Morning Digest: Notices to Messaging Apps, TMC Factions, and Other Key Stories
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Thursday sent notices to Telegram and Signal, seeking information on their username feature. This follows a similar notice to WhatsApp on Wednesday. Spokespersons for Telegram and Signal had no immediate comment.
The Election Commission of India has asked both factions of the Trinamool Congress—led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee—to submit responses regarding claims and counterclaims over organisational elections and authorised signatories. Both sides must respond by 5:30 p.m. on July 6.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that petrol and diesel prices will decrease only after cheaper crude oil reaches Indian refineries, indicating that an immediate price revision is unlikely.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s health worsened on the fifth day of his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, with blood sugar dropping to 60 and low blood pressure. Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janata Party alleged police assaulted students attempting to set up a library at the protest site.
In Maharashtra, the Assembly unanimously passed the Women Farmers' Empowerment Bill, recognising women farmers for access to welfare schemes that traditionally benefited men. The bill will next be tabled in the Legislative Council.
Karnataka’s monsoon session has been postponed to August due to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which continues until July 29. Draft rolls will be published on August 5.
In Assam, the Gauhati High Court upheld a Foreigners’ Tribunal order declaring Aminul Hoque a non-citizen, rejecting 15 documents he presented as proof of citizenship. This follows the External Affairs Ministry’s clarification that a passport is not proof of citizenship.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 10,000 people over five days in late June, intensifying deportation efforts under the Trump administration.
An Indian research team discovered a rare 'bow and arrow' shaped radio galaxy, 1.8 million light-years wide, located about 2 billion light-years from Earth.