1.Neutrality of elections cannot be assured if those who conduct polls are dependent on the contestants, Justice BV Nagarathna of the Supreme Court has said, in a veiled admonishment of the Election Commission.

2.The Election Commission of India (ECI) said Sunday that enforcement agencies have seized illegal cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies worth over Rs 650 crore so far.

3.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare claimed 71 lakh women have been disqualifi ed from Maharashtra government's flagship Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana, under which benefi ciaries get Rs1,500 as monthly aid.

4.The Odisha police have registered an FIR over the death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, who allegedly drowned during a shoot of a Bengali television serial at Talsari beach in Balasore district, officials said Sunday.

5.In a sweeping move, the state government Sunday banned open sale and refilling of 5kg LPG cylinders, while making e-KYC mandatory for any LPG refills.

6.India accounts for around 25 per cent of global groundwater withdrawals, the Public Accounts Committee has flagged, and urged the Jal Shakti Ministry to persuade states to curb excessive extraction.

7.A moderate earthquake measuring 4.4 magnitude struck Koraput district late Saturday night, triggering panic in several towns and villages, with tremors also felt in neighboring Andhra Pradesh, officials said Sunday.

8.Gajapati district has earned a rare recognition for rubber cultivation, with farmers in the hilly areas benefi ting signifi cantly from the cash crop. Rubber is being cultivated in Gumma, Mohana, Kashinagar and Gosani blocks, where the produce has a strong market demand.

9.The Odisha Police Sunday arrested two persons and seized 3,750 cough syrup bottles worth around `20 lakh from their possession in Subarnapur district, officials said.

10.A US Air Force officer whose jet was shot down in Iran hid in a mountain crevice and hiked up to 7,000 feet to evade the enemy before he was rescued by the American forces after a two-day "lifeor-death" mission, the New York Times said

11.Moody's Ratings has slashed India's economic growth estimates for the current fiscal to 6 per cent from 6.8 per cent earlier, saying the ongoing confl ict in West Asia will moderate growth momentum and raise inflation risks.

12.The oil marketing companies (OMCs) March 26 fi xed rates for petroleum products that are at a discount of up to Rs60 per litre to their imported cost, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The discounted rates, which are applicable with effect from March 16, will hit standalone refi ners such as MRPL, CPCL and HMEL the most.

13. Foreign investors continued to exit Indian equities, withdrawing Rs19,837 crore ($2.1 billion) in the fi rst two trading sessions of April, weighed down by the West Asia confl ict, rising crude oil prices, and persistent rupee depreciation.

14.The country's gold imports rose 28.73 per cent to $69 billion during April-February 2025-26 on account of high prices of the precious metal, according to the Commerce Ministry data.

15.India suffered a crushing 0-5 defeat at the hands of Australia in the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup 2026 at the Pathum Thani Stadium here Sunday