Full bench of EC on 2-day visit to Bhopal to review preparations of Legislative Assembly elections

Aug 26,  6:40 PM The full bench of the Election Commission of India arrived in Bhopal this afternoon on a two day tour to review preparations for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections in the state. Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampat, Election Commissioners H.S. Brahma and Dr. Naseem Zaidi met representatives of national political parties at Bhopal this evening. They will have discussions with senior administrative officers, divisional commissioners, collectors, SPs and other senior police officers on Tuesday. Legislative Assembly elections are due in the state this year. Punjab NRI Commission takes notice of news of 500 Punjabis murdered in Philippines Aug 26,  7:43 PM Punjab NRI commission has taken a suo moto notice of news item wherein there has been an indication that as per an estimate, nearly 500 Punjabis have been murdered in 2012 in Philippines by way of contract killings. The victims were financers. Quoting Commission’s order in which it has listed this case for September 5th, AIR Jalandhar Correspondent reports that the Commission has asked the state to act fast and constitute a three member committee. It should consist of a Senior IPS Officer as member. The committee will monitor the cause of such murders and would extend all possible support of every kind including legal. If need be, committee must visit Philippines to have an interaction with the Punjabi Community, Indian Embassy and Govt. authorities to redress their grievances. The Commission has asked Punjab to also coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs & Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for the welfare and safety of Punjabi NRIs. Both the Ministeries have also been informed. R Dharmesena of Congress wins by-election to Karnataka Legislative Council Aug 26,  6:18 PM The Congress candidate from the Mysore-Chamrajnagar local Authority constituency R Dharmesena has won by-election to the Karnataka Legislative Council. He defeated KJP candidate U S Shekar. BJP and JD(S) had not fielded their candidates from here and had supported the KJP candidate. The by election was necessitated following the resignation of BJP MLC Mallikarjunappa, who joined KJP headed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. In Chitradurga-Davangere local authority constituency, an Independent Raghu Achar has won defeating the BJP candidate K S Navin. The results of Hubli-Dharwad constituency is awaited, where counting of votes were stopped due to error in the counting of third preferential votes. Flood situation continues to be grim in UP Aug 26,  1:33 PM In Uttar Pradesh, the flood situation continues to be grim as all the major rivers including Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghra, Ramganga, Ken and Betwa are in spate. Hundreds of villages in many districts of Bundelkhand have also been flooded since last three days. The administration has alerted people residing in low catchment areas to speedily vacate the flood-affected places. At present more than six lakh population of the state spread over 32 Tehsils, is reeling under the floods. AIR Lucknow correspondent reports that river Ganga, swollen alarmingly due to surge in Yamuna, has drowned vast areas in Allahabad city, low lying areas of Varanasi and hundreds of villages in Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Ghazipur and Ballia. Meanwhile flood water has receded in some areas of Terai region which is under the siege of inundation since last two months. But the administration is yet to gear up to cope with diarrhea and other contagious diseases which has begun to spread in Balrampur, Barabanki, Shrawasti and Bahraich. Over Ten crore rupees given to 14,054 beneficiaries under Ladli Scheme in Haryana Aug 26,  5:04 PM In Haryana, a sum of over 10.52 crore rupees has been given during the current financial year to 14,054 beneficiaries so far, under the Ladli Scheme aimed at balancing the sex ratio in the state. Stating this at Chandigarh today, Women and Child Development Minister, Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal said that Ladli scheme is being implemented in Haryana since the year 2005-06 to arrest declining sex ratio and to create positive bias in favour of the second daughter in the family. Under this scheme, a grant of 5000 rupees per year, per family is given for five years on the birth of the second daughter in a family. The government is investing this amount in insurance scheme of LIC. The amount of about one lakh rupees at current rates of interest is paid through LIC after the second daughter attains the age of 18 years. The Minister said that grant of about 69.82 crore rupees had been released to 32,832 beneficiaries during the last financial year under the scheme.