Daily Briefing: a rare battle for Speaker post; key concern over new crime laws; an unfit Indian population; and more

In a contest after 26 years, NDA’s Om Birla is up against the INDIA bloc’s K Suresh for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post. While NDA has the numbers, the INDIA bloc may not push for a division on the vote and agree to a voice vote.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), meanwhile, is keeping the INDIA bloc on the tenterhooks over supporting Suresh as it claims to have not been “consulted”.

The INDIA bloc fielded its own candidate after the NDA refused to commit to giving the Deputy Speaker’s post to the Opposition. But what does the Deputy Speaker do, and how often has it been an Opposition MP? We decode.

In other news, for the first time in 10 years, the Lok Sabha is set to have a Leader of the Opposition – none other than Rahul Gandhi. 

Only in Express

In five days, the three new criminal laws are set to be operationalised. Even as states prepare for the implementation, organising training sessions for bureaucrats, judges and police personnel, a key concern remains: these laws are yet to be officially notified in regional languages.

From the Front Page

The Centre has decided to rename the flagship Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre as Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs (AAM). The move, however, has faced a pushback in Mizoram and Nagaland, who have requested exemption from the renaming exercise. Here’s why.

Must Read

In our Opinion section today, C Raja Mohan writes about the new “Eurasian” geopolitics and the strategic opportunities it offers for middle powers like India: “The question is whether the Indian bureaucracy can move fast enough to seize the current international possibilities for the urgent modernisation of India’s defence industrial base and the rapid expansion of arms production at home.”

China’s Chang’e-6 on Tuesday became the first spacecraft to bring back samples from the far side of the Moon — the part that the Earth never gets to see. We explain why this is significant.

Half the adult Indian population does not meet the World Health Organisation’s guidelines on sufficient physical activity. This means unchecked, 60 percent of our population would be unfit by 2030 and at risk of disease from not doing enough physical activity. Here’s what a Lancet study says.

And Finally…

T20 World Cup 2024: It has been a tournament in which cricket’s master of disguise, Rashid Khan, took on at least half a dozen guises: talisman, calm head, voice, identity, hope and googly‑whipping spellcaster. Khan is Afghanistan’s cricketing icon and identity, he defines his country’s cricketing ethos, and he has ultimately defined their World Cup dream run.

Delhi Confidential: His slogan during oath-taking expunged from House records, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi told reporters outside Parliament that he had hailed Palestine. Don’t miss today’s Delhi Confidential for more!

In the latest episode of our 3 Things podcast, we discuss the Delhi water crisis and the reasons behind it, the government’s plan to develop the Great Nicobar through the Great Nicobar Project, and  BJP leaders launching a series of posts on X about the imposition of Emergency in 1975 on its 49th anniversary. Tune in!

Until tomorrow,

Sonal Gupta and Ayesha Jain