‘No question of lifting prohibition’: Gujarat Minister after eight die in hooch tragedy

Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) The second supplementary list for judicial adjudication cases in West Bengal will be published on Friday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed.

By Thursday night, the judicial adjudication process had been completed for 36 lakh voters, which is around 60 per cent of the 60 lakh cases referred for judicial adjudication, informed sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.

Although the ECI is yet to specify the exact time when the second supplementary list will be available first on its website and subsequently on the website of the CEO’s office, in all possibilities the same might happen around midnight as it happened in the case of the first supplementary list, which was published at midnight of March 23, said the CEO’s office insider.

It is also not yet clear whether the second supplementary list will have the names of those cleared up to Thursday night, or whether it will also contain the names cleared and processed up to Friday evening.

To recall, the final voters’ list in West Bengal, minus the 60 lakh cases referred for judicial adjudication, was published on February 28. It was decided then that supplementary lists would be published as per the progress of the judicial adjudication.

The voters whose names would be found excludable by the judicial officers involved in the adjudication process would have the chance to approach any of the 19 Appellate Tribunals constituted for the purpose.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already announced that Trinamool Congress would provide legal support to those whose names are deleted during judicial adjudication and even arrange counsel for them in the matter.

Before the notification of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was issued for West Bengal in November last year, the total number of voters in the state stood at 7,66,37,529. In the draft voters list published in December last year, a total of 58,20,899 names were deleted. In the final voters list published on February 28, the deletion figure increased to 63,66,952.

After the first supplementary was published around midnight on March 23, information surfaced that the number of deleted voters had increased to roughly 77 lakh.

Meanwhile, the ECI on Thursday night informed that it had decided to replace 14 additional returning officers for 14 Assembly constituencies scattered over nine districts in the state.

Earlier in the week, the ECI replaced 73 returning officers.

The two-phase Assembly election in West Bengal is scheduled on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, polling will be held for 152 Assembly seats, and in the second phase, voting will take place in the remaining 142 constituencies. The results will be published on May 4.

–IANS

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Kochi, June 7 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condoled the demise of veteran Malayalam actor Salim Kumar, describing him as a versatile performer whose memorable roles left a lasting impression on Indian cinema.

In a condolence message posted on X, the Prime Minister said he was deeply saddened by the actor’s passing.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of veteran actor Shri Salim Kumar Ji. Over the course of a distinguished career, he made a mark with his versatility and memorable performances across a wide range of roles. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti,” PM Modi said.

Salim Kumar, one of Malayalam cinema’s most beloved actors, passed away late Saturday night at a private hospital in Kochi following health complications. He was 56.

His mortal remains were placed at the North Paravur Town Hall on Sunday morning for public homage, with thousands of fans gathering to pay their final respects. He will be laid to rest at his residence in North Paravur in the evening.

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said Malayalam cinema had lost not only a gifted artist but that he had personally lost “a brother”.

Recalling his long association with the actor, CM Satheesan said Salim Kumar never hesitated to express his political convictions and remained steadfast in defending his beliefs.

“Salim Kumar showed world-class excellence across different dimensions of performance. While one side of his face brought laughter to audiences, the other carried emotions that could move people to tears,” the Chief Minister said.

Megastar Mammootty described Salim Kumar as an irreplaceable talent whose journey from comedy to powerful character roles inspired an entire generation of actors.

Mohanlal remembered him as a unique performer whose warmth, humour and emotional depth made him one of Malayalam cinema’s most cherished artistes.

A master of comedy who later emerged as a critically acclaimed character actor, Salim Kumar won the National Film Award for Best Actor in 2010 for his performance in ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’. He also received Kerala State Film Awards for ‘Achanurangatha Veedu’ and ‘Karutha Joothan’, besides earning widespread acclaim for a career spanning more than three decades.

He is survived by his wife, Sunitha, and sons, Chandu and Aaromal. His death marks the end of an era for Malayalam cinema, leaving behind a legacy of laughter, emotion and unforgettable performances.

–IANS

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Patna, Dec 22 (IANS) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Revenue and Land Reforms Vijay Kumar Sinha on Monday inaugurated the Land Reforms Public Welfare Dialogue at the Shri Krishna Singh Auditorium on the campus of BRA Bihar University, Muzaffarpur.

He said the initiative aims to make the state’s revenue and land reform system people-centric, transparent, and accountable.

Addressing officials and the public, Sinha emphasised that the dialogue is not a formal event or a platform for speeches, but a serious outreach initiative to directly engage with citizens, listen to their land-related problems, and ensure their resolution strictly in accordance with rules and timelines.

“Our goal is to hear real problems, understand them at the grassroots level, and resolve them on priority. This initiative is meant for action, not rhetoric,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said his objective is to build a self-sustaining system that continues to function effectively even in his absence, ensuring that land-related grievances of citizens are resolved smoothly and without delay.

He also announced that the department would honour individuals who provide credible information about people who have illegally registered government land in their private names.

Sinha said the most common public complaints currently relate to mutation, Parimarjan Plus (land record rectification system), and E-measurement.

He instructed officials to resolve all pending cases within the next 15 days, so that such issues do not surface repeatedly during public welfare dialogues.

The Deputy CM said that during the first 100 days of his tenure, public welfare dialogues would be conducted first at the divisional level and then at the district level.

The objective is to identify fundamental obstacles related to land disputes, public grievances, and departmental functioning, and ensure systemic resolution.

The initiative began on December 12 in Patna, followed by a dialogue in Lakhisarai on December 15.

A departmental workshop in Patna on December 18, attended by Additional Collectors, Deputy Collectors of Land Reforms, and Circle Officers, where strict timelines for grievance resolution were laid down.

Sinha made it clear that the people of Bihar are at the centre of the department’s functioning. Ensuring a transparent, honest, and accountable system is the government’s top priority.

“There will be zero tolerance for brokers, middlemen, and land mafia. Honest officers, employees, and citizens will not be harassed under any circumstances, but those indulging in wrongdoing will not be spared,” he said.

Sinha stressed that unnecessary rejection of applications must stop, and that timely mutation and rectification are essential for maintaining error-free land records and enabling farmers to access government schemes.

The Deputy CM said, “E-measurement must be conducted online, and reports must also be submitted online. Removal of encroachment from government land should be a top priority, and take strict action against those creating disputes using forged documents,” Sinha said.

He directed District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police to ensure that circle offices are free from brokers and land mafia.

Senior local officers will also ensure the presence of the Station House Officer (SHO) at public grievance redressal camps held every Saturday at circle offices.

He said visible improvement must be evident in every circle and subdivision by January 14.

–IANS

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