/ 6 + ' #3 #3 3 VRGR '%&((!1#VCEB R BP A"'!#$#1!$"$#$%T utqBVQWBuxy( %($1%2*34 1,2123 51&67 ,1&-4) '! % .<5*-1,1%2&, ).-8;-+>,42@&,&;<> <-;-?&1)4-41 +4.*,.&8;1<5 )*<'-.)*&)-145-2 2-18*,2-,'&2 8*-1+,-2* ,14.482,%,8-,<1 ,15-;4<%2-8,24'<2 2&18<4<41+ +4*2-+&1 *=+42-)-+>,(-=5-+- 7. 8 !)$ %%0 9: 7- ! 4 - # 5 + 567 ! "# $$ $ R supporters from two sides 1-1+,2-3*-.+,- armed with brickbats and lath- is gathered in the area shouting mid accusation by West slogans. ABengal Chief Minister Even as the police and Mamata Banerjee that Home Central forces had a trying time Minister Amit Shah was influ- to keep the two sides away from encing the Election each other, the TMC chief got 145+4.*, Commission and the Central trapped inside the booth for forces into manipulating the more than two hours. The n the day India entered the conduct of elections, the sec- administration had to arrange ! ! " third phase of world’s # $ %& O ond phase of polling ended in for a large contingent of secu- biggest Covid-19 inoculation % ' ()* West Bengal with an impressive rity men to escort her back to drive with the vaccine net + , - - %& turnout despite reports of stray her temporary residence at extended to those above 45, the violence, rigging, threats and Reyapara. country reported the biggest alleged murder of political Continued on Page 2 jump in new coronavirus cases India’s active caseload has eries stand at 1,15,22,877 with workers coming in from both in nearly six months at 81,380. reached 6,10,914 and now 50,377 recoveries being regis- East and West Midnapore. The death toll at 468 was the comprises 4.78 per cent of the tered in a span of 24 hours. Though elections were ( # highest in nearly four months. country’s total infections. A net A new coronavirus variant conducted in 30 constituencies This has taken the total rise of 31,489 cases has been reported from Chhattisgarh across four districts, R # Covid-19 tally to 1,23,02,092 recorded in the total active has become a cause of worry Nandigram — from where 145+4.*, 75.71 per cent; Karbi Anglong and deaths at 1,63,428. caseload in a span of 24 hours. for the Government. Mamata is fighting against her New Delhi: The Election 75.93 per cent; Karimganj 73.02 The Covid surge in the India’s cumulative recov- Continued on Page 2 protégé-turned-challenger Commission (EC) on Thursday early 77.27 per cent of per cent; Morigaon 84.03 per country is due to a new strain Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP — asked two poll observers to N73.45 lakh voters exer- cent; Nagaon 77.25 per cent; and the situation is exactly remained at the centre stage of submit a report on complaints cised their franchise in 39 Nalbari 86.69 per cent; Rangia like the one in the UK when the + $ $ all controversies with Mamata by West Bengal Chief Minister Assembly seats in Assam dur- 73.38 per cent. virus underwent a mutation bringing charges of rigging Mamata Banerjee as the State ing the second phase of polling Meanwhile, the EC issued around Christmas, Dr Randeep and violence by BJP supporters. witnessed the second phase of on Thursday. a showcause notice to Assam Guleria, chief of Delhi’s All New Delhi: The Centre has Just as the Chief Minister voting across 30 Assembly According to the EC, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma India Institute of Medical decided to keep all public and personally intervened entering seats. “A separate hand written Bokajan recorded 76.25 per # for allegedly making threaten- Sciences, told a news agency. private sector Covid-19 *! a booth at Boyal village fol- complaint was received from cent turnout; Cachar 72.28 per ing remarks against Opposition Maharashtra with 43,183 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) lowing reports that BJP men Chief Minister via CEO West cent; Darrang 80.81 per cent; # leader Hagrama Mohilary of cases took the lead followed by operational throughout April, 145+4.*, had turned TMC polling agents Bengal today in the late after- Dima Hasao 74 per cent; # the Bodoland People’s Front. Chhattisgarh (4,617) and including on gazetted holi- out of the booth, hundreds of noon,” the poll body said. Hailakandi 78.94 per cent; Hojai $ %& Continued on Page 2 Karnataka (4,234). days. ollowing surge in Covid- F19 cases in Delhi, students will continue to attend virtu- al classes and this was con- $ % $! ! & '( ) firmed by the Delhi Government on Thursday. It announced that stu- % &' dents of any class should not * + $ #) be called to schools physical- ly in the new academic session (-,'&2 first state in the country, where $ till further orders. The each family will get health ( Directorate of Education ajasthan on Thursday insurance of 5 lakh each year. (DoE) also told schools that Rbegan the registration for People can get registered and ! ending on March 31. teaching and learning activi- an insurance scheme under be assured of cashless treat- Her own Ministry had on )*+ ties, which started on April 1, which each family in the State ment,” Gehlot claimed in a "# Wednesday reduced interest for students should continue can claim up to 5 lakh every tweet. rate by up to 1.1 per cent 145+4.*, through digital mode for aca- year for medical expenses. He said the registrations for 145+4.*, across various small savings demic session 2021-22. The State began the regis- the Government’s cashless schemes, including the he much-awaited Delhi- “It is clarified that stu- tration for Chiranjeevi Health treatment for all have begun in he Centre on Thursday National Savings Certificates TMeerut Expressway was dents of any class should not Insurance Scheme, announced the State from today. Tdecided to withdraw the (NSC) and Public Provident opened for commuters and be called physically in school by Chief Minister Ashok “It is one of our biggest order to drastically cut interest Fund (PPF). general traffic on Thursday. for the academic session 2021- Gehlot in the state budget health care schemes aimed at rates on small savings schemes “Interest rates of small sav- Minister for Road Transport 22 till further orders,” the 2021-22. providing medical relief to all to the relief of millions of ings schemes of GoI shall con- and Highways Nitin Gadkari DoE said in an official order. “Rajasthan has become the residents of Rajasthan,” he said. small savers and prompting the tinue to be at the rates which announced the opening of traf- Twitter to announce. tance of 70 km. Schools in Delhi were Congress to link the U-turn to existed in the last quarter of fic on the 96-km state-of-the- During a review meeting of The expressway will also closed in March last year the ongoing State Assembly 2020-2021, i.e, rates that pre- art expressway and said the the expressway early this year, reduce the travel time of com- ahead of a nationwide lock- elections. vailed as of March 2021. Orders Government has fullfilled the Gadkari had committed to muters from Muzaffarnagar, down to contain spread of A day after delivering a issued by oversight shall be promise of reducing travel time complete the full stretch by the Saharanpur, Haridwar and novel coronavirus. While sev- massive jolt to depositors, withdrawn,” Sitharaman said in between Delhi and Meerut. end of March 2021. Dehradun to Delhi. eral States partially reopened Finance Minister Nirmala early morning tweet. “Delhi-Meerut Expressway The 96-km-long 14-lane A portion of the Delhi- schools in October, the Delhi Sitharaman on Thursday said Interest rate on PPF was has now been completed and expressway will reduce travel Meerut Expressway which was Government let schools to the Government will withdraw reduced by 0.7 per cent to 6.4 opened to traffic. We have ful- time between Meerut and phase I of the four-phase pro- reopen for students in Classes orders to cut interest rate on per cent, while NSC was to filled our promise of reducing Delhi to 45 minutes. At present, ject was inaugurated by Prime 9 to 12 for practical works and small savings schemes and earn 0.9 per cent less at 5.9 per travel time between Delhi- commuters travel through NH Minister Narendra Modi in remedial lessons, from assured to restore the rates to cent. Meerut from 2.5 hours to 45 58 to reach Delhi and it takes May 2018. January 18 to February 5. !.# !# + last quarter of the financial year Continued on Page 2 minutes,” Nitin Gadkari took to over three hours to cover a dis- Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 2 ,' R % +! $ ,$ ! # "-" !-& # % Q" % # % R ! #$ 145+4.*, est movie script only adds to % the mystique. People may or ,.--)-+ +*-2--.- ! # here are superstars and may not have seen his films but Tthen there is Rajinikanth, are most certainly familiar with n a volte-face, Pakistan’s n a first, a US State 145+4.*, “The couple and their two the most glittering perhaps in the frenzy that surrounds his ICabinet on Thursday reject- IDepartment report does not children lived in a joint fami- ! " the Indian cinematic firma- releases. ed a proposal of the Economic describe Tibet as an “inalien- 31-year-old contractual ly. They resided on the second #$%&'()& &' ( ment whose demi-god status Fans lining up overnight in Coordination Committee able part of China”. Abus driver of the Delhi floor of the house, while his ) ! has spawned an entire “Rajini serpentine queues outside the- (ECC) to import cotton and Reacting to the crucial Transport Corporation (DTC) parents lived on the ground culture” of jokes, devoted fan- atres for a first day-first show sugar from India, according to development, the Central allegedly hanged himself after floor and his elder brother !*) dom and box-office success come rain, summer or winter, a media report.