Here are the top 5 news updates of June 21, 2021:
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal today announced that the party's chief ministerial face for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls will be from the Sikh community. When asked who will be the CM's face of the party for the 2022 polls, Kejriwal said, "Discussions are going on in the party regarding this, when time comes, you will be informed". "But one thing I can tell you is that the entire Punjab will be proud of him. One thing is certain that AAP's CM face will be from the Sikh community," he said. Kejriwal, who is the AAP national convener, asserted that the people of Punjab are fed up with the present leadership ruling the state and added that the state is looking for a new type of leadership.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor today met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar in Delhi, their second meeting this month amid heightened speculation about the possible formation of a Third Front to take on the BJP. The closed-door discussions between Kishor and Pawar at the latter's residence lasted for about one-and-a-half hours, sources told PTI. The meeting comes a day before the NCP's general body meeting scheduled to be held at Pawar's residence. Kishor, who was instrumental in the Trinamool Congress' victory in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, had also met Pawar on June 11, fuelling the talk of opposition parties coming together against the BJP.
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Vijay Wadettiwar today said that the general public won't be able to commute in Mumbai local trains till the pandemic is over. Although Mumbai has qualified to move to Level 1 of the phased unlocking measures in place, the city will continue to remain at Level 3, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had said on Friday. This is in the view of the possible third wave of the pandemic. A senior BMC official had told The Free Press Journal that for the time being, Mumbai would continue to remain at Level 3, as it is anticipated that a possible third wave could strike.
The Supreme Court today reserved verdict on the pleas seeking directions that ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh be paid to the families of those who have died of COVID-19. A special vacation bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah heard Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate S B Upadhyay and other lawyers for almost two hours. The top court asked the parties to file written submissions in three days and specifically directed the Centre to simplify the process of grant of death certificates to the dependents of those who have died of COVID-19.
Equity benchmark Sensex rebounded from the day's low to end 230 points higher today, tracking recovery in HDFC twins, SBI and Reliance Industries amid a mixed trend in global equities. After plunging over 600 points in early trade, the 30-share BSE index made a U-turn to settle 230.01 points or 0.44 per cent higher at 52,574.46. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty advanced 63.15 points or 0.40 per cent to 15,746.50.
