Morning brief: Cong alleges electoral bonds data mismatch; more news

Shortly after the Electoral Commission published the electoral bonds data, Congress leader Amitabh Dubey raised concerns about inconsistencies between the number of entries in donor and recipient files. He questioned why the data provided to the Electoral Commission only covers the period from April 2019, despite the scheme being initiated in 2017. Congress MP and AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Manickam Tagore, also criticized the State Bank of India for the alleged discrepancies. Sharing Dubey’s post, Tagore wrote: “Ah, yes, the electoral bond scheme, where transparency meets selective amnesia. Donors file: 18,871 entries. Recipients file: 20,421 entries. Coincidence? I think not.” Dig deeper
The Supreme Court collegium has underscored that a candidate should not be disqualified from a judgeship solely based on their political history. This stance comes as a response to the Central Government’s objection to the nomination of an individual associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) as a judge in the Kerala High Court, labeling them a “sympathiser”. In its resolution on Tuesday, the collegium led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, said,“The mere fact that the candidate has had a political background may not be a sufficient reason.” The collegium, also comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai, was considering the candidature of Manoj Pulamby Madhavan, a lawyer belonging to a Scheduled Caste who was found suitable by the Supreme Court and high court judges to be elevated as a judge in the Kerala high court, but the government raised a red flag. Dig deeper
Japan no longer in deflation, says country’s finance minister Dig deeper
AFP news director labels Kensington Palace as not a ‘tursted source’ amid Kate Middleton’s photo fiasco Dig deeper
Electoral bonds: Who is ‘Lottery King’ Santiago Martin, whose firm donated ₹1368 crore? Dig deeper
‘Sleight of hand’: P Chidambaram reacts to Centre’s decision to slash petrol, diesel prices Dig deeper
The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s case, accused of retaining classified documents, has rejected all efforts by the defendant’s legal team to dismiss the case, arguing that the underlying law was unclear. It seems the trial jury will now address this issue directly. Trump’s defence claimed that the Espionage Act, under which he faces charges, had ambiguous wording. Cannon, appointed by Trump, presided over the daylong hearing at the federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida. However, the judge voiced doubts about the defence’s arguments. Dig deeper
English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is in India and he has spent time at Dharavi in Mumbai, partied with the Bollywood elite and hyped fans up for his +-=/x Tour (Mathematics) that will take place on March 16. In an interview with India Today, Ed opened up about his love for India, what he loves about the country and more. Ed was asked what his favourite Indian film was and he was quick to reply, “RRR. It’s mental. It’s an incredible film.” RRR, directed by SS Rajamouli stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead roles, with the song Naatu Naatu from the film winning an Oscar and a Golden Globe. He also said that he would be ‘butter masala’ if he were to be an Indian dish because ‘everyone liked it.’ Dig deeper
Prepare for the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse 2024 – an extraordinary celestial event drawing near. This rare occurrence, happening every few years, is a stunning spectacle as the sun, earth, and moon align perfectly. When the moon passes between the earth and the sun, it blocks sunlight, momentarily darkening the sky. Anticipation is high for this April 8 event, expected to be one of the longest in fifty years, beginning at 2.12 pm and concluding at 2.22 pm. Dig deeper
The ongoing debate between Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni gains traction as former Indian pacer Praveen Kumar supports Gambhir’s criticism of the “hero worship culture” in Indian cricket. Gambhir has been vocal against the trend of idolising individuals over team achievements, attributing it to social media and broadcasters. Despite Gambhir’s pivotal performance in the 2011 World Cup final, where he scored 97 runs after the early dismissals of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, he questions why then-captain MS Dhoni receives sole credit for India’s victory. Dig deeper