The Hindu Morning Digest: April 2, 2026

55,000 households use Census self-enumeration portal on day one

Around 55,000 households used the self-enumeration portal on the first day of the Population Census 2027 website that went live in eight States and Union Territories, the Union Home Ministry said on Wednesday (April 1, 2026). The online details will, however, be verified by enumerators during door-to-door survey 15 days later. Among the first to fill in the details of 33 questions being asked in the first phase– the House Listing Operations and Housing Census (HLO) – were President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

NASA astronauts blast off for historic U.S. lunar journey

Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) on a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. With an intense roar that reverberated far beyond the launchpad, the enormous orange-and-white rocket carried three Americans and one Canadian away from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre at approximately 6:35 p.m. local time, according to an AFP journalist onsite.

Modi chairs Cabinet panel meet on West Asia crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) chaired a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review measures taken by various Ministries and departments, and also discussed further initiatives to be taken in the context of the ongoing West Asia conflict. Cabinet Secretary briefed about the action taken to ensure supply of petroleum products, particularly LNG/LPG, and sufficient power availability, an official release said.

Hope for Bengal electors pending under adjudication, but uncertainty over redressal at tribunals

The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) informed the Supreme Court that judicial officers had already disposed of nearly 47 lakh of the 60 lakh claims under adjudication during the Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal. During the hearing, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant took note of the High Court Chief Justice’s assurance that the remaining claims would be disposed of by April 7. Electors whose names are struck off during adjudication can approach appellate tribunals presided over by former Chief Justices and judges of High Courts. Though the Election Commission of India notified the tribunals on April 20, they are yet to begin functioning.

Excise case: Kejriwal asked to reply to plea against discharge

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s response to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea challenging his acquittal in two separate cases linked to the excise policy case. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener on two petitions filed by the ED against a trial court’s January 22 orders acquitting him, and posted the matter for hearing on April 29. In its complaint before the trial court, the ED had alleged that Mr. Kejriwal, who was then Chief Minister, deliberately disobeyed multiple summonses and failed to join the investigation. The agency also claimed that he raised “frivolous objections” and intentionally created grounds to avoid appearing before investigators. In its ruling, the trial court had held that the ED failed to establish that Mr. Kejriwal had intentionally disobeyed the summonses issued to him.

PM’s policies pushing country deeper into crisis, says Priyanka

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing the country deeper into crisis by becoming a slave of the United States. Addressing rallies for the candidates of the Congress and ally Assam Jatiya Parishad in eastern Assam on Wednesday (April 1, 2026), she also said the people of the State were tired of the “mafia and syndicate rule” of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government.

Navy was minutes away from striking Pakistan from sea during Operation Sindoor: Admiral Tripathi

The Indian Navy was minutes away from striking Pakistan from the sea during Operation Sindoor, when Islamabad requested stoppage of kinetic actions, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi said on Wednesday (April 1, 2026). The Navy Chief was speaking at the naval investiture ceremony here, where he awarded Yudh Seva Medals to two top naval officers for their distinguished service during Operation Sindoor conducted last year after the Pahalgam terror attack. Operation Sindoor demonstrated exemplary readiness and resolve of the Indian Navy, as its units undertook swift deployment and maintained a highly aggressive posture throughout the period, he said.

Amit Shah asks Manipur CM to accelerate peace process, approves formation of all-woman police battalion

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) asked Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh to accelerate the ongoing peace process in the State and approved the creation of an all-woman police battalion, according to a Manipur Government statement. Mr. Singh called on the Home Minister at Parliament House complex, where the two leaders discussed the law and order situation in the State.

Trump says Iran president requests ceasfire, Tehran says ‘false’

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran’s president had asked for a ceasefire, but ruled out any truce until the vital Strait of Hormuz was reopened for crucial energy shipments. But his assertion was flatly denied by Iran, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejecting it as “false and baseless”. Trump made the remarks ahead of a prime-time speech at 9:00 pm (0100 GMT Thursday) — his first since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 ignited a regional war and sparked a global energy crisis.

Israeli strike on Beirut kills senior Hezbollah commander

Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander on Wednesday (April 1, 2026), two sources told AFP, in a Beirut strike that Lebanon’s Health Ministry said killed seven people. A Lebanese security source and a Hezbollah source told AFP that the commander, Youssef Hashem, had been responsible for the group’s military affairs in Iraq and was in a meeting inside a tent when Israel struck. Israel’s military said Hashem was Hezbollah’s commander for its south Lebanon front.

‘Local boy’ Rizvi takes Capitals home

It took the Uttar Pradesh-born Sameer Rizvi’s familiarity with the conditions at the Ekana Cricket Stadium for Delhi Capitals to tide over an early crisis and post a six-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants in their Indian Premier League opener here on Wednesday (April 1, 2026). Rizvi got off the mark with a hurried single off his ninth ball. The Capitals had lost four wickets in the PowerPlay, and a 142-run target didn’t warrant recklessness. In an era of frenetic hitting, the 22-year-old Rizvi displayed maturity. He betrayed his Gen Z traits only in the eighth over when he ramped the pacy Anrich Nortje for a six over third-man