The Hindu Morning Digest: July 7, 2025
The majority of the world's population is not properly represented in key global institutions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday (July 6, 2025), addressing fellow leaders of emerging nations at the BRICS summit in Rio De Janeiro. The BRICS Leaders' Declaration, adopted at the summit in the Brazilian city on Sunday (July 6, 2025), reflected India's key concerns, especially on cross-border terrorism and global governance reforms.
IND vs ENG: Akash Deep's career-best helps India break Edgbaston jinx
Memory and history are tricksters, it is said. The recent imagery from Headingley, Leeds of Jasprit Bumrah taking the lone five-wicket haul and his past record of bailing the Indian team out single-handedly on multiple occasions may have led many a supporter to believe that there was no world without the maverick pacer.
RJD MP Manoj Jha joins force in Supreme Court to challenge special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar
Petitions challenging the decision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar are mounting with RJD MP Manoj Jha moving the Supreme Court. He agreed with Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who has separately challenged the SIR in the apex court, that the SIR process would disenfranchise crores of voters. Mr. Jha said the decision was taken by the poll body without consultation with political parties and would be employed to 'justify aggressive and opaque revisions of electoral rolls that disproportionately target Muslim, Dalit and poor migrant communities'.
Chief Election Commissioner defends SIR in Bihar, ECI says no change in instructions
Defending the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls under way in Bihar, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday (July 7, 2025) said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had held extensive consultations with all political parties and 'no one was satisfied with the current status of electoral rolls for one reason or other'. The ECI too clarified that the SIR was being conducted as per its June 24 order announcing the exercise and there was 'no change in the instructions'.
Environment impact study for Great Nicobar project downplays earthquake risk
The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study carried out for the ₹72,000-crore Great Nicobar Infrastructure Project (GNIP) downplays the risk of future earthquakes that could trigger tsunamis on the scale that was seen in 2004, despite several scientists suggesting that few on-ground scientific assessments have been done in the region.
Justice Chandrachud clarifies extended stay at official residence not indefinite
Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who served as the 50th Chief Justice of India, clarified on Sunday that he has no intention to 'stay endlessly' at 5, Krishna Menon Marg, the designated residence of the Chief Justice of India.
No country with 28% poverty can claim to be 'fourth most equal in the world': Congress
No country that has a poverty rate of 28.1%, as India did in 2022 according to the World Bank, can make a 'justifiable' claim to being one of the most equal societies in the world, the Congress said in a statement on Sunday (July 6, 2025). It urged the government to update the official poverty measure to better reflect the country's economic reality.
Reuters' X account unblocked in India after govt. intervention
International news agency Reuters' X account was withheld in India for a few hours but restored later on Sunday (July 6, 2025) after the government intervened to say it had not sought the blocking of the handle. Reuters' X account was blocked from being accessed in India overnight, leading to speculations.
U.S. tariffs to kick in on August 1 barring trade deals: Treasury Secretary
U.S. tariffs will kick in on August 1 if trading partners from Taiwan to the European Union do not strike deals with Washington, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday (July 6, 2025).
Gaza truce talks underway in Qatar: Palestinian source
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas towards a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip have started in Qatar, a Palestinian official familiar with the talks told AFP on late Sunday (July 6, 2025).
National Commission for Minorities awaiting appointment of Chairperson, members
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM), set up with the vision to safeguard and protect the interests of minority communities in India, is awaiting the appointment of a head, and members since the retirement in April 2025 of its previous Chairperson and member, Iqbal Singh Lalpura.
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Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Negotiations bear fruit, Yemen defers Nimisha's execution
Kochi: The execution of Nimisha Priya, the Keralite nurse on death row at the central prison in Yemen's capital Sana'a for the murder of a Yemeni national, has been postponed following intervention by Indian authorities and religious leaders. Negotiations were underway to save the life of Nimisha, hailing from Kollengode in Palakkad, after her execution was scheduled for July 16, Wednesday. "The execution has been postponed until the prison authorities are notified of a new date," stated an order issued by the public prosecution of the Republic of Yemen. It also said the postponement was based on a directive from their attorney general. The development will give additional time for Nimisha's family to negotiate a mutually agreeable solution. A trial court had sentenced Nimisha to death in 2018, and the verdict was later upheld by an appeals court. She was convicted of murdering Talal Abdo Mahdi, with whom she started a health clinic in Sana'a and later reportedly entered into a marriage, in July 2017. She was accused of chopping his body and dumping its parts in a water tank. Mahdi allegedly tortured Nimisha and illegally seized her passport, which led to the murder. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Forget Furosemide, Use This Household Item To Help Drain Edema Fluid WellnessGuide Learn more Undo Besides the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, many religious leaders and social organisations had stepped in to save her. Sunni leader Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar, who holds the title of Grand Mufti of India, reached out to prominent Yemeni Islamic scholar Sheikh Habib Omar, seeking his help to persuade Mahdi's family to accept blood money and grant pardon to her. Subhash Chandran of the action council told TOI that Musaliyar's intervention played a major role in the decision to postpone the execution. "Apart from a preliminary discussion with Talal's brother held on Monday, a second round of discussion was held on Tuesday. We are hopeful of progress in discussions in the coming days," he said. Musaliyar said Muslim scholars could hold talks with the judges and Mahdi's family members, and the negotiations would continue in the following days. The talks are being held based on Sharia law, which gives the victim's family the legal right to pardon the convict, either without any condition or in exchange for blood money, he said, adding that the PM's Office was informed about his initiative. Samuel Jerome of the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, who is coordinating the negotiation talks in Yemen, said he met Yemen's foreign minister on Tuesday after the execution was postponed. Nimisha's husband Tomy Thomas expressed his gratitude to officials and religious leaders for their intervention in the matter. CM Pinarayi Vijayan described the development as a relief and lauded the efforts of Musaliyar and the action council in the decision. Earlier on Monday, the attorney general of India stated in Supreme Court that the Union govt was making every possible effort to help Nimisha and talks were progressing with Yemeni authorities to secure a suspension of the execution order until negotiations could be pursued.
The Print
37 minutes ago
- The Print
Narasimha Rao reason why coalition govts perform better than majority govts, says Naidu
'India witnessed coalition governments from 1989 to 2014. Because of economic reforms, coalition governments were able to produce better results that governments with clear majority were not able to produce,' Naidu said. But the rise of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister marked a 'turning point,' restoring not just political stability, but also a 'renewed sense of national pride,' he added, delivering a lecture on the life and legacy of Rao at the Prime Minister's Museum and Library (PMML). New Delhi: Successive coalition governments in India, which lasted for over two decades until 2014, were able to produce 'better results' than the preceding majority governments, largely due to the economic reforms introduced by P.V. Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said Tuesday. In his lecture, delivered as part of the Prime Ministers' Lecture Series organised by the PMML (formerly Nehru Memorial Museum and Library), Naidu invoked Rao's qualities as a polyglot to briefly wade into a political hot potato—the language row in Maharashtra. 'He (Rao) was a scholar fluent in 17 languages. Now we are talking why we should learn Hindi. He learnt 17 languages. That is how he became a great man,' Naidu said, describing Rao as the 'Deng Xiaoping of India' for his role in the 1991 economic liberalisation, which marked a shift from India's earlier socialist model. Former principal secretary to PM Modi Nripendra Misra also described Rao, who was awarded (posthumously) India's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 2024, in similar terms in his introductory remarks at the event. 'He (Rao) was heading a minority government. To bring in bold reforms, political consensus is required. He managed to bring it due to his political acumen. To bring all in one platform was his greatest achievement,' Naidu said, drawing applause from a packed auditorium. The TDP supremo's remarks on Rao were largely confined to his role in unshackling the Indian economy, steering clear of any reference to the political circumstances, particularly his falling-out with Gandhi family, that led to him slipping into near-oblivion after his term as Prime Minister ended in 1996. A significant portion of Naidu's nearly 30-minute address focused on the achievements of Modi. The TDP is a key coalition partner in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, which fell short of securing a simple majority in the 2024 general election. Under Modi, India is taking strides on the world stage with 'confidence, clarity of purpose and bold decision making,' Naidu said. He also made it a point to recall Atal Bihari Vajpayee's role in transforming India's physical infrastructure and telecom sector. India, said Naidu, was primed to become an economic superpower, even surpassing the US and China, if it weds political stability with sound public policy. 'Hard work is no longer relevant, smart work is,' Naidu said, making a strong pitch for quantum computing. As CM, Naidu has taken up an ambitious project of developing a 'quantum city' in Amaravati. It is designed to include startups, MNCs, academia and research laboratories and will feature a building housing India's largest quantum computer, which, Naidu said, will arrive by 1 January, 2026. 'We are in inspiring times. The next 20 years are very crucial for India … With Modi at the helm of leadership, we will become the number one economy. It will happen through unity, hard work and a shared sense of purpose,' Naidu said. (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: 'This secret will perish with me' — when Narasimha Rao was asked if India delayed nuclear test
The Print
38 minutes ago
- The Print
In TDP letter to CEC on Special Intensive Revision, praise, suggestions, and echoes of Oppn's concerns
While recognising the SIR as 'a valuable opportunity to ensure that the electoral rolls are updated in a fair, inclusive, and transparent manner,' the TDP stated that 'to ensure voter confidence and administrative preparedness, the SIR process should be conducted with sufficient lead time, ideally not within six months of any major election'. In a four-page submission to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi Tuesday, the Chandrababu Naidu-led party has red-flagged some contentious matters like the timing and verification linked to citizenship. Hyderabad/New Delhi: Amid the Opposition bloc's objections to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a key NDA partner, has highlighted several considerations for the Election Commission (EC) in conducting the exercise. Many of these suggestions echo the Opposition's concerns. Opposition parties are questioning the exercise, taken up 3-4 months before the Bihar polls. The timing of the ECI's exercise in Bihar is a concern which the Supreme Court also highlighted while hearing petitions opposing the SIR process. The SC in its order listed three questions the petitioners raised, one of them being: 'The timing for undertaking the present exercise including the time line given for preparation of the Draft Electoral Rolls, objections, etc, and the final publication of Electoral Roll, considering the fact that Bihar State Assembly elections are due in November, 2025, for which notifications will come weeks in advance'. Seeking clarity on SIR purpose, scope, the TDP said that it should be 'limited to electoral roll correction and inclusion'. 'It should be explicitly communicated that the exercise is not related to citizenship verification, and any field instructions must reflect this distinction,' it added. In its order directing the SIR in Bihar last month, the ECI had cited Article 326 of the Constitution, which says that elections to the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies shall be on the basis of adult suffrage. This, the provision says, means 'every person who is a citizen of India and who is not less than eighteen years of age…shall be entitled to be registered as a voter at any such election'. However, during the hearing on petitions challenging the Bihar electoral roll revision, lawyers appearing for the petitioners had taken objection to the ECI determining 'citizenship' through the revision exercise. For instance, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for RJD MP Prof Manoj Kumar Jha, asserted that it is only the Government of India that can contest a person's citizenship and not a 'small officer of the EC'. The TDP said voters already enrolled in the most recent certified electoral roll should not be required to re-establish their eligibility unless specific and verifiable reasons are recorded. 'In line with the judgment of the Supreme Court in Lal Babu Hussein v. Electoral Registration Officer prior inclusion creates a presumption of validity, and any deletion must be preceded by a valid inquiry,' the party said in its submission adding that 'the burden of proof lies with the ERO or objector, not the voter, especially when the name exists in the official roll.' The petitioners challenging the revision in Bihar have relied on a 1995 judgment the TDP also cited. In this verdict, the Supreme Court had taken objection to the generalised removal of individuals who were voters in past elections, and them being asked to prove their eligibility to find their place back in the rolls. It had asserted that in cases in which persons were voters in previous elections, it would be presumed that before entering their names, the concerned officer must have gone through the procedural requirements under the statute. The party requested the commission to issue 'clear procedural guidance stating that deletion of any voter must be based on a reasoned order, proper notice, and an opportunity to respond.' 'Where voters are unable to submit documents at the time of visit, stage-wise verification should be permitted, instead of immediate exclusion.' 'Nothing to do with SIR in Bihar' A delegation of TDP leaders including AP unit chief Palla Srinivasa Rao, MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Byreddy Shabari, Prasada Rao, and party leader Jyothsna Tirunagari submitted the suggestions to ECI, on a day party supremo is also in New Delhi. 'Our submissions have nothing to do with the SIR in Bihar. It is part of our party's larger support for reforms in the election processes, be it eradication of duplicate cards or other matters. We want technology-enabled electoral roll management.,' Tirunagari told ThePrint. Though Andhra Pradesh is not due for assembly elections until 2029, the ruling party requested the ECI to start the process in the state as early as possible. The ECI, in its order announcing the Bihar revision had also said that it has decided to begin such a revision in the entire country for 'discharge of its constitutional mandate to protect the integrity of the electoral rolls', but was starting the exercise in Bihar since it will go to polls this year. Since Andhra Pradesh has high levels of seasonal migration, particularly from rural and coastal regions, SIR should deploy mobile BLO units and accept temporary address declarations to prevent exclusion of such workers and displaced families, TDP said in the letter. (Edited by Gitanjali Das) Also Read: No legal, valid 'citizenship' document that's issued—how it puts big question mark on ECI's Bihar exercise
