Bombay HC issues notice to CM Fadnavis in petition challenging his 2024 assembly poll win
Nagpur, Apr 17 (PTI): The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Thursday issued notice to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a poll petition challenging his 2024 win from the Nagpur South West assembly seat.
The poll petition was filed in January by Congress' Prafulla Vinodrao Gudadhe, who had lost to Fadnavis by a margin of 39,710 votes.
In the plea, Gudadhe alleged procedural lapses and corrupt practices and had sought that the HC declare Fadnavis' win "null and void".
Justice Pravin Patil took up the plea for hearing in his chamber on Thursday and issued notice to the respondent (Fadnavis).
"Justice Pravin Patil issued summons (notice) to CM Fadnavis returnable on May 8," Gudadhe's lawyer Pavan Dahat told PTI.
On the next date, the chief minister's legal representative will have to appear in court and respond to the petition.
Several mandatory provisions were not followed during the polls held in November last year, Gudadhe's lawyers Dahat and AB Moon claimed.
The Mahayuti swept the assembly polls, winning 230 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, following which Fadnavis became CM.
Meanwhile, the High Court also issued summons (notices) to BJP MLA Mohan Mate from Nagpur West and Kirtikumar Bhangdia from Chimur seat in Chandrapur district in similar election petitions.
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IMF approves USD 206 million emergency funding for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka's recovery
Colombo (PTI): The IMF has approved an emergency funding of USD 206 million under its rapid finance instrument to help Sri Lanka “address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability”.
The cyclone caused widespread destruction in the island nation and left over 643 people dead.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs.
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The emergency financial support provided by the IMF under the rapid finance instrument will help address these pressures, it said.
The IMF added that the cyclone devastation hit when the Fifth Review of Sri Lanka’s USD 2.9 billion bailout was nearing completion.
“Given the time needed to assess the economic impact of the cyclone and examine how an IMF-supported programme can best support Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts while preserving objectives and policy priorities, the Fifth Review has been deferred," it said.
"An IMF mission team will visit Sri Lanka in early 2026 to resume discussions,” it added.
The 48-month extended fund facility deal with the IMF in March 2023 carried hard reforms to Sri Lanka's welfare-based governance.
It was signed after Sri Lanka plunged into an unprecedented economic meltdown with its first-ever sovereign default.
Several hours before the IMF decision, the parliament here approved without a vote a supplementary estimate of LKR 500 billion, which the government said was required to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the disaster.
