The big news: EC clears Narendra Modi in one complaint of poll code breach, and 9 other top stories
Other headlines: Rahul Gandhi agreed to apologise to SC for ‘chowkidar’ remark, and sacked BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav got a notice from the poll body.
A look at the headlines right now:
- EC says Narendra Modi didn’t violate poll code by criticising Rahul Gandhi’s nomination from Wayanad: On April 1, the prime minister had claimed that the Congress was scared of fielding its president from constituencies where Hindus are in majority.
- SC gives Rahul Gandhi time till May 6 to file fresh affidavit on ‘chowkidar chor hai’ remark: The Congress president’s lawyer apologised for Gandhi’s remarks on the Rafale deal case, but the court said this was not mentioned in the present affidavit.
- Poll panel issues notice to sacked BSF jawan contesting on Samajwadi Party ticket in Varanasi: However, Tej Bahadur Yadav claimed that the Election Commission was working under the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- EC bans Azam Khan from campaigning for second time in April: The poll panel said the Samajwadi Party leader had made provocative remarks about poll authorities in Uttar Pradesh and sought votes along religious lines.
- Deadlock over blacklisting Masood Azhar will be ‘properly resolved’, says China: Beijing, which has has repeatedly blocked attempts by the UNSC to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, said it has made positive progress on the matter.
- Accused in Shimla rape case will face strict action, says Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur: An eight-member special investigation team has been constituted to investigate the matter.
- Supreme Court asks Centre to file counter affidavit against review petitions in Rafale case by May 6: The court also asked the government to file its response to the petitioners by May 4.
- MHA issues notice to Rahul Gandhi on complaint about citizenship, Congress calls it ‘fake narrative’: BJP MP Subramanian Swamy had raised a complaint with the ministry, citing the documents of a company that mentioned Gandhi’s nationality as British.
- ‘Burning files won’t save you,’ Rahul Gandhi tells PM Modi after fire at Shastri Bhawan in Delhi: The building houses the ministries of law, information and broadcasting, corporate affairs, chemicals and petrochemicals, and human resource development.
- Businessman Ness Wadia held on drug charge in Japan, gets suspended sentence, reports Financial Times: Officials found about 25 grams of cannabis resin in a pocket of his trousers, the paper reported.