Morning Filter: SC agrees to list PIL against practice of parties promising freebies during polls

Supreme Court agrees to list PIL against practice of parties promising freebies during polls The Supreme Court agreed to list for hearing on Thursday a PIL against the practice of political parties promising freebies during elections, a significant development that comes ahead of general elections beginning April 19. EC frowns at States, asks them to comply with orders to remove unauthorised political advts Cracking the whip, the Election Commission on Wednesday asked state governments to take down all unauthorised political advertisements from government, public and private properties and send a compliance report in the next 24 hours. It sought a compliance report in this regard by 5 p.m. on Thursday. Kargil observes strike amid massive rally to demand Statehood, Sixth Schedule for Ladakh Asgar Ali Karbalai, the Kargil Democratic Alliance co-chairman, said the KDA leadership is leaving for Leh on Thursday and will meet the ABL leadership to chalk out a joint strategy and roadmap to carry forward the agitation with more vigour. Centre notifies fact check unit under PIB to monitor online content The notification came days after the Bombay High Court declined to restrain the Centre from notifying the unit. The petition was filed by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and the Editors Guild of India. The petitioners have moved the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court verdict and the matter is expected to come up for hearing on Thursday. EU leaders to drum up more support for Ukraine amid appeals for a new sense of urgency As the 27-nation bloc’s leaders prepare to gather on Thursday, Ukraine’s munition stocks are desperately low. Russia has more troops. They are better provisioned and making slow, although costly, battlefield gains. Russian President Vladimir Putin appears ready to wait out the year to see whether U.S. elections return Donald Trump to the White House. Blinken adds Israel stop to latest Mideast tour as tensions rise over Gaza war The State Department said the Israel stop would cap Antony Blinken’s latest Mideast tour that started in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and will continue in Egypt on Thursday. The top U.S. diplomat will be in Tel Aviv on Friday after talks with Arab leaders and Foreign Ministers in Jeddah and Cairo focused on the war in Gaza. Climate leaders to set priorities for COP29 at Copenhagen Ministerial Climate leaders and Ministers will gather in Copenhagen on Thursday for the first major climate meeting since the COP28 in December 2023 to discuss expectations and priorities for the next U.N. climate change conference in Azerbaijan. [logo] The Morning Filter 21 March 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Morning Filter newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories and events to follow today. [Arrow]Open in browser [Mail icon]More newsletters Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today Supreme Court agrees to list PIL against practice of parties promising freebies during polls The Supreme Court agreed to list for hearing on Thursday a PIL against the practice of political parties promising freebies during elections, a significant development that comes ahead of general elections beginning April 19. EC frowns at States, asks them to comply with orders to remove unauthorised political advts [Full name of the Perambur Railway Station is hidden by an advertisement board in Chennai. File] Cracking the whip, the Election Commission on Wednesday asked state governments to take down all unauthorised political advertisements from government, public and private properties and send a compliance report in the next 24 hours. It sought a compliance report in this regard by 5 p.m. on Thursday. Kargil observes strike amid massive rally to demand Statehood, Sixth Schedule for Ladakh Asgar Ali Karbalai, the Kargil Democratic Alliance co-chairman, said the KDA leadership is leaving for Leh on Thursday and will meet the ABL leadership to chalk out a joint strategy and roadmap to carry forward the agitation with more vigour. Centre notifies fact check unit under PIB to monitor online content The notification came days after the Bombay High Court declined to restrain the Centre from notifying the unit. The petition was filed by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and the Editors Guild of India. The petitioners have moved the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court verdict and the matter is expected to come up for hearing on Thursday. EU leaders to drum up more support for Ukraine amid appeals for a new sense of urgency As the 27-nation bloc’s leaders prepare to gather on Thursday, Ukraine’s munition stocks are desperately low. Russia has more troops. They are better provisioned and making slow, although costly, battlefield gains. Russian President Vladimir Putin appears ready to wait out the year to see whether U.S. elections return Donald Trump to the White House. Blinken adds Israel stop to latest Mideast tour as tensions rise over Gaza war The State Department said the Israel stop would cap Antony Blinken’s latest Mideast tour that started in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and will continue in Egypt on Thursday. The top U.S. diplomat will be in Tel Aviv on Friday after talks with Arab leaders and Foreign Ministers in Jeddah and Cairo focused on the war in Gaza. Climate leaders to set priorities for COP29 at Copenhagen Ministerial Climate leaders and Ministers will gather in Copenhagen on Thursday for the first major climate meeting since the COP28 in December 2023 to discuss expectations and priorities for the next U.N. climate change conference in Azerbaijan. 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