Pioneer in short
Leander Paes joins BJP ahead of polls
Indian tennis icon Leander Paes formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday ahead of the West Bengal elections, calling it “not just a formality but a responsibility” and a “big opportunity” to serve the nation. Welcoming Paes, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the move marks a “historic moment” and hoped the tennis star would “play a bigger innings in politics” while boosting India’s sports movement. Senior leaders, including Sukanta Majumdar, Arun Singh, and Anil Baluni, were present for the induction. Paes, 52, who had briefly associated with the Trinamool Congress in 2021, said he was inspired by Narendra Modi’s leadership in sports, infrastructure, and youth development. He emphasized investing in sports education, science, and skill development to empower India’s 745 million youth and ensure equitable opportunities across regions. Highlighting his vision for India’s Olympic success, Paes expressed hope that with strategic investments, India could aim for 20+ medals when it hosts the 2036 Olympics, combining political engagement with his commitment to sports and nation-building initiatives.
35 Naxals surrender in Bastar
A total of 35 Naxalites surrendered across five districts of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Tuesday, just hours before the Centre’s March 31 deadline to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), officials said. In Bijapur district, 25 cadres-including 12 women-from the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) laid down arms under the police’s Poona Margem initiative, carrying a cumulative bounty of INR 1.47 crore. Security forces recently recovered 93 weapons, INR 2.90 crore in cash, and 7.20 kg of gold worth INR 11.16 crore from Maoist caches-the highest-ever seizure in India’s anti-Naxal operations. Notable surrendering cadres included company commanders Mangal Korsa, Akash Uike, and Divisional Committee member Shankar Muchaki.
Updated ITR forms notified for all
The Income Tax Department has notified all income tax return (ITR) forms for the assessment year 2026-27, enabling individuals, businesses, and other entities to file returns for income earned in the financial year 2025-26. Forms 1-4 were notified on March 30, while ITR 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and ITR-U for updated returns were released on Tuesday. The last date for filing ITR for individuals not requiring audit is July 31. Notably, ITR-1 (Sahaj) now allows reporting income from up to two house properties, reducing the compliance burden for taxpayers who previously needed ITR-2 or ITR-3. ITR-4 (Sugam) continues to cater to small and medium taxpayers with business or professional income. Other forms include ITR-2 for capital gains, ITR-3 for proprietary business income, ITR-5 for firms and LLPs, ITR-6 for companies, and ITR-7 for trusts and charitable institutions.
