NOTA: EC issues fresh set of instructions
New Delhi: The Election Commission has issued a fresh set of instructions on use of “none of the above” option in the Rajya Sabha and State legislative council elections. Noting several discrepancies in the past election that led to rejection of ballot, the Commission’s latest directive suggests that if the voter’s first preference is for NOTA, followed by second and third preferences against name of any candidate, the ballot paper will stand rejected. However, if NOTA is the second or third preference, it will not be rejected and the first preference for the candidate will be accepted.
‘economic policy has no sense of direction’
New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that the country’s economic policy has “no sense of direction” after the Modi government decided to scrap the Planning Commission. Singh also dismissed as “malicious” propaganda that no development had taken place during previous Congress regimes.
Hindu, Christian couple’s marriage invalid: HC
Madurai: The Madras High Court said on Thursday the marriage of a Hindu woman and a Christian man is not legally valid if either of them does not convert. Justice PR Shivakumar and justice VS Ravi said if the couple wanted to solemnise their marriage as per Hindu custom, the man should have converted to Hinduism or the woman should have converted to Christianity if she wanted to do so as per Christian custom while dismissing a Habeas Corpus petition filed by the woman’s parents.