LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

We want to score more field goals: Craig Fulton, head coach, Indian men’s hockey team

Coach Fulton shares insights on team adjustments, performance improvements, and challenges faced in Olympics preparation. Emphasizes the importance of balancing squad rotation, building depth, and preparing for top opposition in upcoming events for Paris Olympics.

Mechanisms in place to track social media, difficult to look at everything: Delhi poll body chief

Chief Electoral Officer P Krishnamurthy detailed the Delhi poll body's strategies to track paid news and social media, mentioning challenges in online platform oversight. The Election Commission focuses on countering misinformation and ensuring a level playing field during the elections.

EC asks political parties to remove fake content within 3 hours

Recently, fake videos showing Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and actors Aamir Khan and Ranveer Singh were removed from specific social media accounts, and legal complaints were lodged.

Big 4's dominance: Local companies call for level playing field

Indian auditing firms are pushing for fair competition with multinational counterparts, expressing concerns over the Big Four's increasing dominance and alleged manipulation of regulatory loopholes. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) recently investigated affiliates of EY, Deloitte, PwC, and KPMG, where the firms were able to obtain court stays against disciplinary actions by the ICAI disciplinary committee after years of scrutiny, according to local rivals.

No level playing field; Only opposition raising real issues: Tejashwi Yadav

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav is busy campaigning in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls. Amid this, Yadav spoke to ET's Kumar Anshuman on the campaign, his outreach to the economically backward communities (EBCs) and the prospect of the INDIA bloc in the elections. Excerpts:

Govt favours level playing field in telecom amid satcom entry

The government is committed to maintaining a fair "level-playing field" in the telecom sector, especially regarding satcom services. Spectrum will be allocated administratively but at fair pricing. A letter will be sent to Trai for suggestions on pricing and modalities for satellite spectrum allocation. Parliament has not sought to change the 2012 Supreme Court judgment favoring auction as the preferred method for spectrum allocation. The government's recent filing with the Supreme Court was to inform them about specific cases requiring administrative allocation of airwaves, not to seek a change in the verdict.

EC appoints special observers in states to ensure level playing field in LS polls

Special Observers (General and Police) have been deployed in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar where the population is more than seven crore and also in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha where the simultaneous elections to the Assemblies are to be held, the poll authority said.

Election Commission acts swiftly on violations ahead of Lok Sabha polls

The Election Commission directed the removal of unauthorized political ads, swiftly transferring officials, and enforcing the model code of conduct. With the MCC now in effect, the EC aims to ensure fair play, particularly regarding the conduct of the party in power. The cVigil app has been instrumental in reporting violations, reflecting the EC's commitment to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. The challenge lies in curbing surrogate violations and maintaining the decorum of political discourse amidst heightened campaigning.

Kejriwal's arrest: Opposition seeks EC intervention, demands level playing field

Model Code: EC asks govt to stop sending 'Viksit Bharat' messages on WhatsApp

The Commission had received several complaints that such messages highlighting the government's initiatives are still being delivered on citizens' phones despite the announcement of the General Elections 2024 and the Model Code of Conduct entering into force. "In response, MeitY had informed the commission that although the letters were sent out before MCC came into force, some of them could have possibly been delivered to recipients with a delay because of systemic and network limitations," the ECI said.

ECI shakes up district administration in four states, transfers non-encadred DMs & SPs

The Election Commission of India issues transfer orders for non-cadre officers in Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha, and West Bengal, aiming to ensure fairness in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Officers in key positions like District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police are being transferred to maintain a level playing field. This move follows the Commission's commitment to fairness and integrity in the electoral process, as emphasized by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

Lok Sabha polls: Gujarat govt appoints new home secretary following ECI order

AK Rakesh appointed as additional chief secretary of Gujarat by ECI, replacing Pankaj Joshi. Joshi held dual charges in the chief minister's office, potentially compromising impartiality and neutrality during the electoral process.

CEC tells West Bengal officials to ensure level playing field during polls

"The state machinery is primarily responsible for free and fair elections... Impersonation should not be tolerated," Kumar said. He assured that a sufficient number of central security forces will come to the state and they will be deployed in an impartial manner. Polls in West Bengal are known to be fiercely contested. It has also witnessed violence in the past. "CAPF's duty is to travel across the country and thus they have come here. It is the primary duty of state police and responsibility of all combined."

Protect farmers, fishermen in developing nations: India at WTO

India calls for a level playing field in agriculture, highlighting the disparity in subsidies provided by developed countries. They propose a 25-year moratorium on fishing subsidies beyond EEZs. They emphasize the importance of a permanent solution on public stockholding and advocate for common but differentiated responsibilities, Special and Differential Treatment, equity in fair trade, and protection of their sovereign rights.

Opposition asks Govt and ECI to implement SC order and release donors' names

They asked the Modi government to follow the judicial order and ECI to release the names of donors. Congress sounded caution against any move by the Centre to try and circumvent the order through an ordinance. A jubilant CPI(M) reminded all that it was the only political party among the petitioners in the case against the electoral bonds.

Budget 2024: Need for crypto-friendly budget, level-playing field, says WazirX's Rajagopal Menon

Rajagopal Menon says Indian crypto industry seeks level playing field, stable banking connections, and optimized taxes in upcoming budget. Regulatory measures expected to address TDS reduction, loss tax rule change, and taxation alignment with equity shares. Support for innovation and blockchain development crucial, G20 roadmap to be followed, optimized crypto taxes to boost investor confidence and encourage investment in Indian crypto ecosystem are needed. Closer collaboration between industry and government also needed for balanced regulation and mutual benefits.

Anand Mahindra shares video of women playing cricket on hills, says 'India takes cricket to another or many levels'

Anand Mahindra sparks joy with a viral video featuring a unique cricket match in India. The clip showcases women playing on terraced steps, defying traditional cricket fields. With players strategically positioned on different levels, the video reflects India's innovative cricket culture. The post garnered 828k views and diverse reactions. While many applauded the creativity, some raised concerns about potential risks on the uneven terrain. This unconventional take on cricket exemplifies India's passion for the sport and its ability to redefine traditional norms.

Centre notified mineral auction rules to cap upfront payments

In a recent development, the central government has introduced new revisions to the Mineral auction rules. These changes aim to ensure transparency and fair competition in the bidding process. According to the revised rules, the upfront payment for mineral auctions will now be capped at Rs 500 crore.

Mahindra calls for EV level playing field amid Tesla's India entry plans

Mahindra and Tata Motors have pressed Indian officials privately not to lower import taxes of 100% on electric vehicles and protect domestic firms and their foreign investors as the government reviews Tesla's plans to enter the market, Reuters reported last month.

Telcos push for D2M policy relook to ensure level-playing field

Telecom operators have raised concerns over the government's draft policy on direct-to-mobile (D2M) networks, urging a reevaluation to ensure a fair playing field. They have warned of potential regulatory arbitrage if the policy is implemented hastily. The government is currently considering a proposal for D2M networks that would allow TV channels to be streamed on mobile devices without using cellular data.

Set level playing field for English-educated urban and vernacular-medium rural youth in UPSC, says panel

To address the issue of shortage of IAS officers, the Central government has been recruiting 180 IAS officers on annual basis. The Committee has recommended the DoPT to consider increasing the annual intake of direct recruit IAS officers to bridge the deficit, the report added. It also pointed out that the deficit of IAS officers stems partly from the fact that the promotion quota IAS vacancies are not being filled up by states on time.

AIF industry: Sebi is at the perfect regulatory vantage point to undertake any requisite corrective measures

Sebi has been alert in building a regime for a market that has emerged as one of the fastest-growing investment destinations. However, Sebi (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations 2012 have undergone significant changes over the past decade. These changes have resulted in some regulatory excesses.

Not to water down water neutrality

NITI Aayog's initiative of defining "water neutrality" is a crucial step towards creating a fair assessment of industries and businesses' water consumption and conservation claims. The standard definition will prevent greenwashing and promote best practices for water conservation. The suggested definition obligates the claimant to prove their freshwater consumption is less than the verified water savings. The policy on water use should reflect the definition to sustain water resources.