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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP spent nearly Rs 1,500 crore, accounting for 45% of total 2024 election expenditure: ADR report
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spent nearly Rs 1,494 crore, accounting for 44.56 per cent of the total election expenditure, during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, poll rights body the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said on Friday. The Congress followed next with Rs 620 crore or 18.5 per cent of the total expenses among the 32 national and regional parties whose records were analysed, the ADR said. Together, these parties spent Rs 3,352.81 crore during the Lok Sabha and simultaneous Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim between March 16 and June 6, 2024. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo The national parties accounted for more than Rs 2,204 crore (65.75 per cent) of this expenditure. "Of the total funds collected, national parties collected Rs 6,930.246 crore (93.08 per cent) while regional parties received Rs 515.32 crore (6.92 per cent)," the report said. Live Events The analysis is based on the mandatory expenditure statements political parties are required to file with the Election Commission (EC) within 90 days of a general election and 75 days of a state poll. The ADR also found significant delays in submissions, with the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) statement arriving 168 days late and the BJP's after 139 to 154 days, depending on the state. Only the Congress submitted a consolidated report for both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Publicity topped the list of expenses, with the parties spending Rs 2,008 crore, or more than 53 per cent, of their total declared expenditure on it. Travel expenses came next at Rs 795 crore, followed by Rs 402 crore in lump-sum payments to candidates. The parties also spent over Rs 132 crore on virtual campaigns and Rs 28 crore on publishing the criminal antecedents of their candidates. Of the total expenditure of the 32 political parties on publicity, an amount of Rs 1,511.3004 crore or 75.25 per cent was spent by the national parties and Rs 496.99 crore or 24.75 per cent was spent by the regional parties. Travel expenses were also heavily skewed toward star campaigners. Of the Rs 795 crore spent on travel, Rs 765 crore (96.22 per cent) went toward ferrying high-profile party faces, with just Rs 30 crore spent on the other leaders. The ADR flagged several concerns on transparency. Statements from 21 parties, including the NCP, CPI, JMM and Shiv Sena (UBT), were unavailable on the EC's website when the report was prepared. The expenditure statements of the RJD, LJP(RV), AJSU, KC(M) are not available for the concerned 2024 Assembly elections contested in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha. Meanwhile, two parties -- Jammu and Kashmir PDP and Kerala Congress (M) -- declared zero expenditure despite contesting. The ADR noted that a total of 690 unrecognised political parties contested in the general election last year, while one in Arunachal Pradesh, 74 in Andhra Pradesh, 35 in Odisha and two in Sikkim contested in the Assembly polls held simultaneously. The expenditure statements of these parties were not analysed as part of the report. The report said wherever possible, expenditure must be limited to transactions via cheques or DD (demand draft) or RTGS, so as to reduce the use of black money in elections in accordance with the transparency guidelines issued by the EC. The ADR also urged the EC to appoint observers to monitor party expenditure, akin to those who track candidate spending.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Review: The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier
Much of historical fiction features stories of love and war. This is true of, to name a couple of books, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah that chronicles the story of two sisters during WWII and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, which is a romance fantasy set across the 18th and 20th centuries. With its unique premise and execution, The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier is unlike many others in this genre. This is the story of the Rossos, a family from Murano, an island situated across the lagoon from Venice, which has a long history of glass making. The Rossos have been making glass for centuries and for generations. But when the head of the family dies in an accident, Orsola Rosso, the eldest daughter must step in and work with glass to save her family from ruin. Traditionally, within that community at least, women are not meant to work with glass. So Orsola must start from scratch. She must find a teacher and learn how to make beads in secret because her creations need to be perfect to be accepted by men. The story is interesting enough but its strength lies in the infusion of magical realism and how it plays with the concept of time alla Veneziana. Chevalier takes the story of the Rossos through monumental events like the plague, the Renaissance, the French Revolution and Napoleon's conquest of Italy, all way through the World Wars and up to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown. Along with the rise and fall of the family, the author expertly showcases the rise and fall of Venice and its power in the world of trade. And it's all to do with shifts in time. 'People who make things also have an ambiguous relationship with time. Painters, writers, wood-carvers, knitters, weavers and, yes, glassmakers: creators often enter an absorbed state that psychologists call flow, in which hours pass without their noticing,' writes Chevalier With sea routes to India and newer markets being discovered, the importance and significance of Venice and its artisans begins to decline, forcing the glassmakers of Murano to adapt or pivot to the changes. Readers also view the progress of time as they watch the protagonist Orsola grow up. From a naive girl of 17 she is transformed into an accomplished and respected artisan whose creations not only manage to keep the family afloat but also inspire other girls to dabble in the manly world of glass making. Chevalier takes the reader right into Orsola's mind as she navigates life experiencing her first love, heartbreak and grief. Her struggles to ensure that her family is unscathed during the plague quarantines ably showcase the horrors of that period in history. Hers is a fleshed out character with a full breadth of emotions. Through everything, her dedication to her family shines through and the reader cannot help but be impressed at all she does to keep everyone together through various hardships. Deeply atmospheric, Chevalier's writing, which is interspersed with Italian phrases, is effortless in the way it captures the readers attention and transports them to the centre of the story even as they are taken on a tour of Italy over 500 years However, the pacing is a bit slow and it might be difficult to read The Glassmaker from end to end without a break. And while the interest of fans of magical realism might not flag, others might struggle with all that skipping across time. Still, expertly researched and well written, this is an absolute must read for lovers of historical fiction. Rutvik Bhandari is an independent writer. He lives in Pune. He is a reader and a content creator. You can find him talking about books on Instagram and YouTube (@themindlessmess).
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
ACB case against Manish Sisodia: AAP slams BJP for 'false cases' against leaders; says no scam proven
New Delhi: AAP leader Atishi on Friday launched a sharp attack on the BJP government at the Centre and in Delhi, alleging a decade-long political vendetta involving over 200 false cases against party leaders. Her remarks came as former Delhi chief minister Manish Sisodia appeared before the ACB for questioning in an alleged graft case related to the construction of classrooms in Delhi government schools. At a press conference, Atishi said, "In the last 10 years, BJP's ED, CBI, IT and Delhi police have filed more than 200 false cases against AAP leaders, but till date not even a single rupee has been recovered." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo She cited the Supreme Court's remarks calling central investigative agencies "caged parrots" during AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal 's bail hearing as proof of political misuse of institutions. AAP leader Satyendar Jain had also appeared before the agency on June 6 in connection with the same case. Live Events Atishi accused the BJP of using diversion tactics to cover up its failures on the governance front. "There are long power cuts across Delhi, water shortage in homes while roads remain waterlogged. But instead of solving these issues, the BJP is busy running fake cases to mislead the public," Atishi alleged. She further charged that the BJP is colluding with the "education mafia" to shut down government schools and promote private institutions. "They want to shut down Delhi's government schools under the guise of scams that don't exist. Headlines don't prove corruption," she said. There was no immediate response from the BJP over the allegations. Hitting out at Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Atishi asked, "Apart from painting mohalla clinics and renaming them health temples, what has she really given to the people of Delhi?"
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
India vs England Pitch, Weather Report: Will rain play spoilsport in the Headingley series opener?
The eagerly awaited five-match Test series between India and England begins on Friday, June 20 at Headingley in Leeds, marking the start of a new cycle in the World Test Championship. As both teams aim to get off to a strong start, weather conditions could play a key role in shaping the outcome of the first match. Ind vs Eng Leeds Weather Update Day 1 (Friday, June 20): Good news for fans—Day 1 is expected to be warm and dry. With temperatures peaking at 31°C, minimal cloud cover, and just a 5% chance of rain, a full day's play looks likely. Day 2 (Saturday, June 21): Conditions change slightly with afternoon showers predicted and a 60% chance of rain, which could cause interruptions during the post-lunch session. The morning is expected to be drier. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Day 3 (Sunday, June 22): Temperatures will drop (high of 22°C, low of 12°C) with some light showers early on. However, skies should turn partly cloudy and rain chances drop to 4%, making most of the day playable. Day 4 (Monday, June 23): Expect partly sunny and breezy weather. There's a 25% chance of a brief morning shower, but the rest of the day looks favorable. Live Events Day 5 (Tuesday, June 24): Cloudy in the morning, but conditions are expected to clear up as the day progresses. Rain remains a 25% possibility, but long delays seem unlikely. India vs England 1st Test, Leeds Pitch Report Early visuals suggest that the Headingley surface has a healthy green cover, known to support seam and swing bowling, particularly during the opening two days. Overhead cloud cover may further assist bowlers in generating lateral movement. Batters will need to stay cautious early on, but the pitch tends to settle down by Day 3. As footmarks develop, spinners could become effective in the latter half of the match. In summary, while Day 2 might see some weather interruptions, the rest of the Test promises plenty of action. India Squad Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav England Squad Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes India vs England Test Series Schedule 2025 1st Test: June 20–24 – Headingley, Leeds 2nd Test: July 2–6 – Edgbaston, Birmingham 3rd Test: July 10–14 – Lord's, London 4th Test: July 23–27 – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester 5th Test: July 31–August 4 – Kia Oval, London
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Ola's Krutrim acquires BharatSah'AI'yak to scale AI-driven assistance in India
Ola Group's artificial intelligence arm Krutrim on Friday announced the acquisition of AI platform BharatSah'AI'yak from technology consultancy firm Samagra for an undisclosed amount. As part of the deal, Krutrim has also onboarded Samagra's core AI team. The AI-enabled chatbot KumbhSah'AI'yak was developed for Maha Kumbh 2025 to offer pilgrims round-the-clock guidance on rituals, navigation, accommodations, and attractions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo "Integrating BharatSah'Ai'yak into the Krutrim ecosystem widens its offerings. This integration enhances our ability to build AI that is inclusive, intuitive, and deeply rooted in the lived realities of India," Krutrim spokesperson said in a statement. Krutim had hosted open-source LLM services for the chatbot. Live Events "With this acquisition, Krutrim aims to leverage its own Large Language Models (LLMs) or artificial intelligence engine, cloud infrastructure and agentic platform powering Kruti to scale up BharatSah'AI'yak pan India," the statement said. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories
