**Morning Highlights: NDA Names Maharashtra Governor as VP Candidate; Centre Promises Consumer-Friendly GST Revamp**

swift Summary

• Maharashtra Governor C.P.Radhakrishnan has been named the NDA’s Vice-Presidential candidate. He is a two-time former MP from Coimbatore and ex-Tamil Nadu BJP president.
• A new GST regime was announced to be consumer-centric, focusing on segments such as MSMEs, farmers, and the middle class, as previewed in Prime Minister Modi’s Independence Day address.
• The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) stated that around 65 lakh names deleted from Bihar’s draft rolls after voter list reviews have been published on district websites following Supreme Court orders.
• former CJI Sanjiv Khanna informed the simultaneous election panel that constitutional validity does not imply desirability for proposed “One Nation, One Election” provisions.
• A Delhi-bound Air India flight aborted takeoff at Kochi Airport due to technical issues; Congress leader Hibi Eden was among passengers aboard.
• Twenty tourists where stranded during a tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park after their vehicle broke down; an official probe is underway.
• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet prime Minister Narendra Modi during a two-day India visit before PM Modi’s SCO summit trip to China.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The nomination of C.P. Radhakrishnan as the NDA Vice-President candidate underscores continuity within India’s political landscape while aligning wiht BJP’s longstanding approach of selecting leaders with RSS or regional credentials for key posts. His experience across governance and party roles suggests a focus on consolidating institutional influence ahead of crucial elections.

The proposal for a consumer-focused GST reform resonates with larger socio-economic goals of bridging economic divides but requires practical frameworks ensuring transparency and execution efficiency across key demographic groups like small businesses and marginalized sections.

Meanwhile,concerns over voter list discrepancies in Bihar highlight long-standing systemic issues related to electoral integrity-an essential area for building public trust in upcoming state elections.

Lastly, Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s meeting with PM Modi amidst geopolitical tensions signifies attempts at recalibration between India-China relations before high-stakes engagements like the SCO Summit-indicative of diplomatic maneuvering under evolving global power dynamics.

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