News18 Explainers

Maratha quota bill approved in Maharashtra: What will change?

The Maharashtra government has offered 10-12% reservation to the Maratha community. Whether this is legally possible is unclear, as the Supreme Court has set a 49% limit on reservations. Find out the feasibility of the Maratha quota in today's explainer.

Electoral Bonds Banned

Introduced in 2018, electoral bonds allowed citizens to donate to political parties anonymously — i.e., the identity of the donor was not disclosed to the public. Since then, parties across the spectrum have collected huge amounts through this mode, which also became one of the biggest contributors to their income. We explain how much parties earn through them and what comes next

Why Farmers Are Protesting Again

Two years after the issue seemed to have been resolved with the Narendra Modi government withdrawing its three farm reform laws, farmers — mostly from Punjab — are back on the streets, protesting. The politics, economics and feasibility of their demands explained

Qatar Yields to Modi Diplomacy

Eight Indian Navy veterans, who were released by a Qatar court months after being sentenced to death on the charge of espionage, heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on arrival in New Delhi on Monday. Here's why their release was otherwise unthinkable

Modi's Mission 370

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the recently concluded parliamentary session that the BJP alone would win more than 370 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the aggregate for NDA will cross 400. We explain where the numbers will come from and why the opposition is hopeless.

UCC in Uttarakhand: Other States to Follow?

Uttarakhand CM has introduced the Uniform Civil Code in the legislative assembly. Will this bill set a precedent for a central UCC law? 

Bharat Ratna LK Advani

The Narendra Modi government has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on LK Advani, a veteran politician, swayamsevak, former deputy prime minister and former home minister of the country. This explainer discusses the reasons behind this decision and its implications

Budget 2024 Unveiled

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the interim budget ahead of the Lok Sabha elections; this explainer outlines the key highlights of the government's financial plan.

Nitish Kumar turns coat again

The Bihar government has been shaken once again, thanks to Nitish Kumar, the politician who remains Chief Minister by hook or by crook. This explainer discusses why every political formation humours him rather than take lessons from his unreliable character.

Iran Pakistan escalation

On 18 January, Pakistan launched a series of air and artillery strikes inside Iran, targeting Baloch separatist groups. The attacks were in retaliation to the Iranian missile strikes in Pakistan on 16 January. Why has tension between the two nations escalated? Explained.