INDIA

Kolkata, Aug 13 (IANS) The records of the voters' lists of around a hundred polling booths in West Bengal, post the last Special Intensive Revision carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2002, are not available.The 2022 list is supposed to be the basis for carrying out the SIR by the Commission this year. Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that the matter would be brought to the notice of the ECI and permission would be sought to use the draft voters’ list for 2003 as the basis of the fresh SIR.The sources said that, in the case of certain booths, the records of the 2002 post-SIR were not available at all. In some cases, the lists have been damaged in such a way that it is impossible to upload them to the Commission's server.I...

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) A Crisil report on Wednesday projected India’s headline inflation to average 3.5 per cent this fiscal (FY26) from 4.6 per cent in the last, as healthy agricultural production is expected to keep food inflation in check.Kharif sowing is up a healthy 4.0 per cent on-year (As of August 8) and adequate soil moisture should benefit the rabi crop as well.“Assuming geopolitical uncertainties remain under control, Brent crude oil prices are projected to remain subdued at $60-65 per barrel in the current fiscal, which should help contain non-food inflation,” said the report.India’s retail inflation rate has more than halved over the past year, slipping even below the lower end of the Reserve Bank of India’s tolerance band (2 per cent). It slid to 1.6 per cent in July from 2...

Hyderabad, Aug 13 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao on Wednesday dared Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other ministers to visit any village in the state and tell people that they fulfilled almost all of the six guarantees.Rama Rao threw the challenge that he would quit politics if people did not chase them (Deputy CM and other ministers) away for "peddling lies".KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, took to 'X' to dispute the claim made by the Deputy Chief Minister in a television interview that the Congress government has fulfilled most promises.The former minister posted a video clip of the Deputy CM’s interview and also another clip of the promise he had made during the campaign for the 2023 elections."From grand prom...

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) As part of the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday hoisted the national flag at his residence in New Delhi, describing the movement as one that binds the nation in unity and reinforces the spirit of patriotism.Over the past three years, the campaign has transformed into a mass movement, with citizens from diverse walks of life participating enthusiastically in both online and offline activities across the country.In a post on X, HM Shah wrote, "Today, under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, I hoisted the Tricolour at my residence. The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign, initiated under the leadership of Modi ji, has today become a people's movement that binds the nation in the thread of unity and strengthens the spirit of patriotism.""This...

Srinagar, Aug 13 (IANS) The Economic Offences Wing of the J&K Crime Branch on Wednesday carried out searches at multiple locations in Srinagar city in connection with a fake investment scam wherein high returns were promised to investors.A statement by the crime branch said, “The Economic Offences Wing (Crime Branch Kashmir) today carried out searches at multiple locations in District Srinagar in connection with case FIR No. 11/2025 under Section 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC of P/S EOW-S (Crime Branch Kashmir).“The brief facts of the case are that Crime Branch Kashmir received an online complaint, wherein it was alleged that the complainant has been duped/ cheated by two fraudsters namely Majid Nazir Najar, son of Nazir Ahmad Najar, resident of Batamaloo, and Mubarak Ahmad Rather, son...

Karwar, Aug 13 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths conducted raids at the residence of Congress MLA from Karnataka's Karwar district, Satish K. Sail, on Wednesday.Sail, who was jailed in connection with an illegal mining case, is currently out on bail.Sources stated that the raids are being carried out in connection with the same illegal mining case.According to sources, a team of about 24 ED officers arrived at his residence in six cars and launched a search-and-seizure operation. Sail is presently in Bengaluru to attend the Monsoon Assembly session. More details regarding the development are awaited.On October 26, 2024, the Karnataka Special Court for MLAs and MPs convicted Sail to seven years of imprisonment in six cases related to the sensational Belekeri iron ore export ca...

Mumbai, Aug 13 (IANS) Shiv Sena(UBT) on Wednesday supported the Supreme Court’s orders upholding the Bombay High Court’s stay on feeding pigeons and asking the municipal authorities to pick up and house all stray dogs in Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region in dedicated shelters within eight weeks. In the party mouthpiece 'Saamana' editorial, the Shiv Sena(UBT) said that pigeons and stray dogs pose a threat to human health, and it is wrong to incite religious sentiments on this."Thousands of people are crushed to death like dogs and cats every year in road and railway accidents, neither the government nor the people who believe in ghost mercy feel sorry for it. 'People die, dogs and pigeons live' is the new mantra of life, a distortion that has emerged in the last ten years. A co...

Chennai, Aug 13 (IANS) A simmering land dispute in Chettikarai Panchayat of Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu has prompted residents from four villages to announce a one-day hunger strike on Independence Day, protesting against the Waqf board land claims as per the Waqf (Amendment) Act.The agitation stems from allegations that the Waqf Board has laid claim to agricultural lands that locals say have been in their families for generations. Several residents from Rajapettai, Kottaimedu, Khan Nagar, and Pallagollai gathered at the Dharmapuri Collectorate, accompanied by Dharmapuri MLA S.P. Venkateshwaran and Pappireddipatti MLA A. Govidasamy on Tuesday.The group submitted petitions demanding that the Act be rolled back, alleging it has effectively frozen land transactions in their villages.Acc...

Thrissur, Aug 13 (IANS) Union Minister of State and BJP MP from Thrissur, Suresh Gopi, received a rousing welcome from party supporters upon his arrival at Thrissur railway station on Wednesday, even as allegations of voter list irregularities continue to swirl around him.Despite repeated attempts by the media to elicit a response, the actor-turned-politician maintained silence and left the station in his official vehicle.This marks his first visit to the constituency since July 17, a period during which a complaint had even been filed with the local police claiming he was "missing".Suresh Gopi arrived in Thiruvananthapuram from Delhi at around 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday and spent a short time at his residence before boarding the Vande Bharat Express at 5.15 a.m. for Thrissur.Media efforts t...

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is set to benefit the domestic mineral sector, according to the Ministry of Mines.V.L. Kantha Rao, Secretary (Mines), highlighted the opportunities for the Indian mineral sector, particularly the aluminium industry, in terms of enhanced market access and competitiveness in the FTA partner country.Towards making good use of the CETA provisions, he emphasised the need to understand product demand in UK through roadshows. He also cited opportunities in R&D collaboration between the two countries.The Ministry of Mines organised a webinar with the objective of bringing together Indian mineral industry to discuss potential benefits and opportunities arising from India-UK CETA.It was attended by senior off...