The Election Commission has, for the first time, begun holding a series of meetings with national political parties to take their feedback on the electoral process. Meetings have already taken place with the BSP, BJP and CPI(M). While Mayawati represented the BSP, J P Nadda spoke to the panel on behalf of the BJP. The CPI(M) delegation comprised its General Secretary M A Baby, Politburo member Nilotpal Basu and Central Secretariat member Muralidharan. The meeting with the Congress, which was expected to be represented by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, was supposed to take place on May 15. The Congress, however, sought to postpone the meeting, saying in a recent letter that it would be inappropriate in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. No new date has been fixed yet.
First Day
The swearing-in ceremony of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Wednesday saw an unprecedented crowd. It is learnt that more than a hundred lawyers from Amravati (the CJI’s hometown), Nagpur (where he later practised), and Mumbai (where he became a Bombay High Court judge) were in New Delhi to witness the oath. Since many guests could not be accommodated at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Supreme Court arranged a screening at its auditorium. When CJI Gavai reached the top court after the oath, lawyers raised ‘Jai Bhim’ slogans on the lawns.
Plan Shelved
Amid opposition from within, the government is learnt to have shelved a proposal, floated around a year back, to let officials from other government bodies apply for the post of Director General of the Central Public Works Department. The proposal would have allowed top officials from the Railways, Border Roads Organisation and engineering agencies to apply for the top CPWD job. Not only does the DG oversee key ongoing projects, including the construction of the new Prime Minister’s Office and residence, the officer is also the Union government’s technical advisor.
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