HW News Editorial with Sujit Nair Bingepods

In this episode of ‘Editorial’ Mr. Sujit Nair discusses about the statement made by the Finance Minister Of India Nirmala Sitharaman about bringing back the Electoral Bonds Scheme after wider consultations. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the BJP plans to reintroduce electoral bonds, in some other form, after wider consultation, if they secure victory in the Lok Sabha elections. The Supreme Court had previously deemed the scheme unconstitutional, citing concerns over transparency and the potential for quid pro quo transactions. Sitharaman noted that the government has yet to decide on pursuing a review petition against the court's decision. She emphasized the need for extensive consultations with various stakeholders to develop a framework that ensures transparency and prevents the infiltration of illicit funds.

In this episode of ‘Editorial,’ Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the recent remarks made by the Supreme Court of India during the hearing of petitions seeking for 100% verification of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail slips (VVPATs). During the hearing, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India to investigate allegations that extra votes were recorded in favor of the BJP during a mock poll in Kerala. This direction came after Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the Association for Democratic Reforms, referred to a report by Manorama Online regarding complaints about EVMs registering additional votes for the BJP in the Kasargod constituency. The bench, led by Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, instructed Maninder Singh to look into the matter. The Supreme Court is currently hearing the EVM-VVPAT case, with today being the second day of proceedings. The Election Commission assured the court that the cited news report was inaccurate and committed to submitting a detailed report.

In this episode of ‘Editorial’, Mr. Sujit Nair discusses about the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections and compares the opinion polls and surveys of the earlier Lok Sabha elections of 2004, 2014 and 2019. Mr. Nair derives certain conclusions after discussing elections of the past and discusses about whether the opposition INDIA Alliance. India is preparing for the commencement of the Lok Sabha elections, which will be conducted in seven phases starting from April 19. The first phase of voting will take place on April 19, while the final phase is scheduled for June 1. Notable states participating in the first phase include Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.

In this episode of ‘Editorial’, Mr. Sujit Nair expresses his opinion on the recently released manifesto of the Bhartiya Janata Party. With the seven-phased Lok Sabha polls set to commence on April 19, the BJP unveiled its much-anticipated manifesto titled 'Modi ki guarantee' Sankalp Patra. PM Modi emphasized that the party's foremost focus would be on bolstering the nation's social, physical, and digital infrastructure. While unveiling the party’s manifesto, PM Modi remarked, ""The entire nation eagerly awaits the BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’. There's a significant rationale behind it, as over the past decade, the BJP has translated every aspect of its manifesto into concrete actions on the ground. This ‘Sankalp Patra’ strengthens all four fundamental pillars of a prosperous India: the youth, women, the underprivileged, and farmers.""

In this episode of ‘Editorial’, HW News’ Managing Editor Mr. Sujit Nair discusses about the recently released CSDS-Lokniti survey. On June 4, 2024, during the vote counting for the Lok Sabha elections, will India observe a sentiment of anti-incumbency? Or will the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aiming for a third consecutive term under the same leadership, encounter a significant turning point? Mr. Sujit Nair examines and interprets the findings of the CSDS-Lokniti survey data, shedding light on the direction that the research indicates for the Lok Sabha Polls.

In a recent segment of ""Editorial,"" Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the Supreme Court of India's recent comments regarding Patanjali Ayurved. The Court criticized Patanjali for its lackadaisical apology affidavit submitted in response to its misleading advertisements promoting ayurvedic products while disparaging modern medicine. Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah expressed displeasure over Patanjali's claim that its media wing was unaware of the Court's order to cease airing such advertisements. This assertion was made in an apology affidavit by Patanjali's Managing Director, Acharya Balkrishna. "If this is indefensible, then your apology will not work. This is a gross violation of the undertaking given to the top court. You have to ensure that your undertaking which is solemn should have been adhered to. We can say that we do not wish to accept that the media department does not know about what is happening in this court and it is an island. This is more of a lip service! ... You violated the solemn undertaking with impunity. We are not willing to accept this and this is perfunctory! What is the reason to accept your apology?"" Justice Kohli remarked.