Bengal Rural Polls LIVE Updates: ISF, police clash in Bhangore, top cop among several injured

11:17 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

RTO drive finds 30 per cent of over 14,000 buses flouting rules

According to the transport department, over 30 per cent of the more than 14,000 private buses assessed by regional transport offices (RTOs) in Maharashtra during a special campaign were found to be breaking norms.

According to a government announcement issued on Tuesday, RTOs checked 14,161 private buses as part of the special campaign that took place between May 15 and June 30.

It added that 4,277 of these cars, or roughly 30 per cent, were found to be in violation of laws and regulations, and that some of them had crimes lodged against them. 

11:12 (IST)

Google Doodle LIVE Updates

Google Doodle celebrates India's premier street food pani puri

Today, Google is honouring India's most popular street snack, 'pani puri,' with a unique interactive game Doodle.

In the game, users will be able to assist a street seller in fulfilling pani puri orders by assisting them in selecting from several pani puri tastes to fit the flavour and quantity requirements of each client.

Google introduced the new pani puri game Doodle by terming pani puri as a “popular South Asian Street food made of crispy shell stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, spices, or chilis and flavoured waters."

11:09 (IST)

Equity Market LIVE Updates

Equity markets climb in early trade on foreign fund inflows

Benchmark market indexes rose for the third day in a row on Wednesday, powered by continued foreign capital inflows and buying in Reliance Industries.

The rally in US markets on Tuesday also helped equities indexes extend their winning streak.

In early trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex rose 193.8 points to 65,811.64. The NSE Nifty gained 68.3 points, reaching 19,507.70.

Reliance Industries, Titan, Bajaj Finance, Kotak Mahindra Bank, NTPC, ITC, and State Bank of India were among the biggest gainers on the Sensex.

The top laggards were IndusInd Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, HCL Technologies, Infosys, and Asian Paints.

According to market statistics, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) extended their buying spree on Tuesday, purchasing stocks worth Rs 1,197.38 crore.

10:29 (IST)

Bengal Rural Polls  LIVE Updates

Why Mamata Banerjee’s TMC win in Bengal panchayat polls is crucial ahead of 2024

“The Trinamool Congress (TMC) resides in hearts of people,” said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after her party established a commanding lead in the West Bengal panchayat elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is now established as the main Opposition party in the state, was a distant second position, with the Left-Congress alliance behind it at third.

These elections saw widespread violence, deaths, and instances of “loot of votes”. The BJP blamed the TMC for the violence with Suvendu Adhikari even saying that “It is not an actual reflection of people’s mandate.”

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10:27 (IST)

Bengal Rural Polls  LIVE Updates

BGPM becomes dominant political force in Darjeeling hills

The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) emerged as the most powerful political party in West Bengal's northern hills, with its members gaining a huge number of panchayat seats in the rural elections in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.

On July 8, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a semi-autonomous body already controlled by the BGPM, held two-tier panchayat elections, as opposed to three-tier votes in the rest of the state.

According to the most recent district administration results, the BGPM, led by GTA chief executive Anit Thapa, won 349 of the 598 seats in Darjeeling's 70 gramme panchayats.

09:54 (IST)

Bengal Rural Polls  LIVE Updates

ISF, police clash in Bhangore, top cop among several injured

Several police officers and supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) were hurt in a scuffle outside a venue where ballots for rural polls were being counted in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Wednesday, authorities said.

According to a senior official, the incident occurred late Tuesday night when members of the ISF reportedly threw explosives outside the counting facility in Bhangore, and police were forced to baton charge.

To disperse the throng, police shot a few rounds of rubber bullets and threw tear gas shells, he added.

"A senior IPS officer, his bodyguard and several other policemen as well as a few alleged members of the ISF were injured in the clash," he told PTI.

A few people have been detained from the spot for their alleged involvement in the incident, the officer said.

09:42 (IST)

BJP LIVE Updates

Nadda to chair BJP meeting on Lok Sabha and assembly polls

BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda will chair a strategy meeting of party leaders here on Wednesday on the assembly polls later this year and the Lok Sabha elections next year.

Party sources said it will be a meeting of leaders associated with the BJP's 'Lok Sabha Pravas' programme, an exercise aimed at boosting its prospects in nearly 160 Lok Sabha seats, most of which it had lost in 2019.

Besides the party's office-bearers, several Union ministers have also been drafted in the exercise.

The deliberations will also focus on the preparations underway for the Lok Sabha polls as well as the assembly elections, a BJP leader said.

Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana are due later this year.

09:21 (IST)

West Bengal Panchayat Results LIVE Updates

TMC bags over 34,000 gram panchayat seats

According to the SEC as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the ruling TMC had gained 34,359 gramme panchayat seats and was ahead in 752.

Its nearest challenger, the BJP, has won 9,545 seats and leads in 180. Elections are being held for 63,229 gramme panchayat seats in total.

The CPI(M) has gained 2,885 seats and now holds a 96-seat majority. The Congress gained 2,498 seats and currently holds a 72-seat majority.

09:13 (IST)

India-US LIVE Updates

‘Never acceptable...’: Congressman Shri Thanedar on attack on Indian Consulate

On Tuesday (local time), Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar criticised the assaults on the Indian Embassy and labelled the recent attacks on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco "unacceptable."

Thanedar said ANI in an exclusive interview that the US must firmly denounce such actions and preserve democratic institutions. Last weekend, Sikh separatists attempted to set fire to the embassy, but there was no substantial damage or casualties, and authorities were investigating. Sikh separatists in India have long wanted an independent Sikh country known as Khalistan.

08:30 (IST)

India-UK Space Collaboration LIVE Updates

India and UK to connect their space clusters: UK science minister

India and the United Kingdom are expanding their space collaboration, beginning with the Leicester space park, according to UK Minister for Science, Research and Innovation George Freeman.

He also stated that India and the United Kingdom are exploring ways to better exploit Lower Earth Observation orbits and the control of satellite communications.

According to Freeman, both countries are eager to collaborate in the realm of nuclear energy, particularly on nuclear fission and fusion.

08:28 (IST)

Uttarakhand LIVE Updates

Maha ruling coalition will win more than 200 Assembly, 45-plus LS seats: Minister Samant

Uday Samant, Maharashtra Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader, stated Tuesday night that members of the ruling coalition will win more than 200 Assembly seats and up to 45 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the next elections.

He emphasised that the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections in 2024 will be held under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

"With able leaders heading to the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance), we are sure of getting a good number of seats. The Mahayuti will win more than 200 Assembly seats (out of total 288) and over 45 Lok Sabha seats (out of total 48) next year, he told reporters here.

07:53 (IST)

Uttarakhand LIVE Updates

Uttarakhand: Kedarnath Dham Yatra stopped due to heavy rains

The Kedarnath Yatra has been halted in Uttarakhand's Sonprayag and Gaurikund owing to severe rains, authorities said on Wednesday.

Due to the ongoing poor weather, the district government stopped travellers at Sonprayag and Gaurikund for their safety.

Rain has caused debris on four state roads and ten link roads. The Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers are in flood due to heavy rainfall, according to authorities.

On Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange signal for July 12 due to heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand. 

07:51 (IST)

Punjab LIVE Updates

Punjab's anti-gangster task force arrests key Bishnoi gang member

According to an official, Punjab's anti-gangster task team nabbed a major associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang with a handgun and some live cartridges on him on Tuesday.

"In a major breakthrough, AGTF-Punjab has arrested Randhir Singh @ Commando @ Fauji, key associate of Lawrence Bishnoi Gang," Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said in a tweet on Tuesday.

The accused has a criminal history with a number of cases registered against him in Punjab and Haryana, he said.

07:32 (IST)

Opposition Unity Meet LIVE Updates

Top leaders from 24 parties to attend 2nd Opposition Unity meet in Bengaluru

Top leaders from at least 24 political parties are expected to attend the second Opposition unity summit, which Congress is organising in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on July 17-18.

According to reports, eight new parties have joined the Opposition parties in their attempts to present a united front against the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"After last month's mega Opposition meet in Bihar’s Patna, top leaders of as many as 24 political parties will be attending the second meeting which is going to take place in Karnataka's Bengaluru," sources said.