Month: September 2020

The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in three phases with polling to take place on October 28, and November 3 and 7, with the counting of votes to take place on November 10, according to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora.

According to the CEC, the date for issue of notification for the first phase will be October 1, last date of nomination is October 8, scrutiny of nominations October 9, last date for withdrawal of candidature October 12, and date of polling will be October 28th. The counting of votes, for all phases, will be on November 10.

For the second phase, the date for issue of notification is October 9, last date of nomination is October 16, scrutiny of nominations October 17, last date for withdrawal of candidature October 19, and date of polling will be November 3.

In the third and final phase, issue of notification on October 13, last date of nomination is October 20, scrutiny of nominations October 21, last date for withdrawal of candidature October 23, and date of polling will be November 7.

“Assembly elections in Bihar will be conducted in three phases. In the first phase 71 constituencies in 16 districts will go for polls, it will be held in approximately 31,000 polling stations. In the second phase, 94 Assembly constituencies in 17 districts will go for polls, with around 42 thousand polling stations. In the third phase, 78 constituencies in 15 districts, it will have approximately 33.5 thousand polling stations,” Arora added.

The CEC also said that the need for holding Assembly elections was being felt even during the crisis phase.

“As days and months passed and COVID-19 showed no signs of abetting, it was realised that some way would have to be found to balance the democratic rights of the electorate while also making sincere and systematic efforts to protect health and safety of people. The term of the Assembly in Bihar is due to expire on November 29. Bihar Assembly has a strength of 243 members, of whom 38 seats are reserved for SCs and two for STs,” Arora said.

The CEC also said that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into force with the announcement of the poll dates.

“The Commission has already made elaborate arrangements for ensuring the effective implementation of MCC guidelines,” he said.

Speaking about the number of polling stations to be increased in view of managing the COVID-19 situation better Arora said, “One of the first major steps which was taken was to reduce the maximum number of electors at a polling station from 1,500 to one thousand. As a result of this, the number of polling stations went from 65,337 (in 2015 Assembly elections) to more than one lakh in 2020.”

The ECI has also arranged sanitisers, masks, PPE kits, face shields and hand gloves for the smooth and safe conduct of the election process in the state.

“Over 7 lakh hand sanitiser units, about 46 lakh masks, 6 lakh PPE kits, 6.7 lakh units of faces-shields, 23 lakh (pairs of) hand gloves arranged. For voters specifically, 7.2 crore single-use hand gloves arranged,” he said.

He also said that the COVID-19 patients, who are quarantined, will be able to cast their votes at the last day of polling at their respective polling stations under the supervision of health authorities, this is apart from the facility of postal ballot already extended to them.

One of the other important decision is to extend the polling hours by one hour. The polling now will be held from 7 am to 6 pm, instead of the earlier 7 am to 5 pm time frame.

While Opposition parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had earlier been urging for the polls to be postponed owing to the pandemic, they later held talks over the sharing of seats in the RJD and Congress-led Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance).

The incumbent BJP and Janata Dal-United (JDU) coalition government have also begun preparations for the polls. The central leadership of the BJP had clarified that the NDA will go to Bihar polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

In the previous Assembly elections held in the state in 2015, JDU, RJD and Congress had fought the elections together under the Mahagathbandhan banner.

On the other hand, BJP led NDA had fought the elections with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and other allies.

RJD with 80 seats had emerged as the single largest party in the 2015 Assembly elections, followed by JDU (71), and BJP (53). However, BJP got the largest vote share (24.42 per cent), followed by RJD with 18.35 per cent and JDU (16.83 per cent).

After the polls, however, a rift emerged between JDU and the RJD in 2017, leading to CM Nitish Kumar snapping ties and rejoining ties with the BJP-led NDA to retain power in Bihar. (ANI)

Claiming that the entire country is opposing the newly passed agriculture bills, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said farmers do not have any faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government.

“After speaking to the farmers, this much is clear that they don’t have any faith in the Modi government. Our voices are with that of our farmer brothers. Today, the whole country opposes these agriculture bills,” Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

The Congress leader also posted a video of her interactions with farmers, who were heard claiming that these laws are against the farmers across the country.

“This Bill will neither benefit the public nor the farmers. It will only benefit the corporations,” one of the farmers was heard saying. Other farmers sought to mandate the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

This comes amid protests by Opposition parties, farmers and other organisations against the agriculture Bills, which were recently passed by both Houses of the Parliament.

The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by Parliament recently by voice vote despite objection from the Opposition parties.

According to the Centre, these Bills will help small and marginal farms by allowing them to sell produce outside mandis and sign agreements with large agri-business firms and will do away with stock-holding limits on key commodities. (ANI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached a residential apartment in London belonging to Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor in connection with a money laundering case, officials said on Friday.

The economic offences watchdog attached the property worth Rs 127 crores in London, United Kingdom, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in the Yes Bank scam case.

According to ED officials, the property was purchased by Kapoor in 2017 for 9.9 million pounds (Rs 93 crores) in the name of DOIT Creations Jersey Limited, wherein accused Kapoor is the beneficial owner.

Kapoor was arrested by the investigative agency on March 7 in the matter.

The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate have already filed charge sheets against Kapoor and other accused persons in connection with the Yes Bank-DHFL scam and money laundering case being probed by the two probe agencies respectively.

Earlier this year, the Reserve Bank of India had suspended the board of directors at India’s fourth-largest private bank and imposed the withdrawal limit on account holders till April 3 citing its poor financial health due to bad loans. (ANI)

The academic session 2020-21 for the first-year students will commence from November 1, as per the latest guidelines by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which has directed the educational institutions to complete merit/entrance-based admission process by October 2020.

However, in case of delay in the declaration of results of the qualifying examinations, the universities may start the session from November 18, says the latest guidelines issued by the UGC.

Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank announced this on Twitter on Friday, saying, “In view of the #COVID19 Pandemic, @ugc_india has issued guidelines on Examinations & Academic Calendar for UG & PG Students for the Session 2020-21.”

According to the guidelines, the last date for admissions to fill up the remaining vacant seats will be November 31.

On the other hand, the institutions, where admissions are sole though entrance tests, and which have completed the necessary requirements or are likely to do so in near future, have been directed to start their academic sessions for the first year under-graduate and post-graduate students at the earliest. They can accept the relevant documents of qualifying examinations by December 31, said the UGC guidelines.

Further, the UGC has suggested the institutions to conduct the first semester/year examinations between March 8 and 26, 2021.

It has also asked the universities to follow six-day week pattern for the academic sessions 2020-21 and 2021-22, besides curtailing breaks to compensate for the loss of classes.

Terming the session as a special case, the UGC has also ordered the institutions to refund full admission fees on account of cancellation of admissions/migration of students up to November 30. Thereafter, the institutions can deduct not more than Rs 1,000 as processing fee for cancellations/withdrawal up to December 31.

Notwithstanding these, every college/university has been directed to follow the mandatory guidelines regarding academic activities in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. (ANI)

Making a mark on a global platform, two of the Amazon Prime Video’s original creations including the much-loved show – ‘Four More Shots Please!’ – have been nominated at the 2020 International Emmy Awards.

While Amazon Original Series ‘Four More Shots Please!’, produced by Pritish Nandy Communications, has bagged a nomination in the ‘Best Comedy Series’ category, actor Arjun Mathur has received the nomination in the category of ‘Best Performance by an Actor’ for his character of Karan in the show ‘Made in Heaven’ produced by Tiger Baby and Excel Media and Entertainment.

“We are thrilled with the nominations and are delighted to share this moment with Pritish Nandy Communications, Tiger Baby and Excel Media and Entertainment,” said Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video.

Produced by Pritish Nandy Communications, ‘Four More Shots Please!’ is the only Indian title in the Best Comedy Series category and Arjun Mathur is also the only Indian artist to compete in the category of Best Performance by an Actor.

Amazon Prime Video has been a part of the International Emmy nominations for three consecutive years, with Amazon Original Series ‘Inside Edge’ nominated for Best Drama Series in 2018 and its first unscripted Original Series ‘The Remix’ nominated for Best Non-Scripted Entertainment award in 2019. (ANI)

Farmers continue to burn stubble in their fields in Verka here.

Speaking to ANI, a farmer said, “Punjab Chief Minister and DC Amritsar had promised Rs 2,500 per acre as compensation but I did not get it and that is why due to compulsion I am burning stubble.”

After early burning of crop residue was brought to notice on Tuesday, the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) wrote to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to take stock of the situation and take action.

Bhure Lal, chairman, EPCA had told ANI, “We have written to chief secretaries of all the three states to take stock of the situation and start acting. We have asked them to implement the Supreme Court’s order which is a state’s responsibility.”

“We have been monitoring the subsidies paid by Central government to procure tools and implement to enable the farmers and the societies at the Panchayat level to give it a proper shape for commercialisation,” added Lal.

EPCA also asked the chief secretaries to use their village level bodies to ensure that stubble burning does not take place.

Chief secretaries have also been requested to set up a control room in which directions can be issued and actions can be taken both for ensuring that the machineries are within reach of the farmers as well ensuring enforcement of the non-compliance that is reported from the field. (ANI)

Actor Rakul Preet Singh on Friday visited the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office as the probe agency has summoned her in connection with a drug case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Also, actor Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash visited NCB office in the morning today. She was summoned by the NCB to join the investigation pertaining to the same case.

The NCB on Wednesday had summoned actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shradha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Simone Khambatta and celebrity manager Shruti Modi for the ongoing case.

Karishma Prakash works at KWAN talent agency. Even KWAN CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar and film producer Madhu Mantena appeared before the NCB for questioning in the matter. Shruti Modi, the former business manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, was questioned by the NCB in the case in the past as well.

The NCB had launched an investigation after it received official communication from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in which there were various chats related to drug consumption, procurement, usage and transportation.

The ED had on July 31 registered an Enforcement Case Information Report in the late actor’s death case after a First Information Report was filed by Rajput’s father KK Singh against Rhea Chakraborty in Bihar on July 28. Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14. (ANI)

Raising voice against the atrocities by Pakistan on the people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), activist Sajjad Raja broke down in tears as he appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to stop Pakistan from treating them like animals.

Prof Sajjad Raja, while making an intervention during the 45th Session of the UNHRC in Geneva on Thursday (local time), said that the POK election Act 2020 has taken away all constitutional, civil and political rights of the citizens of the POK region.

“We the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir plead the council to stop Pakistan from treating us like animals. The POK election Act 2020 has taken away all of our constitutional, civil and political rights. Our activities opposing accession to Pakistan have been declared anti-state in flagrent violations of United Nations Resolutions,” said Raja, Chairman of the National Equality Party JKGBL.

He further said, “We are treated as traitors in our own home simply for defending it. By declaring our political activities illegal, this act gives the Pakistan Army a free hand to assassinate our people through targeted killings and enforce disappearances.”

Raja said that Pakistan is “brainwashing” the young minds on both sides of the border in Jammu and Kashmir, thus, “making them cannon fodder in the proxy war with India”.

“Pakistan is brainwashing innocent youth on both sides of the border in Jammu and Kashmir making them cannon fodder in the proxy war with India. Pakistan continues to run terror camps from POK,” he said.

Speaking on the recent claim of Pakistan on Gilgit Baltistan, Raja said, “Pakistan is now trying to declare disputed territory of Gilgit Baltistan as its province, thus, depriving our people of their land and their identity and culture. Pakistan’s revisionist moves would throw the whole world into a brutal war.”

The professor broke down in the middle of his intervention while speaking on the atrocities being committed by Pakistan on the citizens of the POK region.

“Pakistan has taken our freedom. Pakistan placed their boot of tyranny on our throat, suppressing our voice but we hope our voice shall be heard here. We beg the peace-loving world to stop what’s happening to us, break away the chains,” he said. (ANI)

Even as China claims that all “trainees from vocational centres in Xinjiang had graduated” by late 2019, an Australian think tank has revealed that there has been an increase in the number of detention centres in the region.

Citing the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) report, Al Jazeera said that more than 380 “suspected detention facilities” have been found in the region.

“The findings of this research contradict Chinese officials’ claims that all “trainees” from so-called vocational skills training centres had “graduated” by late 2019,” lead researcher Nathan Ruser wrote in an article.

“Instead, available evidence suggests that many extrajudicial detainees are now being formally charged and locked up in higher security facilities,” Ruser added.

The researchers used satellite imagery, witness accounts, media reports and official construction tender documents to classify the detention facilities into four tiers depending on the existence of security features such as high perimeter walls, watchtowers and internal fencing, Al Jazeera reported.

According to the findings, at least 61 detention centres have had new construction and expansion work in the year to July 2020.

ASPI further reported 14 more facilities that are under construction and around 70 had fencing or boundary walls removed, indicating either the buildings have been closed or the purpose have been changed.

The think tank researchers have noted several centres that have been expanded had higher security facilities, others have been built close to industrial parks, suggesting those who had been charged might also have been sent to “walled factory compounds for forced labour assignments”, Al Jazeera said.

Recently, the US had imposed restrictions on import of certain products originating from Xinjiang autonomous region in China citing concerns on illegal and inhumane forced labour in the region.

China has been criticised globally for cracking down on the Uyghurs by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination. (ANI)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday reviewed the development projects of Kanpur division and announced that the city will soon have a magnificent riverfront along Ganga river.

Recalling the last visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kanpur, Yogi said: “The Prime Minister was all praise for clean water of Ganga so we give him the gift of riverfront in consonance with his feelings towards Ganga.”

He said that Ganga river touches many districts of this division hence the projects under ‘Namami Gange’ should be implemented in an effective manner. He then directed the officials to prepare an action plan to immediately construct a grand riverfront along Ganga besides expeditious implementation of ‘Namami Gange’.

The Chief Minister reviewed the development projects of Kanpur division comprising Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Kannauj, Farrukhabad, Auraiya and Etawah through video conferencing. There are 30 mega-projects with the cost of over Rs 50 crore each in the division.

UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Sahi and Panchayati Raj Minister Bhupendra Chaudhary along with all the public representatives of the division were present in the meeting presided over by the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister also asked officials to speed up Smart City projects and the Metro project in Kanpur and pointed out that the under-construction Bundelkhand Expressway will pass through Etawah and Auraiya districts of the division. This will give a fillip to the economic growth of the state, he said.

He directed the officials to start construction work on Kanpur Dehat Medical College. He also asked to reduce COVID death rate in Farrukhabad district and instructed that every bed in the hospitals should have an oxygen supply.

Adityanath further said that Kanpur continues to be a COVID-19 hotspot and the next six months are still crucial. “The one-third of the total COVID tests per day should be conducted through RT-PCR and the rest by Rapid Antigen method.”

The Chief Minister laid stress on the hundred per cent Geo-tagging of toilets constructed under PM Awas Yojana, CM Awas Yojana or Swachha Bharat Mission. He asserted that the money meant for development should not be used elsewhere otherwise it will invite stringent action from the government (ANI)