Political Updates:
The Aam Admi Party (AAP) is set to announce its candidates for the upcoming Haryana Legislative Assembly elections today. AAP Haryana president Sushil Gupta had previously announced that the party would be contesting all 90 assembly seats and that the candidates would be chosen through a rigorous screening process. The party is aiming to declare its candidates by the end of August.
In a separate development, the Union government has slashed the windfall tax on domestically produced crude oil to ₹1,850 per tonne, effective from August 31st. This reduction comes after the previous rate of ₹2,100 per tonne was imposed earlier. Notably, the windfall tax on diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) exports remains unchanged at zero.
Sports and Entertainment:
The Indian Oil Durand Cup 2024 football finals will take place today in Kolkata, West Bengal. This year marks the 133rd edition of the tournament, and the final will feature a showdown between two prominent Bengal teams: Mohun Bagan SG and NorthEast United FC. The match is scheduled for 5:30 PM at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan sports stadium.
Business and Finance:
The initial public offering (IPO) allotment for ECOS (India) Mobility & Hospitality Limited is anticipated to be announced today. The public issue, worth ₹601.20 crore, was launched on August 28th, with the company setting the IPO price band at ₹318 to ₹334 per equity share.
The IPO allotment for Premier Energies is also out. The IPO received an overwhelming response from investors, closing with a remarkable subscription of 74.90 times on its third day, August 29th. The strong demand across investor categories, particularly from Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs), reflects the confidence in the company’s future prospects.
Leadership and Politics:
In a move to oversee the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) operations in Tamil Nadu during the absence of state party president K Annamalai, BJP leader H Raja has been appointed as the convener of a six-member committee. BJP President JP Nadda announced the formation of this committee, with H Raja taking the helm.
Science and Space:
Following an investigation into a landing failure that occurred on August 28th, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has received authorization from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume spaceflights. The decision allows SpaceX to proceed with its mission to achieve the world’s first spacewalk by private astronauts. The FAA’s clearance permits the Falcon 9, the world’s most frequently flown rocket, to resume launches while the investigation remains ongoing, subject to the fulfillment of all other licensing requirements. SpaceX had submitted its request to return to flight on August 29th.
Other News:
Today marks the death anniversary of India’s former president Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away in 2020. Mukherjee served as the 13th President of India from July 25, 2012, until his passing. He played a significant role in leading government decisions on various issues, including administrative reforms, the Right to Information, and the establishment of UIDAI.
