A look at the headlines right now:

  1. EC bans roadshows, restricts public meetings to 500 in West Bengal amid rising Covid cases: The poll panel’s announcement came hours after the Calcutta High Court expressed disappointment at the way elections had been conducted so far. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has cancelled all her pre-scheduled rallies and Prime Minister Narendra Modi scrapped his visit to the state on Friday.
  2. No restrictions should be imposed on the movement of oxygen between states, says Centre: Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court directed the central government to ensure that oxygen supplies and its transportation remained undisrupted. Modi asked state governments to “come down heavily” on those who are hoarding oxygen used to treat coronavirus patients as several states faced shortages.
  3. SC asks Centre for ‘national plan’ on dealing with problems of oxygen, drug supply: The court directed that the cases pending before the High Courts be withdrawn as it will create confusion. The Supreme Court Bar Association has moved SC against this order to transfer High Court cases on Covid crisis.
  4. Covid vaccination registration for all adults to open on April 28: Everyone above 18 years of age can get vaccinated from May 1 in the Indian government’s third phase of inoculation.
  5. Sonia Gandhi calls vaccine policy ‘discriminatory’, asks Modi to reverse decision: Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sought free coronavirus vaccination for those over 18 years from the Centre.
  6. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury’s son dies due to Covid; politicians, journalists offer condolences: Ashish Yechury, 35, had been admitted to the Holy Family hospital in Delhi two weeks ago but was later moved to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.
  7. Designate India as a ‘country of particular concern’ for religious freedom violations, says US panel: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has made this recommendation for the second year in a row.
  8. Pfizer will supply Covid vaccine doses only through government channels: This means that the Pfizer vaccine in India will not be available through private hospitals unless the Centre or states sell shots to these medical facilities.
  9. Delhi HC dismisses petitions against CCI inquiry into WhatsApp’s new privacy policy: Facebook and WhatsApp claimed that the Competition Commission of India’s investigation was just a ‘headline-grabbing endeavour’.
  10. Four killed, 12 injured in explosion at hotel in Pakistan’s Quetta: The hotel was hosting the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, but he was not there when the blast happened.