Top news of the day: Voting begins for U.S. Presidential polls; India takes first step to hosting 2036 Olympics, and more

The major news headlines of the day and more.

Voting begins in U.S. Presidential polls 2024

Voting commences in New Hampshire, the first state to poll in the U.S. Presidential election on Tuesday (November 5, 2024). In a presidential election that couldn’t be closer, it seemed fitting that the first votes cast on Election Day were evenly split, with three for Donald Trump and three for Kamala Harris. The tiny New Hampshire resort town Dixville Notch has a tradition that dates back to 1960 for being the first in the nation to complete in-person voting. After a rousing accordion version of the national anthem, the town’s six voters began casting their ballots at the stroke of midnight and the vote count was complete 15 minutes later.

Thulasendrapuram residents pray for Kamala Harris victory in U.S. Presidential polls

“Vetri pera vaazhthugirom thirumathi Kamala Harris” — read a caption in Tamil on a colourful vinyl sheet put up at Thulasendrapuram — the ancestral village of the U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris — wishing her an emphatic victory on the day of polling. The nondescript village in Tiruvarur district in central Tamil Nadu and situated thousands of miles away from the USA came alive on Tuesday (November 5, 2024) even as Americans were all set to elect a new president.

India takes first step to hosting Olympics and Paralympics, sends Letter of Intent for 2036 edition

India took the first step in its attempt to host the 2036 Olympics by sending a formal Letter of Intent for the same to the IOC. While there has been no official confirmation yet, sources said the letter was sent to the IOC Future Hosts Commission (FHC) on October 1 with Ahmedabad as the likely host city. This is in continuation of the push from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hosting major multi-discipline events, including the 2030 Youth Olympics, publicly declaring India’s intention to host the 2036 Olympics during the opening ceremony of the 141st IOC session in Mumbai last year.

Supreme Court upholds validity of Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board Act

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 5, 2024) partially upheld the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board Act of 2004 while confirming that the State can regulate madrasa education to ensure standards of excellence. Though holding that the law secured the interests of the Muslim minority community in Uttar Pradesh, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud declared the provisions of the 2024 Act pertaining to higher education at the levels of Fazil (under-graduate studies) and Kamil (post-graduate studies) were in direct conflict with the provisions of the University Grants Commission Act, and thus, unconstitutional.

Not all private properties can be used by State for the community: Supreme Court holds in majority decision

A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, in a majority judgment, held on Tuesday (November 5, 2024) that not every resource owned by private players can be considered a “material resource of the community” to be used by the government to serve the “common good”. The majority decision dismissed such a power of acquisition by the State while noting that it reminded of a particular “rigid economic dogma” of the past. The court noted that the Indian economy has already transitioned from dominance of public investment to the co-existence of public and private investments.

Independence of judiciary doesn’t mean always delivering verdicts against govt: CJI Chandrachud

Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on Monday (November 4, 2024) said the independence of the judiciary does not mean always delivering verdicts against the government. Speaking at an event in New Delhi organised by the Indian Express group, CJI Chandrachud said there are pressure groups trying to get favourable verdicts by putting pressure on the courts by using electronic media.

FIR against H.D. Kumaraswamy, son and JD(S) leader for threatening senior IPS officer of Karnataka

The Sanjay Nagar police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy and JD(S) leader Suresh Babu for allegedly threatening a senior IPS officer. Based on the complaint by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M. Chandrasekhar, the police booked the trio under Section 224 of the BNS Act. Mr. Chandrashekhar heads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Karnataka Lokayukta that is probing a case in which Mr. Kumaraswamy is an accused.

MUDA site allotment: Karnataka High Court notice to CM Siddaramaiah and others on petition seeking transfer of probe to CBI

The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday (November 5, 2024) ordered issue of notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Central and State governments, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Lokayukta police and others on a petition seeking transfer to the CBI the investigation of the criminal case registered against Mr. Siddaramaiah, his wife and others in the alleged scam in allotment of Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites.

Centre questions Wikipedia over ‘complaints of bias and inaccuracies in information’

The Centre in a written notice to Wikipedia cited numerous complaints of bias and inaccuracies in information provided by it, and asked why it should not be treated as a publisher instead of an intermediary, sources said on Tuesday (November 5, 2024). The communication from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said there is a view that a small group exercises editorial control on its pages.

Winter Session of Parliament to commence from November 25, to continue till December 20

The Winter Session of the Parliament will commence from November 25 and will continue till December 20, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday (November 5, 2024). In a post on X, Mr Rijiju said, “President, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Winter Session, 2024 from 25th November to 20th December, 2024 (subject to exigencies of parliamentary business).” He also mentioned that on November 26 (Constitution Day), 75th Anniversary of the adoption of Constitution, the event would be celebrated in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.

JMM seeks President’s intervention after Soren’s chopper take-off delay in view of PM’s security

The ruling JMM in Jharkhand has sought President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention to ensure a level-playing field for star campaigners in the upcoming assembly polls, alleging that Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s helicopter was not allowed to take off for one-and-a-half hours in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the State on November 4. The JMM shot off a letter to Ms. Murmu, saying that a no-fly zone had been imposed due to PM Modi’s visit to Garhwa and Chaibasa on Monday (November 4, 2024). “Our star campaigner Hemant Soren was scheduled to address an election meeting at 2.25 pm at Bazar Tand in Simdega after holding a meeting at Gudri in West Singhbhum at 1.45 p.m.

Two Pakistan Supreme Court judges urge Chief Justice to fix hearings for pleas challenging 26th Constitutional Amendment

Pakistan’s two senior Supreme Court judges have urged Chief Justice Yahya Khan Afridi to immediately fix hearings for pleas challenging the 26th Constitutional Amendment that granted legislators more power in appointing the top judge. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar are on the top of the seniority list out of seventeen sitting judges of the Supreme court. Justice Shah was set to become the Chief Justice but the controversial amendment changed the rules, enabling Justice Afridi, the third on the seniority list, to become the Chief Justice.

Israeli airstrike kills at least 20 people in northern Gaza, Palestinian officials say

An Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza has killed at least 20 people, mostly women and children, Palestinian officials said Tuesday (November 5, 2024), as Israel wages a nearly monthlong air and ground operation in what was already the most isolated and heavily destroyed part of the territory. The strike late Monday (November 4, 2024) hit a home where several displaced families were sheltering in the town of Beit Lahiya, near the border with Israel, according to Hossam Abu Safiya, the director of the recently raided and barely functioning Kamal Adwan Hospital, which received the casualties.

Published - November 05, 2024 07:01 pm IST