Delhi Confidential: To add punch to its campaign, Congress to release booklets targetting BJP

In the era of social media and digital campaign, Sonia Gandhi-led Congress is set to come out with a series of booklets – like the Left parties – targeting the BJP government at the Centre on specific topics, hoping to add punch to its campaign in the five poll-bound states. The first of the booklets on farmers’ issues is set to be unveiled on Wednesday. The party is planning to release it at multiple centres in the five states. Senior leaders like Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Randeep Surjewala, Sachin Pilot and Rajiv Shukla have been asked to address press conferences in Lucknow, Chandigarh, Varanasi and Jalandhar. Other leaders will have media interactions at different places. The party is planning to bring out booklets on issues such as inflation, unemployment, economic downturn, internal security and atrocities against women, SC and STs.

Making A Point: The Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association on Tuesday wrote to Chief Justice of India N V Ramana regarding a Registry direction asking lawyers to “avoid” using mobile phones for attending virtual court hearings and instead use laptop or desktop. Citing financial and other constraints suffered by lawyers in Covid-19 times, it requested that no particular device be insisted upon for virtual hearings. Meanwhile, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Senior Advocate Vikas Singh said that in a meeting between SCBA Executive Committee members and the CJI and four other most senior judges of the court, the CJI clarified that what was issued by the Registry was only an advisory to ensure uninterrupted court proceedings and those who do not have a laptop or desktop can join the virtual hearing through mobile phone.

Covid Count: One more Supreme Court judge has tested positive for Covid-19, taking the number of those infected to 5. This came to light on Tuesday when Justice Vineet Saran told a lawyer who sought adjournment on the ground that his senior was suffering from Covid-19 that he would not deny the request as his own bench partner was suffering from it. Earlier, four other judges had tested positive but recovered quickly.