Repolling at nine booths in Odisha today

Besides six booths of Niali Assembly segment under Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat, repolling would also be held in two other booths of Keonjhar and one booth in Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat.

Polling in these booths was held on April 17. But following allegations of massive rigging and other irregularities like EVM damages, the Election Commission had ordered repolling in these nine booths.

Congress and BJP nominees had alleged that ruling BJD workers had vandalized the booths damaging the EVMs after an attempt to rig the polls.

   

Meanwhile, the Cuttack district administrations along with the district rural police have made elaborate arrangements to conduct the repolling in Niali without any further hiccups.

   

While all booths would be covered by web-cameras, arrangements have been made to video-record all developments outside the booths.

   

Micro-observers have been appointed for each booth in Niali, said the Returning Officer of the segment and Cuttack ADM Laxmidhar Mohanty.

   

"Each booth in Niali would be under the supervision of a DSP assisted by an Inspector. Besides, there would be forces in place to meet any eventuality," Cuttack (Rural) SP, Gurudas Kundu said.

(Agencies)

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Bengal Number one in expenditure under 100-day scheme: Mamata

"West Bengal is now number one state in the country in terms of expenditure on employment generation under 100-days work scheme as reported on April 23, 2014 in the website of the Union Rural Development Ministry, Government of India," Banerjee said on Facebook.

She said that the state achieved expenditure of more than Rs 5,521 crore in 2013-14, which is highest in the country under the 100-days work programme.

The Chief Minister pointed out that out of that figure, Rs 1,815 crore was a liability and not received from the Government of India.

Banerjee claimed that the performance proved that Bengal had changed for the betterment of the people.

(Agencies)

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Re-investigate mosque demolition case against Jindal firm: Court

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Bhilwara gave the direction while disposing of complaints lodged by two locals alleging that police investigation carried out in the case against Jindal Saw Limited had not been done properly.

According to the FIR lodged against Jindal Saw Limited, the company had allegedly paid Rs 65 lakh to Anjuman Committee of Pur in Bhilwara district to buy the mosque and demolished it on April 19, 2012 for mining purpose.

The court gave direction to Pratap Nagar police station to reinvestigate the case and submit a progress report before the court within a month.

(Agencies)

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Over six lakh litres liquor, Rs 10 crore cash seized in poll-bound Punjab

Officials said the seizures were made till Wednesday and the figures will see an increase as there is still a week to go for the final polling date in the state.

  

The Election Commissioned has also created a maximum of 841 village level awareness groups in the state comprising citizens who have been brought on board to spread the message of clean and fair elections, a senior official said.

All 13 seats of Punjab will vote on April 30 with Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance taking on Congress directly. The strong presence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab this time around has spiced up the electoral battle in the Wheat Bowl of India.

(Agencies)

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'Prohibitory orders paving way for AIADMK to give cash, gifts'

DMK Treasurer M K Stalin filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Praveen Kumar, marked to Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, alleging that AIADMK candidates were involved in distributing cash and gifts through their agents and that despite complaints local Returning Officers were not taking any action.

"In fact, police officials are hand-in-glove in perpetuating the illegal activities by letting loose the offenders even when they nab them or intimate in advance about the complaint given by us," he said, alleging Rs 3,000 cash per voter was being distributed since yesterday," it said.

The party even accused policemen and other officials of transporting money in their vehicles and even if it was brought to the notice of higher authorities, no action was being taken and there was a 'complete breakdown of the enforcement by the Election Commission’.

"It is submitted never ever in the history of state of Tamil Nadu prohibitory orders under Sec 144 CrPC has been issued on the eve of elections. This has paved the way for the ruling AIADMK party to distribute money with the blessing of police officials.

"The entire administration is now virtually taken over by the police by way of abdication of powers of the Election Commission due to this prohibitory order," it alleged.

The move had sounded the 'death knell' to democracy, it charged, adding DMK men trying to prevent money distribution were targeted with the prohibitory orders.

"Hence the prohibitory orders have to be necessarily lifted for ensuring free and fair elections and to inspire confidence among all parties and the people," it said.

The party demanded that the prohibitory orders be lifted and EC prevent distribution of money and gifts.

Later, Stalin told reporters that AIADMK was allegedly involved in money distribution due to fear of losing.

When asked about allegations of his party men distributing money, he said that action must be initiated if there was proof.

(Agencies)

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BJP urges EC to ensure free and fair poll in Arunachal

The party has also demanded proper surveillance and strict monitoring of all the strong rooms in the state.

"The Congress is making desperate attempt to forge and manipulate postal ballot votes in favour of its candidates and resorting to sabotage the counting process," the party alleged in a statement.

"It is shocking and surprising that a Congress worker, from Hapoli Assembly constituency, who was subsequently arrested, in Lower Subansiri district had collected postal ballot papers by producing forged identity card and submitted in favour of the party candidate from the constituency" the statement said.

Many more such incidents of malpractice have been reported from entire state, it claimed.

(Agencies)

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Modi, Rahul to address rallies in tribal areas of Gujarat

Modi, who is contesting from Vadodara as well as Varanasi constituencies, will address a rally here tomorrow and at Pavijetpur, which falls under Chhota Udepur reserved constituency, on Saturday.
   
Rahul will be addressing two public meetings at Devgadh Bariya under Dahod (ST) constituency and at Dediapada under Bharuch parliamentary constituency on the same day, sources said.
   
While Dahod is currently represented by Congress MP Prabha Taviyad, Chhota Udepur and Bharuch seats by tribal leaders Ramsinh Rathwa and Mansukh Vasava, both belong to BJP, respectively.
   
Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has been camping in the region as Congress is pulling all stops to wrest Chhota Udepur and Bharuch from BJP.
   
Patel himself had represented Bharuch seat for three terms in the past. However, since 1989 BJP has been winning the seat on a trot. Interestingly, even though Bharuch is a general seat, it has been won by Vasava, a tribal leader.
   
Congress has fielded Jayesh Patel from this seat against Vasava.

(Agencies)

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