Morning Digest | Eknath Shinde faction gets Shiv Sena name, symbol; Congress mulls 50% quota in party posts, and more

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Eknath Shinde faction recognised as real Shiv Sena, allocated ‘bow and arrow’ poll symbol

The Election Commission of India on February 17 ruled that the party name ‘Shiv Sena’ and the symbol ‘Bow and Arrow’ would remain with the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Election Commission decision was made on the grounds of much higher voter support for Shinde MLAs in the 2019 Assembly elections

JSW chairman Sajjan Jindal lays foundation stone of steel plant in Kashmir’s Pulwama; posts pictures of ‘puja’ ceremony

Sajjan Jindal, chairman and managing director of JSW Group of companies, on Friday, tweeted pictures of the special ‘puja’ ceremony of the foundation stone of the company’s first-ever steel plant in south Kashmir’s Pulwama, as it became the first major group to invest in the Union Territory (UT) after the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 in 2019, that barred outsiders from buying land here.

IOC made to sign ‘unfavourable contract’ with Adani-owned Gangavaram Port to import LPG, alleges Congress

The Congress on Friday targeted the Narendra Modi government over a purported contract that the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) signed with the Adani Group to import liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through the group-owned Gangavaram Port.

Subdued festivities among Pandits on Maha Shivratri in Kashmir this year

Kashmiri Pandits are celebrating the ‘Hearth’ or ‘Maha Shivratri’ in a subdued manner this year in Kashmir because of a spree of killings of members of the minority community by militants and the migration of hundreds of employees and their families to Jammu in the past one year.

Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra is the new Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court

Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. Justice Mishra, whose parent high court is the Orissa High Court, was serving as a judge of the Uttarakhand High Court.

Meghalaya Assembly polls 2023 | Amit Shah slams BJP ally NPP, vows probe into scams

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday slammed the National People’s Party (NPP), a constituent of the BJP-helmed North East Democratic Alliance, for misusing Central funds and promised to take it to task if the BJP is voted to power in Meghalaya.

India-Japan Army exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ gets under way

The fourth edition of the India-Japan bilateral Army exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’ began at Camp Imazu in Shiga province, Japan on Friday and will go on till March 2. Separately, two Japanese Navy ships Uraga and Awaji made port call at Kochi from February 14 to 16.

Congress could change party document to provide for 50% reservation to STs, STs, OBCs, minorities and women

In the upcoming 85th plenary session, the Congress could amend the party constitution to reserve 50% of the party posts to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), women, and minorities in various party committees, sources said on Friday.

Centre turns focus on key G-20 meeting

With the one-year anniversary of Ukraine war next week, India’s top diplomatic machinery has been working the phones and racking up air-miles to ensure a smooth G-20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) on March 1, less than a week later, where Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend.

Six shot dead in small Mississippi town, suspect in custody

Six people were shot dead Friday in a small town in rural Mississippi near the Tennessee State line, officials said.

Indian Premier League 2023 | Holders Gujarat Titans to play Chennai Super Kings in opener on March 31

Defending champions Gujarat Titans will play four-time winners Chennai Super Kings to begin the upcoming Indian Premier League in Ahmedabad on March 31.

Australia innings ends inside opening day again

The script had a predictable ring to it. As in the first Test, Australia batted by choice but India kept it in check. Again, the Australian innings did not last the day. Spinners R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja remained effective while Mohammed Shami scalped four.