MUMBAI: Two weeks into the war in West Asia, investors in India have lost a staggering Rs 34 lakh crore worth of wealth due to the strong selloff in the stock market.The turmoil has also shaved off a little over 5,250 points or 6.5% from the sensex, as foreign funds have doubled down on their selling in the domestic market.The ongoing war has resulted in the price of crude oil surpassing the $100/barrel mark, a multi-year high. It has also weakened the rupee to a historic low and forced foreign funds to take money out of India at a pace not seen in the last 14 months.In Friday’s market, the sensex started on a weak note with the index down nearly 500 points. It slid through the session to fall to an intra-day low at 74,455 points and closed just a tad above that level, at 74,564 points, down 1,471 points or 1.9%. On NSE, Nifty too took a similar path to close at 23,151 points, down 488 points or 2.1%.The day’s slide came on back of the price of crude oil—India’s biggest import item—trading above the psychologically important $100/ barrel mark. The rupee sank to a record low of 92.48 against the dollar.The day’s slide in the market was led by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). At close of session, foreign investors had net sold stocks worth Rs 10,717 crore, the biggest single-session net outflow by foreign funds since Feb 28, 2025, ETIG data showed.On Friday, there were also talks of margin-related selling after several days of slide. Often, speculators borrow money to take positions in stocks against collateral, part of which is in stocks. If the value of collateralised stocks fall below a certain pre-set level, the lenders can sell off those stocks. In a falling market, such margin-based selling can aggravate the selling. “There were MTF (margin trade finance)-related selling in Friday’s session,” said people in the know.

“In addition, given the volatile geopolitical situation, traders were not willing to carry their positions through the weekend and liquidated that which pushed stock prices further down,” the people said.At close of session, of the 30 sensex stocks, 28 closed in the red, with L&T, HDFC Bank and SBI contributing the most to the day’s loss, BSE data showed.

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has recommended to the finance ministry to allocate funds for fertiliser subsidy at the budget estimate (BE) stage to ensure that allocations are as close as possible to actual requirements.The standing committee on fertiliser, in its report submitted in Parliament on Friday, said the practice of parking subsidies in subsequent year’s liabilities also distorts the true picture of govt’s subsidy outgo. Taking note of higher subsidy outgo for imported urea and other soil nutrients, the panel has recommended ramping up domestic production.“The committee observed that the per-bag subsidy burden on imported urea, at approximately Rs 2,100 per 45-kg bag, is substantially higher than the subsidy of approximately Rs 1,397 per bag for domestically produced urea. The significant difference arises from the volatility of international urea prices, freight and insurance costs, port handling charges, and exchange rate fluctuations,” the report said.Similarly, in the case of phosphatic and potassic fertilisers (NPK), the subsidy outgo for imported varieties is higher than for domestically produced soil nutrients.On Friday, the fertiliser department informed Lok Sabha that the import of urea from Russia increased from 9.2 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 to 14 lakh tonnes till Feb while the import of China spiked from 1 lakh tonnes to 21.2 lakh tonnes. The NPK import from China also increased from less than 1 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 to 9.6 lakh tonnes in the current financial year.Seeking realistic, upfront budgetary allocation for subsidy, the panel noted that in FY24, against the BE (budget estimate) of Rs 1.8 lakh crore, the final allocation was revised upward to nearly Rs 2 lakh crore, and in FY26, the BE of Rs 1.8 lakh crore for fertiliser subsidy was revised to Rs 2.2 lakh crore.

AMRITSAR: The LPG crisis triggered by the West Asia conflict has not yet slowed down the world’s largest community kitchen — the ‘Guru Ka Langar’ at Golden Temple that serves nearly 1 lakh devotees every day. The shrine’s management, which requires 25 LPG cylinders daily, is expecting a fresh delivery of 100 cylinders on Friday and has over 500 quintals of firewood in reserve in case of any contingency, said a spokesperson.At the world-famous shrine, the situation is being closely managed to ensure uninterrupted service. A senior functionary at the Golden Temple, Bhagwant Singh Dangar, said the shrine consumes around 25 LPG cylinders and 1,200 units of piped gas every day to run its massive kitchen operations. In addition to one lakh devotees being served langar daily, 36 quintals of ‘karah parsad’ (the sacred pudding) is also prepared every day.

Despite the crisis, Dangar said there is no immediate shortage of fuel supplies. “We are receiving regular supplies. Tomorrow, we are expecting a delivery of about 100 gas cylinders,” he said.

However, the shrine management has also prepared a contingency plan. In case of any disruption in gas supply, the kitchen could switch to traditional cooking methods. “We have a reserve stock of 500–1,000 quintals of firewood, which can be used if required,” he added.The fuel situation has become a matter of concern not only for households but also for large commercial and religious establishments after the administration reportedly prioritised fuel supplies for domestic consumption and institutions.Apart from the Golden Temple, large numbers of devotees also visit nearby gurdwaras such as Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib, Gurdwara Pipli Sahib, Gurdwara Toba Bhai Salho Ji and Gurdwara Guru Ka Mahal, where langar services also run daily. Meanwhile, Amritsar’s most prominent Hindu shrine, Durgiana Mandir, is also keeping a close watch on fuel supplies.General secretary Arun Kumar Khanna said the temple serves langar to nearly 10,000 devotees daily, while prasad is prepared regularly at the Bhog Bhandar. He said around 10 LPG cylinders are used in the Bhog Bhandar and another 6–8 cylinders for preparing langar each day. Like the Golden Temple, the temple management has also kept adequate stocks of firewood to ensure that food services continue smoothly even if gas supplies are delayed.

Former Chennai Super Kings batter Subramaniam Badrinath made a huge statement on CSK veteran MS Dhoni ahead of IPL 2026. The legendary Indian wicket-keeper will be part of the franchise in the upcoming tournament, which will start on the 28th of March.

The veteran of the IPL, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has reached the twilight years of his career for the Men in Yellow. Ever since his retirement from international cricket, on several occasions, cricket analysts have predicted that an IPL season would be the last time for the number 7 jersey to be seen in yellow colours.

However, fans have been thrilled to watch their most beloved star play over all these years. Ever since MS Dhoni retired from international cricket, his fans have flooded the stadiums to witness the legend play live, and the CSK matches have gained immense popularity as well as a pulse.

Your daily dose of cricket!

How will he go and tell Dhoni that you are dropped- Subramaniam Badrinath

After CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan declared Dhoni’s availability in IPL 2026, he said that any calls or decisions regarding his role in the team shall be made by the staff and not the administration. The CSK staff is headed by Head Coach Stephen Fleming, who has been in the role for 15 seasons since 2009.

Reacting to the same, former CSK batter Subramaniam Badrinath believes that it will be very difficult for Fleming to walk up to MS Dhoni and inform him of such a major decision.

“I don’t know if it is an administrative decision where he (CSK CEO) said that he (MS Dhoni) is ready to play all matches. He said that he would support the cricketing decision and stop.

“Now, will Fleming go and tell Dhoni that you don’t play this match, we are dropping you. I don’t think Fleming has a chance at all. How will he go and tell Dhoni that you are dropped? I literally feel that it is not possible,” he said on his YouTube channel.

CSK likes to back their veterans; they have backed Dhoni for all these years, as well as Stephen Fleming for all the seasons they have played in since 2009. He first came in to star in the IPL for the Chennai Super Kings under Dhoni’s leadership back in the first season in 2008.

“I don’t think any support staff in the world, be it even Fleming, can tell Dhoni you are an impact player, or you don’t play this match. There is no chance. We can take it that he is going to play all the matches,” he added.

Badrinath anticipates the CSK vs RCB rivalry as a blockbuster in IPL 2026

The IPL committee of the BCCI had announced only the 20-match schedule for the upcoming IPL season and the RCB vs CSK match is among the most anticipated clashes in the announced schedule, as per Badrinath.

“RCB have won only one trophy in 18 years and CSK have won five. So that rivalry is far. But there is some recency bias. In the last two years, we have gone to the Chinnaswamy and lost against RCB.

“CSK have honestly not played their best cricket. This is the match I am personally excited for. It’s going to be odds against CSK and a test for them,” he opined.

Will MS Dhoni play as an Impact Player in 2026?

CSK have included Sanju Samson in their squad for the upcoming season. Samson’s terrific form makes him the first choice for the playing XI; however, Samson’s ability in the field is not considered the best.

Turning 44, MS Dhoni is not likely to field in the outfield. If he is not given the gloves, then it is most likely that he might play as an Impact player. The CSK CEO informed that he is available to play every game of CSK’s campaign.

However, a possibility also remains that Samson might be the impact player with the bat, and MS Dhoni continues to star as the gloveman for the Men in Yellow.

ALSO READ: Delhi Capitals coach reveals desire to buy Pakistan players

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Bengaluru/Chandigarh: Congress has packed off nine of its 14 Odisha MLAs to a Bengaluru resort and 32 of its Haryana legislators to the hills of Himachal Pradesh, kickstarting the familiar ritual of unscheduled political vacations as parties seek to ring-fence the pack from horse-trading ahead of the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls. In Bhubaneswar, ex-CM Naveen Patnaik’s BJD lined up mandatory evening meetings of its legislators for three days to ensure everyone stays in line. Both Congress and BJD are backing independent candidate Datteswar Hota for one of the four seats in the state among 37 in the country going to RS polls. Odisha PCC president Bhakta Charan Das accompanied the Congress flock Friday to the resort at Bidadi in Bengaluru South that will be their home until at least the eve of the election. “Nine of our colleagues are on a leisurely weekend trip while five of us are here. You know how BJP is openly trying to trade MLAs. But our colleagues remain united,” CLP chief Rama Chandra Kadam told TOI. Karnataka deputy CM and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar, overseeing arrangements at Wonderla resort off Mysore Road, said the MLAs were brought to the city after BJP fielded a second candidate in the race for four seats. “There are concerns about cross-voting and attempts to influence MLAs with big offers,” he said. In the 147-member Odisha assembly, governing party BJP has 79 MLAs and is expecting support from three independents. Whereas, BJD has 48 legislators. A candidate needs at least 30 first-preference votes to win a seat. Under this formula, two BJP candidates and one BJD candidate are expected to win comfortably. For the fourth seat, BJP has extended support to independent candidate Dilip Ray, a former Union minister. In Haryana, 32 Congress MLAs assembled at the Chandigarh residence of CLP leader Bhupinder Hooda for a meeting in the presence of AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad and PCC president Rao Narender Singh. They took part in a voting drill before being herded into two buses that ferried them to Shimla, sources said. Among the MLAs who haven’t gone are Chandermohan, who is said to be unwell, and Olympian Vinesh Phogat. With 48 seats, BJP is confident its candidate, Sanjay Bhatia, will sail through. Congress, with 37 members, needs 31 first-preference votes for its candidate Karamvir Singh Boudh to win. Independent candidate Satish Nandal has skewed the equation for the second seat. Congress appears wary of a repeat of the 2022 defeat of Ajay Maken due to cross-voting.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

Former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath believes it would be extremely difficult for the Chennai Super Kings team management to leave MS Dhoni out of the playing XI in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.Dhoni is set to return for Chennai Super Kings in the 2026 campaign, with franchise CEO Kasi Viswanath already confirming that the veteran will be available for the entire tournament. However, the exact role he will play during matches is yet to be finalised. According to Viswanath, the decision will be taken by the team management, who will decide whether Dhoni features as the wicketkeeper or is used as an impact player depending on the match situation.The 44-year-old had a relatively quiet season in IPL 2025 season, scoring 196 runs from 14 matches. Batting mostly in the lower order, Dhoni averaged 24.50 and maintained a strike rate of 135.17 while often coming in during the closing stages of the innings to provide quick runs.Despite questions around his role, Badrinath feels the management would find it almost impossible to bench the legendary captain given the stature he holds within the franchise. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former CSK batter suggested that even head coach Stephen Fleming may not be in a position to make such a call.“I don’t know if it is an administrative decision where he (CSK CEO) said that he (Dhoni) is ready to play all matches. He said that he would support the cricketing decision and stop. Now, will Fleming go and tell Dhoni that you don’t play this match, we are dropping you. I don’t think Fleming has a chance at all. How will he go and tell Dhoni that you are dropped? I literally feel that it is not possible,” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.Badrinath further emphasised the level of respect Dhoni commands inside the CSK dressing room. According to him, it would be extremely hard for any member of the coaching staff to even suggest that the former India captain should sit out or be used only as a substitute.“I don’t think any support staff in the world, be it even Fleming, can tell Dhoni you are an impact player, or you don’t play this match. There is no chance. We can take it that he is going to play all the matches,” he added.

NEW DELHI: The joint opposition on Friday moved Parliament for removal of Gyanesh Kumar as chief election commissioner (CEC), a critical step that takes the anti-BJP camp’s protest against the nationwide SIR and conduct of elections to the extreme limit that would further widen its already yawning chasm with the NDA. The removal notice comes just before EC announces schedule for assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, where key INDIA bloc members are pitted against BJP, as also against each other. Opposition MPs submitted removal notices in both Houses of Parliament, with 130 Lok Sabha members and 63 from Rajya Sabha signing the petitions. The notices include not just INDIA bloc parties but also some Independent MPs and AAP which has been waging its own battle against EC, with grave allegations about Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi. AAP had walked out of the bloc after the 2024 LS polls. Sources in the INDIA bloc said the petitions have seven charges against Kumar, chiefly alleged “partisan and discriminatory conduct in office”, “deliberate obstruction of investigation of electoral fraud”, “mass disenfranchisement of voters”, and “misbehaviour”. The opposition has also raised the issue over the SIR that was conducted for the 2025 Bihar polls and the forthcoming elections in states like West Bengal, and CEC’s partial conduct towards a political party, they said. The opposition has been accusing the EC of seeking to help BJP through SIR. CEC’s removal notice is a TMC initiative, with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee having first made the demand during the Budget session in Feb. The move came to fruition after Mamata led a bellicose multiple-day protest in Kolkata. Process for removing CEC is similar to that of a Supreme Court judge – incumbent can be removed only on “grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity”. As per Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, once motion to remove a judge is admitted in LS or RS, speaker or chairman will constitute a three-member panel to probe the grounds. Once it submits its report, it will be tabled in the House and discussions will follow. The motion has to be passed by both Houses by majority of total membership and two-thirds majority of MPs present and voting. Given that NDA has majority in LS and RS, it makes the opposition’s move a non-starter. There was a quid pro quo of sorts that ensured an early submission of the notices in LS and RS. TMC did not sign the removal notice against Speaker Om Birla that was backed by other opposition parties, but it supported the notice when it came up in LS this week, after an understanding within the INDIA bloc to jointly sponsor the notice against the CEC.

How is govt seeking to ensure that power supply stays ahead of demand?We are continuously expanding our generation. Earlier, the focus was on thermal capacity addition. The priority now is renewable energy, especially solar. Since solar power is not available round the clock, we are focusing on storage solutions. Nuclear energy will also contribute. The current capacity is around 8GW and 12GW is in the pipeline. Our long-term target is 100GW of nuclear capacity by 2047, and states have been encouraged to develop at least one project each. Continuous power can come from thermal, nuclear or gas. Gas is expensive and therefore not a priority. In 2014-15, the demand-supply gap was around 5.5%. By 2024-25, it came down to 0.1%, which is largely due to technical factors. There is pressure from developed countries to shut down coal-based thermal power plants. What will be India’s policy?Our priority is clean and green power. Continuous supply is needed for grid stability, and thermal power provides that. All thermal projects that can be developed up to 2032 have already been planned. Around 20,000MW of capacity is under development. After that, new thermal plants may not be necessary because India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. Thermal plants that exist will continue until the end of their life cycle, but the overall share will gradually decline as renewable energy expands. How will the gas shortage impact power generation?I don’t want to comment bec-ause it’s an evolving situation. Discoms have reported a profit of about Rs 2,700 crore. However, the sector still has large debt and accumulated losses. How will this be addressed?Earlier, losses increased because tariffs were not aligned with costs. Govts often announced free or subsidised power, so cost of supply was higher than tariff charged. In some cases, the gap reached Re 1 per unit. Gradually, states have started addressing this issue. AT&C losses have fallen from 23-24% 10 years ago to ar-ound 16%. Illegal connections were removed and billing systems improved. Despite these improvements, accumulated losses remain around Rs 6.7 lakh crore. Earlier, the UDAY scheme transferred discom debt to state govts. A similar approach is being considered along with reforms, such as partial privatisation. Which states are taking steps toward privatisation?Gujarat has begun moving in that direction, Haryana is exploring the option and UP is considering further private participation. Haryana has proposed a model where a separate company will handle ag-ricultural electricity connections. Agricultural feeders wi-ll be separated and power accounting will become clearer. Farmer organisations have protested in some pl-aces against privatisation. What message does the Centre want to give them to address their concerns?Farmers mainly require reliable electricity for irrigation. Whether supply comes from a govt company or a private one does not affect opera-tions. Subsidies will continue. There is discussion about having two discoms in the same area so consumers benefit from competition. Is the idea of multiple suppliers being considered?Yes, it is being examined. Electricity quality cannot be differentiated because once power enters the network, it gets mixed. The system would function somewhat like the telecom sector, where consu-mers choose their service provider. The physical network will remain the same. Wires and meters won’t change. Only the supplier providing electricity behind the network will change, and digital systems will track how much ele-ctricity each supplier provi-des. Consumers will be able to select their supplier based ma-inly on tariff. The concept is still at an early stage and req-uires legal and policy approval before implementation. When will smart meters be installed in all homes? n Initially there was resistance, especially in rural areas, but people have started understanding the benefits. With prepaid smart meters, companies also receive payments in advance. If these are widely adopted, nearly Rs 1 lakh crore can enter the system as adv-ance payments, improving liquidity in the power sector and reducing the need for loans. Some states already provide incentives for prepaid meters. After the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, will new hydro projects come up in Kashmir?Some plants are already operating, and desilting work is being undertaken to restore reservoir capacity. Work has also started on three-four projects that were stalled. Additional projects are being pla-nned, and site identification is under way. There are also proposals to divert water towards Punjab and further to Rajasthan, Haryana, UP and Delhi through canals or tunnels. There are two-three possible routes; we have to see which one can be built faster and will be financially viable. One that has been proposed through the city of Jammu may not be feasible. The feasibility of another alignment around the city is being checked.