India Pulse | March 13, 2026: Your Daily Digest of India's Governance, Progress, and Vision
What shaped March 13 headlines? Opposition seeking motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner, Mayank Chakraborty becoming first Grandmaster from North East Region inspiring youth chess revolution, Government announcing coal sector’s significant milestone, Vice President describing Revenue Service officers as guardians of nation's financial strength, several Rajya Sabha MPs introducing Private Members' Bills, Indian Film Festival beginning in Colombo, and registrations opening for Yuva Sangam.
NEWS IN DETAIL
Opposition Seeks Motion To Remove Chief Election Commissioner
The Opposition MPs, including TMC, have submitted notices to both Houses of Parliament seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Deccan Herald quoted sources as saying “the Opposition MPs have charged him on seven counts in detailed 10-page identical notices that have signatures of 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs. The charges include “proven misbehaviour”, “partisan exercise” of Constitutional functions favouring one particular party formulation and “deliberate obstruction” of investigations into instances of “electoral fraud” among others.
The report added that “the Opposition MPs have charged him on seven counts in detailed 10-page identical notices that have signatures of 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs”.
Reacting to it, Union Minister S P Singh Baghel said that the notice submitted by the TMC reflects that they have no faith in constitutional institutions and democracy. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Mr Baghel accused the opposition of tarnishing the image of constitutional institutions.
TMC MP Saugata Roy said the notice submitted by his party is in accordance with the law. He alleged that during the Special Intensive revision exercise in West Bengal, several names of the voters have been removed from the electoral roll, which is not appropriate.
Mayank Chakraborty Becomes 1st Ever Grandmaster From North East Region
History has been scripted for India on the 64 squares as Assam got its first-ever Chess Grandmaster. International Master Mayank Chakraborty has achieved the final norm in Sweden, to be the 94th Grandmaster of India.
Sixteen-year-old International Master Mayank Chakraborty officially secured his final Grandmaster norm at the 8th GM Tournament in Hotel Stockholm North, Sweden.
Mayank dominated the field with a stellar performance, finishing first with 7 points out of 9. By defeating top seeds and maintaining an unbeaten streak in his final rounds, he has also crossed the mandatory 2500 FIDE rating barrier to be a grandmaster.
With this achievement, Mayank became the first-ever Grandmaster from Assam and the North East region. The sports community in Silchar and across the state has erupted in celebration. This milestone is seen as a major boost for chess in the region, proving that with dedication, the highest echelons of global sport are within reach.
Government Says India’s Coal Sector Achieves Significant Milestone
The government said that India’s coal sector has achieved a significant milestone, as Commercial and other mines crossed the landmark of 200 million tonnes (MT) of coal production.
The Ministry of Coal said that this achievement reflects the collective efforts and unwavering commitment of various Central and State Public Sector Undertakings, along with private sector participants.
It added that the country’s coal dispatch has also maintained a steady upward trajectory, registering over seven per cent year-on-year growth, increasing from around 182 MT to over 197 MT.
This sustained rise in dispatch reflects the sector’s growing capacity to meet the country’s energy requirements while ensuring a reliable coal supply to key consuming sectors.
The Ministry said that the growth reflects governments’ commitment to further advancing captive and commercial coal mining as a key driver of the nation’s energy ecosystem.
Vice President Describes Revenue Service Officers As Guardians Of Nation’s Financial Strength
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan has described revenue service officers as guardians of the nation’s financial strength, emphasising that development activities across the country are possible only because of the revenue generated through taxes.
He said this to Officer Trainees of the 79th Batch of the Indian Revenue Service, Income Tax, who called on him in New Delhi. He stressed that the tax system must remain transparent, unbiased, and taxpayer-friendly, while firmly addressing tax evasion.
VP Radhakrishnan said that IRS officers possess a specialised skill set that makes them an important force in India’s journey towards becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Several Rajya Sabha MPs Introduce Private Members’ Bills
Several members of the Rajya Sabha introduced their Private Members’ Bills in the House. When the House assembled at 2 PM, the Upper House took up the private member’s resolution.
BJP MP Dhananjay Bhimrao Mahadik introduced the Kolhapuri Leather Craft (Preservation and Livelihood Security) Bill, 2026, and Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury moved the Climate Resilient Agriculture and Farmers Protection Bill, 2025.
The House also took up a discussion on the private member’s bill – the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill 2024. The bill had been moved by NCP MP Dr Fauzia Khan in February last year. The Bill seeks to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
Dharamshila Gupta of the BJP and Nominated member Sudha Murty, among others, participated in the discussion. Later, the House took up Special mention in which several members raised matters of public importance. After completing the business, the House was adjourned till Monday.
Indian Film Festival Begins In Colombo
A three-day Indian film festival has begun in Sri Lanka’s Colombo as part of India Week 2026, celebrating cultural ties between both nations.
The festival opened on Friday with the premiere of the Bollywood movie ‘Diplomat.’
The event was attended by members of the Indian community, Sri Lankan officials and film enthusiasts.
The schedule for the next two days include screenings of Bollywood hit ‘Dhurandhar’ on Saturday and the Tamil hit movie ‘Parashakthi’ on Sunday.
Registrations Open For Yuva Sangam
The registrations for the 6th phase of Yuva Sangam are now open. The Ministry of Education is inviting youth from across India to participate in this initiative under the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.
The last date to register is March 18, 2026. Registration can be done by visiting the website ebsb.aicte-india.org. The programme provides young participants with an opportunity to experience India’s rich cultural heritage, traditions, and innovation ecosystems through immersive visits to different States and Union Territories.