Former US president Donald Trump has been disqualified from contesting the Colorado primary polls for next year’s presidential elections over his role in the Capitol riots by his supporters. This essential means that the court has found the former US President to be ineligible for the White House. Trump is the first presidential candidate in US history to face such an action.

The order invoked a rarely used provision in the US Constitution that disallows officials from holding office if they are involved in “insurrection or rebellion.”

Trump’s campaign spokesperson has called the decision “completely flawed” and vowed to appeal the ruling. “We will swiftly file an appeal to the US Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision,” a statement said.

The order is put on hold till January 4 to allow an appeal to the Supreme Court.

What this ruling means

Trump’s disqualification means it would be wrongful under election laws to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot in Colorado. No votes cast in his name will be counted as well, the order states.

The court order applies only to the March 5 primary elections to be held by the Republican Party. However, its conclusion could impact the general election for the President set for November 5.

Colorado is viewed as a safe state for the Democrats and Trump’s fate there is unlikely to affect the Dems, according to nonpartisan US election forecasters.

The former president is set to appeal the order in the Supreme Court, where the conservatives have a 6-3 majority, including three Trump appointees.

The Colorado Supreme Court order reverses a low court ruling that found him inciting his supporters for the insurrection, but said as a president he was not an “officer of the United States” who could be disqualified.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed pain over an Opposition MP mimicking the Rajya Sabha Chairman, but told him that the insults won’t stop him from performing his duties.

Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee was seen mimicking the Rajya Sabha chairman outside the parliament yesterday after several opposition MPs were suspended following an uproar over the recent security breach. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was noticed filming the act.

Received a telephone call from the Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi Ji. He expressed great pain over the abject theatrics of some Honourable MPs and that too in the sacred Parliament complex yesterday. He told me that he has been at the receiving end of such insults for twenty…

— Vice President of India (@VPIndia) December 20, 2023

“Received a telephone call from the Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi Ji. He expressed great pain over the abject theatrics of some Honourable MPs and that too in the sacred Parliament complex yesterday. He told me that he has been at the receiving end of such insults for twenty years and counting but the fact that it could happen to a Constitutional office like the Vice President of India and that too in the Parliament was unfortunate,” Mr Dhankhar wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“I told him- Mr. Prime Minister, the antics of a few won’t prevent me from performing my duty and upholding the principles enshrined in our Constitution. I am committed to those values from the bottom of my heart. None of the insults will make me change my path,” he added.

In the wake of unprecedented floods ravaging southern districts of Tamil Nadu, the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have joined hands to undertake rescue operations. With at least 20,000 people still marooned in various regions, the situation is further compounded by the discharge of over 1.2 lakh cusecs of water from the overflowing Tamarabarani River.

“Srivaikuntam and the areas around it are the worst affected. But there is no danger to anyone’s life. Today we should be able to reach these areas with supplies. Air dropping of food and relief continue,” Tuticorin Collector G Lakshmipathy told NDTV.

Srivaikuntam is grappling with the aftermath of the floodwaters inundating large parts of the region. The Army and NDRF teams are trying to reach inaccessible pockets where stranded residents await evacuation. Air-dropping of food and relief supplies continues in a bid to provide essential aid to those cut off from ground access.

“Everything is a challenge whether it is bringing food, reaching out to people, or bringing them to safety. We have launched aerial dropping of food in areas where even boats aren’t able to go. A fire engine was washed away yesterday. Even the NDRF could not go,” Tuticorin MP MK Kanimozhi, who is reaching out to communities on the ground, told NDTV. 

The situation remains dire, as pockets in Tuticorin remain inaccessible despite the collaborative efforts of the rescue teams. The challenging conditions persist even though it has not rained in Tuticorin for the past three days.

Chennai and its surrounding areas, still reeling from the devastation of Cyclone Michaung, have been pounded by torrential rain, the likes of which haven’t been seen in the past 47 years. This double whammy has caused widespread damage, forcing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to appeal to the Central government for immediate assistance.

The floods in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, and Tenkasi districts have prompted Chief Minister Stalin to request the allocation of Rs 2,000 crore from the National Disaster Relief Fund for immediate relief and infrastructure repair. This request highlights the need for urgent national support to address the ongoing crisis.

“While a comprehensive assessment of the permanent damage will take time, we request an interim assistance of Rs 2,000 crore from the NDRF to bolster the ongoing efforts for livelihood support and repairs and restoration of the public infrastructure battered by the unprecedented floods,” Mr Stalin posted on X. 

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, who met PM Modi yesterday, in his memorandum stressed the urgency of the situation and expressed gratitude for the PM’s attention to Tamil Nadu’s needs during these challenging times. The damage caused by the heavy rain in the southern districts, coupled with the recent cyclone, necessitates swift action and allocation of funds for repair and rehabilitation.

Rescue and relief operations, led by State Disaster Response Force and NDRF teams, are underway in the affected districts. Despite challenges posed by inundated roads, helicopters are being utilized to deliver relief materials to the affected areas.