1400 HRS.    

4 December,2013

THE HEADLINES :

• Over 30 per cent Polling reported in Delhi Assembly election till 12.30 pm.

• Narayan Sai, accused in Surat rape case arrested from Delhi-Haryana border.

• In Andhra Pradesh protests and demonstrations held in Telangana regions against the creation of Rayal Telangana.

• In Bangladesh 4 people killed in Train derailments as the opposition transport blockade continues against poll schedule.

• Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh arrives in Dhaka; To meet Bangladesh Prime Minister and opposition leaders

• India reiterates at WTO meet in Bali that the food security issue is non-negotiable.

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Polling is in progress for the 70 member Delhi Assembly. Over 30 per cent vote cast was reported till 12.30 pm. Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari was among the first few voters to cast his vote at the Nirman Bhawan polling booth in New Delhi constituency. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit also cast their votes at the Nirman Bhawan polling station. Mrs Dikshit is contesting from the New Delhi constituency. Aam Admi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal who is also contesting from this constituency, cast his vote within the first half an hour of polling. Our correspondent Madan Kumar is online to give the latest.

Question:-Madan what is the latest you have for us.?           

The BJP Chief Ministerial candidate Dr. Harshvardhan contesting from Krishnanagar seat in East Delhi was also among the first voters to cast his vote. AIR correspondent Zakir Malik who is in Ambedkar Nagar constituency has more details.

About 1.2 crore voters including over 4 lakh first timers, are  eligible to exercise their franchise at 11,763 polling booths.  630 polling booths have been declared critical and hyper critical. The  Election Commission has made all arrangements  for a free, fair and peaceful election.  For the first time, the None of the Above, NOTA option  is available to voters in the EVMs who do not find any of  candidates suitable. The NOTA option will be printed in pink on EVMs.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, Vijay Dev has  appealed to voters to come out in large numbers to cast their  votes and reminded them of the theme slogan "Dil Me Hai Dilli, Vote Karenge". AIR correspondents covering Delhi polls have reported that 60 Electronic Voting Machines have been replaced in different polling booths following  technical snags.

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In Tamil Nadu, 43 per cent polling was recorded for the by-election in the Yercaud Assembly constituency till 12 Noon today. Voters including women and young people are seen standing in long queues to exercise their franchise.AIADMK candidate Saroja exercised her franchise in Papanayackan patti andDMK candidate Maran voted in Poovanur in the morning. Eleven candidates including nine independents are in the fray. NOTA option is being given for the first time in Tamil Nadu elections. Election Observer Ravi Prakash Arora inspected several polling booths including Udayapatti polling booth. Polling in 269 booths is being monitored by web cameras and in 21 polling booths situated in remote hilly areas polling is being video recorded. 

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Crime Branch of the Delhi police has arrested self-styled godman Asaram's son Narayan Sai from Delhi-Haryana border. He is accused in Surat rape case. Sai was absconding nearly for the last two months. He was caught while trying to escape disguised as a Sikh.

Narayan Sai had been evading the police for almost 58 days following a complaint of rape against him by two sisters. His father and self-styled godman Asaram has also been booked in the same case. The younger of the two sisters filed complaint against Sai, accusing him of repeated sexual assault between 2002 and 2005 while the elder sister in her complaint against Asaram, had accused him of repeated sexual assault between 1997 and 2006. The 41-year-old Sai, is now being interrogated by the Delhi police. Asaram is in Jodhpur jail of Rajasthan since he was arrested in September for allegedly sexually assaulting a schoolgirl in his ashram. With Sant Bahadur, Shiela AIR News, Delhi.

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In Andhra Pradesh, rallies and  demonstrations are being held across the Telangana region today opposing the reported move  to create Rayal Telangana  by including Ananthapur and Kurnool districts in the proposed Telangana state.  Demanding that Telangana state be formed with 10 districts and Hyderabad as its capital, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) cadre  are holding agitations. The TRS leaders have said that they would start another movement if the central government went ahead with Rayal Telangana proposal. They demanded that the Telangana state be formed in line with the Congress working committee’s decision announced on July 30th. The TRS has given a call for bandh in Telangana region tomorrow on this issue. The Rayal Telangana proposal is reportedly under active consideration of the Group of Ministers (GOM)   which is scheduled to submit its report shortly on the division of Andhra Pradesh.

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Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde has urged police to play a constructive role in educating people and making them aware about their responsibility in helping the forces to fight the terrorists. Addressing Indo- US police chiefs conference in New Delhi today, Home Minister stressed on using improved policing technique and operation mechanism to share information and technology  for early detection of crimes and identification of perpetrators. Regarding Indo- US cooperation in mega city policing, Mr. Shinde said that it would help the two countries in providing an integrated national security umbrella to mega cities and large urban centres.   

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Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh  arrived in Dhaka this morning on her first visit to Bangladesh. She is scheduled to meet  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Opposition leader Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party Chairman General HM Ershad during her two-day visit. Meanwhile, there is no let up in the arson and violence as the 131-hour opposition enforced transport blockade in Bangladesh entered the fifth day today with a series of train derailments across the country. At least 4 passengers were killed as three trains derailed today due to removing of fishplates by miscreants. So far 46 people have been killed in the nationwide transport blockade enforced by BNP-led 18 party Opposition since the 25th of November when elections for the 10th Parliament were announced. The Opposition is demanding that a non-partisan caretaker govt be installed, and the poll schedule be withdrawn till an agreement is reached.

The fifth day of the Opposition enforced nationwide transport blockade began with a series of train derailments. Three trains  have derailed today at Gaibandha, Chandpur and Jessore.  4 passengers died and over a hundred injured when a passenger train derailed at  Gaibandha this morning.  With  the  derailment of another train in Jessore, the entire district of Khulna remains cut off from the rest of the country. In capital Dhaka, blockaders torched a bus at Narayangang injuring 5 people.  Protestors exploded  several crude and petrol bombs at Mirpur bus-stand.  MELINDA DIAS/AIR NEWS/DHAKA.

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India, in a strongly worded message has reiterated that the food security issue is non-negotiable. Addressing the plenary session of the 9th Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Bali, Indonesia today, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said, agriculture sustains millions of farmers and their interests must be secured. He added, there is a need of public stock-holding of foodgrains to ensure food security. Sharma said that the Bali package must be substantive. He said it must correct the historical imbalances in trade rules to ensure a rule-based, fair and equitable order. He said, the trade agreement must be in harmony with the shared commitments of eliminating hunger and ensuring the right to food. The G-33, a grouping of 46-member developing nations including India, China and Indonesia, has proposed to amend the WTO Agreement on Agriculture in order to make foodgrains available to poor people at cheap rates through public distribution system.

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In Manipur, eleven militants were arrested during combing operations today. Police said that five militants, including two women, were arrested by 24th Assam Rifles battalion personnel at Khudengtabi area in Chandel district after they had crossed the Indo-Myanmar border. Five M-16 rifles were recovered from their possession. All the arrested militants have been handed over to the Imphal police station for interrogation.

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The Karnataka legislative Assembly passed the Essential Services Maintenance bill today. The bill has a provision to issue unbailable warrant against agitating government servants responsible for extending essential services to public. The entire opposition asked the government to withdraw the bill as it gives sweeping power to the police and can be misused by them. The Law minister T B Jayachandra however argued that ESMA will be used only during rarest of rare occasions and the decision will be taken at the highest level. He refused to believe that it is an attempt against labour unions.

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The special session of the West Bengal Assembly to celebrate closing ceremony of its platinum jubilee has begun in Kolkata today. The State Governor Mr. M.K.Narayanan inaugurated the 3-day long special session. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Narayanan mentioned glorious role of the West Bengal Assembly in strengthening Parliamentary democracy in the country. The State Chief Minister, Ms. Mamta Banerjee demanded electoral reforms to strengthen Parliamentary democracy. She criticised the opposition for boycotting the special session.

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In Assam, security forces have seized 376  illegal arms and 176 grenades along with other explosives till November this year. I G P- Law and Order S N Singh said that 68 bombs and IEDs, 49 kilogram explosives and 7 thousand ammunitions have also been recovered from militant groups arms. Singh said that majority of arms have been seized in Bodoland Territorial Council areas and Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and Tinsukia districts.

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India has approved thirty nine projects for Bhutan at the second round of talks on the 11th plan held in New Delhi.  According to Bhutan’s Foreign Ministry the main focus of the talks held last week was on the Project Tied Assistance under which the government of India has committed 28 billion rupees. 42 projects are to be further considered after submitting more information.

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On the eve of the Winter Session of Parliament, the News Services Division of All India Radio will bring you a special programme “Issues Before Parliament.”. This can be heard tonight on Rajdhani channel, and additional frequencies from 9.30 p.m. The Hindi version “Sansad ke Samaksh Mudde” can be heard at the same time on Indraprastha and FM Gold Channels.