1) High voter turnout in phase 3 of Lok Sabha elections:
The crucial third phase of the general elections on Thursday largely saw a
healthy increase in voter turnout, with Jammu and Kashmir getting a special
mention from the Election Commission for an "outstanding" 66 per cent
voting in Jammu, the one constituency where polling was held. The first major
round of polling was held in 91 constituencies across the 14 States what is
technically the third phase of the 16th Lok Sabha elections.
While polling was
held in all of Kerala, Haryana and Delhi, this phase includes several Naxal-hit
areas and the recently riot-torn Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring districts. The
91 constituencies where polling was held include 10 each in Maharashtra, U.P.
and Odisha besides nine in Madhya Pradesh, six in Bihar, four in Jharkhand. The
fate of some outgoing ministers including Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath and Shashi
Tharoor besides Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will be decided in this phase.
With this phase, polling will be wrapped up in 104 of the 543 Lok Sabha
constituencies.
2) Govt declared holiday on B R Ambedkar's birth
anniversary: The Centre has declared a holiday on Monday on account
of Dr B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary, giving about 50 lakh central government
employees an extended weekend. "It has been decided to declare Monday, the
14th April 2014, as a closed holiday on account of the birthday of Dr B R
Ambedkar, for all central government offices including industrial
establishments throughout India," said an office memorandum issued by
Ministry of Personnel.
3) Mulayam’s ‘rape as mistake’ comment sparks outrage:
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh, on Thursday, described rapes as “mistakes”
committed by boys, sparking outrage among, and strong condemnation by,
political parties, women’s groups and the National Commission for Women.
4) Viktor Orban re-elected as Prime Minister of Hungary:
Viktor Orban was re-elected as Prime Minister of Hungary for the second
consecutive four-year term. The results of general elections were announced on
8 April 2014. The General parliamentary elections were held on 6 April 2014.
5) Ratan Tata appointed board member of China-backed Boao
Forum: Ratan Tata, the doyen of Indian industry, was on Thursday
inducted as a member of the Board of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), a rare
distinction for an Indian in the Chinese government-backed influential body.
6) PV Sindhu entered Swiss Open quarter finals:
World No.9 shuttler P.V. Sindhu staged an amazing come-from-behind victory to
progress to the women’s singles quarterfinals at the $125,000 Swiss Open Grand
Prix Gold at St. Jakobshal in Basel on Thursday. The seventh seed lost a
cliff-hanger first game to Canada’s Li Michelle but displayed all her grit and
experience to win the next two to enter the last eight. The World Championship
bronze medallist ousted her unseeded opponent 19-21, 21-16, 21-11 in 54 minutes
to take 2-0 lead in career meets.
