+ 6 + ' #3 #3 3 VRGR $"#(!#1')VCEBRS WWT!Pa!RT%&!$"#1$# $'#-$./01 -(.-./ 4-0522 (-0123 '! % .<5*-1,1%2&, ).-7;-+>,42@&,&;<> <-;-?&1)4-41 +4.*,.&7;1<5 )*<'-.)*&)-145-2 2-17*,2-,'&2 7*-1+,-2* ,14.472,%,7-,<1 ,15-;4<%2-7,24'<2 2&17<4<41+ +4*2-+&1 *=+42-)-+>,(-=5-+- . 7 (8 $$, 99 :- ! 4 - )"2 3 245 1 ! "# $$ $ R standing on road at various 1-1+,2-3*-.+,- pockets raising Jai Shri Ram slogan. mid accusation by West At Reyapara a furious ABengal Chief Minister Chief Minister said, “I am not Mamata Banerjee that Home concerned about my victory in Minister Amit Shah was influ- Nandigram which is anyway encing the Election coming … my concern is for 145+4.*, Commission and the Central democratic norms … elections forces into manipulating the are festivals of democracy and n the day India entered the conduct of elections, the sec- I am sorry to say that the third phase of world’s ! " #"$ O ond phase of polling ended in Election Commission is acting biggest Covid-19 inoculation # % &'( West Bengal with an impressive partially at the behest of Home drive with the vaccine net ) * + + " #"$ turnout despite reports of stray Minister Amit Shah who is Government facilities to cam- nonsense… she knows that men and candidates not only in extended to those above 45, the violence, rigging, threats and instructing the Commission paign and that too on election she has been defeated … she is Nandigram but all places where country reported the biggest alleged murder of political and the Central forces.” days… It is strange that he is losing Bengal…” In his com- elections are taking place,” jump in new coronavirus cases variant in five different sam- workers coming in from both Mamata said that she had coming here on every election ments critics saw a desperate Mamata commented in an in nearly six months at 72,330. ples. The doctors are yet to dis- %677* East and West Midnapore. sent 63 complaints to the date using the entire bid to polarise the election ironical reminder of similar The death toll at 459 was the cover the effect of the new vari- Though elections were Commission but not a single of Government machinery to atmosphere. refrains being by the highest in nearly four months. ant on the patients. It is feared conducted in 30 constituencies them has been taken care of. influence the voting pattern… A desperate Chief Minister Opposition parties in Bengal This has taken the total that the new variant, N-440, is across four districts, “We are considering legal is this not a violation of model even called up Governor for the last one decade or so. Covid-19 tally to 1,22,21,665 likely to weaken the body’s Nandigram — from where action as our voters are not code of conduct.” Jagdeep Dhankhar --- with Mamata’s complaints were and deaths at 1,62,927. immune system. (8 Mamata is fighting against her being allowed to vote,” she Her rival Adhikari who whom she had no love lost --- not unfounded as reports of The Covid surge in the Maharashtra, Karnataka, protégé-turned-challenger said. looked a contented man said, seeking interference and red- violence and rigging came in country is due to a new strain Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP — The Commission, howev- “My 80 per cent polling is dressal. She however refused to from other constituencies too. and the situation is exactly Punjab cumulatively account- remained at the centre stage of er , sought a detailed report of over and we are winning … comment on what transpired A TMC supporter was dragged like the one in the UK when the ed for 78.9 percent of the total all controversies with Mamata the alleged violence, sources Sorry this time Mamata Begum between her and the Governor out of his party office at virus underwent a mutation active cases in the country. 5 bringing charges of rigging said. is losing.” He added, “It is the or the Commission officials. Keshpur in West Midnapore around Christmas, Dr Randeep Maharashtra alone accounts and violence by BJP supporters. She also attacked Prime fear of defeat that she is talking “The BJP are attacking our Continued on Page 11 Guleria, chief of Delhi’s All for more than 61 per cent of the Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Just as the Chief Minister Minister Narendra Modi for India Institute of Medical active caseload of the country. reported 2,600 new COVID- personally intervened entering breaking the model code of Sciences, told a news agency. A total of 459 deaths were 19 cases and nine fatalities on a booth at Boyal village fol- conduct saying, “being a Prime Maharashtra with 39,544 reported in a day, the highest Thursday, pushing the state’s lowing reports that BJP men Minister how can he use cases took the lead followed by so far this year, with six States infection tally to 6,19,783 had turned TMC polling agents Chhattisgarh (4,563) and accounting for 83.01 per cent and the death toll to 8,820, out of the booth, hundreds of Karnataka (4,225). of the new deaths. Maharashtra according to a Health supporters from two sides $ # India’s active caseload has saw the maximum casualties Department bulletin. armed with brickbats and lath- reached 5,84,055 and now (227) followed by Punjab at 55 Meanwhile, the district courts is gathered in the area shouting R # comprises 4.78 per cent of the daily deaths. However, in a campuses of Lucknow and slogans. 145+4.*, Anglong 75.93 per cent; country’s total infections. A net major relief, at least 14 States Kaushambi were closed after Even as the police and New Delhi: The Election Karimganj 73.02 per cent; rise of 31,489 cases has been reported zero deaths. some judges and staff mem- Central forces had a trying time Commission (EC) on Thursday early 77 per cent of 73.45 Morigaon 84.03 per cent; recorded in the total active bers tested positive for coro- to keep the two sides away from asked two poll observers to Nlakh voters exercised their Nagaon 77.25 per cent; Nalbari caseload in a span of 24 hours. navirus. each other, the TMC chief got submit a report on complaints franchise in 39 Assembly seats 86.69 per cent; Rangia 73.38 India’s cumulative recov- According to Additional trapped inside the booth for by West Bengal Chief Minister in Assam during the second per cent. eries stand at 1,14,74,683 with Chief Secretary (Health) Amit more than two hours. The Mamata Banerjee as the State phase of polling on Thursday. Meanwhile, the EC issued 40,382 recoveries being regis- Mohan Prasad, the number of administration had to arrange witnessed the second phase of According to the EC, a showcause notice to Assam tered in a span of 24 hours. New Delhi: The Centre has active cases in the state has for a large contingent of secu- voting across 30 Assembly Bokajan recorded 76.25 per Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma A new coronavirus variant decided to keep all public and gone up to 11,918, of which rity men to escort her back to seats. “A separate hand written cent turnout; Cachar 72.28 per for allegedly making threaten- reported from Chhattisgarh private sector Covid-19 6,722 are in home isolation, her temporary residence at complaint was received from cent; Darrang 80.81 per cent; ing remarks against Opposition has become a cause of worry Vaccination Centres (CVCs) 287 in private hospitals and Reyapara. Chief Minister via CEO West Dima Hasao 74 per cent; leader Hagrama Mohilary of for the Government. operational throughout April, the rest in government facili- This, apparently to protect Bengal today in the late after- Hailakandi 78.94 per cent; the Bodoland People’s Front. According to reports, the including on gazetted holi- ties. her from hundreds of people noon,” the poll body said. Hojai 75.71 per cent; Karbi ! " #"$ Continued on Page11 State has confirmed the new days. Two deaths each were reported from Lucknow and Allahabad and one each from Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi, ,# ) % $! ! & '( ) Gorakhpur, Barabanki and Ghazipur on Thursday, the bulletin said. The maximum 935 cases were reported from * + $ #) Lucknow followed by 242 from Allahabad, 198 from $ Varanasi and 103 from $ Kanpur Nagar, the bulletin said. ! ending on March 31. According to a report Her own Ministry had on %&' from Kaushambi, the district " * * Finance Department,” a senior "# Wednesday reduced interest courts complex has been .&7;1<5 government official said here rate by up to 1.1 per cent 145+4.*, closed for three days after two on Thursday. 145+4.*, across various small savings judges and a staff member n an attempt to provide He said the plan was for- schemes, including the he much-awaited Delhi- were found infected with the Ifinancial and social security mulated with the objective to he Centre on Thursday National Savings Certificates TMeerut Expressway was virus. In Lucknow, the district to lakhs of migrant workers provide relief and support to Tdecided to withdraw the (NSC) and Public Provident opened for commuters and courts campus has been closed who returned to their villages the industries which had order to drastically cut interest Fund (PPF). general traffic on Thursday. for two days after at least four in UP during the novel coron- offered job opportunities to the rate on small savings schemes “Interest rates of small sav- Minister for Road Transport judges and 13 employees test- avirus pandemic-induced lock- migrant workers in their to the relief of millions of ings schemes of GoI shall con- and Highways Nitin Gadkari ed positive for the virus.