The Union government invoked the Essential Commodities Act, directing refineries to regulate the production, supply and distribution of natural gas following disruptions due to the West Asia conflict. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that the conflict has constrained shipments of liquefied natural gas through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

In view of this, the ministry stated that the supply of natural gas to several sectors will be treated as a priority allocation. The sectors include piped natural gas for domestic use, compressed natural gas for transport, liquefied petroleum gas production and pipeline compressor fuel. Read on.

Vaishnavi Rathore explains why the US-Iran conflict will hurt India more than China.

The Congress moved a motion seeking to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from office. The Opposition has accused Birla of being partisan and contended that his actions “constitute a serious danger to the proper functioning” of the House.

The Congress alleged that Birla had prevented Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from speaking in the House, made “unwarranted allegations” against women MPs and suspended Opposition legislators for an entire session for raising matters of public concern.

Birla “openly espouses the version of the ruling party on all controversial matters”, the Opposition alleged. Birla has recused himself from the proceedings of the House until the motion is considered. Read on.

Two persons were killed in suspected police firing in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district amid tensions surrounding the nomination process of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council election. The incident took place after a clash broke out between tribal and non-tribal groups.

Both of those killed were non-tribal residents, the deputy commissioner told Scroll. A curfew has been imposed in the district, mobile internet suspended and the Army deployed.

Ethnic faultline widened after the council issued a notification barring non-tribal persons from contesting the polls scheduled to take place on April 10. Leaders of non-tribal groups have described the order as an unconstitutional decision to deprive them of their rights.

Protests erupted on Monday, when the nomination process began, against non-tribal persons being allowed to contest the polls. Read on.

The Supreme Court reiterated its support for the Uniform Civil Code while hearing a petition challenging provisions of the Muslim personal law that allegedly discriminate against women. The bench verbally observed that declaring personal laws void would create a legislative vacuum and that “it is best to defer it to legislative wisdom so that the legislature brings about a law on Uniform Civil Code”.

“This court has already recommended Uniform Civil Code,” it added.

The plea challenges the 1937 Muslim Personal Law Shariat Application Act, alleging that its provisions discriminate against women on matters such as succession. Read on.

United States President Donald Trump said that the US will hit Iran “twenty times harder” if Tehran stops the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said that the action he was promising was a “gift” from the US to China “and all of those nations that heavily use” the strategic waterway. “Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated,” he said.

This came after several Asian countries introduced measures such as rationing fuel, shutting educational institutes and reducing the number of work days per week to save fuel and energy amid supply disruption and rising global oil prices. Read on.

Nachiket Deuskar explains how the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz directly hurts India’s energy security.

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