Morning digest: June 21, 2022

Opposition huddles after Gopalkrishna Gandhi bows out of Presidential race Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi declined the Opposition’s invitation to contest the Presidential race. ‘Joining Army voluntary, there is no conscription’ Amid continuing violence and protests over the Agnipath scheme, Union Minister and former Army Chief General V.K. Election Commission deletes 111 ‘non-existent’ parties from list of registered political outfits The Election Commission on Monday ordered the deletion of 111 registered unrecognised political parties that it found to be “non-existent” and referred three of the parties to the Department of Revenue for legal action for “serious financial impropriety”, an EC statement said. Congress leaders meet President to seek withdrawal of Agnipath The Congress party held a satyagraha at Jantar Mantar to protest against the Centre’s misuse of government agencies to carry out political vendetta against Opposition leaders and the Delhi Police’s alleged manhandling of Congress party leaders without any provocation during protests that were recently organised against the Agnipath scheme. ‘Misled’ individuals behind boycott calls, not worried about it, says Qatar Airways CEO The calls for boycotting Qatar Airways in India were made by “misled” individuals and do not worry the airline, chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker told The Hindu on Monday.