Here are the top 5 news updates of May 24, 2022:
1. Poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu in Congress' Task Force for 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Congress has constituted a "Task Force 2024" for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which, interestingly, includes poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu as a member. Senior leaders included in the group are P Chidambaram, Mukul Wasnik, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Sunil Kanugolu. Currently, Kanugolu is working with Congress in Telangana and Karnataka and making a strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls. Besides the Task Force 2024, Congress has also Constituted a Political Affairs Group headed by party interim president Sonia Gandhi. Along with that Central Planning Group for the "Bharat Jodo Padyatra" has also been formed.
2. Gyanvapi case: District court to decide on maintainability on May 26
A district court today fixed May 26 for hearing on the maintainability of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex case. The court of District Judge A K Vishevesh will hear the matter as per directions of the Supreme Court, District Government Counsel Rana Sanjeev Singh said. Singh said the court also gave a week's time to both Hindu and Muslim sides to file objections to the report of a court-mandated videography survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
3. Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla sacked, arrested on corruption charges
Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the state Cabinet today and arrested on corruption charges with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserting that his government has zero-tolerance towards corruption. The Aam Aadmi Party has been in power in Punjab for barely two months. The chief minister himself announced the removal of Singla from the council of ministers. Mann said the decision was made after he came to know that Singla was allegedly demanding one per cent commission in tenders and purchases of his department. The chief minister said that he has also directed the police to register a case against Singla. Later, he was arrested by the Punjab Police, sources said.
4. ASI opposes in court plea seeking restoration of Hindu & Jain deities inside Qutub Minar complex
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) today opposed a plea before a Delhi Court seeking restoration of Hindu and Jain deities inside the Qutub Minar complex, saying it is not a place of worship and the existing status of the monument cannot be altered. The ASI also said the fundamental right of the applicant cannot be availed in violation of the existing status of the land. Taking note of the ASI submission that "the Qutub Minar is not a place of worship and that the existing status of the monument cannot be altered," Additional District Judge Nikhil Chopra reserved the order on the plea for June 9.
5. Markets reverse early gains in volatile trade; Sensex falls 236 pts
Equity indices failed to hold on to morning gains today, with the Sensex falling 236 points amid a sell-off in IT stocks and weak trends from global markets. The 30-share BSE benchmark opened higher but could not carry forward the momentum and declined 236 points or 0.43 per cent to settle at 54,052.61. During the day, it hit a low of 53,886.28 and a high of 54,524.37. The broader NSE Nifty dropped 89.55 points or 0.55 per cent to end at 16,125.15.
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