1. ECI vehemently opposes DMK’s case against third-generation M3 EVMs
The Election Commission of India (ECI) vehemently opposed a writ petition filed by the DMK questioning the design of third-generation M3 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in which the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) printers are sandwiched between the balloting units and control units without a direction connection between the two units.
Appearing before the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice J. Sathya Narayana Prasad, ECI counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan said, such writ petitions filed by political parties time and again end up creating absolutely unnecessary apprehension in the minds of the voters. “It will send a wrong message. People will start doubting the EVMs,” he told the Bench.
2. SC to hear on April 8 Minister’s plea
The Supreme Court said it will hear on April 8 the plea of Rural Development Minister I. Periyasamy challenging the Madras High Court order for his trial in a corruption case.
In an application, Periyasamy sought the apex court’s direction for deferment of trial and exemption from personal appearance in the graft case before a Chennai court.
3. Experts from Anamalai Tiger Reserve join efforts to track carnivore
A team of experts from the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Coimbatore district have joined the Forest Department teams in tracking the carnivore, suspected to be a leopard, which continues to be on the prowl near Mayiladuthurai town.
Unable to determine the exact location of the elusive animal since it was spotted in the late hours on April 2 at Semmankulam near Koranad in Mayiladuthurai town, the Forest Department has set up a string of camera traps at locations where the suspected movements of the carnivore were found.
