Morning digest: SIR notices to Jaishankar, Election Commissioner Sandhu in Delhi; Iran shuts French language centre, and more

Randeep Singh Surjewala said that India is a sovereign republic with the right to buy energy from any nation that meets India’s national interests and at a price its people can afford. File | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma SIR notices to Jaishankar, Election Commissioner Sandhu, former CECs, late Bibek DebroyExternal Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani, Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia were among several prominent names on Delhi’s draft electoral roll to be identified for notices either for “logical discrepancies” flagged by the Election Commission’s (EC’s) software or under the “no mapping” category.Iran shuts language centre linked to French embassyIranian authorities on Sunday (September 20, 2026) announced the closure of a French language centre associated with the embassy, accusing it of having undertaken “illegal activities”, drawing a sharp response from Paris.Meloni plans to ban burqas and niqabs in Italian schools, cap foreign students in classroomsItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday (September 20, 2026) that she’ll soon introduce a measure to her government to cap the number of foreign students in classrooms and ban the wearing of burkas and niqabs in schools.Trump to use Washington arch as military complex for drones and snipersU.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (September 20, 2026) the triumphal arch ​he plans to build near Arlington National Cemetery in Washington would double as a “military complex” ⁠housing drones and snipers, as well as storing large quantities of ammunition.New party emerges as a frontrunner as Israel goes to polls amid Netanyahu’s waning appealAs Israel gears up for its parliamentary elections on October 27, a one-year-old party has emerged as a significant contender. The Yashar (Hebrew for ‘straight’) party has garnered widespread support, according to opinion polls reported by Israeli media outlets, some of which place the party ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.Supreme Court wants law to safeguard multi-crore court depositsA Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe observed that litigants’ money should be saved from ad-hoc management while calling for nationwide legislative reform to standardise how courts and tribunals handle money deposited during pending litigation.Crime branch to probe IIT-Bombay student death case; faculty forum backs professor named in FIRThe Mumbai Police late on Saturday (September 19, 2026) transferred the probe into the death of a second-year student at IIT-Bombay to the Crime Branch, saying an officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police will lead the investigation.India needs multi-partisan approach for next level of development, says Manish TewariFormer Union Minister and Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari said taking India to the next level of development would require a multi-partisan approach, without which development would remain not just a challenge but a mirage.BJP leaders slam mimicry of PM at Rahul Gandhi’s student eventA political row erupted in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday (September 20, 2026), as BJP leaders slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for featuring the mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani at a student interaction event in Indore.151 statues of Ambedkar were vandalised in U.P. under the BJP: Akhilesh YadavSamajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday (September 20, 2026) alleged that over 151 statues of B.R. Ambedkar had been vandalised across 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) nine-and-a-half-year rule in the State. Releasing a ‘Samajwadi audit report’, Mr. Yadav alleged the incidents were part of a wider pattern in humiliating marginalised social groups and Ambedkarites.Asian Games 2026: Indian hockey teams don saffron jerseys in opening matchesThe Indian hockey teams, both men and women, turned up in saffron kits for their respective opening matches of the Asian Games on Sunday (September 20, 2026) despite the pre-event declaration by Hockey India that they would revert to blue uniforms.Man City outgun Sunderland despite Brobbey hat-trick, Liverpool marks Iraola’s winning returnManchester City went top of the Premier League despite Brian Brobbey’s hat-trick in a 5-3 thriller on Sunday (September 20, 2026) as Matheus Cunha rescued Manchester United from another damaging defeat at Fulham. Meanwhile, Liverpool won 1-0 on Andoni Iraola's return to Bournemouth thanks to Alexander Isak's winner. Published - September 21, 2026 06:41 am IST