The big news: Pakistan seeks more evidence from India on Pulwama attack, and nine other top stories
Other headlines: EC to decide if Modi’s Mission Shakti announcement broke code of conduct, and the EC said electoral bonds will affect transparency in funding.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Pakistan shares initial Pulwama attack findings with India, seeks more evidence: Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria to request more information on the attack.
- Election Commission says it has appointed panel to examine if PM Modi’s announcement of anti-satellite missile launch violated Model Code of Conduct: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called Modi’s announcement of Mission Shakti a violation of the code but Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Opposition’s criticism was ‘clerical objections’.
- Electoral bonds will have repercussions on transparency of political funding, EC tells Supreme Court: The poll body also said that the amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010, will lead to ‘unchecked foreign funding’ of parties.
- Mayawati endorses BJP’s claim that Congress’ minimum income guarantee scheme is a ‘bluff’: However, the Bahujan Samaj Party chief added that the BJP and Congress are ‘birds of the same feather’ in ‘betraying the poor, labourers, farmers and others’.
- Priyanka Gandhi says she will contest polls if Congress asks her: Gandhi, who was campaigning in Amethi, said she wished to work for the party’s organisation.
- China urges peace in outer space after India shoots down live satellite, Pakistan invokes Don Quixote in its response: Pakistan, without naming India, said every country has the responsibility to avoid militarisation of space.
- Goa CM Pramod Sawant says he sacked his deputy because he put his interest above the coalition: The new chief minister refuted claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party had tried to created a rift in the coalition partner Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
- CBI denies tapping phones of its former special director and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval:The agency was responding to a petition in the Delhi High Court that sought an investigation into the alleged illegal phone tapping.
- Former DRDO chief claims India could have shown capability earlier, blames UPA: Current Defence Research and Development Organisation Chairperson G Satheesh Reddy said the project was sanctioned two years ago.
- Nawaz Sharif walks out of jail after Pakistan court grants him bail for six weeks on medical grounds: The court asked the former prime minister to surrender voluntarily, failing which he will be arrested.