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Concerns expressed during the final three days hearing on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Electoral Bond Scheme case were too serious to be resolved immediately, and hence the Bench hearing the case decided not to announce the verdict instantly at the conclusion of hearing on November 2, but reserved it. In course of hearing the issue of political funding in India was found to be more complex that it was previously presumed.

Nikhil Chakravartty, a pioneering figure in Indian journalism for more than four decades of the last century, is being deeply missed by sections of the media fighting hard to protect the hard-won freedom of the press against the onslaughts of the Narendra Modi government. In the second half of the twentieth century, NC, as Nikhilda was known, was the father figure of the movement for press freedom launched by various Indian journalist organisations. Whether it was Bihar Press Bill or the restrictions during the Emergency era from 1975 to 1977, or in the case of the Defamation Bill during Rajiv Gandhi era in 1989, NC always led from the front, along with other luminaries like Kuldeep Nayar, H K Dua, S Nihal Singh. Right now, at the end of 2023, the independent media is under severe attack once again, as evidenced in the case of NewsClick, many of us are sorely missing NC's stalwart leadership of those trying days.

BHOPAL: In Madhya Pradesh both Congress and BJP have found themselves in embarrassing position. For the Congress embarrassing position was caused when reports started appearing in media about the serious difference between Kamal Nath, chief of the state Congress and Digvijaya Singh who is regarded as the most important decision maker in the state Congress. Reports indicated that both were not on talking terms. The report took such a serious turn that Congress national president summoned both Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh to Delhi to verify the correct position and if so they should resolve their differences.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, by seeking to make communal capital out of the bomb blasts at a Christian group gathering in Kalamassery in Kerala, has exposed the vicious nature of the campaign the BJP-RSS circles are conducting regarding Israel’s war on Gaza.

It was the largest mass involvement in the world that was engaged in Freedom struggle in our country, except the rightist forces. They had no share in it. Nor did they have any share in strengthening the secular democracy borne out of the freedom struggle or in the national reconstruction. And yet, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in his speech on October 24, once again evaded all the vital questions that his organisation faces – Why did RSS always keep away from the national movement? What role did it play in the Partition of India and in the communal violence that ensued? And why did it play a divisive politics all through its existence?

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is in a fix has put the Enforcement Directorate in a fix. Issued summons to present himself for questioning, Kejriwal has told the ED to take a walk, stating that he has to campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party of which he’s convener. With five assembly elections and the 2024 general elections thereafter, Kejriwal’s campaign plate is full. The AAP and the INDI-Alliance cannot be crippled with ED raids, ED questioning and ED arrests of top opposition leaders.

Election campaigns in India are no longer free and fair. There is no level playing field for the opposition parties against the ruling BJP. Dominant share of funds is collected by the BJP under electoral bond scheme chiefly on account of its being privileged ruling political party. Opposition just can’t match the BJP in election campaigns due to scarcity of funds. Numerous hurdles are being put before opposition leaders through a strategy for raiding, summoning, and arresting them so that they may not effectively campaigns against PM Narendra Modi.

LUCKNOW: INDIA partners Samajwadi Party and Congress are claiming good number seats from Uttar Pradesh for 2024 Lok Sabha polls to strike hard bargain. UPCC president Ajai Rai surprised his party leaders as well as other partners of INDIA including Samajwadi, RLD and left parties when he announced that the Party will contest all the 80 seats.

Senior Congress leader and the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath’s home office in Bhopal’s Shymala Hills is abuzz with a stream of visitors. The bell inside rings constantly, informing his office staff he is ready to meet the next batch of people. The former Chief Minister is meeting everybody, from constituents to youth-wing members to ticket seekers to party functionaries and also supporters of disappointed ticket aspirants. What is drawing people to this posh enclave is the whiff of a possible victory and that he is the Congress’s undisputed chief ministerial face in the assembly elections. Visitors have to leave their phones in a tray in the waiting room. He clearly feels he can do without unnecessary controversies in the crucial election.

The World Gold Council is reporting that India’s economic strength is yielding wealth-driven buying of gold. This is such a distinct trend that it is expected to contribute to the precious metal’s long-term performance. In China, the other major gold market, economic and geopolitical uncertainty is spurring safe haven demand for gold. The council believes there is no contradiction between the two trends.