1. J&K Panchayat Polls Deferred on Home Department Advice, Order Says Fresh Dates Possibly in 2-3 Weeks
The bypolls to panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir scheduled to be held next month has been postponed apprehending trouble and inputs from security agencies, the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar said late on Tuesday, 18 February.
The decision to postpone the by-elections came after the notification was announced for two of the eight phases, which were to begin from 5 March.
“… home department government of Jammu and Kashmir vide its letter dated 18-2-2020 had advised the election authority to consider deferring of the conduct of polls based on credible inputs from the law enforcement agencies,” the notification said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. Pakistan Stays on Terror Funding 'Grey List', Escapes New Sanctions: Sources
Pakistan managed to stay on anti-terror finance watchdog FATF's "Grey List", avoiding the black list by citing action taken against terror orgnisations, sources said today. Islamabad, sources said, was trying to escape any listing altogether, against New Delhi's efforts to push it to the black list. The final decision will be taken on Friday after the week-long plenary session.
Blacklisting by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force could have been a blow for Pakistan's economic reforms programme. A place in the black list – where Iran currently is – incurs severe economic sanctions, the International Monetary Fund had said in an internal report. It would have led to a free on investments and other capital inflows, including funding by the IMF.
(Source: NDTV)
3. In J&K, Police Invoke Stringent UAPA in FIR Against Social Media Use
Police in J&K have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to register a case against people using social media through proxy servers by getting past Internet firewalls.
The FIR was filed a day after a video of the ailing Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani was uploaded on social media by different users.
“Taking serious note of misuse of social media, the Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone, Srinagar has registered a Case FIR against various social media users who defied the Government orders and misused social media platforms,” police said in a statement.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Debbie Abrahams’ Visa Revoked for Her Involvement in Activities ‘Against India’s National Interest’: Govt Sources
British lawmaker Debbie Abrahams’ e-Business visa was revoked as she was involved in anti-India activities and the cancellation was conveyed to her on 14 February, government sources said on Tuesday.
Asserting that the grant, rejection or revocation of a visa or electronic travel authorisation is the sovereign right of a country, the sources said Abrahams was issued an e-Business visa on 7 October last year which was valid till 5 October 2020 for attending business meetings.
“Her e-Business visa was revoked on 14 February 2020 on account of her indulging in activities which went against India’s national interest. The rejection of the e-Business visa was intimated to her on 14 February,” a source said.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Uddhav Thackeray Finds No Problems With NPR, Says It is Like a Census
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday declared that there was no reason for people to fear the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, or CAA and asserted that he hadn’t made up his mind on stopping enrolment for the National Population Register, or NPR. The chief minister told reporters that he would take a call on NPR after going through the columns in the NPR forms issued by the Centre.
Uddhav Thackeray’s stand on the citizenship law comes amid a back-and-forth with Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party over the National Investigation Agency taking over the probe into the Elgar Parishad case. Pawar had been uncomfortable about the state government handing over the probe to the central agency without much resistance and had voiced his concerns.
Thackeray, who is on a tour to Sindhudurg district 500 km from state capital Mumbai, told reporters that the citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens, or NRC, were different issues.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. Jamia Charge Sheet Filed, Sharjeel Imam Being Probed
A charge sheet has been filed against 18 people arrested in two cases related to the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia university and New Friends Colony during protests against the new citizenship law on 15 December, the Delhi police said on Tuesday.
None of the 18 people accused of rioting, violence, attacking security personnel and damaging public as well as private property are students of Jamia Millia Islamia. However, the role of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar Sharjeel Imam as an “instigator” is being probed, the police said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
7. Prashant Kishor's Tough Questions for Nitish Kumar on Bihar and BJP
Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor today redirected his attention to Bihar politics with a brand new outreach and aimed a series of uncomfortable questions at former mentor Nitish Kumar, who expelled him from the Janata Dal United last month after an acrimonious war of words. Announcing a "Baat Bihar Ki" programme to reach out to thousands of the state's younger voters, the ace election-planner ruled out forming any political party or joining one ahead of the Bihar election later this year.
"I have no intention of joining another political party or coalition... my sole focus is that in the next 100 days I will launch this program 'Baat Bihar Ki', involving all those people who believe in the vision of Bihar to be among the top 10 states in India," Prashant Kishor said, pledging to connect with 1,000 people across the state.
(Source: NDTV)
8. Opening of Kartarpur Corridor Proof of Pak’s Desire for Peace: UN Chief
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor is a practical example of Pakistan’s desire for peace and inter-faith harmony, as he visited the revered Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak.
The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Evacuee Trust Property Board officials received the UN Secretary General at Kartarpur and a Sikh boy presented him a bouquet.
Guterres was also briefed about the Kartarpur Corridor pact between Pakistan and India. The corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district.
(Source: PTI)
9. UP Budget: Yogi Govt Gives Infrastructure Boost for Ayodhya, Lays Emphasis on Metro Networks, Airports
Tabling its fourth budget for the upcoming financial year 2020-21, the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh gave infrastructure boost to develop Ayodhya as a tourist attraction besides laying emphasis on developing metro networks, airports, and expressways in the state.
Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, who presented a budget of Rs 5,12,860.72 crore for FY 2020-21, Rs 33,159 crore more than the previous year’s budget, also fixed a target to build four lakh houses for weaker sections by March 2021.
While the budget earmarked Rs 500 crore for Ayodhya Airport, an estimated Rs 92.5 crore has been allocated for airports under the Regional Connectivity Scheme. Among other major allocations for Ayodhya, where the construction of a Ram temple is expected to begin in a couple of months, was Rs 85 crore and another Rs 10 crore for renovation of Tulsi Smarak Bhawan there.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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