The Evening Wrap: Haryana Assembly poll date revised to October 5

The Haryana Assembly elections have now been moved forward to take place on October 5, the Election Commission of India said. Accordingly, the counting of votes for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana Assembly polls will now be held on October 8 instead of October 4. The poll was earlier set to take place on October 1. The poll body cited “centuries-old festival of Bishnoi community” for this change in date. The decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar as per the ECI. The Commission said it had received representation from National President, All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner (Rajasthan) for rescheduling the date of polling set for October 1. Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal told The Hindu over phone that BJP State president Mohan Lal Badoli in a letter to the EC, received at his office on August 23, had demanded the postponement of the polling scheduled for October 1 saying that two days prior to the polling (September 28-29) and a day after were holidays and several families in the State could go out for vacation by taking a leave on September 30. Agarwal said the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) had also made a similar request. Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Singh Chautala too demanded that the polling be postponed by almost a week saying that “there is a likelihood of 15-20% shortfall in voting percentage”. He said the training of the election staff and the preparation for the polling too would be adversely impacted due to the holidays. Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat joins farmers’ protest; says government’s priority should be to resolve their problems Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat on August 31 attended the ongoing 200 days long farmers’ protest being staged in support of their long pending demands including a legal guarantee for purchasing their crops at a minimum support price (MSP) in Punjab’s Shambhu village. Coming out in support of farmers’, Phogat said, “I have come to extend support to my family... the farmers of the country are in trouble, their problems should be resolved, in fact, it should be the first priority of the government to resolve their issues.” “...the government should listen to farmers. The government after the previous farmers’ protest (referring to the year-long farmers’ protest on farm laws) made a few promises to them, which it should fulfil. If the people of the country keep sitting (for protest) on the road it’s not good for the country... It’s been 200 days that farmers have been in protest but, sadly, the government is not listening,” Phogat said at Shambhu, where she was felicitated by the protesting farmers. Saying that it hurts to see the farmers protesting for their legitimate demands, she added, “At times we feel helpless at not being able to do anything for them. We represent the country at international levels but we could not do anything for our own family [farmers]. I have come here to tell you that your daughter is with you. I request the government to listen to them.” Notably, multiple four rounds of meetings were held between the Centre and the farmers’ leaders before the Lok Sabha election but it didn’t result in anything concrete. Meanwhile, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher claimed that the farmer’s agitation has been going on since 13 February in Delhi and they are going to have a maha panchayat in Jind on September 15 and in Pipli on September 22. Pandher also alleged the centre for misusing central agencies and as the election is scheduled in Haryana, the BJP is scared of the farmer’s protest. Notably, farmers are protesting at the Shambhu border near Ambala and have been camping there since February 13. Pandher said, “Delhi agitation has been going on since 13 February. Attempts were made to crush this agitation, forces were deployed, 433 farmers were injured, Shubhkaran Singh lost his life and around 70,000 paramilitary personnel were deployed in Haryana...This agitation has become a headache for the BJP government.” Further making demands, Pandher asked the centre to open the border as they will advance towards Delhi on the completion of 200 days of farmers’ protest. He said that farmers will demand the Central Government to open this route and let us advance to Delhi where we can peacefully demand the legal guarantee for MSP as well as other demands. Atrocities against women, safety of children a serious concern: PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 31 emphasised that atrocities committed against women and the safety of children are a serious concern in society. Modi, speaking at the inaugural function of the National Conference of District Judiciary, highlighted that the quicker the decisions in cases involving crimes against women the greater would be the assurance given to women, who form half the country’s population. The Prime Minister’s comments follow nationwide protests in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor who was on night duty at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital recently. The PM said strict laws to protect women and give them justice were already in place and the government had planned fast-track courts in 2019. He pushed for deposition centres for crucial witnesses to testify without fear, and district committees with the District Judge, District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police concerned to coordinate action in such sensitive cases. The PM said the spirit of new criminal laws, including the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, was “citizen first, dignity first and justice first”. He said the idea behind the Nyaya Sanhita was not just to punish citizens but to protect them. Modi unveiled the stamp and coin commemorating 75 years of the establishment of the Supreme Court. In his address, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said the district judiciary was the first point of contact for a citizen in search of justice and was the “backbone of the judiciary”. “We must stop calling the district judiciary the ‘subordinate’ judiciary. Seventy-five years after Independence, the time has come for us to bury one more relic of the British era — the colonial mindset of subordination,” the Chief Justice said. The CJI drew attention to the phenomenon of more women joining the district judiciary. He said that 72% of the total number of judicial officers were women in the latest recruitment in Kerala. IAF helicopter jettisons damaged chopper in transit for repairs over unpopulated area in Kedarnath valley A damaged helicopter being airlifted from Kedarnath, underslung to an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 helicopter, crashed to the ground after it became unstable and was jettisoned mid-air. No casualty was reported in the incident. An inquiry has been ordered by the IAF. According to the IAF, an Mi-17 V5 helicopter was transporting the damaged Kestrel civil chopper in the Kedarnath valley when the load had to be discarded for reasons of flight safety. “The crew safely released the load over an unpopulated area, ensuring no damage to life or property. An enquiry has been ordered,” the IAF said. The helicopter belonged to Crystal Aviation Private Limited, which had an emergency landing in Kedarnath on May 24 after it developed a snag mid-air. The pilot had ensured that all seven occupants of the helicopter landed unhurt at the time. The helicopter has been left at the site since then. Rahul Chaubey, District Tourism Officer, informed that the damaged helicopter was being taken to Gauchar for repairs. Speaking on the probable reason for the incident, an IAF officer explained that oscillations occur when aerodynamic objects are underslung. “When oscillations become too much, it can go out of control and becomes a risk to the mother helicopter that is carrying it. So, it was jettisoned at a safe location,” the official explained. Paralympics 2024: Rubina Francis wins bronze in air pistol SH1 event India’s Rubina Francis won a bronze medal in the women’s air pistol SH1 event final to continue the strong show from the country’s shooters in the Paris Paralympics on August 31. Rubina scored a total of 211.1 to finish third in the eight-woman final. She had qualified for the final at seventh spot in the qualification round earlier in the day. This was India’s fourth medal in shooting and fifth overall at the Paris Paralympics. On August 30 Avani Lekhara had created history by successfully defending her women’s 10m air rifle gold medal which she had clinched in Tokyo Paralympics, with compatriot Mona Agarwal clinching the bronze. Manish Narwal then added a silver medal in the men’s 10m air pistol (SH1). In SH1 class, athletes are able to hold their gun without difficulty and shoot from a standing or sitting position in a wheelchair or chair. India’s August rainfall 16% higher than normal: IMD India recorded around 16% more rainfall than normal in August, with rainfall over Northwest India recorded at 253.9 mm, the second highest in August since 2001, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on August 31. Addressing a virtual press conference, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the country recorded 287.1 mm of rainfall in August, compared to the normal 248.1 mm. Overall, India has received 749 mm of precipitation against the normal 701 mm since the start of the monsoon season on June 1. Several districts in the foothills of the Himalayas and the northeast experienced below-normal rainfall as most of the low-pressure systems moved south of their usual position, and the monsoon trough also remained south of its typical position, the IMD chief said. Many States in the northeast, along with Kerala and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, experienced deficient rainfall, he added. The IMD chief said that six low-pressure systems formed in August, two of which intensified into monsoon depression or deep depression. There were 17 low-pressure system days this August, compared to the normal of 16.3 days. From August 10 to August 22, the monsoon trough remained along its normal position, resulting in good rainfall over northern and adjacent central India, parts of eastern India, and the extreme southern peninsula, especially Tamil Nadu. From August 23 to August 31, the trough shifted south of its normal position, causing very heavy rainfall over central and western parts of India. No-break monsoon conditions were observed in August this year, despite an increasing trend of break days during the month, Mohapatra said. He said the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) was very active during the second half of the month, leading to good rainfall over the Indian region. MJO is a large-scale atmospheric disturbance originating in tropical Africa and travelling eastward, typically lasting 30 to 60 days. After a wetter-than-normal August, India is likely to experience above normal rainfall in September, with heavy to very heavy precipitation expected in northwest India and the surrounding areas. Mohapatra said that the country is expected to receive above normal rainfall in September, at 109% of the long-period average of 167.9 mm. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is anticipated in the northwest region, including Uttarakhand, parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and the adjoining areas of Madhya Pradesh. The monsoon trough is expected to remain in its normal position, with the possibility of several low-pressure systems developing in the Bay of Bengal, which may travel towards west-northwest up to Rajasthan. The trough could also shift towards the foothills of the Himalayas, and there is a potential for a western disturbance to affect the region in September, Mohapatra said. In Brief: Rescuers are searching for a helicopter that went missing in Russia’s far east on August 31 with 22 people on board. The Mi-8 helicopter took off close to the Vachkazhets volcano in the Kamchatka region but did not arrive at its destination as scheduled, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said in a statement. It said it believed that 19 passengers and three crew members were on board. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 31 August 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Haryana Assembly poll date revised to October 5 to accommodate Bishnoi community festival The [Haryana Assembly elections have now been moved forward to take place on October 5]( the Election Commission of India said. Accordingly, the counting of votes for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana Assembly polls will now be held on October 8 instead of October 4. The poll was earlier set to take place on October 1. The poll body cited “centuries-old festival of Bishnoi community” for this change in date. The decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar as per the ECI. The Commission said it had received representation from National President, All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner (Rajasthan) for rescheduling the date of polling set for October 1. Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal told The Hindu over phone that BJP State president Mohan Lal Badoli in a letter to the EC, received at his office on August 23, had demanded the postponement of the polling scheduled for October 1 saying that two days prior to the polling (September 28-29) and a day after were holidays and several families in the State could go out for vacation by taking a leave on September 30. Agarwal said the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) had also made a similar request. Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Singh Chautala too demanded that the polling be postponed by almost a week saying that “there is a likelihood of 15-20% shortfall in voting percentage”. He said the training of the election staff and the preparation for the polling too would be adversely impacted due to the holidays. Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat joins farmers’ protest; says government’s priority should be to resolve their problems Olympic wrestler [Vinesh Phogat on August 31 attended the ongoing 200 days long farmers’ protest]( being staged in support of their long pending demands including a legal guarantee for purchasing their crops at a minimum support price (MSP) in Punjab’s Shambhu village. Coming out in support of farmers’, Phogat said, “I have come to extend support to my family... the farmers of the country are in trouble, their problems should be resolved, in fact, it should be the first priority of the government to resolve their issues.” “...the government should listen to farmers. The government after the previous farmers’ protest (referring to the year-long farmers’ protest on farm laws) made a few promises to them, which it should fulfil. If the people of the country keep sitting (for protest) on the road it’s not good for the country... It’s been 200 days that farmers have been in protest but, sadly, the government is not listening,” Phogat said at Shambhu, where she was felicitated by the protesting farmers. Saying that it hurts to see the farmers protesting for their legitimate demands, she added, “At times we feel helpless at not being able to do anything for them. We represent the country at international levels but we could not do anything for our own family [farmers]. I have come here to tell you that your daughter is with you. I request the government to listen to them.” Notably, multiple four rounds of meetings were held between the Centre and the farmers’ leaders before the Lok Sabha election but it didn’t result in anything concrete. Meanwhile, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher claimed that the farmer’s agitation has been going on since 13 February in Delhi and they are going to have a maha panchayat in Jind on September 15 and in Pipli on September 22. Pandher also alleged the centre for misusing central agencies and as the election is scheduled in Haryana, the BJP is scared of the farmer’s protest. Notably, farmers are protesting at the Shambhu border near Ambala and have been camping there since February 13. Pandher said, “Delhi agitation has been going on since 13 February. Attempts were made to crush this agitation, forces were deployed, 433 farmers were injured, Shubhkaran Singh lost his life and around 70,000 paramilitary personnel were deployed in Haryana...This agitation has become a headache for the BJP government.” Further making demands, Pandher asked the centre to open the border as they will advance towards Delhi on the completion of 200 days of farmers’ protest. He said that farmers will demand the Central Government to open this route and let us advance to Delhi where we can peacefully demand the legal guarantee for MSP as well as other demands. Atrocities against women, safety of children a serious concern: PM Prime Minister [Narendra Modi on August 31 emphasised that atrocities committed against women]( and the safety of children are a serious concern in society. Modi, speaking at the inaugural function of the National Conference of District Judiciary, highlighted that the quicker the decisions in cases involving crimes against women the greater would be the assurance given to women, who form half the country’s population. The Prime Minister’s comments follow nationwide protests in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor who was on night duty at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital recently. The PM said strict laws to protect women and give them justice were already in place and the government had planned fast-track courts in 2019. He pushed for deposition centres for crucial witnesses to testify without fear, and district committees with the District Judge, District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police concerned to coordinate action in such sensitive cases. The PM said the spirit of new criminal laws, including the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, was “citizen first, dignity first and justice first”. He said the idea behind the Nyaya Sanhita was not just to punish citizens but to protect them. Modi unveiled the stamp and coin commemorating 75 years of the establishment of the Supreme Court. In his address, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said the district judiciary was the first point of contact for a citizen in search of justice and was the “backbone of the judiciary”. “We must stop calling the district judiciary the ‘subordinate’ judiciary. Seventy-five years after Independence, the time has come for us to bury one more relic of the British era — the colonial mindset of subordination,” the Chief Justice said. The CJI drew attention to the phenomenon of more women joining the district judiciary. He said that 72% of the total number of judicial officers were women in the latest recruitment in Kerala. IAF helicopter jettisons damaged chopper in transit for repairs over unpopulated area in Kedarnath valley A damaged helicopter being airlifted from Kedarnath, underslung to an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 helicopter, [crashed to the ground after it became unstable and was jettisoned mid-air](. No casualty was reported in the incident. An inquiry has been ordered by the IAF. According to the IAF, an Mi-17 V5 helicopter was transporting the damaged Kestrel civil chopper in the Kedarnath valley when the load had to be discarded for reasons of flight safety. “The crew safely released the load over an unpopulated area, ensuring no damage to life or property. An enquiry has been ordered,” the IAF said. The helicopter belonged to Crystal Aviation Private Limited, which had an emergency landing in Kedarnath on May 24 after it developed a snag mid-air. The pilot had ensured that all seven occupants of the helicopter landed unhurt at the time. The helicopter has been left at the site since then. Rahul Chaubey, District Tourism Officer, informed that the damaged helicopter was being taken to Gauchar for repairs. Speaking on the probable reason for the incident, an IAF officer explained that oscillations occur when aerodynamic objects are underslung. “When oscillations become too much, it can go out of control and becomes a risk to the mother helicopter that is carrying it. So, it was jettisoned at a safe location,” the official explained. Paralympics 2024: Rubina Francis wins bronze in air pistol SH1 event [India’s Rubina Francis won a bronze medal]( in the women’s air pistol SH1 event final to continue the strong show from the country’s shooters in the Paris Paralympics on August 31. Rubina scored a total of 211.1 to finish third in the eight-woman final. She had qualified for the final at seventh spot in the qualification round earlier in the day. This was India’s fourth medal in shooting and fifth overall at the Paris Paralympics. On August 30 Avani Lekhara had created history by successfully defending her women’s 10m air rifle gold medal which she had clinched in Tokyo Paralympics, with compatriot Mona Agarwal clinching the bronze. Manish Narwal then added a silver medal in the men’s 10m air pistol (SH1). In SH1 class, athletes are able to hold their gun without difficulty and shoot from a standing or sitting position in a wheelchair or chair. India’s August rainfall 16% higher than normal: IMD [India recorded around 16% more rainfall than normal in August]( with rainfall over Northwest India recorded at 253.9 mm, the second highest in August since 2001, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on August 31. Addressing a virtual press conference, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the country recorded 287.1 mm of rainfall in August, compared to the normal 248.1 mm. Overall, India has received 749 mm of precipitation against the normal 701 mm since the start of the monsoon season on June 1. Several districts in the foothills of the Himalayas and the northeast experienced below-normal rainfall as most of the low-pressure systems moved south of their usual position, and the monsoon trough also remained south of its typical position, the IMD chief said. Many States in the northeast, along with Kerala and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, experienced deficient rainfall, he added. The IMD chief said that six low-pressure systems formed in August, two of which intensified into monsoon depression or deep depression. There were 17 low-pressure system days this August, compared to the normal of 16.3 days. From August 10 to August 22, the monsoon trough remained along its normal position, resulting in good rainfall over northern and adjacent central India, parts of eastern India, and the extreme southern peninsula, especially Tamil Nadu. From August 23 to August 31, the trough shifted south of its normal position, causing very heavy rainfall over central and western parts of India. No-break monsoon conditions were observed in August this year, despite an increasing trend of break days during the month, Mohapatra said. He said the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) was very active during the second half of the month, leading to good rainfall over the Indian region. MJO is a large-scale atmospheric disturbance originating in tropical Africa and travelling eastward, typically lasting 30 to 60 days. After a wetter-than-normal August, India is likely to experience above normal rainfall in September, with heavy to very heavy precipitation expected in northwest India and the surrounding areas. Mohapatra said that the country is expected to receive above normal rainfall in September, at 109% of the long-period average of 167.9 mm. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is anticipated in the northwest region, including Uttarakhand, parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and the adjoining areas of Madhya Pradesh. The monsoon trough is expected to remain in its normal position, with the possibility of several low-pressure systems developing in the Bay of Bengal, which may travel towards west-northwest up to Rajasthan. The trough could also shift towards the foothills of the Himalayas, and there is a potential for a western disturbance to affect the region in September, Mohapatra said. In Brief: Rescuers are searching for a [helicopter that went missing in Russia’s far east]( on August 31 with 22 people on board. The Mi-8 helicopter took off close to the Vachkazhets volcano in the Kamchatka region but did not arrive at its destination as scheduled, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said in a statement. It said it believed that 19 passengers and three crew members were on board. 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