THE HEADLINES::
- Polling begins for first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and all 234 seats in Tamil Nadu.
- Election Commission issues show cause notice to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for violating Model Code of Conduct.
- Vehicles without valid Pollution Control certificate not to get Petrol, Diesel, CNG or LPG at fuel stations in Delhi.
- Portals of Badrinath Dham open with traditional rituals in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
- Iran says, Strait of Hormuz cannot be opened due to ceasefire breaches.
- And in IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs.
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Polling has begun for first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and all 234 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. In both the states, voting began at 7 AM and will continue till 6 PM.
In West Bengal, voting is taking place for 152 constituencies spread over 16 districts in this phase. There are 1,478 candidates in the fray. More than 44 thousand polling booths have been set up across 152 constituencies. Out of these, 7,384 booths have been flagged as “super-sensitive” or “critical”. About 3.6 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise in this phase. Our Kolkata Correspondent has filed this report:
“Voting has begun for 152 constituencies across 16 districts of West Bengal from 7 in the morning today. Since early morning, long queues of voters have been seen outside polling booths.
To ensure smooth conduct of this first phase of the election, a massive security arrangement is in place. A total of 2,407 companies of central forces have been deployed. Murshidabad, with its two police districts, has the highest concentration, with 316 companies stationed. East Midnapore follows with 273 companies. In all, personnel from the central forces and state police are engaged in managing the polling process.
This phase also sees 1,478 candidates contesting, including 167 women. The highest number of candidates-15 each-are in Cooch Behar South, Karandighi, and Itahar. Chandrakona has the lowest, with just five candidates in the fray. SANDIPON DASGUPTA, AKASHVANI NEWS, KOLKATA”.
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Polling has also begun in Tamil Nadu for all assembly seats in a single phase. Over 5.73 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of 4,023 candidates in the fray. More than 75 thousand polling stations have been established across the state to facilitate voter participation and ensure accessibility.
The results of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu along with Assam, Keralam and Puducherry assembly elections will be declared on 4th of May.
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Senior BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Home Minister Amit Shah, today urged citizens to participate enthusiastically in the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. In a social media post, Mr Modi made a special appeal to young voters and women in both states to come out and vote in large numbers. He also called upon all voters to take part enthusiastically in this sacred duty of democracy.
Meanwhile, Mr Shah said, this phase of the West Bengal election is crucial, not only for the present but also for the future of the state.
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Polling also began in Gujarat this morning for the by-election to the Umreth Assembly seat in Anand district under tight security. Nearly 2 lakh 45 thousand voters, including 4 thousand first-time voters, are eligible to cast their votes today across 306 polling stations. A total of six candidates are in the fray, with a direct contest between Harshad Parmar of the BJP and Bhrigurajsinh Chauhan of the Congress. The administration has deployed a workforce of 1 thousand 5 hundred polling personnel to ensure a smooth voting experience.
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Voting is also underway for the by-elections in Baramati constituency of Pune district and Rahuri constituency of Ahilyanagar district in Maharashtra. The by-elections are being held following the demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Rahuri MLA Shivaji Kardile. In Baramati, Sunetra Pawar is a main contender, while Akshay Kardile is a key candidate in Rahuri.
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The Election Commission has issued show cause notice to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for violating the provisions of Model Code of Conduct for the use of derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Kharge had made these remarks during a press conference in Chennai. The poll body has asked Mr Kharge to explain his stand within 24 hours. The notice was issued by the Commission after it received complaints from senior BJP leader and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and other office bearers of the party in this regard.
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In Delhi, vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate will not get fuel such as Petrol, Diesel, CNG or LPG at fuel stations. The Delhi government has taken this decision to ensure effective control over vehicular pollution in the national capital.
“As per the new directive, fuel will be supplied strictly and exclusively to vehicles holding a valid PUC certificate. The government said that accountability has been clearly fixed across all concerned agencies to ensure zero tolerance in implementation. All petrol pumps and gas outlets have been directed to comply with the order in letter and spirit. The Government has warned the authorities that any lapse will invite strict action.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the government is firmly committed to ensuring a clean, healthy environment and improving Delhi’s air quality through sustained and comprehensive measures. She added that tackling air pollution requires firm and effective interventions and this decision is a crucial step in that direction. Aditya Pratap Singh, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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The portals of Badrinath Temple, located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, were opened for devotees this morning amid Vedic chants and traditional rituals.
“On the auspicious occasion, Badrinath Temple was grandly decorated. As the gates opened, the entire shrine echoed with chants of “Jai Badri Vishal.” Devotees showed great enthusiasm as traditional musical instruments and army band performances filled the atmosphere.
On this occasion, the ‘Mahabhishek Puja’ was performed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praying for the prosperity and well-being of the nation and the state. The Chief Minister also reviewed the pilgrimage arrangements and said that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure a safe and smooth Char Dham Yatra.
It may be recalled that the portals of Kedarnath Temple were opened yesterday, while the gates of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines had already been opened on April 19. The Char Dham temples open every year during summer and are closed with the onset of winter. Sakshi Singh, Akashvani News, Dehradun.”
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Iran has said that Strait of Hormuz cannot be opened due to ceasefire breaches by the US and Israel.
“Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a post on social media that the violations include the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which he said amounted to taking the global economy hostage and warmongering by Israel on all fronts.
Moreover, Iran remains open to negotiations, said Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian, but he added, breach of commitments, blockade and threats are main obstacles to genuine negotiations.
It appeared early Tuesday that the US and Iran would hold new peace talks in Pakistan this week but they are yet to begin. On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced an extension to the US-Iran ceasefire that was due to expire yesterday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified that Mr. Trump’s extension is open-ended, and has no new deadline. She added that Mr.Trump is satisfied with the ongoing US naval blockade against Iran, and he understands that Iran is in a very weak position. WITH VISHAL’S REPORT, CHIRAG JHA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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In IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs in Lucknow last night. Chasing a target of 160 runs, the LSG could make only 119 runs in 18 overs. Earlier, put into bat first, RR posted 159 for 6 in 20 overs, with Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten innings of 43 runs in just 29 balls. Jadeja was also adjudged Player of the Match.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- Iran attacks 3 ships in Strait day after ceasefire extended headlines The Hindustan Times, The Statesman headlines “Iran fires on 3 ships, seizes 2 in Strait of Hormuz after USA extends ceasefire while the Times of India headlines, “Trump hints at talks in 72 hours even as Iran seizes 2 ships”.
- The Tribune headlines, “TMC, BJP put in all might for Phase 1 polling as Bengal sees battle like never before” and The Asian Age headlines, “High stakes battle looms in 152 Bengal seats, whole of Tamil Nadu today”.
- Mostly all newspapers have on their front page the 1st anniversary of the Pahalgam attack. The Pioneer says, “Rajnath Singh signals strength as nation remembers victims”.
- Another prominent story covered in all newspapers is the mandatory registration of e-sports from the 1st of May. “Online games from Pakistan, China and Turkey may be told to register with government”, says The Financial Times.
- An editorial in The Tribune titled, “Why SIR is important in West Bengal opines that the greatest strength of a democracy is the voting rights of the people and the first condition of that right is an accurate, transparent and credible electoral roll”.
- And finally, Water ATMs inaugurated in Shalimar Bagh as a relief to citizens even as the mercury touched 42 degree Celsius in the capital.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN,
- Polling begins for first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and all 234 seats in Tamil Nadu.
- Election Commission issues show cause notice to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for violating Model Code of Conduct.
- Vehicles without valid Pollution Control certificate not to get Petrol, Diesel, CNG or LPG at fuel stations in Delhi.
- Portals of Badrinath Dham open with traditional rituals in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
- Iran says, Strait of Hormuz cannot be opened due to ceasefire breaches.
- And in IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs.
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