New Delhi, India – Amid protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Election Commission of India on Thursday announced the special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union Territories, including poll-bound Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. The SSR seeks to enrol new voters and update electoral rolls.
In a related development, with thousands of names deleted from electoral rolls during phases 2 and 3 of the SIR using auto-generated Form 7s digitally signed by Electoral Registration Officers, it has now emerged that this exercise is being carried out by state poll authorities without the Election Commission of India issuing any written protocol or Standard Operating Procedure. In another significant story, latest data shows that more than two-thirds of India’s oil imports came from just three countries—Russia, the U.S., and the UAE—marking a record high share and a sign of increasing concentration of supplies.
In the U.S., at least five people are believed to be dead following a shooting at an elementary school on Thursday in the city of Bend, Oregon, according to two law enforcement officials. Meanwhile, ahead of the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ demonstration called by youth organisations on Friday, the New Delhi Municipal Council announced that Central Park in Connaught Place will remain closed to the public on Friday and Saturday, citing “administrative reasons.” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke asked, “Why is PM Modi shutting down Delhi to protect one man?”
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, urging her to ask the Centre to reconsider Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor until the ongoing CBI probe into the alleged ‘VIP’ angle in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case is completed. Separately, a protester who travelled from Kerala to Delhi may need ear surgery after alleged assault in detention, according to medical reports. Fidal Royas returned home 11 days later to seek treatment for severe ear injuries after having been hit, kicked, and slapped while detained by Delhi Police on October 11.
Must Read: Anti-CEC Protest Highlights: Delhi Police May Allow Small ‘Tiranga’ Gathering as Central Park Shuts
The Unemployment Rate in the country stood at 5% in September, stable compared to August, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office. The rural UR remained broadly stable at 4.2%, while urban UR marginally rose from 6.8% in August to 6.9%. In Madhya Pradesh, amid rift buzz, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Chief Minister Mohan Yadav with a delegation of tribals on the demolition drive, days after he criticised the state government over the demolition of houses of 12 tribal families. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India at the upcoming SCO Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate virtually.
