The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak to The Indian Express’ Alok Singh about how protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation spread across central Delhi, the challenges of policing multiple groups and the allegations surrounding the police response.

Next, we speak to The Indian Express’ Pratip Acharya about a CAG audit that found major failures in Maharashtra’s implementation of the Green India Mission, including poor fund utilisation, missed plantation targets and extremely low sapling-survival rates. (15:50)

And in the end, we look at the GST Council’s decision to remove the arrest powers of tax officers, raise the prosecution threshold from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore, and ease other penalties amid concerns about aggressive enforcement. (23:55)

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Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava, Niharika Nanda and Ichha Sharma
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak with The Indian Express' Sadaf Modak about the toll the drought in Maharashtra is taking on the women of the state. She talks about how women have to carry pots filled with water to their homes when borewells and household taps run dry. She also shares how this arduous task is just one part of their already hectic and physically demanding day and what activists are demanding regarding this.

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Diplomatic Affairs Editor Shubhajit Roy about Swiss President Guy Parmelin's three day visit to India and the bilateral talks held between the two countries. The visit also came as India and the four member European Free Trade Association marked one year of their Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, which includes Switzerland. (15:19)

Lastly, we talk about a police crackdown on alleged illicit liquor trade in Bihar, which resulted in two deaths. (21:51)

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Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

In this episode of 3 Things Deep Dive, we take a look at the alleged corruption inside the Karnataka Public Service Commission, where paper leaks, manipulated recruitment processes and bribes have raised questions about how government jobs are awarded. 

An Indian Express investigation found that these were not isolated incidents, but part of a larger pattern during the tenure of KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar. We speak to journalist Jay Mazoomdar, who led the investigation, about how the racket worked, who benefited from it, and what happened to those who tried to speak out.

Hosted and Produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

You can watch the video episode here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9ch4Jhzfgc&t=1s

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express

First, we speak with The Indian Express' Ishika Gupta about protests in Delhi and Mumbai against the Election Commission and the irregularities that surfaced during the Special Intensive Revision. She discusses the Mumbai protests, how the city became the base for the Cockroach Janata Party and how the situation differs between Delhi and Mumbai.   

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Anonna Dutt about lung cancer and its growing burden. She shares how lung cancer is becoming the leading cause of cancer deaths in the country, and yet we have limited screening for it. She discusses the symptoms, the people who are more prone to it, the screening process, and why screening is limited in India. (09:14)

Lastly, we talk about the Kainchi Dham, an ashram in Uttarakhand closely associated with the Hindu saint Neem Karoli Baba, and the sharp increase in visitors it has seen since the release of Hanuman Ansh. (22:03)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the day by The Indian Express.

First, we speak with The Indian Express' Alok Deshpande about the drought situation in Maharashtra. Last week Maharashtra declared drought in 265 of its 358 tehsils, after prolonged rainfall deficits and dry spells damaged crops across large parts of the state. Alok shares the seriousness of the situation, what this means for the farmers and what can be expected in the upcoming days.

Next, we speak with The Indian Express' Amaal Sheikh about the high cost of life-saving medicines, and why access to essential healthcare remains a major challenge. She discusses the process for pricing medicines, why certain essential medicines are expensive and the Supreme Court's stance on this matter. (14:51)Lastly, we talk about a protest by nursing interns over alleged restrictions on wearing burqas inside the labour room at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda. (24:20)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced by Shashank Bhargava, Iccha Sharma, and Niharika Nanda
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The headlines of the week by The Indian Express