THE HEADLINES:
- Counting of votes for Bihar Assembly Elections to take place tomorrow; Election Commission makes elaborate security arrangements at counting centers.
- President Droupadi Murmu calls upon Indian diaspora to keep contributing to India-Botswana relations.
- Association of Indian Universities suspends Al-Falah University membership citing lack of good standing.
- Defence Ministry inks agreement with Bharat Dynamics Limited to procure INVAR Anti-Tank Missiles to enhance firepower of T-90 tanks.
- Calcutta High Court disqualifies political leader Mukul Roy from West Bengal Legislative Assembly under the Anti-defection law.
- Minimum temperature to plunge by two to three degrees Celsius over Northeast India; Air Quality in Delhi-NCR continues in severe category.
- In Men's Cricket, India to lock horns with South Africa in first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, tomorrow.
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The Counting of Votes for the Assembly Elections in Bihar will begin at 8 AM tomorrow. The votes will be counted at 46 counting centres across the 38 districts of Bihar. The polling for Assembly Elections for 243 Constituencies was held in two phases on the 6th and 11th of November. In this election, Bihar recorded the highest ever polling percentage of 67.13 percent since 1951. The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), in which the electoral fortune of all two thousand 616 candidates have been sealed, are kept under tight security in strong rooms. Talking to Akashvani News, Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, Vinod Singh Gunjiyal said elaborate security arrangements are in place at all the counting centres.
Our Correspondent reports that over four thousand 300 counting tables staffed with one counting supervisor, counting assistant and micro-observer at each table have been set up. More than 18 thousand counting agents appointed by the candidates will also oversee the counting process. A report:
"The counting of votes will be conducted in presence of 243 Counting Observers and the candidates or their agents. As per Election Commission's directions, counting of postal ballot will begin first while counting of EVMs will start at 8.30 AM. Counting of Postal ballots is to be completed before the penultimate round of EVM counting. Postal ballots are counted by the Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer in presence of candidates or their counting agents. The number of votes recorded in EVMs is cross-verified with entries in Form 17C. In case of any mismatch, VVPAT slips from that polling station are to be counted mandatorily. After completion of EVM counting, a random selection of five polling stations per constituency is made for VVPAT verification. The slips are matched with EVM results in the presence of candidates and their counting agents. With Dharmendra Rai, Anand Kumar, Akashvani News Patna."
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President Droupadi Murmu has said that India is undergoing a transformation to become Viksit Bharat by 2047 and added that the diaspora is also an integral part of this development journey. Addressing the members of the Indian community in Botswana today she said their achievements are India's pride, and their success raises India's stature. She urged the community to keep contributing to India-Botswana relations.
She called the diaspora a living bridge of friendship between the two countries and applauded the 10,000 strong Indian community in Botswana for their contribution to economic growth and employment generation in the country.
During the event, the President paid condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Delhi. A minute's silence was also observed in the memory of those who lost their lives in the attack.
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The Association of Indian Universities has suspended Al-Falah University’s membership citing lack of good standing. Issuing a letter to the University today, the Association said that as per media reports, it has come to notice that Al-Falah University does not appear to be in good standing.The decision came at a time when the University is under scrutiny amid the ongoing Delhi blast investigation.
Earlier, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council also issued a show-cause notice to Al-Falah University in Faridabad for displaying false accreditation on its website. The Notice stated that the Al-Falah University is neither accredited nor volunteered for Cycle-one for Assessment and Accreditation. It said the University publicly displayed on its website that it is an endeavour of Al-Falah Charitable Trust, which has been running three colleges on the campus. The council said that this information is absolutely wrong and misleading the public, especially parents, students and stakeholders.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said that all those responsible for the Delhi car blast incident will be given strict punishment. He said that the punishment for the culprits of the incident will send a message to the world that no terrorist should even dare to think of committing such an act in India. Inaugurating the Motibhai R. Chaudhary Sagar Sainik School and the Sagar Organic Plant in Gujarat virtually, Mr Shah expressed deep condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the blast.
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In view of the heightened security arrangements in the National Capital, Delhi Police has issued an advisory to the passengers. Delhi Police advised passengers to reach the railway stations, metro stations and airport well in advance. It added that railways passengers at least one hour before the scheduled departure of their trains, Metro passengers at least 20 minutes before the scheduled departure of metro and Airport at least 3 hours before the scheduled international flight.
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Anil Kumar Sinha in New Delhi today. During the meeting, both countries interchanged Letter of Exchange amending the Protocol to the Treaty of Transit between India and Nepal. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said the letter enables direct rail connectivity along the Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link for both containerized and bulk cargo.
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The Ministry of External Affairs has announced the successful rollout of the upgraded version of its flagship Passport Seva Programme(PSP). The Ministry said the rollout includes the Passport Seva Programme (PSP V2.0), the Global Passport Seva Programme (GPSP V2.0), and the e-Passport, for citizens in India and those who are residing abroad. It also informed that the PSP V2.0 which was launched on 26th May this year was successfully implemented across all 37 Passport Offices in the country, along with their respective 93 Passport Seva Kendras and 450 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras.
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The Ministry of Defence has inked an agreement with Bharat Dynamics Limited for the procurement of INVAR Anti-Tank Missiles worth over 2 thousand 95 crore rupees to enhance lethality of T-90 tanks. The Ministry said procurement underscores the Government’s efforts to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Army by leveraging the existing expertise of Defence Public Sector Undertakings. It is also aimed at developing niche technologies by domestic industries, in line with the vision of achieving Aatmanirbharta in defence. The contract was signed under the 'Buy (Indian)' category by senior officials of the Ministry of Defence and representatives of BDL in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi today.
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The Calcutta High Court today disqualified senior political leader Mukul Roy from the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. While delivering the verdict the division bench of Justice Debanshu Basak and Justice Md. Shabbar Rashidi said the finding returned by the speaker is perverse and cannot be sustained.
Mukul Roy was elected to West Bengal Legislative Assembly in the 2021 election. Later, he joined the Trinamool Congress though he did not resign from his post as MLA. He was also appointed as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. BJP leader Ambika Roy appealed to the Calcutta High Court in 2021 to disqualify Mukul Roy from the Assembly under the Anti - defection law.
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The National Biodiversity Authority has released over twenty nine lakh Rupees to the Odisha Forest Department for the conservation and protection of Red Sanders.The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed that the fund was generated from benefit-sharing received for accessing Red Sanders wood logs sourced from the Parlakhemundi Forest Division in Odisha. Red Sanders are highly valuable woods used for making furniture, musical instruments, and cosmetics, and domestically for traditional medicines. The initiative aims to promote the sustainable use and conservation of India’s unique biological resources.
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The 44th India International Trade Fair-IITF will begin at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, tomorrow. The theme of this year’s Fair is on- Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. Our correspondent reports that Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Bihar are the partner states of the International event, while Jharkhand is the focus State.
"Twelve countries, including, United Arab Emirates, China, Iran, South Korea, and Egypt, are participating in this 14-day International Trade fair. The trade fair provides a major platform for domestic and international trade, promoting business-to-business and business-to-consumer linkages. Talking Exclusively to Akashvani News, Premjit Lal, Executive Director of the Indian Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO), stated that nearly 30 states and union territories, and over 60 ministries, are participating in the fair. He added that three thousand five hundred exhibitors are expected to participate in the IITF. Special facalities including elaborate security arrangements have been made for the convenience of visitors to the fair. With Rahisuddin Rihan, Aman Yadav Akashvani News, Delhi"
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India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places over Kerala and Mahe tomorrow. The weather agency said that cold wave to severe cold wave conditions will prevail over Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh till 16th of this month. The Met department has also forecast shallow to moderate fog conditions and drop in minimum temperature by two to three degree Celsius over Northeast India. Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi-NCR continues to be in the severe category.
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In Men's Cricket, India will be looking to maintain their winning run in the longest format of the game when they face South Africa in the 1st Test at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata from tomorrow to November the 19th . The match will begin 9:30 AM IST tomorrow. The second match of the two-match Test series will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati from November 22nd.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Counting of votes for Bihar Assembly Elections to take place tomorrow; Election Commission makes elaborate security arrangements at counting centers.
- President Droupadi Murmu calls upon Indian diaspora to keep contributing to India-Botswana relations.
- Association of Indian Universities suspends Al-Falah University membership citing lack of good standing.
- Defence Ministry inks agreement with Bharat Dynamics Limited to procure INVAR Anti-Tank Missiles to enhance firepower of T-90 tanks.
- Calcutta High Court disqualifies political leader Mukul Roy from West Bengal Legislative Assembly under the Anti-defection law.
- Minimum temperature to plunge by two to three degrees Celsius over Northeast India; Air Quality in Delhi-NCR continues in severe category.
- In Men's Cricket, India to lock horns with South Africa in first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, tomorrow.
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