Daily Briefing: EC receives forms of 90% of Bihar's electors; diplomatic win for India as US designates TRF as terrorist organisation
We are back with the seventh edition of Expresso on Culture, bringing you Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, India's G20 Sherpa, and former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant as guests on the panel this time to explore yet another intersection between culture and governance. While Saxena shares that governance is tough in Delhi, Kant identifies two issues, which he says, plagued the national capital: encroachment and freebies. Here's what the duo has to say as they engage in an insightful conversation with The Indian Express National Opinion Editor Vandita Mishra!
With that, let's move on to the top 5 stories from today's edition:
🚨 Big Story
The Election Commission has received enumeration forms of 90.12 per cent of Bihar's electors ahead of the July 25 deadline for its special intensive revision (SIR) of the state's electoral roll, and that over 36 lakh were found 'not at their addresses'. As of Friday, the EC said 7.11 crore forms had been received so far and 6.85 crore of them had been digitised. Moreover, as many as 36.86 lakh electors (a little over 4.67% of total voters) had been found to be 'probably' deceased, permanently shifted or enrolled at multiple places. It said 6,978, or 0.01% of the electors, were 'not traceable'.
Setting the tone for the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Bihar Assembly election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that a Central employment scheme providing Rs 15,000 to youth in their first private sector job will be rolled out from August 1. The PM's comments appear to be a counter to nullify the Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) jobs pitch, which was cited for its success in the 2020 Assembly elections.
⚡ Only in Express
With the talk of a train arriving in Mizoram's Sairang station, residents find themselves dreaming of a journey. A 51-km railway line is set to connect the Mizoram capital to the Indian Railways' grid for the first time. With that, Aizawl becomes the fourth northeastern capital after Guwahati, Agartala and Itanagar to be linked to the Indian Railways' grid. The operations on the line are expected to begin by September. Dheeraj Mishra travels along the new line, a project with deep strategic value for a landlocked state, where the arrival of the train is marked by both hope and a sense of foreboding.
💡 Express Explained
The United States' decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation is a diplomatic win for India and a message to Pakistan, but its impact on the ground remains to be seen. The decision comes three months after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists and a local ponywala. The TRF claimed responsibility for the attack on social media channels, however, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) concluded during its investigation that all three attackers were Pakistani nationals. As lines between terror outfits blur in Vallet, we explain the on-ground challenges.
✍️ Express Opinion
In our Opinion section today, Sujan R Chinoy delves into the mending ties between India and China after prolonged estrangement caused by the bloodletting at Galwan in 2020. As both countries deliberate on the need for early de-escalation in the border areas to facilitate normalisation of ties, Chinoy writes: 'The positive signs in India-China relations are encouraging. The deep deficit of trust, however, calls for sustained efforts. The two sides must move forward with realistic expectations. The road ahead is arduous. Yet, forging a stable and cooperative relationship between the two Asian neighbours is a goal worth pursuing.'
🎞️ Watchlist
Wondering what to watch this weekend? We've got you covered! Vir Das' sixth stand-up special for Netflix, Fool Volume, combines his trademark self-effacing delivery with his signature ambition. In his review, Rohan Naahar writes: 'In Fool Volume, Das gazes inward; he glances at the world around him, and then, he gets down to business. The show isn't so much about a comedian finding his voice again as it is about a middle-aged Indian man finding a new voice.'
That's all for today. Have a lovely weekend!
Until next time,
Ariba
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
24 minutes ago
- News18
YSRCP accuses Andhra govt of large-scale land irregularities in Vizag
Visakhapatnam, Jul 27 (PTI) YSRCP leader and former minister Gudivada Amarnath on Sunday accused the TDP-led coalition government of 'large-scale land irregularities" and said it was behaving like a 'real estate agency" while allotting public lands to associates, firms and realtors at 'unjustifiably" low prices here. He alleged that the state government diverted prime land to newly incorporated firms with no credentials, undermining previous IT development plans initiated under the YSRCP regime. 'The TDP-led coalition government has committed massive irregularities in land allocations in Visakhapatnam since the government was formed," Amarnath said while addressing a press conference. He alleged that private companies received valuable land at rates as low as Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore per acre, calling it a 'quid pro quo'. He noted the land deals had created no IT jobs for Andhra's youth. The former minister further alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh were directly overseeing these land deals, and that public land was being 'looted" to benefit their associates. The YSRCP leader linked Naidu's frequent visits to Singapore to alleged corruption and old ties with tainted individuals there. Amarnath said that the YSRCP would launch a mass movement against the land scam and hold the Naidu-led coalition government accountable for allegedly diverting public wealth for private gains. Meanwhile, there was no immediate reaction from the ruling TDP. PTI MS GDK KH view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 23:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
39 minutes ago
- News18
Rajasthan govt announces closure, demolition of unsafe school buildings
Jaipur, Jul 27 (PTI) Two days after a portion of the Piplodi Government School in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district collapsed, killing seven children, the state government on Sunday announced a series of urgent measures, including closure and demolition of unsafe school buildings, GIS-mapping of all vulnerable structures, and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor structural safety. School Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar, who chaired an emergency meeting with senior officials from both the departments, said a proposal of Rs 150 crore under the disaster management fund has been prepared for repair works in 7,500 schools across 170 tehsils, officials said. The move comes amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of school infrastructure, especially during the monsoon season in southeastern Rajasthan. Dilawar said a statewide survey is being conducted by the district collectors to identify the dilapidated school buildings. 'Buildings found to be structurally unsafe will be marked with a red cross and shut down immediately. These will be demolished on priority, and temporary classrooms using container units will be arranged as an interim solution," Dilawar said. In a statement, the minister said the state will create a GIS-based application linked to the Shala Darpan portal to catalogue all dilapidated and repairable buildings. The platform will also integrate AI-based monitoring to assess building safety and guide budget allocations. The minister also announced the creation of a quality control unit within the Samagra Shiksha scheme to supervise school construction, and ordered that all construction materials and workmanship be tested through PWD-certified labs. In case of substandard construction, the contractor and engineers will be held financially liable, he said. In a move extending beyond government institutions, Dilawar said that private schools across the state will also be surveyed for safety compliance. Checks will also include fitness and medical status of school vehicles and drivers, while first-aid and fire safety training will be provided to the school management committees. To bridge funding gaps, Dilawar said all MLAs and MPs in the state will be asked to contribute 20 per cent of their development fund towards school safety measures. Additionally, a demand will be placed with the concerned ministers to use 20 per cent of funds from Dang, Magra and Mewat development schemes for the same purpose. Meanwhile, in anticipation of heavy rainfall in southeastern Rajasthan, the district collectors have been authorised to declare school holidays in the vulnerable districts. The minister also instructed Panchayati Raj officials to conduct a review of pink toilet construction, ensure uncompromised quality in all ongoing projects, and enforce regular maintenance of public toilets. PTI AG ARI ARI view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 23:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Politicians support demands of ST employees
Nashik: Several prominent people showed their support for the demands of state transport employees during the third state-level annual convention of the Seva Shakti Sangharsha ST Workers Union in Nashik on Sunday. Water resources department minister Girish Mahajan, food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal and BJP MLA and union president Gopichand Padalkar, along with MLC Sadabhau Khot, assured the employees that they would raise their issues with the chief minister to improve their working and living conditions. "After we stayed with the ST employees during their biggest strike in history, we learnt about their hardships both on and off duty. The agitation successfully resulted in a historic rise of about Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 in the basic salary which was neglected all the time until now. Now we will demand a salary at par with the state govt employees by implementing the benefits of the eighth pay commission for them," Padalkar said. Bhujbal said that being a public transport corporation, it cannot be expected to be making profits. "But that does not mean the employees should suffer," he said. Mahajan said, "We are for the betterment of the MSRTC employees. We will soon seek a meeting with the CM and try to resolve all their issues."
