EC appoints Arora as new Punjab DGP
Chandigarh: The Election Commission Thursday appointed IPS officer Suresh Arora as the new State police chief of Punjab. The incumbent Director General of Police (DGP), Sumedh Singh Saini, has proceeded on leave, starting Friday (April 4). A 1982 batch Indian Police Service officer, Arora is presently chief director, vigilance. The Punjab government had earlier Thursday sent a panel of three senior police officers to the EC for appointment as the state police chief.
205 licensed arms given to Mumbai cops
Mumbai: Mumbai Police has launched an exercise to collect licenced arms in the city ahead of lok Sabha polls, a drive which has led to 205 weapons being surrendered, so far. As per the directives of the Election Commission, Government authorities are required to collect arms, prior to election as a precautionary measure in order to ensure fair and peaceful elections.
Sex workers to exercise NOTA in protest
Kolkata: The 50-lakh-strong community of sex workers in India is seriously considering to opt for the NOTA option while exercising their franchise in the lok Sabha elections to register protest against deprivation and apathy. Since independence, political parties of all hues have promised development for the community, but they are all just promises, All India Network for Sex Workers president Bharati Dey said.
Opium: An electoral issue in Barmer
Barmer: Supply of opium has joined the list of traditional electoral issues of water, hospitals, roads, education and power in the second largest constituency of the country here. One of the issues, albeit not a major one, in this border constituency is increasing supply of doda posta (opium husk) to which thousands of residents are addicted. Every morning, one could see serpentine queues of people outside the licensed shops to purchase their quota. It is a waste product of poppy.
One more ex-top cop joins AIADMK
Chennai: Close on the heels of a former State police chief embracing the ruling AIADMK ahead of lok Sabha polls, another former DGP, A X Alexander, on Thursday took the political plunge joining the Jayalalithaa-led party. Recently, former DGP R Nataraj had joined the AIADMK.
Candidates use ‘WhatsApp’ and ‘Skype’
Thiruvananthapuram: As the countdown begins for the April 10 lok Sabha polls, candidates on the campaign trail in Kerala have also turned to advanced chat options like ‘WhatsApp’ and ‘Skype’ to get connected with their voters,especially the Non-Resident Keralite community which comprises a strong vote bank in many parts of the State.
EC report on Modi’s copter delay sought
New Delhi: Election Commission has sought a factual report from Ministry of Civil Aviation on the complaint by BJP with regard to Delhi Airport not granting prompt permission to Narendra Modi’s helicopter for taking off due to which he was late for his rally in Bareilly on April 1.
Nagaland CM told to clarify statement
Imphal: The EC has asked Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio to clarify his reported statement criticising Manipur Government as “Anti-Naga Administration”. The reply of Rio would be forwarded to the ECI, State Chief Electoral Officer O Nabakishore told reporters here on Wednesday.
“That complaint has been received by the election authority. We have already asked for a factual report from Civil Aviation Ministry. Definitely further action will be taken,” Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath said on Thursday.
EC asks Nagaland CM to clarify his statement
Imphal : The Election Commission has asked Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to clarify his reported statement criticising Manipur government as “Anti-Naga Administration”. The reply of Rio would be forwarded to the Election Commission of India, state Chief Electoral Officer O Nabakishore told reporters here on Wednesday.
It has been reported from Senapati and Tamenglong districts in Manipur that Rio, during recent election campaign in these districts to support Naga People’s Front candidate Sosho lorho, had blamed the state government for “division of the Nagas and acting as anti-Naga administration.”