The Delhi Lieutenant Governor has ordered an investigation into the Aam Aadmi Party’s allegations that the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to poach its election candidates. This came after AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP had offered Rs 15 crore to 16 of the party’s candidates and promised them ministerial posts if they defected.

The Delhi Assembly elections were held on Wednesday. The results will be declared on Saturday.

The BJP had complained about Kejriwal’s allegations to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, describing them as “false and baseless”. It demanded that the police look into the claims.

On Friday, the Anti-Corruption Branch asked the AAP chief for details of the 16 candidates who were allegedly offered bribes.

Kejriwal, on his part, accused the Election Commission of refusing to upload Form 17C, which is a record of voter turnout in every polling station, on its official website. The AAP launched a website – transparentelections.in – where it uploaded Form 17C provided to it for all Assembly constituencies. Read more.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked the Election Commission to explain how Maharashtra had more registered voters in the 2024 Assembly election than the state’s adult population. He also urged the poll panel to explain why more voters were added to the state’s electoral rolls in the five-month period between the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the Assembly polls than in the preceding five years.

According to the Congress leader, in the 2024 Assembly election, there were 9.7 crore registered voters, even though the state’s adult population was 9.54 crore.

The general election took place in April and May, followed by the state polls in November. The BJP-led coalition had suffered a setback in the parliamentary polls in Maharashtra, but went on to win the Assembly elections by a landslide just months later. Read more.

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee cut the repo rate by 25 basis points, lowering it to 6.25% from 6.5%. The repo rate is the interest rate at which the central bank lends money to commercial banks.

This was the first rate cut initiated by the central bank in five years. The last rate cut was announced in May 2020, when the Reserve Bank slashed rates by 40 basis points to counter the adverse economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Central banks usually reduce repo rates to stimulate economic growth by making borrowing cheaper for individuals and businesses. This translates to lower equated monthly instalments for borrowers.

Sanjay Malhotra, the governor of the central bank, said that while the Indian economy remains strong and resilient, it has faced pressure, with the rupee impacted by global challenges. Read on.

The Karnataka High Court refused to transfer the investigation into the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority scam allegedly involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the Central Bureau of Investigation. It said the Lokayukta Police’s inquiry did not appear partisan or shoddy.

A Mysuru-based activist had approached the High Court, contending that the case should be transferred to the central agency as Siddaramaiah holds “immense power and influence” over state departments, especially investigating agencies. The petitioner argued the Lokayukta Police’s investigation in the case did not inspire public confidence.

Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Karnataka government, said that if the Lokayukta is said to be tainted as it comes under the state government, the same could be said about the CBI as it is under the control of the Union government. Read on.

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