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Tue, 23 April 2019
Modi to file nominations from Varanasi on Apr 26

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23:25   Modi to file nominations from Varanasi on Apr 26
Almost all prominent leaders of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and North-East Democratic Alliance will accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he files nomination from Varanasi on April 26.

Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as ally party leaders like Janata Dal-United chief Nitish Kumar, Shiromani Akali Dal patron and former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as well as many prominent leaders of NEDA will reach the temple city to mark the occasion.

"All senior BJP leaders including all members of party's parliamentary board will be present with PM Modi in Varanasi on April 26," BJP president Amit Shah said at a press conference on Tuesday evening. "All senior leaders of the NDA including Prakash Badal, Nitish Kumar, Ram Vilas Paswan, AIADMK leaders, Uddhav Thackeray, NEDA leaders will be also present."

Modi will file his nomination in Varanasi around 11:30 am on April 26.

He will reach Varanasi on April 25 and hold a grand road show in the constituency. The road show will begin at the statue of Madanmohan Malaviya and will end at Dashashwamedh Ghat, passing through Lanka and Madanpura areas of the city, Shah said.

The PM will participate in the Ganga Aarti on the bank of the holy river in the evening. After that, he will interact with some selected intellectuals at Hotel De Paris.

The next day, on April 26, the PM will be meeting with the BJP workers of the constituency in the hotel, Shah added.

Modi will file nominations after offering prayers at Kal Bhairav Temple.

-- ANI
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23:22   Is he 'chowkidar' or 'shehenshah' from Delhi: Priyanka's swipe at PM
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday attacked Narendra Modi over drinking water being poured on the streets of Banda to welcome the Prime Minister despite severe drought in the Bundelkhand region, and asked whether he is a "chowkidar" or a "shehenshah" from Delhi.
 
Prime Minister Modi will visit Banda, Uttar Pradesh, later this week to address an election rally.

"When the whole of Bundelkhand, the men, women, children, and all living beings, are grappling with severe drought, drinking water from tankers is being poured on the streets of Banda to welcome our Prime Minister. Is he the chowkidar or a shehenshah arriving from Delhi," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted with a video of water being poured on the street from a tanker.
Banda will go to the polls in the fifth phase on May 6.

-- PTI
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22:36   Justice S A Bode to probe allegation of harassment against CJI
Justice S A Bobde, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, was on Tuesday appointed to conduct an in-house inquiry into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

When contacted, Justice Bobde, who is next to the CJI in seniority, confirmed the development.
He said being the number two judge, the Chief Justice of India has appointed him to look into the allegations of sexual harassment charges levelled against him by a former woman staff.
Justice Bobde said that he has decided to form a panel by inducting two apex court judges -- Justice N V Ramana and Justice Indira Banerjee.
"I decided to have Justice Ramana in the panel as he is next to me in the seniority and Justice Banerjee as she is a woman judge," Justice Bobde said.

-- PTI
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22:17   C initiates steps to take down trailers of Mamata biopic from internet sites
The Election Commission is learnt to have initiated steps to take down trailers of a biopic on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from at least three websites.
 
After the chief electoral officer of West Bengal submitted a report on the biopic, titled 'Baghini' (tigress), the EC has initiated steps to ensure that the trailers are brought down.
Though the producer has claimed that it is slated for release on May 3, an EC official said so far the Central Board for Film Certification has not issued it a certification.
The BJP had approached the poll panel seeking a ban on the release of the movie till the election process is over.

 The last of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election will be held on May 19 and counting will be done on May 23.
The official cited the Commission's April 10 order banning the release of biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi till the elections are over, for initiating action on the Mamata Banerjee biopic.

 In its order staying the release of the Modi biopic, the EC had said that "any biopic material in the nature of biography/hagiography sub serving the purposes of any political party or any individual entity connected to it, which is intended to, or which has the potential to disturb the level playing field during the elections, should not be displayed in electronic media including cinematograph during the operation of MCC".

Based on the same order, the EC had on Saturday directed Eros Now to immediately take down a web series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all related contents till further orders.

The EC order said the streaming of five-episode web series, "Modi - Journey of a Common Man", should be "stopped forthwith". 

-- PTI
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21:50   Akshay's meeting with PM to be aired tomorrow
A day after Akshay Kumar said he would be getting into an "unknown and uncharted territory" with something he had not done before, the Bollywood actor Tuesday said he will have a "candid and completely non political" chat with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
  
The 51-year-old star took to Twitter to announce that his conversation with the prime minister will be a "breather" in election time.

"While the whole country is talking elections and politics, here's a breather. Privileged to have done this candid and COMPLETELY NON POLITICAL freewheeling conversation with our PM @narendramodi," Kumar wrote on the microblogging site.

Modi replied to the tweet, saying, "Dear @akshaykumar, it was good talking to you about everything, except politics and elections :) I'm sure people would like watching our conversation."

Kumar also shared a 24-second-long video snippet from the conversation.

"Getting into an unknown and uncharted territory today. Doing something I have never done before. Excited and nervous both. Stay tuned for updates," said the actor Monday, who has starred in a series of patriotic and social issue-driven films in recent years.

Hours after the cryptic tweet sparked speculation that he would be taking a political plunge Monday, he dispelled the rumours, saying "Grateful for all the interest shown in my previous tweet but just clarifying in light of some wild speculation, I am not contesting elections."

The National Award-winning actor said the interview will air on the Twitter account of a news agency at 9 am Wednesday, in which the viewers will discover "some lesser known facts" about Modi.

-- PTI
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21:05   ITBP troops hurt as mob pelts vehicle with stones
The driver of a vehicle carrying ITBP troops back from their poll duty in Kokarnag area of south Kashmir was killed as it overturned after a mob hurled stones at it, officials said here.  
  
They said three to four Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel have also suffered injuries in the incident. 

The deceased driver's name is Hilal Ahmed Bhat, a selection grade constable, the officials said.

They said reinforcements were rushed to the place of incident and they saved the jawans from hundreds of stone-pelters. 

Kokernag is around 90 km from Srinagar.

-- PTI
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20:35   Cong moves EC against Modi 'road show' after voting
The Congress on Tuesday moved the EC alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi took out a "road show" after casting his vote as well as made political remarks in violation of the model code of conduct, and demanded that a campaign ban of 2-3 days be imposed on him for being an "uncaring offender".
  
The opposition party also made a representation to the Election Commission over alleged model code of conduct violation by BJP chief Amit Shah and demanded a 72-hour campaign ban on him.

The Congress delegation comprising Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Jairam Ramesh and K Raju told the EC that Shah "openly raised Balakot air strikes, Pulwama attack and armed forces" while seeking votes in Krishnanagar, West Bengal.

The party strongly raised the issue of alleged violation of the model code of conduct by the Prime Minister.

After casting his vote in Ahmedabad, Modi walked some distance from the polling booth and interacted briefly with mediapersons.

"Prime Minister is occupying a high post. The bigger the post, the bigger the responsibility. We have told the Election Commission that instead of caring about the responsibility, the Prime Minister is repeatedly violating the model code of conduct," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters outside the EC.

He said the Congress had written to the EC last night complaining about the "violation of the model code of conduct" by Modi after casting his vote in the past.

-- PTI
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20:27  
Police vehicle overturns as mob pelts it with stones in Kokernag, cop dead: Official.
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20:09   Sunny Deol is BJP's candidate from Gurdaspur
The BJP has decided to field actor Sunny Deol from Punjab's Gurdaspur constituency. The party has also decided to field Kirron Kher from Chandigarh. 

The actor, Sunny, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday in presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, days after he met BJP president Amit Shah at Pune airport.

"The way my father (film star Dharmendra) was attached with Atal ji, today I have come to join Modi ji. Whatever I can do for this family (BJP), I will do it... I won't talk, I will show you through my work," Deol said while addressing the media at the Bharatiya Janata Party office in New Delhi.
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19:52   Non-bailable warrants issued against Kejriwal, Sisodia in defamation case
Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday issued non-bailable warrants against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav in connection with a defamation case.

Lawyer Surender Sharma had filed the defamation complaint against these leaders.

The petitioner had pleaded that his candidature from Aam Aadmi Party was cancelled in 2013 at the last moment and was published in various newspapers in a defamatory manner.

The court had issued warrants as no accused had appeared. Later, the court was appraised by Kejriwal's lawyer that permanent exemption had already been allowed for the Chief Minister and his deputy. 

The court will hear the matter of cancellation of the warrants on Wednesday. 

-- ANI
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19:25   3rd phase: WB sees highest turnout, J-K lowest
West Bengal on Tuesday recorded a polling percentage of 79.36 per cent, while Jammu and Kashmir recorded mere 12.86 per cent voter turnout in phase three of Lok Sabha elections.

The overall turnout is 63.24 per cent for the third phase.
 
Here is the state-wise voter turnout percentage 

Odisha - 58.18%
Tripura - 78.52%
Utar Pradesh - 57.74%
West Bengal - 79.36
Chhattisgarh - 65.91%
Dadra & Nagar Haveli - 71.43%
Daman & Diu - 65.34%
Assam - 78.29%
Bihar - 59.97%
Goa - 71.09%
Gujarat - 60.21%
Jammu and Kashmir - 12.86%
Karnataka - 64.14%
Kerala - 70.21%
Maharashtra - 56.57%
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18:26   The family that 'votes' together
The motto of the Bhosale family from Pune's Rasta Peth area can be described as `the family that votes together, stays together'.
Continuing a tradition, 27 members of the family voted in the Lok Sabha election Tuesday.
While the eldest among them was 95-year-old Parvatibai Bhosale, the youngest was her 26-year-old grandson Niranjan.
The family lives in a `waada', a specimen of old-style architecture for which Pune was once famous. They walked to the nearby polling centre in a procession Tuesday morning.

"We are six brothers, and ours is a joint family. In every election we step out together and exercise our franchise," said 60-year-old Jaysingh Bhosale, himself a former corporator.
For the last few days, they were also creating awareness about importance of voting in their neighbourhood, he said.
"The eldest voter in our family is our mother, who is 95 years old. Despite being wheelchair-bound, she makes sure that she casts vote in every election," he said. 
Parvatibai told PTI that she would be happy if people were inspired by her family and went out and voted.

The BJP's Girish Bapat, a state minister, is pitted against Congress' Mohan Joshi in Pune. -- PTI
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18:23   Around 61.31% voter turnout recorded in Phase 3
An estimated 61.31 per cent voter turnout was reported till now for the 3rd phase of the  Lok Sabha elections.

Voting for 116 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and 2 union territories was held today.

According to the Election Commission, the estimated turnout at 5 pm was 74.05 per cent for Assam, Bihar (54.95 per cent), Goa (70.96 per cent), Gujarat (58.81 per cent), Karnataka (60.87 per cent), Kerala (68.62 per cent), Maharashtra (55.05 per cent), Odisha (57.84 per cent), Tripura (71.13 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (56.36 per cent), Chhattisgarh (64.03 per cent), Dadra and Nagar Haveli (71.43 per cent) and Daman and Diu (65.34 per cent).
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18:17   Happy birthday Sachin, in advance
A fan of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar draws a rangoli in a Navi Mumbai mall on the eve of his 46th birthday.
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17:26   Will contest from Varanasi if... : Priyanka
Amid speculation that she might contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Tuesday she would abide by the party decision in this regard.
Varanasi will vote in the last phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 19.
"I have said this repeatedly that I will do what the party asks me to do," Priyanka Gandhi said, adding that people were feeling harassed and wanted a change.
She is on a tour of Amethi and Rae Bareli, represented by her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi, respectively.
On the second day of her visit, she will hold meetings with party leaders at Gauriganj in Amethi.
Congress made Priyanka Gandhi the general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh in January, hoping for a change in its fortunes in the ongoing Lok Sabha election.
On Monday, she hit out at BJP's Amethi candidate Smriti Irani for insulting the people of the constituency by distributing shoes among them. -- PTI 
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17:17   In Pilibhit Varun Gandhi's selfie with voters
BJP candidate from Pilibhit parliamentary constituency, Varun Gandhi visits a polling booth in Pilibhit and clicks selfies with supporters. 


Varun Gandhi on Sunday sought Muslims votes during a public meeting in his parliamentary constituency, saying that he would feel good if the people of the community vote for him. 


Addressing a public gathering in Pilibhit, he said, "Bas mein ek cheez Muslim bhai ko bolna chahta hun ki agar aapne mujhe vote diya toh mujhe bahut accha lagega, agar aapne mujhe vote nahi diya, koi baat nahi, tab bhi mujh se kaam le le na, koi dikat ki baat nahi. (I just want to say one thing to our Muslim brothers that if they vote for me, I will feel very good. It won't be a problem even If you don't vote for me. Then also you can get your work done by me, there will be no problem.)'


This is the in direct contrast to what his mother and union minister Maneka Gandhi had said in Sultanpur (Varun Gandhi's former constituency) when she told Muslims that if they don't vote for her and if they come to her for work, she would have to consider whether she should help them. "We are not Mahatma Gandhi's children to keep giving without getting anything in return," she said. 
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16:46   Islamic State claims responsibility for SL blasts
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Sri Lanka bombings that killed over 300 on Easter Sunday and injured over 500. 

The powerful blasts -- six in quick succession on Easter morning and then two more hours later -- left the island nation grieving. 

This was the worst violence to hit Sri Lanka since the civil war that ended a decade ago.

Dozens of other foreigners, including 8 Indians, are believed to be among those dead.
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16:17   2 dead in polling in Bengal
2 dead in polling in West Bengal: Babulal Murmu, a polling agent was found dead in his house in Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, on Tuesday. His body was found hanging under mysterious circumstances. He was part of the reserve election team in the area where polling is taking place today.

IN a separate incident, a man, standing in the queue to cast his vote, was killed after clashes erupted between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress workers in Baligram area of Murshidabad on Tuesday. 
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16:01   Sri Lankas Christians were left unprotected for far too lon
Politicians and police have done little to halt the persecution of religious minorities. That will change now, but it's already too late. Read the column here. 
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15:48   What's different about the attacks in Sri Lanka
Investigators have to determine how the militants went from defacing places of worship to launching a devastating attack. Read the report here. 
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15:42   Dr Singh flies to Guwahati to vote
Assam: Former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh leaves after casting his vote at a polling booth in Dispur in Guwahati.
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15:05  
Jyothi's selfie with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Wayanad.
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15:04   The translator behind Rahul's Wayanad speech
In Rahul's second constituency Wayanad, this woman ensured he was heard and understood. When Rahul addressed a rally there on Tuesday, Jyothi Radhika Vijayakumar, was at hand to ensure nothing was lost in translation. With Wayanad going to the polls today, she tweeted a picture standing tall with her son, writing, "Every time u vote there is a sense of empowerment..With my little one after voting..."


Yesterday, she tweeted her gratitude for getting the opportunity to translate Rahul Gandhi's speeches. She wrote, "Grateful and privileged to have translated Rahulji's three speeches during his visit to Kerala. Thank you Rahulji for the warmth and those moments on stage that would stay with me forever. Thank you the leadership for the opportunity. @RahulGandhi."


That tweet was followed up with a selfie with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, which said she would cherish forever. 


A News Minute report says that Jyothi is a junior lawyer and a teacher of sociology at the Kerala Civil Service Academy and a former journalist and TV anchor.  She is also the daughter of a Congressman from Chengannur, Adv D Vijayakumar, which explains the Congress connection. 


In 2011, the News Minute report says, she told her dad she could help if the Congress party needed a translator. That year, when Rahul Gandhi came to Kerala, Jyothi would do her first translation of his speech. She has translated Sonia Gandhi's speeches as well during various visits in Kerala. 
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14:27   With 46% turnout so far Assam leads in phase 3
Voter turnouts till 1 pm in phase 3 of the Lok Sabha polls. 
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14:03   Jaitley votes
Gujarat: Finance Minister and BJP leader Arun Jaitley casts his vote at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. A total of 4,51,52,373 voters are eligible to cast their vote across all the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies where 371 candidates are in the fray. Jaitley is the Rajya Sabha MP from Ahmedabad. 
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13:55   Will make Rahul personally appear before SC: Rohatgi
Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on Tuesday said issuance of notice by the Supreme Court to Congress President Rahul Gandhi in a criminal contempt petition would make him personally appear to give explanation about his statement which he had wrongly attributed to the apex court on the Rafale verdict. 


Rohatgi, appearing for BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi who has filed the criminal contempt petition, said Gandhi has to appear in person before the apex court. 


"He needs to appear in person and give an explanation on the averments made in the criminal contempt petition," Rohtagi told reporters after the apex court issued notice to Gandhi. 


The criminal contempt notice was issued to Gandhi for his "chowkidar chor hai" remark while attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Rafale judgment, which the apex court said were "incorrectly attributed" to it. -- PTI
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13:53   Advani votes
Gujarat: Veteran BJP leader LK Advani casts his vote at a polling booth at Shahpur Hindi School in Ahmedabad. The BJP did not give him a ticket from Gandhinagar, from where he has been a six-term MP.
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13:44   Azam Khan's wife on Anarkali remark
Tazeen Fatima, wife of SP leader Azam Khan on son Abdullah Azam Khan's remark 'Humein Ali bhi chahiye,bajrangbali bhi chahiye lekin Anarkali nahi chahiye': "It is not against women. Even Yogiji said 'she (Jaya Prada) is an artist'. Singing and dancing is part of art."
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13:42   Lankan govt apologises for failure to act on intelligence tip off
The Sri Lankan government has apologised for its failure to act despite receiving advance intelligence inputs about the possibility of terror attacks that rocked the island nation on Easter Sunday, killing 310 people. 


A series of eight coordinated blasts ripped through three churches and three high-end hotels frequented by tourists and left 500 people injured in the country's deadliest violence since the devastating civil war ended in 2009. Government spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said that the warnings about the blasts were received in the days before the attacks, the CNN reported. 


"We saw the warnings and we saw the details given," he said. "We are very, very sorry, as a government we have to say -- we have to apologise to the families and the institutions about this incident," Senaratne, also the health minister, said. 


All the families would be compensated and churches rebuilt, he said. The spokesperson said that one of the warnings referred to National Tawheed Jamath, or NTJ, a little-known local Islamist group that defaced Buddhist statues in the past. However, he did not believe that a local group could have acted alone. 


"There must be a wider international network behind it," he said. Seven suicide bombers believed to be NTJ members carried out the series of blasts. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but police have arrested 40 people - mostly members of the NIJ - in connection with the blasts. -- PTI


Image: A relative of a victim of the explosion at St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade church reacts at the police mortuary in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
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13:25   2002 riots: Rs 50 lakh payout for Bilkis Bano
2002 Gujarat riots case: The Supreme Court today directed the Gujarat government to pay a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to gang-rape survivor Bilkis Bano. The court also directed the Gujarat government to give her a government job and accommodation as per rules.


The Supreme Court last month asked the Gujarat government to take disciplinary action in two weeks against the erring police officials, including an IPS officer, convicted by the Bombay High Court in the 2002 gang-rape case during the 2002 riots.


On March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano, who was then 19 and pregnant, was raped during the riots that broke out in Randhikpur village in Dahod district. In 2008, a sessions court had awarded life imprisonment to 11 men, of which three were convicted of raping her. The Supreme Court had ordered a CBI probe into the case and shifted the trial to Maharashtra. The Supreme Court had ordered a CBI probe into the case and shifted the trial to Maharashtra.


File pic: Bilkis Bano 
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13:01   Akhilesh cries foul: EVM votes go to BJP
Citing media reports, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday claimed that EVMs across the country are "malfunctioning or voting for the BJP". He has called it "criminal negligence."


Akhilesh tweeted, "EVMs across India malfunctioning or voting for the BJP. DMs say poll officials untrained to operate EVMs. 350+ being replaced. This is criminal negligence for a polling exercise that costs 50,000 crores. Should we believe DMs @ECISVEEP, or is something far more sinister afoot?"


Polling for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections is underway at 116 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and two Union Territories.


The seven-phase Lok Sabha election started on April 11. The first phase witnessed 69.45 voter turnout across the country while the election for the second phase was held on April 18 and witnessed 69.43 per cent voter turnout.


The result for the Lok Sabha election will be announced on May 23. -- ANI
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12:40   Jumlon se pet nahin bharega: Vijender to contest on Cong ticket
Boxer Vijender Singh to file his nomination from the South Delhi seat as a Congress candidate shortly: "I'm happy that Congress has given me the  responsibility to serve the people. As a son of a driver, I understand the plight of the poor. I'll reach out to people to understand their problems.  I can't see any Modi wave anywhere. People have identified the real face. Youth just want employment, they say 'jumlon se peth nahi bharega'. 
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12:35   Just 5% voting in J-K's Anantnag
Less than five per cent of the 5.30 lakh electorate of Anantnag district in the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency of Jammu and Kashmir exercised their franchise in the first four hours of polling Tuesday. 


The overall poll percentage in Anantnag at 11 am was 4.79 per cent, an official spokesman said. 


Compare with with the over 20 per cent poll percentages in UP, Maharashtra, Goa. 


IN Anantnag, three per cent voting was recorded in the first two hours, he said. 


Polling will end at 4 pm, instead of the usual 6.00 pm, following a request by police. The polling so far has been peaceful in the militancy-infested district, police officials said. Polling in the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency will be held in three legs. 


Former J-K CM @OmarAbdullah had tweeted this morning urging people to go vote. "To the voters of Anantnag, please don't reward the death, destruction & deceit of the last 4 years by staying home & boycotting the election. Come out & vote to give your anger a voice. Vote for the best candidate in the field, vote for @masoodi_hasnain."
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12:29  
More star power for the BJP: Singer Hans Raj Hans to contest from North West Delhi constituency on a BJP ticket.
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12:14   Sunny lends dhai kilo ka haath to BJP, joins party
It's a hat-trick for the Deols. After Dharmendra and Hema Malini, actor Sunny Deol joins the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Nirmala Sitharaman. 

In a short acceptance speech Sunny said he was inspired by the PM Modi and would let his work speak. 

He is likely to be the BJP candidate from Gurdaspur in Punjab. The BJP has formed an alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal and is fighting three of the 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab: Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur.


Gurdaspur was the constituency of veteran actor Vinod Khanna, who died in 2017. There was a buzz for some time that the BJP may field his wife Kavita Khanna or son Akshaye Khanna from there.


Sunny Deol, 62, is best known for his action hero roles in films like Ghayal, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Damini and Border.
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12:07   Snakes slithers in to 'vote' at Kannur
An unusual "visitor" in a polling booth in the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency, held up voting for a brief while Tuesday. A small snake was found inside a VVPAT machine in a booth at Mayyil Kandakkai in the constitutency, which is witnessing heavy polling, triggering panic among officials and voters. However, the reptile was soon removed and voting continued. 


The Kannur constituency, where sitting MP P K Sreemathy (CPI-M-LDF), K Surendrdan (Cong-UDF) and C K Padmanabhan (BJP-NDA) are trying their luck, is witnessing brisk polling since the morning. -- PTI


PS: No image; the snake was camera shy. 
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11:47  
In Viramgam, Congress leader Hardik Patel votes at booth number 252/355 in Surendranagar constituency. 
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11:15   Gambhir: Want to take PM's legacy forward
BJP MP candidate from East Delhi, Gautam Gambhir holds roadshow ahead of filling his nomination. "I really want to contribute something to the country and whatever our PM has done in the last five years, I want to take that legacy forward." 


Gambhir has replaced Maheish Girri as the party's candidate and will take on Arvinder Singh Lovely of the Congress and Atishi of the Aam Aadmi Party. The BJP has so far announced its candidates for six of the seven seats in the national capital. 
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11:08  
Social activist Anna Hazare votes in Ralegan Siddhi, Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra.
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11:01   Kharges vote
Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge's son, Priyank and his wife Shruthi cast their votes at Gundagurti village, in the Kalaburagi Lok Sabha constituency.
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10:35   After blessing son, PM's mom goes to vote
Heeraben Modi, the PM's mother casts her vote at a polling station in Raisan, Ahmedabad. Earlier in the morning, the Prime Minister met his mother in Gandhinagar and sought her blessings. 


Modi cast his vote at Nishan Vidyalaya situated in Ahmedabad's Ranip area. Notably, Ranip area is a part of Gandhinagar parliamentary constituency, from where BJP national president Amit Shah is contesting.


Prime Minister Modi rode in an open SUV this morning as he made his way to to cast his vote in the third phase of the national election. Surrounded by his bodyguards, the Prime Minister waved to a people who had lined up to greet him.
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10:26   Rahul: If you want nyay vote wisely
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday expressed confidence that millions of youngsters stepping out to vote want 'Nyay' (justice) for every Indian and will cast their ballot wisely.  


His appeal came as polling began for the third phase in which 116 Lok Sabha seats, including all constituencies in Gujarat and Kerala, are going to polls.


"Across India, millions of youngsters are stepping out to vote, many of them for the first time. In their hands lies the future of India," Gandhi said. "I'm confident that they want NYAY for every Indian and will vote wisely," he tweeted and tagged a short video of the Congress' 'Ab hoga Nyay' theme focusing on youngsters.


The Congress on April 8 announced 'Ab Hoga Nyay' as its battle cry for the Lok Sabha polls and launched a campaign centred around the theme of 'justice', while alluding to the party's proposed minimum income scheme and the 'anyay' (injustice) "prevailing under the BJP rule".  -- PTI
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10:19   Congress urges people to vote
The Congress on Tuesday urged people to cast their vote, saying the "third step" of removing their problems has to be taken today. The appeal came as polling began for the third phase in which 116 Lok Sabha seats, including all constituencies in Gujarat and Kerala, are going to polls. BJP president Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and several Union ministers are among prominent candidates in the fray.


"Today, the third step of removing the problems of the people has to be taken," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted. "Your one vote will take the country towards progress and equality," he said.


"For the bright future of the youth, for the progress of the farmers, for profit of small businesses, for rights of the deprived, do cast your vote because 'ab hoga nyay' (justice will be done)," Surjewala said. -- PTI


Image: Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor votes. 
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09:59   East leads with over 11% voting till 9 am
The polling percentage till 9 am is just in. 

Assam 12.36%, 
Bihar 12.60%
Goa 2.29%
Gujarat 1.35%
J&K (Figures not in yet)
Karnataka: 1.75%
Kerala: 2.48% 
Maharashtra: 0.99%
Odisha: 1.32%
Tripura: 1.56%
UP: 10.24%
WB: 10.97%
Chhattisgarh: 2.24%
Dadra& Nagar Haveli: (Figures not in) 
Daman & Diu: 5.83


Polling began today in 116 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across 13 states and 2 Union Territories in the third phase of ongoing elections.All 26 constituencies in Gujarat, all 20 seats in Kerala, 14 each in Maharashtra and Karnataka, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, seven in Chhattisgarh, six in Odisha, five each in Bihar and West Bengal, four in Assam, two in Goa, one each in Jammu and Kashmir, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Tripura are witnessing polling in the third phase. 


Among the top contenders who are battling it out in today's polls are Congress president Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad (Kerala), BJP president Amit Shah from Gandhinagar (Gujarat), BJP's Jaya Prada and SP's Azam Khan from Rampur (Uttar Pradesh), SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh), Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) president Sharad Yadav from Madhepura (Bihar), Congress leader Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Congress' Ghulam Ahmad Mir and PDP's Mehbooba Mufti from Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra from Puri (Odisha) among others.


Image: PM Modi tweeted this image from Ahmedabad, where he cast his vote. 
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09:49   Odisha CM votes
Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik casts his vote at a polling booth in Bhubaneswar. Patnaik has alleged that the BJP is fast losing ground across the country, and accused the saffron party yesterday of indulging in falsehood, lies and violence. Patnaik has been CM since 2000, the longest serving leader of the state. 
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09:45   Where there's a will...
Too lazy to vote? Take a cue from this: In West Bengal,a man carries his 87-year mother to a polling booth in Kotwali Primary Junior Basic School, in Malda, just so she doesn't miss out on her fundamental right to vote.   
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09:33   Phase 3: Amit Shah, Rupani cast their votes
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah and his wife Sonal Shah cast their votes at polling booth in Naranpura Sub-Zonal office in Ahmedabad.  -- ANI
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09:11  
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and wife Anjali cast their vote at a polling booth in Anil Gyan Mandir school in Rajkot. -- ANI
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08:48   PM votes, says voter ID more powerful than IED
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks after casting his vote in Ahmedabad:

"The weapon of terrorism is IED (improvised explosive device), the strength of democracy is voter ID.

"I can say with surety that the voter ID is much much more powerful than an IED, so we should understand the strength of our voter."   -- ANI
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08:37   It's like talking holy dip in Kumbh: PM after voting
Today third phase of polling is underway, I am fortunate that I also got the opportunity to fulfill my duty in my home state of Gujarat.

Like you feel pure after a holy dip in Kumbh, one feels pure after casting vote in this festival of democracy.  -- ANI
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08:33   Phase 3: PM Modi casts his vote in Ahmedabad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote at the polling booth in Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ranip, Ahmedabad.

He was accompanied by Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah.

Shah is the BJP candidate from Gandhinagar, a seat which earlier belonged to party patriarch L K Advani.  -- ANI
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08:20  
Nationalist Congress Party's Supriya Sule along with her family casts her vote a polling station in Baramati.

She is the sitting MP and the NCP candidate from Baramati.  -- ANI
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08:10   Kerala CM votes
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan queues up to casts his vote at a polling booth in RC Amala Basic UP School in Pinarayi, Kannur district on Tuesday morning.  -- ANI
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07:59   Phase 3: PM Modi reaches Gujarat to vote
Voting began Tuesday for 116 Lok Sabha seats, including all constituencies in Gujarat and Kerala, with Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and several Union ministers among prominent candidates in the fray.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his mother at her residence in Gandhinagar today.

He will cast his vote in Ahmedabad shortly.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan also queued up to cast his vote at polling booth in RC Amala Basic UP School in Pinarayi in Kannur district.

About 18.56 crore voters are eligible for voting in the third phase of the elections, for which 2.10 lakh polling booths/stations have been set up.

The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements. Besides all seats in Gujarat (26) and Kerala (20), voting will be held in four seats in Assam, five in Bihar, seven in Chhattisgarh, 14 each in Karnataka and Maharashtra, six in Odisha, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, five in West Bengal, two in Goa, and one each in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Tripura.

Voting in Tripura East constituency, which was earlier scheduled for April 18, is also being held, as also in a part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir, where election is being held in three phases.

Voting is also being held in some Assembly constituencies in Odisha, Gujarat and Goa.   -- PTI, ANI
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00:07   US judge refuses to free WikiLeaks' Manning
A US judge kept Chelsea Manning locked up Monday for refusing to testify in the secret grand jury investigation of WikiLeaks, despite its founder Julian Assange having already been charged in the case.
 
A panel of judges rejected Manning's appeal against her March 8 jailing for contempt after she refused to give testimony in the case, on the grounds that she believes the grand jury system is unfair and used to persecute activists.

 Manning "failed to properly address the issue of grand jury abuse" and other issues she raised in her appeal, the judges said in a statement.
The court ruling means Manning will remain locked up in a detention center until she agrees to testify or the grand jury investigation ends.
The ruling came 11 days after the federal court in Alexandria, Virginia unsealed charges against Assange related to his publishing in 2010 hundreds of thousands of secret US war and diplomacy documents and communications that were stolen by Manning.

 At the time, she was a US Army intelligence official going by the name Bradley Manning, before she underwent gender reassignment treatment and took the name Chelsea.

In 2013, Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, but her sentence was commuted in 2017 by president Barack Obama.

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