Month: April 2026

India has officially expressed its support for the recently implemented ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stating that it supports all efforts aimed at regional stability.

During a media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the recent diplomatic breakthrough, remarking that “India welcomes every step towards peace.”

The comments follow the commencement of a 10-day truce between Lebanon and Israel, which went into effect on Thursday. The cessation of hostilities comes as US President Donald Trump indicated he is attempting to facilitate an unprecedented inaugural meeting between the leadership of the two nations.

This development is seen as part of a broader diplomatic push by Washington to conclude the ongoing conflict with Tehran. Iran has maintained a firm position throughout negotiations, with the leadership in Tehran insisting that a Lebanon truce must be part of any agreement.

When questioned about Pakistan’s involvement in the peace process between Iran and the US, Jaiswal noted that New Delhi is keeping a watchful eye on the situation. He stated, “We are closely following all developments in the West Asia war.”

The current hostilities in West Asia were ignited following a military offensive by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.

The conflict subsequently widened when Lebanon was pulled in after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel on March 2.

In tandem with India’s observation, US President Donald Trump expressed hope that Hezbollah would act responsibly during this window. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be a GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!”

The President described the situation as a potential breakthrough, suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun could meet at the White House for the first time in 44 years.

While the US President remained optimistic about an agreement to “take care of Hezbollah,” the situation on the ground remains complex. Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified that Israeli forces would not be withdrawing immediately.

“We will remain in a 10-kilometre security zone, which will allow us to prevent infiltration into communities and anti-tank missile fire,” Netanyahu said, asserting that Israel’s objectives remain the “disarmament of Hezbollah” and a “sustainable peace agreement — from a position of strength.”

Despite the official truce, the transition to peace has been volatile. Reports from Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) suggested that Israeli artillery struck towns such as Khiam and Dibbine shortly after the ceasefire took effect.

While the Israeli military remains on high alert, celebrations were reportedly seen in parts of Beirut, with fireworks marking the start of the 10-day period that Washington hopes will lead to a permanent resolution. (ANI)

Congress MPs on Friday accused the Centre of misleading the House on the Women’s Reservation Bill and opposed its linkage with the proposed Delimitation Bill, demanding an all-party meeting before voting.

Congress MP Mallu Ravi alleged the Prime Minister was making “misleading statements” on the floor of the House and added that the party had sought an all-party meeting ahead of the vote.

“Prime minister is giving misleading statements on the floor of the house. He knows that the Congress party is very serious about passing the bill… They have linked it with the delimitation. That is why we are opposing the bill… We made a request to call for all party meetings before the voting. But they are not calling it… They are saying that if anybody opposes it, they will have to pay a penalty, and they will lose their seats…”,” he told ANI.

Ravi also targeted BJP MP Tejasvi Surya over his remarks during a discussion on delimitation in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

“Tejasvi Surya, an MP from Karnataka, made very derogatory statements against Telangana… He said that the separation of Telangana and Andhra is like India and Pakistan… Yesterday, in the house, Kishan Reddy supported his statement. We are going to hold a protest against these two people and demand their apology openly,” Ravi added.

Earlier, addressing the Lower House of Parliament, Surya had said, “Why are Opposition parties and some regional parties of the South, led by the DMK, making so much noise? The tears they are shedding are crocodile tears. I thank heaven that in 2026, when the country undertakes delimitation, the BJP-led Centre will carry it out. The Congress government divided Andhra Pradesh into two parts, and they did worse than the British in partitioning the country.”

His remarks sparked widespread criticism from Telangana leaders.

Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh questioned the government’s intent on the Women’s Reservation Bill. “The government doesn’t want to pass the bill. If it wanted to pass the bill, it would have called an all-party meeting. It would have talked to the opposition parties, sought the Congress party’s opinion, and then passed the bill,” he told ANI.

Citing Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, Singh added, “Yesterday, Priyanka Gandhi said if you want, you can take all the credit, but what’s the problem in providing 33% reservation out of 543?”

Additionally, Congress MP Imran Masood called for a caste census before moving ahead. “I don’t understand what the hurry is that you don’t want to wait for the census. Let the caste census happen, and talk about giving rights to those who should get the rights,” Masood told ANI.

He said the proposed increase in seats required a detailed discussion. “This isn’t some program; it’s a very big issue, and it needs detailed discussion. If seats need to be increased, there should be a detailed discussion,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier sought to allay apprehension of opposition parties over the delimitation of constituencies and the “proportionate increase” in the strength of the Lok Sabha to implement the Women’s Reservation Act from the 2029 polls.

Lok Sabha is continuing its discussion and vote on the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them to 850.

Earlier on Thursday, the Lok Sabha held a marathon 12-hour session to discuss the amendments to the women’s reservation bill, which removes the need to implement the bill only after the census is conducted. (ANI)

The INDIA bloc MPs are scheduled to hold a meeting at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber in Parliament at 10 am on Friday to chalk out the strategy for the Floor of the House.

This comes as Lok Sabha today is set to continue discussion and vote on the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them up to 850.

Earlier on Thursday, the Lok Sabha held a marathon 12-hour session to discuss the amendments to the women’s reservation bill, which removes the need to implement the bill only after the census is conducted.

As per the final division, there were a total of 251 AYES and 185 NOES out of the total 333 votes. With the 251 AYES majority, all three Bills, including the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, were introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Multiple leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussed the bill. Multiple Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress leader KC Venugopal, also participated in the discussion.

The Opposition MPs raised concern over the constitutional amendment, to conduct the delimitation and increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to 850, based on the 2011 census. The opposition alleged that the proposed legislation would shrink the representation of southern states in the House.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged the Centre to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, reserving one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha, on the basis of the current 543 seats. KC Venugopal referred to the Bills as a move to “sabotage democracy.”

However, Union Minister Amit Shah assured that the representation of the southern states would not be affected by delimitation.

Presenting numbers, Shah noted, “If we listen to the entire narrative created for the South, then out of the 543 seats created by you, 129 MPs currently sit in this House, which is approximately 23.76 per cent. In the new House, 195 MPs will be sitting here, and their power will be 23.97 per cent.”

Shah said Karnataka has 28 seats, and 5.15 per cent of the 543 seats in the House, and after the passage of the bill, the number of Karnataka MPs will increase from 28 to 42, and the percentage in the Lok Sabha will increase to 5.44.

“Karnataka will not suffer any loss at all. Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, which is 4.60 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will increase from 25 to 38, which will be 4.65 per cent,” he said.

“Tamil Nadu has 39 seats, which is 7.18 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 59, and their percentage in the new House of 816 will be 7.23 per cent. Tamil Nadu will also suffer no loss. Keralam has 20 seats, which is 3.68 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 30, and their percentage in the new House will be 3.67 per cent,” he added. (ANI)

The Middle East could take upto two years to restore lost energy production following the war with Iran, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), as reported by Switzerland’s Neue Zuercher Zeitung newspaper.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol told the Swiss newspaper that recovery timelines would vary across the region depending on national production capacities and infrastructure resilience.

“In Iraq, for example, it will take much longer than in Saudi Arabia,” Birol said, highlighting the uneven pace of recovery among major oil-producing states.

He added that, according to IEA estimates, it would take “approximately two years overall” for production in the Middle-East to return to pre-war levels.

Emphasising the global economy, he said, “I have said time and again that the global economy can be held hostage by a few hundred armed men,” according to the newspaper.

According to the newspaper, Birol anticipated further flight cancellations, disrupted supply chains, and renewed momentum for the comeback of nuclear energy.

Established in 1974, the International Energy Agency is an international energy forum comprised of 29 industrialised countries under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, to discuss the Iran ceasefire and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera, citing US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

The two sides discussed the urgent need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring that commercial vessels can transit safely and that global energy supplies continue to flow without disruption.

The ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran is currently set to expire on April 22.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said it remains unclear whether the ceasefire with Iran will be extended, even as he expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations and indicated that the next round of talks could take place over the weekend.

Responding to a question on extending the ceasefire, President Trump said, “We’re doing very well. I can tell you, maybe it’ll happen before that. I’m not sure it needs to be extended. Just so you know, Iran wants to make a deal, and we’re dealing very nicely with them. We’ve got to have no nuclear weapons. If we do, that’s a big factor, and they’re willing to do things today that they weren’t willing to do two months ago.”

He added that the US is currently focused on concluding a deal with Iran, suggesting that progress in talks could make an extension unnecessary.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that US forces are actively enforcing a large-scale maritime blockade targeting Iran’s ports and coastline, involving more than 10,000 personnel, over a dozen naval vessels, and upwards of 100 aircraft.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are set to host a virtual meeting of world leaders to discuss efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and secure vital shipping routes, CNN reported.

Leaders from around 40 countries are expected to participate in the summit, focusing on supporting the fragile ceasefire involving Iran and ensuring safe passage through the key maritime corridor, as reported by CNN. (ANI)

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and DMK candidate for the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency, Udhayanidhi Stalin, slammed the NDA over the delimitation process to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha.

Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier assured no discrimination against southern states, saying that Tamil Nadu’s representation in the Lok Sabha will increase from 39 to 59. However, Udhayanidhi Stalin claimed that Tamil Nadu’s share will be fixed at 47 seats in the Lower House of Parliament.

During an election rally in Tiruppur, the DMK leader termed the 2026 Tamil Nadu polls a fight between Tamil Nadu and Delhi.

He said, “The fight is between Tamil Nadu and Delhi. They don’t release the funds that we ask for, and are betraying us. We may have seen a fanatical devotee, but have you ever seen a blind loyalist? They say it should be 59 through delimitation, but it has been fixed at only 47.”

Polling for Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu will take place on April 23, with counting of votes on May 4.

Meanwhile, calling the current form of the Delimitation Bill, 2026 a “grand conspiracy” to diminish the representation and power of Southern states, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday called for its withdrawal, saying that the current form of the bill is “nothing short of a complete deception.”

Rejecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurances that representation of specific states will not be impacted, CM Stalin alleged that the text of the bill allows for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to redraw constituencies in whatever manner they choose through the newly introduced delimitation commission.

Earlier on Thursday, Union Minister Amit Shah assured that the representation of the southern states would not be affected by delimitation.

Presenting numbers, Shah noted, “If we listen to the entire narrative created for the South, then out of the 543 seats created by you, 129 MPs currently sit in this House, which is approximately 23.76 per cent. In the new House, 195 MPs will be sitting here, and their power will be 23.97 per cent.”

Shah said Karnataka has 28 seats, and 5.15 per cent of the 543 seats in the House, and after the passage of the bill, the number of Karnataka MPs will increase from 28 to 42, and the percentage in the Lok Sabha will increase to 5.44.

“Karnataka will not suffer any loss at all. Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, which is 4.60 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will increase from 25 to 38, which will be 4.65 per cent,” he said.

“Tamil Nadu has 39 seats, which is 7.18 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 59, and their percentage in the new House of 816 will be 7.23 per cent. Tamil Nadu will also suffer no loss. Keralam has 20 seats, which is 3.68 per cent. After the passage of the bill, the number of MPs will be 30, and their percentage in the new House will be 3.67 per cent,” he added.

Lok Sabha is conditioning discussion on the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies, along with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending it to Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, and the Delimitation Bill, which is set to increase and redraw Lok Sabha constituencies, increasing them up to 850. (ANI)

Actor Raveena Tandon on Wednesday attended the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan’ organised by Nari Shakti Vichar Manch in Mumbai.

Presided by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the actor joined Global Teacher Prize Winner Rouble Nagi, singer Vaishali Samant, actor Prajaktta Mali, and fashion designer Archana Kochhar, among others.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Raveena shared glimpses from the event.

“Thank you @devendra_fadnavis ji @ameet.satam ji for the honour #naarishaktivandanadhiniyam. Wishing success to the easy passage to inclusivity, contribution and empowerment of women towards the enrichment of our nations politics. Jai Maharashtra, Jai Hind, Jai Bharat. Vande Mataram,” she wrote.

The actor also included pictures of family dinner.

“Moments like these that one treasures forever. dinner with the family, three moms and 6 kids! All ours.”

Meanwhile, CM Fadnavis, at the event, noted how women from various sectors of society have come forward in large numbers to support the early implementation of ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’. This Act will transform the social, economic, and political future for the next hundred years. (ANI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday used “magician” jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during debate in Lok Sabha on bills to implement women’s quota from 2029 general elections, with his remarks drawing strong objections from the treasury benches and disapproval from Speaker Om Birla, who said there is need to stick to parliamentary decorum.

In his remarks, Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, slammed the government over the Delimitation Bill and termed the government’s move concerning three bills an “anti-national act”.

“The magician of Balakot, demonetization, Sindoor has been suddenly caught…everybody knows there is a partnership between the magician and the businessman,” he said, drawing strong protests from the treasury benches.

Rahul Gandhi started narrating an anecdote about a magician before using it to target the Prime Minister.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the word cannot be used against any minister. He also objected to his remarks relating to Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strike.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also condemned Rahul Gandhi’s remarks and said it is an insult to the people of the country.

Amid interruptions, Gandhi continued his attack on the BJP. “There is a central confusion in the minds of the people of the BJP. You aren’t the people of India or the armed forces. Stop hiding like cowards behind the armed forces and the people of India,” he said.

“What you (BJP) are doing, because you are scared of what is happening in the politics of the country, you are scared of the erosion of your strength, and you are trying to rejig the Indian political map. You did it in Assam, J&K, and now imagining you can do it in India. You need a constitutional amendment to do that,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi referred to Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks yesterday that the government will conduct a caste census.

“Manuvad over Samvidhaan…Amit Shah ji says that the caste census has begun. He repeated twice, trying to be clever, saying that houses don’t have caste. The point is whether or not the caste census is going to be used in representation in Parliament & State Assemblies. And now, what you are trying to do is that caste census has nothing to do with representation for the next 15 years,” the Congress leader said.

“It is a historical fact that how Indian society treated Dalits and OBCs and their women…What is being attempted here is a bypass of the caste census. Here, they are trying to avoid giving power and representation to my OBC brothers and sisters and taking power from them,” he added.

The Congress leader began his speech with an anecdote about how his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, taught him to fight fear.

Rahul Gandhi said he feared darkness as a child and his grandmother briefly took him to their garden at night and later addressed his fear.

“My grandma told me that I want you to be able to see in the dark like the central idea of Shiva. I asked why? Because real strength hides in the dark,” he said.

The Congress leader slammed the government over the Delimitation Bill, which is among the legislations to implement women’s reservation from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, and said it has “nothing to do with the empowerment of women” and is an “attempt to change the electoral map of India.”

“The first truth is that this is not a women’s bill. This has nothing to do with the empowerment of women. This is an attempt to change the electoral map of India. Actually, it is a shameful act,” he said.

“What is being attempted here is a bypass of the caste census. What they are trying to do is they are trying to avoid giving power, giving representation to my OBC brothers and sisters, and take away from them…the point is not that, but the point is that whether the caste census is going to be used for representation in Parliament, Vidhan Sabha. What you are trying to do is to make sure that the caste census has nothing to do with representation. So that you can kick the ball down by 10 years,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi said the opposition will not allow the three bills to be passed and said the government should implement the Nari Shakti Act without delay.

“Giving the women’s reservation, which is easy to do, and every Opposition member will pass it…bring that old bill back right now, we will help you pass it with implementation this second. That is the women’s bill, this is something else. The truth needs to be told about what this is,” he said.

He accused the BJP-led Central government of trying to “rejig the entire political map of India” in an attempt to remain in power.

“Second thing being done, equally bad and dangerous is that because you are scared of what is happening in the politics of this country, you are scared of the erosion of your strength. You are scared of the erosion of your strength. You are trying to rejig the Indian political map. You have done it in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and you are trying to imagine you can do it for the rest of India,” Gandhi said.

Lok Sabha on Friday resumed discussion on the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026.

The discussion began yesterday afternoon and continued late in night till 1.25 am. (ANI)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday received a telephonic call from French President Emmanuel Macron.

The two leaders discussed the situation in West Asia and agreed on the need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

PM Modi underlined that Delhi and Paris would continue to advance their close cooperation for stability in the region and beyond.

He said on X, “Received a phone call from my dear friend President Emmanuel Macron. We discussed the situation in West Asia and agreed on the need to urgently restore safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. We will continue our close cooperation to advance peace and stability in the region and beyond.”

India continues to maintain high-level interactions with leaders across the world as the security situation continues to evolve in West Asia and the Gulf region.

Previously, PM Modi had spoken to the French President earlier in March on the situation in West Asia and said that they would continue to closely coordinate to advance peace and stability in and beyond the region.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a call from US President Trump during which the two leaders discussed the security situation in West Asia and stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure.

Today, here in the national capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker underscored the importance of ensuring safe and unimpeded maritime passage in West Asia.

“The two sides also discussed recent developments of concern in the West Asia region; they underscored the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving issues in a peaceful manner, including the safe and unimpeded passage of maritime shipping,” MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George said during a press briefing.

The call by the French President comes amid the backdrop of France and the United Kingdom being set to host a joint conference aimed at bringing together over 40 countries to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that the video conference will take place in Paris on Friday, later this week, which would see peaceful players come together and contribute towards a ‘multilateral and defensive mission’, aimed at restoring the freedom of navigation in the world’s critical energy chokepoint. (ANI)

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that wherever claims of excluded voters are allowed by the Appellate Tribunals before the polling dates between April 23 and 29, their names are incorporated in a supplementary revised electoral rolls to entitle them to exercise their right to vote.

The decision, originally pronounced during the April 13 hearing in the West Bengal SIR case, has been formally affirmed today through a detailed order uploaded on the Court’s official website. In its order, the bench led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant also clarified that merely having an appeal pending before the Appellate Tribunal would not entitle an excluded person to vote.

“Therefore, invoke our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India and direct the ECI that, wherever the Appellate Tribunals can decide the appeals by April 21, 2026, or April 27, as the case may be, such appellate orders shall be given effect to by issuing a supplementary revised electoral roll, and all necessary consequences with respect to the right to vote shall follow. However, it goes without saying that the mere pendency of appeals preferred by excluded persons before the Appellate Tribunals shall not entitle them to exercise their right to vote”, the Court noted in its order.

The Court has listed the matter for the next hearing on April 24.

On April 13, as had been reported by ANI on X, the Court had verbally remarked that the people whose names have been excluded from the voter list and whose appeals are pending to be adjudicated before the Appellate Tribunals would be allowed to vote if their names are included after final adjudication.

The Court’s remarks had come after it was informed by the counsels appearing for the petitioner, the West Bengal government, that the names of 34 lakh people had been excluded from the voter list.

“The Judicial Officers have completed the adjudication by April 9 — even if they had exceeded by 1-2 days, I have permitted them (to adjudicate further claims). There are 153 constituencies — there was some spillover of 7-8 constituencies — those names that were left out would be added to the list for the April 23 elections. Don’t worry — if their names are there, they will be voting,” Justice Joymalya Bagchi had said during the hearing on April 13.

The Court had also, in its April 13 hearing, directed the West Bengal government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to continue and strengthen security for judicial officers (JOs) working on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The Court had said that the concern regarding the safety of JOs deputed in SIR must reach a logical conclusion and should not remain a routine administrative task.

The Court had also said that it will examine issues flagged in the NIA’s interim report and noted that it wants to take the matter to its logical conclusion.

“We direct the ECl and State Government to ensure that the security already provided to judicial officers is not withdrawn. Security cover shall not be withdrawn without assessing further threat perception. Deployment of forces in terms of order passed on April 2 will consequently continue till further orders”, the Court had observed.

As regards the pendency of claims in the SIR, the Court had relied on inputs from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court and had noted that deputed judicial officers had completed verification of about 60,00,000+ claims, with only 1,822 (around 0.03%) objections left pending.

The Court had also noted that a system is already in place, including 19 appellate tribunals monitored by a 3-judge committee and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued on April 7, 2026, followed by inspection on April 10, 2026.

It has also appreciated the work done by judicial officers and said it has no reason to doubt that the remaining work will be completed soon. (ANI)