Good Morning, Swarajya Readers!



Here’s what you need to know today.



In another instance of running a coach-and-four over the constitutional balance of power, the Supreme Court forayed into the Executive domain and banned plying of petrol and diesel driven taxis in Delhi. Seeing the success of Cab aggregators, many poor people had taken heavy loans to buy cars, mostly diesel ones, so that they could register with Uber, Ola et al. Now some are threatening suicide.



Meanwhile, Uber has brought back surge pricing in Delhi after the second phase of odd-even came to an end on Sunday, but Chief Minister Kejriwal has warned the startup of strong action.



Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will table before the parliament “detailed chronology of the event, facts of the chopper deal, how clauses and provisions were relaxed to suit AgustaWestland (chopper deal)“ on 4 May. Parrikar suggested that those involved in the deal tried to erase the trail of corruption and it is upto his government now to prove and prosecute those who got the kickbacks.



Blazing the trail in economic reforms once again, Rajasthan government has invited private sector companies to help turn around the electricity distribution business, currently the monopoly of state-run enterprises. The state assembly has already passed an act to hold power discoms accountable for their performance.



Putting a stop on rumor-mongering, started by Delhi CM Kejriwal, regarding PM Modi’s degree, Gujarat University VC has revealed that Modi had completed his post-graduation in political science from the varsity in 1983 and had scored 62.3% as an external student.



Virtually admitting his presence in the sting, ousted Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat has landed himself into another controversy. However, he dismissed the conversation shown in the video as meaningless. CBI is currently investigating the sting operation in which the state CM is seen indulging in horsetrading.



Op-eds You Shouldn’t Miss



Small Steps To Reform: How Union government is turning the wheel on progress by pushing through small changes.



A National Court Of Appeal? Aye: Run-of-the-mill appeals clog the Supreme Court. Intermediate courts of appeal will allow the apex court to do what it is supposed to do.



The Case Of The Missing Taxpayers: The paucity of direct taxes means there is a dependence on indirect taxes that are considered to be regressive. They put a higher burden on the poor.



Swarajya Special



Pune - The Fountainhead Of Indian Sociopolitical Evolution And A Greek Tragedy: Most national political ideologies – including the simplified, often unrepresentative binaries of Left and Right – and many Delhi careers owe their legitimacy to the Pune of 1873 – 1920.



We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!