President  Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Justice N V Ramana as the 48th Chief Justice of India, accepting the recommendation made by the outgoing  CJI SA Bobde. Justice Ramana will have a term till August 26th next year.

Before his elevation to the Supreme Court on February 17th, 2014, Justice Ramana was the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. He was born in an agricultural family in Andhra Pradesh.

Prime minister Narendra Modi said, false narratives are being built; be it about farm laws, CAA or labour laws. Addressing  BJP’s 41st foundation day today, Mr Modi said, it is a conspiracy to create political instability.  Prime minister highlighted that sometimes they say citizenship will be snatched, sometimes it’s farmers’ land, but they are all blatant lies.

He called upon BJP workers to go to people and make people aware.  Mr Modi said, BJP not only represents national interest but is also a party of regional aspirations. Saying the party’s mantra has been ‘Vyakti Se Bada Dal Aur Dal Se Bada Desh’, Prime minister reiterated, this tradition continues to this day.

Mr Modi said the party fulfilled Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s vision of one India by scrapping Article 370 and gave Kashmir the constitutional right. He criticised the opposition for their remark that if BJP wins polls, it’s called poll wining machine, but if others win, there is appreciation.  

Mr Modi said, people who say BJP is a poll-winning machine, do not understand India’s Constitution and democracy’s maturity. He said the truth is that BJP is not poll winning machine, but a movement that connects with people.

Delhi government has imposed night curfew in the national capital from 10 PM to 5 AM with immediate effect till 30th April. The decision was taken in the wake of increase in COVID 19 cases. There will be no restrictions on traffic movement during night curfew. People can get vaccinated but need to have an e-pass. Owners of ration, general, fruits, vegetables and medical stores will be allowed on e-pass. Print and electronic media personnel will also be allowed to move on e-pass.

Private doctors, nurses and paramedical staff will remain exempted from night curfew. Passengers going to airports, railway stations and bus stations will be exempted if a valid ticket is produced. Pregnant women and patients going for treatment have also been exempted.

Buses, metros, autos and taxis will be allowed to ferry only those people who are exempt from night curfew. There shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement and transportation of essential and non-essential goods. No separate permission or e-pass will be required for such movements.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has urged the centre to open up vaccination for everyone above 18 years of age. In a letter written to the Prime Minister today, the IMA has also appealed that the government should make vaccination certificate mandatory for entry into public places and large gatherings.

Highlighting the gradual rise in number of new COVID cases, the Association termed it painful that in spite of extraordinary efforts of the Government the new cases in the apparent second wave is turning alarming.

IMA added that since vaccination against COVID stands as a single evidence-based resource to restrict the cases, the drive should be amplified multifold in order to pave way for herd immunity.

The Association said that the government should include private sector family clinics in the vaccination drive to widen it’s ambit and constitute district level vaccine task force in every district to monitor effective vaccination of every beneficiary.

A special campaign for Covid-19 appropriate behaviour will be launched today. It will emphasise on 100 per cent mask usage, personal hygiene and sanitation at public places, workplaces and health facilities. The special campaign will be organised till 14th of this month.

At a high-level meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasized that awareness of the community and its involvement is paramount for sustainable COVID-19 management. In a presentation made during the meeting, it was highlighted that there is an alarming rate of growth of Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country.

AIR correspondent reports that some of the main reasons for the rapid rise in COVID cases can be attributed to the severe decline in compliance of Covid-appropriate behaviour, primarily in terms of use of masks and maintaining ‘2 Gaj ki Doori’.

Therefore, government is launching this special campaign to emphasise the need for covid-appropriate behaviour in the coming days. For sustainable COVID-19 management, awareness and involvement of the community are paramount. There is a need to continue public participation and public movement for COVID-19 management.

The five-fold strategy of Testing, Tracing, Treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and Vaccination would be effective in curbing the spread of the Pandemic.

Polling for the single-phase elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry along with the Lok Sabha by-polls for Kanniyakumari seat in Tamil Nadu and Malappuram seat in Kerala, is progressing smoothly.  Polling is also being held in Assam and West Bengal for the Third Phase of Assembly Elections.

The people were seen standing in long queues in front of the Polling Stations right from the beginning. All the necessary facilities and security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polling during this phase.

The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is being used along with Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at every Polling Station, with a view to enhance the transparency and credibility of the election process. The polling will be conducted till 6.00 P.M.

In Assam,  33.18% polling has been reported till 11 am. Over 79 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the third and final phase of polls. State BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass, senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are among those who voted so far. Voting is on following all Covid 19 protocols. Special arrangement for senior citizens including wheelchairs has been made in polling stations.

Kerala records 28.38 percent voter turnout till 11 am. 30.96 percent male voters, 25.95 percent female voters and 5.53 percent transgender voters cast their ballots till now. Entire state is witnessing heavy turnout in the initial hours of polls.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Cheif Minister Oommen Chandy, BJP State President K. Surendran and Metroman E. Sreedharan are among the prominent leaders cast their votes in the morning itself. All the leaders expressed confidence in winning the elections. Voting is peacefully underway in all the constituencies. Long queues are seen outside the polling stations.

Voting began at 7am in the morning and it will continue till 7 pm in  131 constituencies and  it will end at 6 pm in nine naxal affected constituencies. Over 2.74 crore voters will cast their votes in 40,771 polling booths across the State. 957 candidates are contesting the assembly polls and six in the Loksabha bypoll.

Elections are being conducted in strict adherence to Covid-19 and green protocols. Covid patients and quarantined voters will be permitted in the final hour of polling. Elaborate security arrangements are in place all over the state. Webcasting and CCTV facility is being provided in most of the polling booths to prevent bogus and double voting.

In Tamilnadu, the present status of polling is 9.23 Percentage. polling goes on smoothly in the single-phase assembly elections in all the 234 assembly constituencies. People unmindful of the hot summer have come in large numbers and are participating in the festival of democracy.

Along with the Assembly election, voters of Kanyakumari have to additionally exercise their franchise for the bye poll in the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha constituency.

The political fate of 3998 candidates will be decided today by a total of six crore 28 lakh sixty nine thousand 955 voters spread across  37 districts in the State.

In addition, actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and the newly-forged alliance between TTV Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are also trying to make big inroads into the state politics. AIR correspondent reports that

The massive democratic exercise in the State takes place today amidst rising summer temperatures and increasing Covid cases. The Assembly elections are held amidst Covid 19 regulations in place. face masks have been made mandatory for all the voters.

All polling booths have been equipped with minimum basic facilities to make the voters exercise their franchise without any hassle. Shamianas have been put up to protect voters from the heat, Safe drinking water, special arrangements for persons with disabilities have also been ensured in polling stations.  Poll booths have been given face masks, PPE Kits, hand sanitisers, hand gloves for health safety purposes.

Provision to dispose of used gloves have also been kept in the polling booth. As today is a paid holiday, voters are expected to come in large numbers to exercise their franchise. The election Commission with the message that no one should be left out has also made arrangements to operate over ten thousand buses for the benefit of the voters.

Election Commission has also made an arrangement with UBER to transport the elderly free of cost to cast their vote in Chennai Coimbatore and Tiruchy. Covid positive people can vote from 6 pm to 7 pm today exclusively.. According to political experts, this election expects decisive participation of a larger number of voters as the State faces a multi-cornered contest in many constituencies.

In Puducherry, 324 candidates including 35 women are vying for 30 seats. Over 10.04 lakh voters including 5.31 lakh women and 116 Third Gender persons will decide the fate of these candidates. Total 1,559 Polling Stations have been set up for this purpose. Naam Tamilar Katchi has fielded 28 candidates and DMDK has 26, AMMK-25, MNM-22, DMK-13 Congress-14 while NR Congress has given tickets to 16, BSP-11 and BJP has put up nine candidates in the fray.

In West Bengal, 14.62% polling has been recorded in the first two hours. Barring a few stray incidents, polling is going on peacefully in 31 assembly constituencies across three districts, Hooghly, Howrah and South 24 Parganas. Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling. 618 companies of central forces have been deployed along with more than 11 thousand state police for the three districts.

In South 24 Parganas, booth number 102 of Satgachia assembly seat has been made as a model from where webcasting will be done for international audiences.

In Uluberia Uttar constituency, a sector officer has been suspended by the ECI as he allegedly took four EVMs outside. Deputy Election Commissioner Sudip Jain has asked for a report regarding the incident.  

Kerala records 37.23 percent voter turnout till noon.  39.75 percent male voters,  34.86 percent female voters and  8.99 percent transgender voters cast their ballots till now. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and BJP State President K. Surendran are among the prominent leaders cast their vote, earlier this day.

All the leaders expressed confidence of their fronts winning the elections. Voting is peacefully underway in all the constituencies. Long queues were seen outside the polling stations and a heavy turnout is expected in the state. Covid protocol has been strictly adhered across the state. Covid patients and quarantined voters will be permitted in the final hour of polling

Voting began at 7am in the morning and it will continue till 7 pm in  131 constituencies and it will end at 6 pm in nine Naxal affected constituencies. Over 2.74 crore voters will cast their votes in 40,771 polling booths across the State. 957 candidates are contesting the assembly polls and six in the Loksabha bypoll.