THE WEEK Morning Brief: AAP warns of protest over EC 'inaction' against Yogi

AAP warns of protest against EC

The Aam Aadmi Party has warned that if the Election Commission does not meet its representatives by 12pm on Monday, it would stage a dharna at the poll body's office.

The AAP has accused the Election Commission of not acting against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who it accuses of making "divisive" speeches during the Delhi election campaign.

The AAP has demanded that Adityanath be banned from campaigning and the Election Commission lodge an FIR against him.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh claimed the party had sought a meeting with the Election Commission on Friday, but "received no response". Singh claimed, "It is very unfortunate that BJP derails the poll discourse in Delhi, but the EC silently watches it and does not take stock of the situation."

CAA, NPR, NRC to come up in Parliament

Various opposition parties—including Congress, TMC, RJD and Left—have given adjournment notices in the Rajya Sabha demanding immediate discussion on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Monday.

The Congress and other opposition parties are expected to give adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha also.

The Budget session of Parliament started on January 31 with the President's address to the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament and the presentation of Union budget on February 1. Both the Houses are set to initiate the discussion on the 'motion of thanks' to the President's address from Monday.

SC to frame issues related to women's entry to places of worship

A nine-judge Constitution bench will from Monday consider the issues related to the entry of women of menstrual age into Sabarimala and Muslim women into mosques, female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community and barring of Parsi women, married to non-Parsi men, in the holy fire place at an agiary.

Besides Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, judges on the bench are Justices R. Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan, L. Nageswara Rao, M.M. Shantanagoudar, S.A. Nazeer, R. Subhash Reddy, B.R. Gavai and Surya Kant.

CPI(M) protest against CAA, NRC in Tripura

The main opposition party in Tripura, CPI(M), will launch a door-to-door campaign in the state against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the proposed countrywide National Register of Citizen and the National Population Register from Monday.

CPI(M) state committee secretary Gautam Das told a press conference on Sunday, “The CAA, NRC and NPR are part of an agenda of the BJP and the RSS to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra by driving out all non-Hindu people from the country. We strongly oppose this and will launch a door-to-door campaign till March to build up a strong opinion against it."

Democratic presidential race begins in Iowa

The first event to decide the candidates for the post of the next US president will begin with the Iowa Caucuses on Monday. Democratic and Republican voters will choose their respective preferred candidates. While incumbent US President Donald Trump appears set to be the Republican nominee, the Democratic field has at least 11 contenders.

The Democratic primary contests continue till June, with the next event at New Hampshire on February 11. Veteran senator Bernie Sanders is considered the favourite to win Democratic votes in Iowa. Polls also suggest Sanders is leading among voters in New Hampshire.

OIC meet in Jeddah

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold a crucial meeting at its headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday. Among key items on the agenda is the peace plan presented by US President Donald Trump for Israel and Palestine. The summit has already attracted controversy after Saudi Arabia banned Iran's delegation from attending.