May 20, 2023

Good morning. Every Saturday, we publish the results of polls from feature stories that were published the past week. We also give a brief overview of the topics that were discussed.

🗳️ POLL RESULTS – Week 125

🗓️ THE WEEK THAT WAS

Is derecognising cantonments the right move by the government?

Daily | 15 May 2023

The government wants to abolish cantonments and transform them into military stations, with the civilian population coming under local municipalities. The first on the chopping block is Yol in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district. While some favour this move, in continuance of India shedding colonial remnants, others aren’t convinced. Read more on this here.

Karnataka Assembly Election 2023 results – Will it have much bearing on 2024?

Daily | 16 May 2023

In the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023, the Congress won an absolute majority with 135 of the 224 seats. Its 43% vote share was 7% more than the BJP this time and 5% more than its performance in the 2018 election. The BJP settled for 66 seats this time, and the Janata Dal (Secular) secured 19. Political analysts believe these results will have a bearing on the 2024 general elections, but some arguments predict they won’t. We discuss it here.

IAMAI vs Indian startups – Who’s in the right?

Daily | 17 May 2023

Startup founders have come for IAMAI, claiming that the body’s recommendations and views on the government’s digital policies are biased towards Big Tech and antithetical to consumer interests. IAMAI has defended itself, but things could escalate. We unpack this here.

Are Pune’s citizens right to protest against the Mula-Mutha Riverfront Project?

Daily | 18 May 2023

On May 8, environmentalists from Pune voiced their opposition to the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Riverfront Development (RVF) Project. They say the project will cause irreparable damage to the environment. Interestingly, the municipality took up the project as a rejuvenation and protection measure for Pune’s rivers. Despite protests, it continues to defend the RVF project. Find the debate here.

Will an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) help India combat climate change?

Daily | 19 May 2023

India has made some lofty promises at international conferences. It’s on the clock to deliver them. How can it deliver? Probably through an emissions trading scheme (ETS) that the government is actively considering. Such a system does have its advantages in reducing emissions, but can it be implemented in India? More on this story here.