States Focus

Bengal governor urges high turnout for final poll phase

West Bengal Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday appealed to the people of the State to participate enthusiastically in the second and final phase of the Assembly elections on April 29, urging voters, especially the youth, women and first-time electors, to turn out in large numbers and strengthen democracy. “As the next and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections takes place tomorrow, I call upon all voters to participate enthusiastically in this festival of democracy,” Ravi said in a statement shared by the Lok Bhavan, Kolkata. He particularly urged the youth, women and first-time voters to come out in record numbers and cast their votes.

“Every vote is crucial in shaping the future of West Bengal and strengthening democracy and the rule of law,” the governor said.

Polling for the second and final phase of the Assembly elections will be held on Wednesday across 142 constituencies, including the high-profile Bhabanipur seat from where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting.

The first phase of polling, held on April 23 for 152 seats, recorded a voter turnout of 93.19 per cent, the highest ever in the State.

The ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP are locked in a high-stakes contest, with the results expected to shape the political trajectory of the State ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Jitendra Singh lays stone of new building of IIA Bengaluru

Union Minister Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of a new `75 crore building at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, which would be developed to strengthen India's capabilities in advanced astronomy research and space science instrumentation. The upcoming facility will be seven-storied with more than nearly one lakh square feet of built-up area. “The new facility will support the growing requirements of students, researchers and national missions, and strengthen India’s position in cutting-edge observational science,” said Singh. The minister added that the facility brings with it both an opportunity and a responsibility to deliver outcomes that match the scale of investment being made.

He also highlighted that the IIA is a unique institution with a rich legacy and global standing in astronomy research, tracing its three centuries journey, beginning from the historic Madras Observatory.

The technologies developed by the IIA are being used in ISRO and other national and international space missions.