Summary

Good morning, Ahead of the negotiations between Iran and the United States, likely to restart in a few days, the two countries have reached an ‘in-principle’ agreement to extend the ceasefire beyond the current two-week deadline. Even as the US blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats hampers the week-old agreement, regional officials have said they were making progress, giving room to dialogue and diplomacy. Meanwhile, the leader of Iran’s joint military command has threatened to halt trade in the Gulf region if the US does not lift its current blockade of Iranian ports. Follow live updates here. With that, let’s move on to the top stories from today’s edition: 🚨 Big Story In Lok Sabha today: The Centre is likely to bring a ‘schedule’ in Parliament on Thursday to specify the number of Lok Sabha seats for each state. The move will show that the percentage share of each state in the total strength of the Lower House is the same as it is now, top sources told The Indian Express. The sources pointed out that the three Bills cleared by the Cabinet to facilitate women’s reservation and delimitation of LS constituencies could not have entailed a pro-rata increase in the number of House seats for states, and that it would now be done in the ‘schedule’. Oppn’s stance: During the three-day Parliament session set to meet today, Opposition parties have said that they will vote against the Constitution amendment Bill provisions on delimitation, with some calling the delimitation plan “a devious agenda” and “a tool to win a majority for the ruling party”. At the same time, they underlined that they are not against reservation of seats for women in Parliament and state Assemblies, but are opposed to the manner in which the related Bill is being brought. Day plan: The three new Bills scheduled to be tabled in the Lok Sabha today entail amendments to seven key Articles of the Constitution, we have learnt. The amendments are related to Articles 55, 81, 82, 170, 330, 332 and 334A. These fall essentially under sections pertaining to the Executive – specifically to the election of the President and Vice President of India – to the composition of legislatures, including the Parliament and State Assemblies, and to ‘Special Provisions’ relating to certain classes which provide for reservation for Scheduled Classes and Tribes. Know more about them here. Reshaping Indian democracy: One of the Bills set to be tabled today is a Constitutional amendment to increase the number of seats in Lok Sabha to up to 850 from the existing 543. Accompanying it will be a Bill to constitute a Delimitation Commission to carve out the new Parliamentary constituencies. The dual move stands as one of the most significant changes in Indian democracy since Independence, which seeks to make the Indian democratic system more representative, inclusive and equitable. We explain. Neerja Chowdhury, in our columns today, makes a case for why the Parliament should make sincere efforts towards clearing women’s quota, even as the Opposition questions the timing of the Bills ahead of the Assembly elections. She writes: “The logic for it is not easy to understand. If by passing these Bills, the BJP wanted to influence women voters, it would get only three days of canvassing in Tamil Nadu and a little over a week in Bengal. Most voters make up their minds before the last stretch of campaigning.” ⚡ Only in Express Express Investigations: At least seven Indian manufacturers are in the race to develop generic versions of Merck & Co’s best-selling cancer immunotherapy drug Keytruda. This comes even as doctors and researchers share that a far-cheaper alternative could be available within two years. This alternative comes at a crucial time as the drug’s patent expires in June 2028, offering hope at a time when each mandated 200mg dose costs more than Rs 3 lakh. Our investigation in association with the ICIJ into how a growing multi-city counterfeit racket in the drug is fuelled by a company mandate for standardised high dosing and an opaque patient programme, also found out that companies conducting trials or seeking approvals include Sun, Hetero and Intas, and others. Here are the key findings. 📰 From the Front Page “India was not constructed through arithmetic; it was built on trust, restraint, and a shared constitutional vision. The Constitution did not ask states to compete in a demographic race; it asked them to govern responsibly.” In an interview with The Indian Express, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin called India’s current state of political affairs, especially over delimitation, as a move to restructure power in one party’s advantage. Invoking the state’s history of political assertion, Stalin suggested that if institutional responses failed, public expression would follow. Read the full interview. Complaint: Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has written to the BCCI, complaining about the DJ’s choice of song and comments at their April 5 game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. According to the CSK, the track ‘Dosa, idli, sambar, chutney, chutney,’ a popular background score to memes about South Indian stereotypes, played before their innings was not in good taste. Confirming the development, a top IPL official said the governing council would look into the matter. 📌 Must Read In reference to the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and calling the attacks on merchant shipping, “completely unacceptable,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Wednesday underlined India’s “strong commitment to safe and unimpeded transit passage of maritime shipping”. The EAM was at the AZEC Plus — Asia Zero Emission Community — meeting, convened by Japan to discuss supply chain disruptions in the energy markets. Later in the evening, US President Donald Trump said that he was “permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz”. In our Opinion columns today, Shashi Tharoor analyses India’s stance in the face of political escalations across the globe. While underlining that India needs to practice strategic restraint in cases where principle collides with national interest, Tharoor writes: “But when India remains passive as expletive-laden threats fly and violations of the UN Charter multiply, it risks losing the very credibility that makes it a leader of the Global South. It is time for a proactive, principled diplomacy that prioritises viable supply corridors, energy diversification, and a coherent security framework.” ⏳ And Finally… Champions with an aura: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, long considered a ‘batting’ team, showcased their phenomenal bowling on Wednesday, putting Lucknow Super Giants to the sword at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A target of 147 was attainable as they cantered home to a five-wicket win with 29 balls to spare, climbing to the top of the points table. From Josh Hazlewood’s spells setting the match for RCB, to Virat Kohli’s chase, led to the team’s swift end, giving them a nice net-run-rate boost. 🎧 Lastly, tune in to today’s episode of our 3 Things podcast, where we talk about the concerns associated with Centre’s three Bills aimed towards a fresh round of delimitation. We also discuss the backlash to the circular that necessitates athletes to inform its federation about their sponsorships and contracts; as well as Nitish Kumar’s exit and Samrat Chaudhary’s entry into Bihar politics. That’s all for today. Have a wonderful day! Until next time, Ariba