Expressway. The total length of Dwarka Expressway is 29 km, out of which 18.9 km falls in Haryana, while the remaining 10.1 km is in Delhi. This expressway will help improve traffic flow and ease congestion between Delhi and Gurugram on NH-48.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Kerala’s Palakkad on March 15 to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. On March 17, Modi will undertake another visit to Pathanamthitta to rally support for Anil K Antony, the BJP candidate and son of Congress stalwart AK Antony, reports said.

The Congress Monday hailed the Supreme Court for dismissing the SBI’s plea seeking an extension of time to furnish details of electoral bonds, saying the apex court has once again come to protect democracy from the “devious machinations” of the current regime. A five-judge Constitution bench of the top court on Monday dismissed the State Bank of India’s plea for time extension and directed it to furnish the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission by close of business hours on March 12.

The second meeting of the top leadership of the Congress will take place on Monday, March 11, to finalise the second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. While the last meeting focused on southern states, this meeting will be on northern states like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan.

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Shares of State Bank of India fell to the day’s low on Monday after the Supreme Court dismissed its petition seeking an extension until June 30 in the electoral bonds case. This is the biggest single-day drop for SBI’s shares since February 12 during which the stock had declined 2.4%. Ahead of today’s drop, shares of India’s largest lender had gained over 20% so far in 2024.

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– In the original judgement of February 15, the court had directed for disclosure of –
1. Details of bonds purchased (date, name, denominations)
2. Details of bonds redeemed by political parties (date of encashment, denominations)

The SBI claimed that these two details are readily available but in two separate silos.

In today’s order, the court has directed the SBI to disclose details of these two silos. There is no direction for SBI to match the two silos, and determine which company contributed how much to which party. After the disclosure, we are likely to have two lists – donors and parties – with no corelation.

– SBI shall file an affidavit signed by the MD for compliance.

– While not inclined to exercise contempt jurisdiction at this stage, we place the SBI on notice that SC may be inclined to act as per contempt, if it does not comply with the court’s directions by the prescribed timelines.

– The SBI is directed to disclose details by the end of business hours of March 12.
– The ECI shall publish info on its website by no later than 5 pm on March 15.