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ECI's decision to extend SIR schedules by one week is a move to satisfy BJP: TMC
KOLKATA: The Election Commission of Indias decision to extend the schedules of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states, including West Bengal, has prompted ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition CPI-M and Congress to come together to criticise the Commission for its move. Coming down heavily on the Commission, the Bengal leadership of Trinamool Congress, CPI-M and Congress said that it should have considered the situation earlier because the SIR exercise was not at all possible within such a short timeline. But the BJPs Bengal unit has welcomed the national poll panels decision to extend the SIR timeline by one week. The ruling party in the state alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was instrumental in the decision. The Election Commission of India (ECI) extended the SIR schedules so that BJP can get some political advantages ahead of the assembly polls next year. The party has fixed a target number of voters from the electoral rolls during the ongoing exercise in the state. With the extension of schedules, the commission proved again that it works for BJP. But people of Bengal will again vote Trinamool Congress to power, Arup Chakraborty, spokesperson of the ruling party in the state, said. The saffron camp in the state has been claiming that more than one crore dead and bogus, including Bangladeshi infiltrators, will be deleted from the voters list following the SIR process. The Election Commission has no idea about the ground reality in Bengal because its run by bureaucracy. Todays notification issued by the national poll body once again proved that it has neither any planning nor the eligibility to conduct such a drive in the state, said Md Salim, CPI-M secretary, West Bengal. The Commission should have understood the situation in Bengal much earlier because the SIR exercise is not possible in such a short period of only three months in the state, which is vulnerable in terms of demography and population. The poll body is a paper tiger only, said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress leader and the partys former MP for five times from Behrampore in Murshidabad district. Welcoming the decision the Sukanta Majumder, union minister of state for education and a BJP MP from Balurghat, said, We have nothing to say against the move because its the prerogative of the Commission. It has extended the deadline considering the situation. It can also extend the timeline again after the Mamata Banerjee governments term ends next year. In that case, SIR will go on under the President Rule. With several deaths of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) due to work pressure and stress triggered by the SIR-related rigorous jobs, a section of BLOs backed by Trinamool Congress staged protests in front of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officers chamber, demanding extension of the SIR timeline and compensation to the family members of their deceased colleagues. Today, the ECI has extended the schedule of the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls for 12 States and Union Territories by one week. Under the revised plan, the enumeration drive and polling-station rationalisationearlier expected to wrap up by 4 December will now continue until 11 December. The preparation of the control table and the draft roll will run from 12 to 15 December, with the draft roll to be published on 16 December. The old schedule had placed draft publication around 9th December across states. The period for filing claims and objections has also been aligned with the new dates. Instead of closing on 8th January, as originally planned, the window will now remain open until 15 January.
SRK on Russell's retirement: 'Any other jersey would indeed look weird'
Andre Russell has retired from the Indian Premier League. Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan shared a tribute. Russell will now serve as KKR's power coach. He had a significant career with the team. KKR aims for a better season and has a large purse for the upcoming auction.
Shah Rukh Khan Thanks His 'Knight In Shining Armour' Andre Russell As He Takes On A New Role In KKR
Shah Rukh Khan: With just two weeks remaining for the mini-auction for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), West Indies cricketer Andre Russell has announced his retirement from the tournament. Bollywood star and the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Shah Rukh Khan, shared a heartfelt tribute on social media for the cricketer as he takes on a new role as KKR's power coach. Andre has become a part of Abhishek Nayar's new coaching setup, along with Shane Watson and Tim Southee. SRK shared that Andre will be passing on his experience and power game to the younger generation. Reacting to Andre's video announcing his retirement, King Khan wrote on the micro-blogging site, Thank you for the wonderful memories, Andre. Our Knight in shining armour!!! Your contribution to @KKRiders is one for the books(sic). Talking about the cricketer switching positions as the power coach in the team, Shah Rukh added, And heres to another chapter in your fantastic journey as a sportsman The power coach - passing down the wisdom, the muscle and of course the power down to our boys in purple and gold And yes, any other jersey would indeed look weird on you my man... Muscle Russell for life! Love u on behalf of the team and everyone who loves the sport!! In the video, Andre revealed that he has had several conversations with Shah Rukh before stepping into this new role. For those who do not know, Shah Rukh has been the owner of KKR since 2008. He is accompanied by actress Juhi Chawlas husband, Jay Mehta, who is also a partner in the team. In the video, Andre revealed that he has had several conversations with Shah Rukh before stepping into this new role. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The all-rounder cricketer announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this year. Article Source: IANS
KOLKATA: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing after being conferred an Honorary Doctorate by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kolkata, said that the United States has set radically new terms of engagement by dealing with countries on a one-on-one basis. India has been actively pursuing self-reliance and making itself a manufacturing base for industries, he observed. Jaishankar said that India has made progress in infrastructure facilities --highways, railways, energy and ports, and it has helped the country narrow the gaps with leading Asian economies. The senior BJP leader also said that politics increasingly trumps economics in the present era, and in an uncertain world, it is important that the country continuously diversifies supply sources to guarantee its needs. His remarks came particularly against the backdrop when India and the US are continuing negotiations for a trade deal, specifically in light of the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on India, over three months ago. Besides, the union minister also raised issues related to China, saying, It long plays by its own rules and is doing so even now. India, Australia shoulder 'greater responsibility' amid global turbulence: EAM Jaishankar Noting that one-third of global production currently takes place in China, Jaishankar said that it has put the spotlight on the esilience and reliability of supply chains. We are now moving ahead, by any standards, he said, maintaining that the world is taking note of the advancements being made by India. With these considerations in mind, we are today endeavouring to forge new trade arrangements and promote fresh connectivity initiatives, the minister said. When it comes to trade, We will naturally be guided by our people-centric vision, just as our connectivity plans are by strategic as well as economic considerations, he said. He also said that as the government plans for a developed India by 2047, he goal of foreign policy is to steadily expand footprint beyond its current confines. He asserted that the solidarity that India has built with the Global South creates a base for it. Jaishankar said that when it comes to increasing comprehensive national power, India's role in diplomacy is active rather than passive. Promoting industrial growth and even incentivising it is a key economic priority, the minister said, maintaining that emphasis on 'Make in India' in the last decade speaks of a different mindset and greater ambition We are now in the world of chips and semiconductors, electric vehicles and batteries, drones and space, or that of nanotech and bioscience. Each of them offers an opportunity to leapfrog and establish unique capabilities, the minister added. EAM Jaishankar discusses bilateral partnership, regional developments with Bahraini counterpart
Father Of Alleged Cough Syrup Racket Kingpin Held At Kolkata Airport While Trying To Fly Abroad
Bhola Prasad was detained at Kolkata airport by Sonbhadra police as he attempted to board a flight to Thailand
In a major update in the National Herald case, the Delhi Police's EOW has filed a fresh FIR against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, and others for alleged criminal conspiracy and the fraudulent takeover of AJL. The FIR, based on an ED complaint, also names Kolkata-based shell firm Dotex for allegedly providing seed money. India Today's Arvind Ojha reports that the EOW may soon issue notices for questioning, adding to the ongoing ED probe into alleged money laundering involving assets worth over 2,000 crore.
KKR Star Andre Russell Announces IPL Retirement, To Join Franchise As 'power Coach'
West Indies all-rounder and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) power hitter Andre Russell announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the mini auction slated for December 16 but added that he would join the three-time champions as the power coach. The Windies batter announced his decision via a video message he shared on his social media with a caption, Hanging up my IPL boots but not the swagger. What a ride its been in the IPL 12 seasons of memories and a whole lot of love from the KKR family. Ill still be smashing sixes and taking wickets in every other league around the world. And the best part? Im not leaving home youll see me in a new role, in KKRs Support Staff, as the POWER COACH of 2026. New chapter. Same energy. Forever a Knight. In 12 IPL season, Russell played 140 matches, scoring 2651 runs at a strike rate of 174.18 and took 123 wickets at an economy of 9.51 with a best bowling figure of 5 for 15. He made his IPL debut in 2012 with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) before moving to KKR in 2014. He then went to play 133 matches for the Kolkata-based franchise, winning two titles (2014 and 2024) along the way. I had some amazing times and great memories. Hitting sixes, winning games, MVP and all of those things. But sometimes you just have to know when to hang up the boots. When I made this decision, I just felt like 'Yes, this is the best decision.' I don't want to fade out. I want to leave a legacy, and it's best to retire when fans ask, 'Why? You still have some more in you; you still could go for a bit longer,' rather than say, 'Yeah, you should have done it years back.' We are part of the Instagram world, so when you're going through your feed, you keep seeing yourself in different jerseys and, you know, friends, team-mates sending you stuff and, like, 'You're looking good in this jersey. What do you think' and I'm like, 'Hmmm, I look weird in that jersey'. And it's just those thoughts that's been going through my head. I had a few sleepless nights. There have been a lot of conversations between me and Venky Mysore, and also Shah Rukh Khan, about another chapter in my IPL journey, and they have shown me respect and love, and they appreciate whatever I have been doing in the field, and to be in a setup where I'm familiar, that matters to me a lot. We are part of the Instagram world, so when you're going through your feed, you keep seeing yourself in different jerseys and, you know, friends, team-mates sending you stuff and, like, 'You're looking good in this jersey. What do you think' and I'm like, 'Hmmm, I look weird in that jersey'. And it's just those thoughts that's been going through my head. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Russell had been retained ahead of the mega auction before last season for Rs. 12 crore, but KKR released him after a poor outing in IPL 2025. He scored just 167 runs in 13 innings and picked up eight wickets. Article Source: IANS
1st ODI: South Africa Opt To Bowl First Against India
South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in the first ODI of the three-match series here at the JSCA International Stadium Complex. The visitors arrive hoping to carry their momentum from the Test series into the ODIs, while the hosts see this as a chance to silence critics questioning their white-ball credentials. With injuries forcing changes, India now have an unexpected opportunity to assess their depth in the 50-over format. SCORECARD Despite a fairly stable batting order, India must cope without Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, creating space for new combinations. Their last ODI outing in Australia was marked by the presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, still the marquee names in the only format they play these days, so naturally, much of the spotlight will fall on them again throughout the series. South Africa, meanwhile, aim to intensify Indias challenges. Although they lost their previous ODI series in Pakistan earlier this month, the return of several frontline players makes them a far stronger outfit now. With Gill sidelined due to the neck injury he picked up in the first Test in Kolkata, KL Rahul steps in to lead the Indian side, while South Africas regular skipper Temba Bavuma has been rested, with Aiden Markram captaining. Stand-in Protea skipper Markram, upon winning the toss, spoke of the team combination and said, Spent a couple of evenings, dew at night time and it'll be slightly easier to bat at night. Different personnel, the dressing room is at a good place with a lot of energy and fun. It's an important series, the end role the 2027 WC, still a bit of time, but we're up against one of the best teams in the world. Just one spinner in Subrayen, I will bowl a bit - Temba and Maharaj have been rested, four seamers for us today. India captain Rahul said that they had been looking to bowl too. When asked of the teams mindset and combination heading into the game, said, The preparation has been good, the energy is there with a lot of players coming back, we want to enjoy ourselves in the middle. That's what the chat has been, we need to use every opportunity we get in the ODI team, this is a great chance to challenge our skills against a very good team. Three spinners and three quicks for us today. Playing XIs: India captain Rahul said that they had been looking to bowl too. When asked of the teams mindset and combination heading into the game, said, The preparation has been good, the energy is there with a lot of players coming back, we want to enjoy ourselves in the middle. That's what the chat has been, we need to use every opportunity we get in the ODI team, this is a great chance to challenge our skills against a very good team. Three spinners and three quicks for us today. Also Read: Live Cricket Score South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (c), Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Ottneil Baartman Article Source: IANS
Andre Russell retires from IPL: Returns to KKR in new role
Kolkata Knight Riders' explosive all-rounder Andre Russell is retiring from the IPL after a decade, transitioning to a Power Coach role for KKR from 2026. The 37-year-old cited a desire to leave a legacy and expressed deep attachment to the franchise. Russell's monumental IPL career includes two titles and numerous accolades, cementing his iconic status.
The analysis is based on the annual average Air Quality Index (AQI) data of 11 cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam. Read here to know details
Selection for 51st Jr. Natl Kabaddi Cship for girls from Dec 4
Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 29: J&K Amateur Kabaddi Association general secretary, Dr. Kuldeep Kumar Gupta here today informed that selection trials for 51st Junior National Kabaddi Championship in Girls section will be held from December 4 to 7, 2025. Dr. Gupta asked all the affiliated districts and clubs of J&K to send their registered players for trials to participate in 51st National Kabaddi Championship for girls which is going to be held at Kolkata from December 25 to 28, [] The post Selection for 51st Jr. Natl Kabaddi Cship for girls from Dec 4 appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Khalid calls for faster ISL restart to arrest Indias decline
Kolkata, Nov 29: Indian football head coach Khalid Jamil on Saturday took full responsibility for the countrys embarrassing loss to Bangladesh and said the Indian Super League must start at the earliest to arrest the national teams alarming slide. India, winless in five straight Asian Cup qualifying matches, have slumped to 142 in the FIFA []
Indian airlines complete software upgrade for over 90 per cent of 338 affected A320 family planes
NEW DELHI: IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express on Saturday started carrying out software upgrade of A320 family planes to address a potential flight control issue, and requisite modifications have been done for over 90 per cent of the affected 338 aircraft, an exercise that also resulted in delays and some flight cancellations. According to the latest data from the aviation regulator DGCA, IndiGo and Air India did not cancel any flights, while Air India Express cancelled four flights due to the system modification process. Flight delays have been 60-90 minutes at various airports, sources said. On Friday, Airbus said intense solar radiation might corrupt data critical to flight controls in a significant number of A320 family aircraft and that the software changes required to fix the issue would lead to operational disruptions. As many as 338 A320 family aircraft operated by Indian airlines require the software upgrade to address a potential issue related to flight controls, and modifications have been carried out in over 80 per cent of the affected fleet, according to DGCA data. The software upgrades have been completed for 270 A320 family planes out of the total 338 aircraft, as per the data available with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) till 5.30 pm on November 29. A total of 200 IndiGo planes have been affected, and software upgrades have been completed for 184 of them, while in the case of Air India, 113 aircraft have been impacted and upgrades have been done for 69 of them, DGCA data showed. In the case of Air India Express, 25 planes have been impacted, and software upgrades have been completed for 17 aircraft as of 5.30 pm, according to data. The sources said that so far over 90 per cent of the affected planes have undergone upgradation. Meanwhile, IndiGo said all 200 A320 fleet aircraft have now been fully updated and compliant as required. With the completion of this technical requirement, every aircraft now operates with the latest approved configuration, and we continue to monitor performance closely as part of our routine safety procedures, the airline said in a post on X at 11.02 pm. Travel Update We are pleased to share a completion update on the mandatory Airbus system enhancement across our A320-family fleet. All 200 aircraft have now been fully updated and compliant as required. This programme involved a carefully coordinated sequence of work, with our IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) November 29, 2025 The airline said that there was zero cancellation of flights due to the updation. In a post on X at 10.17 pm, Air India said it has successfully completed the reset on over 90 per cent of its operating A320 family aircraft that were impacted by EASA and Airbus' requirement for a software realignment. An official said Air India Express has completed the upgradation for 22 out of the 25 impacted aircraft. The software upgrades are being undertaken at the airlines' bases in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata. Software upgrades on all affected planes are to be completed by 5.29 am on November 30. #UPDATE Air India has successfully completed the reset on over 90% of its operating A320 family aircraft that were impacted by EASA and Airbus requirement for a software realignment. We expect to cover the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA, with safety Air India (@airindia) November 29, 2025 The DGCA on Saturday issued an Airworthiness Directive to airlines asking Indian operators to carry out the requisite software upgrades immediately. This followed Airbus issuing an alert to operators globally and the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) coming out with an Emergency Airworthiness Directive regarding the potential issue. On Friday, EASA said Airbus asked airline operators to install a serviceable Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC) in the impacted aircraft. ELAC is for flight controls. IndiGo, which operates over 2,300 flights daily, said that no flights have been cancelled as a result of the checks carried out on A320 family planes, but a few flights may experience minimal delays. There have been no cancellations due to the task, and there is no major impact on schedule integrity across its network. However, some flights may be slightly delayed or rescheduled, Air India said in the morning. Most of the nearly 6,000 affected aircraft worldwide need software upgrades, while some might require hardware realignment. There are over 8,100 A320 family planes in service worldwide. These include A319s, A320 ceos and neos, and A321 ceos and neos, data from aviation analytics company Cirium showed. Former pilot Ehsan Khalid told PTI Videos that ELACs are the brain and nervous system of the aircraft, and the software problem with one of the ELACs is significant. When the pilot moves the control forward, it will cause the aircraft to pitch down and when it is moved backward, then the plane pitches down. This particular movement is done by pilot control and if that happens on its own, then there is a problem, he said. On October 30, he said a JetBlue aircraft experienced an uncommanded pitch down for seven seconds, which caused the aircraft to lose 100 feet and injured more than 15 people. At 35,000 feet, neither a loss of 100 feet nor seven seconds is critical. But if you remember the Ahmedabad crash, it happened during take-off, and seven seconds would have been enough to cause a catastrophic end. So humanity has been lucky this time. The aircraft manufacturer has openly acknowledged a software problem and has said it will fix it, Khalid said. IndiGo, in a statement, said software upgrades have been completed for 160 of the 200 impacted A320 family planes. We are pleased to confirm that the required actions have already been completed on 160 aircraft by 12:00 IST, and inspections on the remaining aircraft are progressing well and will be completed within the timeline, the airline said. We have already completed the reset on over 40 per cent of our aircraft that are impacted by this, and are confident of covering the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA, Air India said in a post on X in the morning. On Friday, Airbus said an analysis of a recent event involving an A320 family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in service which may be impacted, it had said in a release. Airbus acknowledged that these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions for passengers and customers.
EC Likely To Hold Special SIR Camp For Sex Workers In Kolkata's Red-Light Areas On Dec 2-3
The decision came amid rising concerns in the city's red-light districts over difficulties in completing SIR enumeration forms: Reports
Crisil raises GDP growth forecast to seven per cent during current financial year
KOLKATA, Nov 29: Crisil has raised its forecast for the countrys GDP growth to 7 per cent from 6.5 per cent for the current financial year, following the first-half growth of 8 per cent that exceeded expectations. Chief economist of Crisil, Dharmakriti Joshi, said that Indias real GDP growth stood at 8.2 per cent in the second quarter, exceeding expectations. However, due to easing inflation, the nominal GDP growth was modest at 8.7 per cent. The first half growth of [] The post Crisil raises GDP growth forecast to seven per cent during current financial year appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Kolkata To Expand Birth, Death Certificate Services As SIR Nears End
Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will expand its facilities for issuing birth and death certificates from next week, as West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll enters its final stage.
As South Africans: South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince emphasised the importance of pressure on the Proteas performing at clutch moments ahead of the first ODI against India at JSCA Stadium. Proteas come on the heels of whitewashing hosts India at home and winning a Test series 2-0. They first beat India by 30 runs in Kolkata and then by 408 runs in Guwahati. Prince highlighted the performance of red-ball series but cautioned the Proteas to improve on performing in high-pressure environments. I think at the moment the squad has focused predominantly on Test cricket and, as far as white-ball cricket is concerned, a lot of the focus has been on T20 with the World Cup coming up soon. So in the 50-over space, weve been able to try different combinations. Id say were doing pretty well in both batting and bowling departments. If theres one area we could improve, its the bigger moments tighter moments, clutch moments. White-ball cricket is about high-pressure environments, intensity, and playing those moments well. With conditions likely to favour batters in Ranchi, dew is expected to come play in the later part of the innings, team batting first will look to put big score on the board. Our homework tells us theres a lot of dew expected. Teams tend to prefer chasing if they win the toss. But if you get a good pitch upfront and post a massive score, it can affect the chasing team because they feel they have to start at a high tempo and thats when you can lose wickets. If we bat first, well need to post a formidable score to apply pressure. India's two white-ball superstars, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return to international cricket after the Australia tour. However, their performances did not quite match expectations on that occasion. Now, with conditions favourable and with both having a point to prove, fans are eager to see their bats do the talking once again. No, I wouldnt say its extra pressure. As South Africans touring India, its always exciting. With those two names in the line-up, we expect a full house and thats exciting. We try to focus on what damage we can cause the opposition rather than how they can hurt us. Theyre world-class, theyre dangerous, but the focus is on our strengths and how we impose our game. Itd be nice to carry the momentum, but theres personnel change in both teams, so the Series will have a different feel. All formats are important on a tour like this and wed like to keep the momentum going. India, meanwhile, are missing the services of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, presenting KL Rahul and coach Gautam Gambhir with a mix of openings and headaches as they shape the squads immediate future. All around, India have a fantastic team in both batting and bowling. The results will hinge on crucial moments in matches. Playing those moments well is important. Prince also acknowledged the momentum Proteas carry with them after winning Test series but white-ball tour comes with a reset buttton for them ahead of T20 World Cup 2026. The most important thing for us is our mentality. Historically, South African teams came here and the conditions felt foreign. These days our players tour the subcontinent more, even in shorter formats, so conditions arent as foreign. Whats important is not to pre-empt how a pitch will play. A keyword for us is adaptability whatever the conditions are on the day, we adapt our style accordingly. Its not lost on anyone how massive that achievement was. We certainly enjoyed the evening afterwards. I cant give you too much detail about the enjoyment. The most important thing for us is our mentality. Historically, South African teams came here and the conditions felt foreign. These days our players tour the subcontinent more, even in shorter formats, so conditions arent as foreign. Whats important is not to pre-empt how a pitch will play. A keyword for us is adaptability whatever the conditions are on the day, we adapt our style accordingly. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Welcoming Quinton de Kock, Prince said, Hes massive. Just like Rohit and Virat strengthen India, Quinny has a similar effect for us. His experience and the quality he showed in Pakistan boosts the dressing room. Weve got quite a few young left-handers and young players. For them to sit with him, talk to him, and bat with him out in the middle does a lot for their growth. Hes a big influence for us. Article Source: IANS
West Bengal becomes first State in the country to rename Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan
KOLKATA: Implementing a Central Government notification, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Saturday renamed the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata to 'Lok Bhavan'. The governor's office claimed that West Bengal is the first State in the country to change the name of the Raj Bhavan into Lok Bhavan. In a video posted by the office on X, Bose is seen replacing three letters L, O and K with R, A and J before Bhavan. The Union Home Ministry had issued a directive on the renaming of Raj Bhavan on November 25. On 27 March 2023, at the request of the Hon'ble Governor Dr C. V. Ananda Bose, the Hon'ble President Droupadi Murmu handed over the symbolic key of the then Raj Bhavan to the Hon'ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It was in this historic moment that a new chapter began for Raj Bhavan Jan Raj Bhavan. , . . . , - Lok Bhavan, Kolkata, Social Media (@BengalGovernor) November 29, 2025 In pursuance of the communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs dated 25.11.2025, it is hereby notified that the name of the holdings of 'Raj Bhavan' in Kolkata, Flagstaff House and Darjeeling, has been modified and renamed as 'Lok Bhavan', a notification said. This notification comes into force with immediate effect, it also said. In a post on X, Bose said, The concept of the 'Jana Raj Bhavan' by the then Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, was prompted by the urge to make the establishment alive to the needs of the people, their aspirations, hopes, their problems and challenges. Simultaneously, the move was to shed its aura of 'awe and fear' and be open to people from all walks of life. The Raj Bhavan, now renamed as Lok Bhavan, serves as the governor's official residence and also houses his office. During the last three years, Raj Bhavan has initiated several constructive people-centric programmes. A key element of the Jana Raj Bhavan initiative was its proactive role in the service of people -- to be with them in their need. Whenever there was a situation of exigency -- be it violence, natural calamity, or even complaints of atrocities, in any corner of West Bengal, Jana Raj Bhavan reached out to people in need, he said. In tune with the transformational and inspirational leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has ensured the participation of people across all segments of society in the spectacular march towards Viksit Bharat, the Raj Bhavan and Raj Niwas across the country were uniformly decided to be renamed as Lok Bhavan and Lok Niwas respectively, as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 25 November, 2025, Bose added.
Bengal: BLOs accuse EC of ignoring work-pressure concerns
Kolkata: Members of a BLO rights platform with Trinamool Congress leanings on Saturday staged a protest outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here, demanding compensation for colleagues who allegedly fell ill or died during electoral roll-related duties and seeking planned scheduling of future assignments. During a demonstration that coincided with the arrival Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
A Kolkata tech worker's swift WhatsApp rejection from a recruiter sparked an online discussion about transparent hiring. The polite and direct dismissal, which encouraged the candidate to continue creating projects, was praised for its honesty and efficiency, saving applicants from prolonged uncertainty and ghosting.
KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has expressed serious concern over the alleged reluctance of many BLOs in West Bengal to mark cases such as absent, shifted, dead and duplicate in enumeration forms during their door-to-door visits for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal and senior officials held a virtual conference with district magistrates (DMs), who also serve as district electoral officers (DROs), and electoral registration officers (EROs), seeking reports on forms without such markings. Subrata Gupta, retired IAS officer and newly appointed state special observer for electoral rolls revision, held a meeting with 12 other serving IAS officers assigned as observers in districts by the national poll body. Sources said the ECI has received numerous complaints against a section of BLOs. The poll body also noted that forms of voters identified as 'absent', 'shifted', 'dead' or 'duplicate' are being collected elsewhere without being marked or digitalised in the BLO App. DEOs and EROs have been directed to maintain strict vigilance and take appropriate action against the BLOs responsible. In the virtual conference, the CEO focused on data related to the assembly-wise number of forms collected by BLOs without 'absent', 'shifted', 'dead' or 'duplicate' markings and digitalisation. Meanwhile, a section of BLOs, backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress, staged a demonstration in front of the CEO office protesting the deaths of several colleagues, which they attributed to the unbearable workload, stress, and strain caused by ongoing SIR-related duties. They demanded compensation for the families of the deceased BLOs. The agitating BLOs, along with relatives of the deceased, attempted to meet Agarwal, but police prevented them from entering the CEO building at BBD Bagh in the heart of the city, resulting in a scuffle with deployed officers. On 26 November, expressing concern over the safety and security of Agarwal, other officers, and staff at the office, ECI secretary Surjeet Kumar Mishra wrote a strong letter to the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, seeking an action-taken report (ATR) on the BLO protest inside the CEO chamber. A section of BLOs under the banner of BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee, backed by the ruling party, organised a march from Sealdah to the CEO office on Monday to protest against the excessive work pressure caused by the SIR duty. On Monday night, the group gheraoed the CEOs chamber and refused to leave. The following morning, the standoff continued. Additional CEO Dibyendu Das spoke with the 10-member representative team, asking them to wait in his chamber, but they declined, stating they would remain outside the CEOs office.
GRSE receives notice from NSE, BSE for non-compliance of corporate governance provisions
KOLKATA, Nov 29: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) on Saturday said it has received notices from both National Stock Exchange and BSE for non-compliance with several corporate governance provisions under the SEBI listing obligations during the quarter ended September 30, 2025. In a regulatory filing, the defence PSU said the exchanges have flagged violations of Regulations 17(1), 18(1) and 19(1)/19(2) relating to mandatory presence of independent directors, including a woman independent director, and constitution of audit committee and [] The post GRSE receives notice from NSE, BSE for non-compliance of corporate governance provisions appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad, also known as the Hyderabad Airport, is the largest airport in India in terms of size.
Sourav Ganguly's wife Dona files police complaint after facing abuse online
Odissi dancer Dona Ganguly has filed a police complaint against unknown individuals for abusive and derogatory remarks on social media. The offensive posts, targeting her after a performance at the Kolkata Film Festival, allegedly involved body shaming and defamation. Police are investigating, tracing the Facebook page and a linked mobile number.
KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal has directed district magistrates (DMs) across the state to upload details of Waqf properties to the Central Governments Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) portal. The state minority affairs and madrasa education department has sent the directive to the DMs at a time when some officials in the department felt that the exercise was a time-bound compliance requirement set by the Centre. The Centre has asked states to upload information on all undisputed Waqf properties by 6 December, prompting the state administration to begin the data-entry process immediately, according to officials. The directive sent to DMs lists four primary issues. They have been asked to convene meetings with imams, muezzins (those who give the call to prayer) and madrasa teachers to explain the uploading procedure, one of the officials said. The DMs have been told that only uncontested properties are to be entered in the portal, he added. All districts have been asked to set up facilitation centres wherever technical support is necessary, the official added. Earlier this year, the Central Government amended several provisions of the Waqf Act, 1995. While some of these amendments remain under consideration before the Supreme Court, a senior state government official pointed out that there is no stay on the implementation of the Centres proposed changes. The state is obliged to follow the directive within the given timeframe, he said. Under the amended rules, mutawallis (caretakers of a waqf) of 8,063 Waqf estates in Bengal must register complete property details on the UMEED portal by 6 December, he elaborated. The Bengal governments order to upload details of the states waqf properties onto the UMEED portal has triggered a political controversy, as the state had earlier said it would not implement the amended Waqf Act that came into force in April. Senior BJP leaders in the state held the chief minister responsible for the April communal violence in Samserganj, Murshidabad, which arose from a protest against the amendment. Will Mamata Banerjee apologise to Hindus in Mothabari (Malda) where 68 shops belonging to them were vandalised? Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday. Haragobinda Das and Chandan Das (father and son slain in Samserganj) were killed because Mamata Banerjee instigated people against the Waqf Amendment Act. Can you compensate those families? he alleged. Bengal is home to around 82,000 waqf properties under nearly 8,000 waqf estates. Suvendu used the issue to appeal to Muslim voters. I want to tell the Muslim community that if you are really against the (amended) Waqf Act, boycott Mamata Banerjee. If you dont, it will be proved that your movement was never against the Waqf Amendment Act, it was against those poor Hindus. The BJP wants to sell off waqf properties to its crony private players like Adani and Ambani. Our stance against the (amended) Waqf Act has not changed, a senior ruling party leader said.
Software updates completed for over half of affected A320 family planes in India: DGCA data
NEW DELHI: As many as 338 A320 family aircraft operated by Indian airlines require the software upgrade to address a potential issue related to flight controls, and modifications have been carried out in more than half of the affected fleet, according to DGCA data. Sources told PTI that there are no flight cancellations, but there are delays in the range of 60-90 minutes for some flights as the software updates are being carried out for the affected planes. On Friday, Airbus said intense solar radiation might corrupt data critical to flight controls in a significant number of A320 family aircraft and that the software changes required to fix the issue would lead to operational disruptions. The software upgrades have been completed for 189 A320 family planes out of the total 338 aircraft, as per the data available with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) till 10 am on November 29. The software upgrades on all the affected planes are to be completed by 5:29 am on November 30. DGCA on Saturday issued an Airworthiness Directive to airlines asking Indian operators to immediately carry out the requisite software upgrades. This followed Airbus issuing an alert to operators globally and European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) coming out with an Emergency Airworthiness Directive regarding the potential issue. IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express operate A320 family planes, which include A320 ceos and neos, A321 ceos and neos. The affected aircraft need software upgrades or hardware realignment. A total of 200 IndiGo planes have been affected, and software upgrades have been completed for 143 of them, while in the case of Air India, 113 aircraft have been impacted and upgrades have been done for 42 of them, the DGCA data showed. In the case of Air India Express, 25 planes have been impacted, and the software upgrades have been completed for 4 of the aircraft, as per the data till 10 am. The software upgrades are being undertaken at the bases of the airlines in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. In a post on X at 10.13 am, Air India said that following EASA and Airbus directives for a mandatory software and hardware realignment on A320 family aircraft, our engineers have been working round-the-clock to complete the task at the earliest. We have already completed the reset on over 40 per cent of our aircraft that are impacted by this, and are confident of covering the entire fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA, the airline said. Air India also said there have been no cancellations due to this task, and there is no major impact on schedule integrity across its network. However, some of our flights may be slightly delayed or rescheduled, it added. On Friday, EASA said Airbus asked airline operators to install a serviceable Elevator Aileron Computer (ELAC) in the impacted aircraft. Generally, ELAC is for flight controls. Airbus, on Friday, said an analysis of a recent event involving an A320 family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted, it had said in a release. Airbus had said it acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers.
EC appoints retired bureaucrat Subrata Gupta as 'Special Roll Observer' for SIR in West Bengal
KOLKATA: The Election Commission appointed retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta as the 'Special Roll Observer' for the SIR exercise in West Bengal, an official said. The EC also appointed 12 IAS officers as 'Electoral Roll Observers' to oversee the key aspects of preparation of the electoral rolls following the SIR and help the district election officers (DEOs) and electoral registration officers (EROs) in taking corrective measures, he said. Gupta, a 1990-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, will be overseeing that the process of special intensive revision or SIR was carried out as per the directions of the EC, and ensure that no eligible person is left out of the electoral rolls and no ineligible elector is included in it, the official said on Friday. Meanwhile, Smita Pandey was appointed the Electoral Roll Observer for Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum districts, Tanmay Chakraborty for Murshidabad and Malda, Randhir Kumar for North 24 Parganas and Kolkata Uttar, C Murugan for South 24 Parganas and Kolkata Dakshin, R Arjun for Coochbehar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts, he said. Rajeev Kumar was named the Electoral Roll Observer for Howrah, Neelam Meena for Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram districts, Ashwini Kumar Yadav for Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur, Niranjan Kumar for Darjeeling and Kalimpong, Devi Prasad Karanam for Purulia and Bankura, Rachna Bhagat for Nadia and Vishwanath for Hooghly district, he added.
ISI Kolkata students, staffers stage protest against bill threatening institutes autonomy
KOLKATA, Nov 28: A section of students, faculty members and staffers of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Kolkata held a demonstration near its campus on Friday to protest against a draft bill to change the institutes status from an autonomous society to a statutory body under the central government. Around 1,000 protesters formed a human chain and held a public meeting at the Dunlop More, close to the B T Road campus in north Kolkata, the protesters said. Students, researchers, [] The post ISI Kolkata students, staffers stage protest against bill threatening institutes autonomy appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Juyal, Veer star as UP rout J&K by 109 runs
KOLKATA, Nov 28:Aryan Juyal struck his second successive fifty while Prashant Veer produced an fine all-round effort as Uttar Pradesh outclassed Jammu and Kashmir by 109 runs in their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match here on Friday. This was Uttar Pradeshs second win on the trot as they went to the top of Group B standings with eight points. Fresh from a match-winning 93 not out against Goa, the promising wicketkeeper-batter Juyal was in his elements again, smashing three sixes [] The post Juyal, Veer star as UP rout J&K by 109 runs appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
ECI shifts West Bengal CEO office; AITC team meets CEC
The commission directed the Kolkata police commissioner to ensure security to the existing and the new offices, ECI sources said.
Those Who Bowl At 150 Kph Are Kings, But I Am Also Working On Slower Balls, Yorkers: Umran Malik
Kolkata, Nov 28: Express pacer Umran Malik has started dreaming of wearing India colours again after returning from an injury lay-off, and for that he banks on his inherent ability to breach 150 kmph barrier and the new add-ons like slower balls and a sharper yorker. Malik has been away from the Indian team since July 2023 for multiple reasons after taking 24 wickets across 10 ODIs and 8 T20Is, but the setbacks have not affected his spirit. Let me [] The post Those Who Bowl At 150 Kph Are Kings, But I Am Also Working On Slower Balls, Yorkers: Umran Malik appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Delhi inflation rate lower than other metros: Government report
NEW DELHI: The inflation rate in Delhi remained substantially lower than in other metro cities and the national average last year, especially in the fuel and light group, according to a government report. The report prepared by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics of the Delhi government, however, showed that the inflation rate rose in the food & beverages and housing sectors. The report assessed the Consumer Price Index (Industrial Workers IW) between Delhi and 14 other metros. These were Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Indore, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Varanasi, Amritsar and Lucknow. The report said that during 2024-25, CPI (IW), Kolkata, recorded the highest increase (3.6 per cent) while it was (3.4 per cent) at the All India level, followed by Mumbai (3.0 per cent), Delhi (1.8 per cent), and no change was observed in the case of Chennai. Among the selected cities assessed by the report, Delhi had the third lowest Consumer Price Index (IW) for the 2024 calendar year and the fifth lowest Consumer Price Index (IW) for the financial year 2024-25 out of the selected 15 major cities, while Lucknow and Chandigarh had the maximum Consumer Price Index (IW). A Consumer Price Index (CPI) is designed to measure changes over time in the general level of retail prices of selected goods and services that households purchase for consumption. In 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024, Delhi had lower inflation rates than All India. However, in 2022, Delhi had a higher inflation rate than All India. Last year, the inflation rate in Delhi was 1.7 per cent, and at the national level, it was 3.8 per cent. Inflation in Delhi, as measured by the CPI (IW), has ranged from 1.7 per cent to 8 per cent from 2020 to 2024. The price rise was recorded at 1.7 per cent in 2024, compared to 3.7 per cent in 2023. In the food and beverages group, an inflation rate of 5.6 per cent was observed in 2024, compared with 4.6 per cent in 2023. In the paan, supari, tobacco and intoxicant group, no variation was recorded in 2024, whereas the inflation rate was 3.7 per cent in 2023. However, the report observed that the inflation rate stood at 1.3 per cent in 2024, down from 5.1 per cent the previous year. In the housing group, an inflation rate of 3.1 per cent was observed in 2024, compared with 2.2 per cent in 2023. In the fuel and light group, a negative inflation rate of 20.1 per cent was observed in 2024, compared with 3.7 per cent in 2023. The miscellaneous group consists of items falling under the categories of medicines, medical services, education services, stationery, recreation, transport and communication, personal care effects, household requisites and other services -- hair cutting, tailoring, etc. In the miscellaneous group, Delhi recorded an inflation rate of 0.1 per cent, compared with 3.5 per cent in 2023.
Looking Forward To Messi's Visit To Hyderabad: Revanth Reddy
Lionel Messi confirmed that Hyderabad was added to the tour alongside Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi as part of his GOAT India Tour 2025
Shree Cements premiumisation drive not tied to targets, 80 MT capacity by FY29 on track: Chairman
KOLKATA, Nov 28: Shree Cement Ltd is betting big on value over volume to drive its premium product mix while embarking on a massive capacity expansion initiative to reach 80 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by FY29, its chairman H M Bangur said. In an interview with PTI, he emphasised that the evolving consumers demand is at the heart of this dual strategy. The company is consciously moving away from the low-margin to the high-value segment to cater to society [] The post Shree Cements premiumisation drive not tied to targets, 80 MT capacity by FY29 on track: Chairman appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Fourth death of BLO reported in Bengal during SIR, incident triggers political row
KOLKATA: A booth-level officer (BLO) engaged in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls died of cardiac arrest in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, with his family alleging that mounting work pressure pushed him to the brink. This is the fourth such death reported in the state since the exercise began on November 4, sparking a political blame game. Officials identified the deceased as Zakir Hossain, a teacher at a state-run primary school who had been deployed as a BLO. He collapsed on Thursday afternoon after complaining of severe chest pain and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died later that night, family members said. Relatives claimed Hossain had been under remendous pressure juggling SIR duties and regular teaching work. The strain increased, they alleged, because the primary school authorities refused to relieve him despite repeated requests, forcing him to manage both responsibilities simultaneously. With Hossain's death, the number of BLO fatalities linked to alleged SIR-related stress has climbed to four. Hasty SIR implementation reminiscent of demonetisation and Covid lockdown, says Congress on BLO deaths Earlier, a BLO in Purba Bardhaman district died of a heart attack, while two others -- one in Nadia's Chapra and another in Jalpaiguri's Malbazar -- allegedly took their own lives, reportedly unable to cope with the workload. The deaths have fuelled sharp political exchanges. Trinamool Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have accused the Election Commission (EC) of burdening BLOs with an inhumane and unplanned workload. Addressing a rally in Bongaon earlier this week, Banerjee claimed that at least 10 BLOs deployed for SIR had been hospitalised and three had already died. In Murshidabad, one more BLO has died due to the pressure put by the EC in connection with SIR. The total number of deaths is four, and nearly 14 others are undergoing medical treatment, a senior TMC leader said on Friday. The BJP, however, rejected the allegation, contending that the stress felt by BLOs stemmed not from the Election Commission's directives but from political and administrative pressure exerted by the ruling party in the state. Tension flares as BJP workers reach BLO workers protest site outside Bengal CEO's office
Bandhan Bank to sell Rs 6932 crore of bad loans
Bandhan Bank is offloading bad loans worth Rs 6,932 crore to improve its balance sheet, focusing on micro and agriculture loans. The Kolkata-based lender is selling non-performing loans exceeding 180 days overdue and auctioning written-off loans to address significant stress in its asset quality, which has impacted profitability.
Sunil Gavaskar Calls For 'Post-Mortem' After India Test Debacle
Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has called for a post-mortem into India Test cricket after their aura of home invincibility was blown away by a second series whitewash in 12 months. South Africa inflicted a record 408-run defeat on India in the second Test on Wednesday to take the series 2-0. It was India's fifth defeat in their last seven home Tests dating back just over a year to New Zealand's 3-0 sweep. You need to do a thorough post-mortem as to areas that you need to strengthen at the Test level, Gavaskar told TV channel India Today. Bring in an outside perspective. Take Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid -- your two earlier coaches. Take Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar. Sit with them and formulate for the next five years what Indian cricket should be doing. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under severe criticism for constantly changing the batting order. But Gavaskar defended Gambhir, saying the players had to take responsibility. He's a coach, said Gavaskar. The coach can prepare a team. But it's out there in the middle that the players have to deliver. If you're not prepared to give him credit for the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup win, then please tell me why you want to blame him for the team out there on that 22-yard strip not doing well, Gavaskar added. India's batting flopped in the series with their first innings total of 201 in Guwahati their best against an inspired South Africa spin attack led by Simon Harmer. The hosts lost the opening Test inside three days in Kolkata and in the second match mustered only 140, chasing a mammoth 549 target on day five. There was an aura around the Indian team when playing in India. You can see it disappearing in the distance, veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle wrote on X. Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik said: Teams used to be scared of coming to India to play Test cricket. Now they must be licking their lips. A second whitewash in a span of 12 months. These are tough times for India in Test cricket, and tough decisions might have to be taken. India last month registered a home 2-0 series sweep against a depleted West Indies after drawing 2-2 in England in captain Shubman Gill's first series in charge after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Also Read: Live Cricket Score
After 14 long years, Lionel Messi is returning to India this December for the 'GOAT India Tour 2025', with grand events lined up in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi. Read here to know why Satadru Dutta, the man behind Messi's GOAT Tour 2025, has invited him to come to India again.
'Worst airline experience': Mohammad Siraj asks public not to fly Air India Express; fans respond
NEW DELHI: Indian pacer Mohammad Siraj described the cancellation of his Air India Express flight after a four-hour wait as his worst airline experience. Siraj was flying to Hyderabad after the second Test match against South Africa in Guwahati. He asked the public not to fly by the airline. Coming just a day after India's worst Test run defeat by 408 runs ensured the cricketer was at the receiving end of angry fans. Air India Express flight IX 2884, from Guwahati to Hyderabad, was supposed to take off at 7.25 pm, said Siraj in his post on X on Wednesday night. However, there has been no communication from the airline and after repeatedly following up, they have just delayed the flight with no proper reasoning. This has been really frustrating and this is the basic ask by every passenger, the post read. Air India flight no IX 2884 from Guwahati to Hyderabad was supposed to take off at 7.25 however there has been no communication from the airline and after repeatedly following up, they have just delayed the flight with no proper reasoning. This has been really frustrating and Mohammed Siraj (@mdsirajofficial) November 26, 2025 Flight delayed by 4 hours and still no update has left us stranded. Worst airline experience. I really would not advise anyone to take this flight if they cant take a stand, he wrote, tagging Air Indias X account. Conveying its sincere apologies to the bowler, Air India Express responded saying, We regret to inform you that the flight has been cancelled due to unforeseen operational reasons. Our team at the airport is actively assisting all guests with the necessary arrangements. We understand how difficult this situation is, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding. Please be assured that our team will continue to keep you updated and extend all possible support. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused, Mr Siraj. We regret to inform you that the flight has been cancelled due to unforeseen operational reasons. Our team at the airport is actively assisting all guests with the necessary arrangements. We understand how difficult Air India Express (@AirIndiaX) November 26, 2025 Meanwhile, cricket fans upset over the humiliating loss to South Africa which resulted in a series whitewash vented their ire to his post, which included many humorous and sarcastic responses. Writer Bobby Mathew said, I love Air India Express. They showed true Indian Cricket fan frustration by cancelling your flight itself! Saying...TAKE THIS, MY BOY! What Fans Couldn't do, Air India Express did it! THANKS, @AirIndiaX US-based Anshu Rajan posted: The way you guys performed in the Test series against SA you deserve every bit of frustration because as a viewer we had the same feeling watching the team surrendering like a coward. Another X user added to it, saying, This is how Air India is showing its stance on poor performance in the test series. A Pakistan-based handle retorted: Air India is still performing better than you. Don't complain bhai. Just get used to it. Like we are getting used to your awesome performances. Taking a dig at standardised responses put out by airlines over any issue, a user wrote, Ask him also please share your PNR and contact details with us in the DM, and we'll assist you accordingly. A response which went viral was the handle of a former sports enthusiast who took a dig at Coach Gautam Gambhir's team selection that has invited strong criticism. @paglait posted: Bro, flight is delayed because Gambhir is arguing with the staff and wants Harshit Rana to be the pilot. Rana plays for Delhi in domestic cricket and Kolkata Knight Riders in the Premier League. Another user humorously posted, DSP Siraj sir, Please arrest some Air India staff for their callousness. A few also pointed out that due to Siraj's celebrity status, the airline chose to respond immediately while the commoner never gets replies. A fan account of Author Arundhati Roy wrote, This is the situation with almost all the domestic flights in all the airlines. Indigo passengers suffered on Wednesday evening and night with a few flights delayed up to 6 hours.
Value of RBIs House Price Index declined Q2FY26
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the index registered a decline of 0.6 per cent, contributed largely by Kolkata, Chennai and Lucknow
7.64 crore enumeration forms distributed in Bengal during SIR exercise so far: EC official
KOLKATA: An estimated 7.64 crore enumeration forms have been distributed among voters till November 27, the 24th day of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, an Election Commission official said on Thursday. The exercise, for updating electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 assembly polls in the state, began on November []
Amid Fear Over Voter Revision, Kolkata Sex Workers To Get Assistance Camp
Caught in rising fear and uncertainty over the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls, sex workers in Kolkata's Sonagachi area are likely to get a special assistance camp, as the Election Commission prepares to address their unique documentation challenges.
WBSSC releases fresh list of 1,806 tainted teachers after Calcutta HC directive
KOLKATA: After being pulled up by the Calcutta High Court (HC), the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) on Thursday released a fresh comprehensive list of 1,806 tainted teachers who had been recruited earlier through the State Level Selection Test (SLST) conducted in 2016. The WBSSC, which recruits assistant teachers for these schools through SLST, uploaded the list containing the names of the tainted candidates and their parents, the subjects they taught, their SLST roll numbers, and dates of birth, as directed by the High Court. However, the updated list did not specify the schools where these tainted teachers had worked for nearly a decade. The court had instructed the Commission to republish the names of the undeserving teachers along with detailed identification information. When asked if these candidates were among those who appeared for the fresh recruitment test held on 7 and 14 September 2025, some WBSSC officials denied the possibility. We had earlier uploaded the same list of tainted teachers. But this time, as directed by the High Court, we have included the additional details to ensure full transparency, one of the officials said, requesting anonymity. The development comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Courts earlier order invalidating the appointments of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff selected through the 2016 SLST, ruling that the entire recruitment exercise was tainted and vitiated beyond redemption. Giving a clean chit to the WBSSC, state education minister Bratya Basu told reporters, The School Service Commission has done the job with transparency and impartiality. Our target is to complete the fresh recruitment process by 31 December, the deadline set by the apex court. Coming down heavily on the opposition BJP, CPI(M) and Congress, the minister said it was the oppositions duty to stop the recruitment initiatives taken by the Mamata Banerjee government, but our duty is to recruit teachers. On 17 April, the Supreme Court allowed the sacked but untainted teachers to continue in their posts till 31 December, by which time the fresh recruitment must be completed, offering relief to both the teachers and the Bengal government. Earlier, on 3 April, the apex court had cancelled en masse the appointments of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching school staff recruited through the 2016 SLST, saying the entire process had been vitiated. The teachers, all appointed as assistant teachers for Classes IX to XII, were among those affected.
Pant Pens Apology After 0-2 Whitewash: 'Sorry We Couldnt Live Up To Expectations'
Barsapara Cricket Stadium: Indias wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant admitted that the team 'did not play good cricket' in the recently concluded two-game Test series against South Africa and apologised to the fans for not being able to live up to their expectations. India suffered a 0-2 whitewash at home as the Proteas dominated the proceedings throughout the two Tests in Kolkata and Guwahati. After the reigning World Test champions, South Africa, clinched their first Test win in India since 2010 in the Kolkata Test, the visitors sealed their historic series victory by handing India its heaviest defeat with a 408-run win in the second Test. This was the Proteas' second Test series win in India after their 2-0 sweep in February-March 2000 under Hansie Cronje. Since their defeat on Wednesday, the head coach and players have been under intense scrutiny. Amid ongoing criticism from fans and pundits, Pant posted a picture on Instagram and apologised to everyone who had placed their hopes in the teams victory and assured them that they will work hard to make a strong comeback as a team and as individuals. There is no shying away from the fact that we didnt play good enough cricket over the last two weeks. As a team and as individuals, we always want to perform at the highest level and bring smiles to billions of Indians. Sorry we couldnt live up to expectations this time, but sport teaches you to learn, adapt and grow - both as a team and as individuals. Representing India is the greatest honour of our lives. We know what this team is capable of, and we will work hard, regroup, refocus and reset to come back stronger and better as a team & individuals. Thank you for your unwavering support and love! Jai Hind, Pant wrote. There is no shying away from the fact that we didnt play good enough cricket over the last two weeks. As a team and as individuals, we always want to perform at the highest level and bring smiles to billions of Indians. Sorry we couldnt live up to expectations this time, but sport teaches you to learn, adapt and grow - both as a team and as individuals. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Taking the blame and expressing regret over losing the series, Pant, speaking during the presentation ceremony after the game in Guwahatis Barsapara Cricket Stadium, said, Its a little disappointing. As a team we need to get better. Credit to the opposition they dominated the series. We needed to be clear with our mindset. Cricket demands capitalising as a team, and we didnt do that. That cost us the whole series. Article Source: IANS
First Ashes Test ends in two days ICC still rates Perth pitch very good
The ICC has rated the Perth Ashes Test pitch 'very good' despite its rapid two-day finish, sparking debate on modern batting and pitch expectations. While England and Australia collapsed spectacularly, the surface was deemed fair. This follows scrutiny of India's recent spin-friendly Kolkata Test, highlighting contrasting views on challenging playing conditions.
J&K defeats Maharashtra by 5 wickets
Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 26: Jammu and Kashmir senior mens cricket team began their Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy campaign in style, producing a clinical performance to crush a strong Maharashtra side by five wickets at Eden Gardens, Kolkata today. Put into bat, Maharashtras batting lineup, featuring stars like Prithvi Shaw, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rahul Tripathi, struggled against J&Ks disciplined bowling attack. The visitors were restricted to a modest 130 runs in 19.5 [] The post J&K defeats Maharashtra by 5 wickets appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
EC seeks report in 48 hours on breach at Bengal CEO office
The Election Commission of India has demanded an action taken report from Kolkata's Police Commissioner regarding a serious security breach during BLO protests on November 24. Three senior EC officials from New Delhi have been appointed to assist the West Bengal CEO in overseeing the ongoing SIR work, marking their first deployment in the state.
Kolkata Law College Rape Survivor's Father Threatened To Withdraw Case
The father of the survivor in the Kasba Law College gangrape case has lodged a police complaint alleging that unidentified men on a two-wheeler threatened him and asked him to withdraw the case.
West Bengal CM says SIR exercise is putting BLOs under stress, expresses solidarity with them
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, once again, slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the plights of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls exercise in the State. Mamata, while delivering her speech in a state government programme to commemorate the Constitution Day on Red Road in the city today, said, BLOs have died in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Bengal. The ongoing SIR exercise in nine states and three Union Territories has landed a large number of BLOs, the main workforce in the electoral rolls revision drive, in stress and strain. 'How many more need to die for SIR?': Mamata attacks EC after another BLO dies by suicide in Bengal They had to wait for 48 hours at the CEO's office to get themselves heard. Why so much arrogance? BLOs are dying. Wont they speak out? How can a work that requires three years be completed in two months? the Chief Minister asked. Her crusade against the ECI remained unabated as the national poll panel wrote a strong letter to Manoj Agarwal, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, expressing serious concern with the safety and security of the state CEO, Manoj Agarwal, other senior officers and staff in his office at B B D Bag. A section of agitating BLOs backed by her party, Trinamool Congress, gheraoed Agarwals chamber for about 30 hours since Monday afternoon, protesting against the inhuman workload generated by the SIR-related duties like distributions and collections of enumeration forms during door-to-door visits. ECI expresses concern over security of officers, staff at Bengal CEO's office; seeks action taken report Trinamool Congress is attributing many of the Bengal deaths to suicides driven by SIR-related stress. On Tuesday, an assistant teacher in Uttar Pradeshs Jaunpur district, serving as a BLO in Khempur gram panchayat, died by suicide. Last week, Mamata wrote to the chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, urging him to stop the SIR exercise in Bengal. She had claimed that 28 lives, including three BLOs, have already been lost in the State due to work pressure and stress caused by the SIR drive. Now, we must protect the valuable guidance that the Constitution provides, especially when democracy is at stake, when secularism is in an endangered situation, when federalism is being bulldozed, at this critical time, Mamata wrote on her X. On this sacred day, we reaffirm our commitment to the core democratic values enshrined in our Constitution. Voting rights are being snatched. Communal and social divisions are being encouraged. All rights are being snatched. We have to fight against this together, she said. Nearly 14 lakh SIR forms identified as 'uncollectable' so far in West Bengal BJP trying to implement CAA through SIR in border areas, alleges West Bengal CM at Bongaon rally
Stating that it has taken a serious view of the incident, the ECI directed the police to take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of officers and staff posted in the office of the CEO, at their residences and while commuting to and fro
KOLKATA: Expressing serious concern over the safety and security of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), other officers and staff, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought an action taken report (ATR) from Manoj Verma, Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, within 48 hours. Surjeet Kumar Mishra, ECI secretary, on Wednesday, has written a letter to Verma, stating, an action taken report may be sent to the commission within 48 hours of receipt of this letter. The national poll body is concerned about the protest programme inside the CEO Manoj Agarwals office at B D Bag for about 30 hours since Monday afternoon. A section of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) under the banner of BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee, backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress in the State, organised a march between Sealdah and the CEO office on Monday, protesting against the excessive work pressure triggered by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls duty. On Monday night, they had gheraoed the CEOs chamber and refused to move. The following morning, the standoff continued. SIR row: ECI to appoint observers to keep watch on section of BLOs in West Bengal after alleged negligence Additional CEO Dibyendu Das spoke to the 10-member representatives and asked them to wait in his chamber, but they declined, saying they would remain outside the CEOs office. The secretary in its letter to Verma has strongly criticised the protest programme, saying, I am directed to state that it has come to the notice of the Election Commission of India that on 24.11.2025, a serious security breach has occurred at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, which has also been widely reported in the Media. The existing security in the office of the CEO appeared to be inadequate to handle the situation, which could lead to a threat to the safety and security of the Chief Electoral Officer, Additional Chief Electoral Officers, Joint Chief Electoral Officers, Deputy Chief Electoral Officers and staff working in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer. Mamata slams ECI after one more BLO dies by suicide in West Bengal; alleges 'unbearable SIR pressure' The commission has taken a serious view of the incident and directs that the Police authorities should take all possible measures to ensure the safety and security of officers and staff posted in the office of the CEO, at their residences and while commuting to and fro. The commission further directs that adequate security classification shall be done on account of the sensitivity involved due to SIR activities and forthcoming elections in the state, and ensure that no untoward incident occurs again, the letter stated. The Opposition parties, BJP and CPI-M, alleged that hardly 50 BLOs were seen in the protest programme at the CEO office, and the rest were from the Trinamool Congress-backed state government employees union. On Tuesday morning, police were deployed in large numbers to cordon off the area, stopping anyone other than staff from entering the building. Barricades were tied together with ropes, and officers checked the IDs of every person entering. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Indira Mukherjee also visited the spot but declined to comment on the matter. Despite the sit-in, several BLOs continued uploading enumeration forms digitally from the dharna spot. ECI may introduce AI-based voter list verification in West Bengal amid intensive revision
Kolkata Surgeons Perform Rare Kidney Transplant On Bhutanese Man With Same Disorder As Donor Father
Both Tilak Gurung and his donor father suffer from Factor VII deficiency, an extremely rare genetic bleeding disorder that makes major surgery life-threatening
Kolkata Chartered Accountant Murdered In Hotel Room By Dating App Partner
The police investigation into the murder of a chartered accountant in a Kolkata hotel has revealed that the young man was allegedly killed after he refused to pay Rs 20,000 demanded by his partner from a dating app.
EC seeks report from Kolkata Police over protest by BLOs at CEOs office
Kolkata: The Election Commission on Wednesday wrote to Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma over the protest by a section of BLOs at the West Bengal CEOs office, calling it a serious security breach, and sought an action taken report within 48 hours. In the letter, EC secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra said the existing security Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Bavuma Brings Up 'Bauna' Row When Asked About Coach's 'Grovel' Comment
Referring to the auna comment made by Jasprit Bumrah to describe the South Africa skipper's height during the first Test in Kolkata, Temba Bavuma said: In this series certain guys have also...
ECI Seeks Urgent Security Upgrade At Bengal CEO Office After Security Breach
The Election Commission of India asked Kolkata Police to upgrade security at the West Bengal CEO office after a major breach and submit an action report.
South Africa clinches first test series win in India since 2000-01
GUWAHATI, India, November 26, 2025 (AP) Hansie Cronje was the South Africa captain in 2000-01 and Sachin Tendulkar led India the last time South Africa won a test series in India. On Wednesday, South Africa clinched its second series win in 25 years in India by beating the hosts by 408 runs. World Test Championship winner South Africa won the opening test at Kolkata by 30 runs. Off-spinner Simon Harmer took a career-best 6-37 and India crashed to be 140 all out in its second innings and lose the two-match series 2-0. In 2000-01, the Cronje-led South Africans also
'Sadly, It's Working In...': Google Meet Outage Triggers Meme Storm Among Office-Goers On X
Google Meet suffered a major outage, with users in Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Madurai, Bengaluru, and Chennai reporting access and server issues.
Kolkata Wins PETA India's Most Vegan-Friendly City Award For 2025. Here's Why
PETA India highlights Kolkata's abundance of naturally vegan Bengali dishes, its growing network of vegan-friendly restaurants, and its rising interest in sustainable, cruelty-free fashion and events.
SA Nears First Test Series Win in India Since 2001
World Test Championship winner South Africa leads the two-match series after taking the opener in Kolkata by 30 runs
Nearly 14 lakh SIR forms identified as 'uncollectable' so far in West Bengal
KOLKATA : Nearly 14 lakh SIR enumeration forms have so far been identified as uncollectable in West Bengal, the Election Commission said. These forms are uncollectable since the voters were either absentee, duplicate, dead or permanently shifted, an official said. As of Tuesday noon, the number stood at 13.92 lakh. We expect this figure to continue rising daily as more updates roll in, he said. The figure was 10.33 lakh on Monday evening, he added. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been actively engaged in distributing the forms and gathering necessary details, the official said. More than 80,600 BLOs, along with around 8,000 supervisors, 3,000 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers and 294 Electoral Registration Officers, have been engaged for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, he said.
Nearly 14 lakh SIR forms identified as uncollectable so far in West Bengal
Kolkata: Nearly 14 lakh SIR enumeration forms have so far been identified as uncollectable in West Bengal, the Election Commission said on Tuesday. These forms are uncollectable since the voters were either absentee, duplicate, dead or permanently shifted, an official said. The figure was 10.33 lakh on Monday. As of Tuesday noon, the number stood Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Tour operators begin 4-day Kashmir visit to boost tourism
Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov 25: Tour operators from different parts of the country today started a four-day familiarisation (FAM) trip to promote Kashmir tourism, which has seen a decline after the recent Pahalgam attack. Click here to watch video Around 25 travel agents from Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolkata arrived in Srinagar and will visit Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and Sonmarg during the tour. The aim is to rebuild confidence among travellers and show that Kashmir is safe for tourism. We have [] The post Tour operators begin 4-day Kashmir visit to boost tourism appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Normalcy returns to Indian skies, Air India cancels six flights to carry out precautionary checks
NEW DELHI: The chaos in Indian skies on Monday night, triggered by the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia and the eastward drift of ash, subsided on Tuesday after the ash cloud moved towards China. While Air India cancelled seven of its domestic flights as a precautionary move, other airlines have reported normal operations. An Air India statement said the following six domestic flights stood cancelled on Tuesday (November 25) - AI 2822 ChennaiMumbai; AI 2466 HyderabadDelhi; AI 2444 MumbaiHyderabad and AI 2445 Hyderabad to Mumbai; AI 2471 MumbaiKolkata and AI 2472 Kolkata to Mumbai The following Air India flights have been cancelled as we carry out precautionary checks on those aircraft which had flown over certain geographical locations after the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption, it said. The airline had cancelled seven international flights on Monday AI 106 NewarkDelhi; AI 102 New York (JFK)Delhi; AI 2204 DubaiHyderabad; AI 2290 DohaMumbai; AI 2212 DubaiChennai ; AI 2250 DammamMumbai and AI 2284 DohaDelhi. Akasa Air had already announced cancellation of all its flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. It had done the same on Monday too. Indigo had diverted its flight from Kannur to Ahmedabad on Monday. Massive ash cloud drifts toward northern India as Ethiopias Hayli Gubbi erupts after 10,000 years Spokespersons from Indigo, Spicejet and Air India Express said that they had not cancelled any of their flights on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in a statement said there was no cause for concern presently. Following the 23 Nov volcanic eruption in Ethiopia and the eastward movement of the ash cloud, MoCA along with ATC, IMD, airlines and international aviation agenciesis ensuring seamless coordination. AAI has issued the necessary NOTAM and all affected flights have been kept informed. Operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution, it added. There is no cause for concern at this moment. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide timely updates to ensure passenger safety, the Ministry added. Air India passengers upset Passengers whose flights were cancelled took to social media to lash out at Air India for not keeping them informed for hours even after the flight was cancelled. Flyer Teekam Singh Gehlot said he had booked a ticket on his Air India flight from Mumbai to Kolkata on Tuesday. No information about cancellation of flight and boarding pass was issued, he said. Only after security checks, he learnt about the cancellation, he said billing it a horrible experience. Passenger Aswari E said, I had my booking from Dammam to Mumbai. Very pathetic service by ground staff , no clear communication. After 6 hours they brought all the passengers from immigration area and left them stranded in the departure area. Until now no one contacted me for the rescheduled flight, she said. Referring to the same flight, Ruchit Mehta added, Very pathetic treatment at Dammam Airport. No food or refreshment provided to passengers till 3 AM in the morning. No accommodation or travel allowance given to some passengers. The Air India statement added, Our ground teams across the network are keeping passengers updated on their flight status and are providing immediate assistance, including hotel accommodation. We are making every effort to arrange alternative travel at the earliest. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen situation beyond our control. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. Ethiopia volcano eruption disrupts flights in India; ash cloud to clear by evening
22K & 24K gold price today, November 25, 2025 across Indian cities
Easy availability of chemicals, electric components increase IED threat: NSG after Delhi blast
NEW DELHI: The National Security Guard (NSG) alerted authorities about the recent spike in the use of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) by 'terror groups' due to easy availability of individual components and chemicals. The NSP submitted a report in this regard to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), requesting for implementation of stricter checks on such materials. Security officials said that the NSG made an assessment following the Red Fort blast and identified the easy availability of bomb-making materials as one of the primary factors leading to the recent increase in IED explosions reported from across the country. In the report, the NSG said, The rise in IED blasts in J&K is largely driven by continued cross-border infiltration, facilitated by both drones and armed militants. Notably, the 60 percent increase in high-impact, high-casualty blast incidents in 2024 compared to 2023 - despite a major reduction in casualties - indicates a strategic shift in sustaining tactics. It went on to add that the increase in the number of IED explosions in the rest of India is a concerning trend, driven by increased knowledge and increased accessibility to bomb-making materials, leading to the proliferation of disruption-focused terror activities. The NSG, along with forensic experts, collects samples of all the blasts in India and compiles data in a comprehensive and authentic manner. In the report, the NSG noted that not only do major cities continue to remain under high alert, smaller towns and districts, which are conventionally considered at lower-risk, have also experienced a concerning rise in attempts and successful detonations involving crude IEDs. The officials said commonly available chemicals and electrical components can be used to make build IEDs, enabling even untrained individuals to assemble low-grade but highly sophisticated explosive devices. The officials also noted the role of online dissemination of harmful content, saying that while many devices recovered were rudimentary, the intent behind their assembly poses a growing security concern and without tighter controls, the country may continue to see sporadic IED incidents in areas previously considered secure. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced that a new NSG hub would be established in Ayodhya, expanding the elite forces reach to six major hubs across the country including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Jammu. He emphasised that NSG commandos would remain deployed round the clock, ensuring rapid response to any terror threat.
BJP trying to implement CAA through SIR in border areas, alleges West Bengal CM at Bongaon rally
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday assured citizens that the Trinamool Congress will not allow the BJP Commission to take away their right to vote, during a rally at Bonagon, a bellwether constituency along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Mamata alleged that the BJP is strategically using the SIR drive to create panic among the masses. But dont get trapped by BJP. Dont be panicked at all. We wont let you leave. No one can get you out with panic when we the Trinamool Congress are with you, she said. Mamata also criticised the ECI, claiming that voters in Matua-majority areas in the state would be immediately delisted if they declared themselves foreigners under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The CM was addressing a TMC rally at Bongaon in North 24 Parganas, one of the strong citadels of the Matua community in the state. However, due to infighting within the All India Matua Mahasangha, Mamata did not visit Thakurbari in Thakurnagar, the spiritual centre of the Matuas that traditionally decides electoral fate political parties in more than 30 assembly constituencies in North 24 Parganas, Nadia and Jalpaiguri districts. The rally virtually kickstarted campaigning for the Assembly elections slated for April-May of 2026 and intensified the ongoing anti-SIR agitations. BJP has been offering certificates to you taking Rs 100 from so that you can include your names to the voters list. Their strategy is to show you Bangladeshis by offering the eligibility certificates in 2025 but the mapping was done in 2002 electoral rolls revision exercise, she stated. Mamata slammed the BJP for using deceptive tactics and luring voters into applying for CAA cards. BJP, under the leadership of Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Thakur, had been distributing CAA cards from its makeshift camps to the Matuas at Tahakurnagar so that they could enroll their names in the electoral rolls. 'How many more need to die for SIR?': Mamata attacks EC after another BLO dies by suicide in Bengal BJP is cheating people and trying to implement the CAA through backdoor of SIR. Its playing cards of religion. Why were you sitting idle for so many years? Its not possible to complete the SIR process within three months. It requires three years, she said. The CM questioned the intent of SIR, noting that only a few states like Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, have been exempted from the exercise. She further stated that the time given for electoral roll revisions is not adequate. Mamata vowed to 'shake' the BJPs foundation across the country if she was challenged in West Bengal. She alleged that the ECI was o longer an impartial body, but has turned into a BJP Commission. The Matua community, a marginalised Hindu group, had been facing severe difficulties linking their records to the 2002 voters list during the SIR process. Members of the community had even staged a 13-day hunger strike against the SIR, under the leadership of TMC MP Mamatabala Thakur. The protesting group had expected direct interaction with Mamata. However, due to infighting within the All India Matua Mahasangha, plans were changed last minute. The pro-Trinamool faction of the Mahasangha has accused a section of the party of conspiring with BJP MP Santanu Thakur to dissuade the chief minister from visiting the shrine. Mamata participated in the march from Chandpara along Jessore Road in the area. Shamik Bhattacharya, Bengal BJP president said, The chief minister is trying to save Bangdeshi Muslims and Rohingyas by addressing in rallies and marches. Every Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingyas will have to leave India following the electoral rolls revisions.
Explained: ISI Bill 2025 and what it means for Kolkatas control over its own institution
The draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025 proposes a major structural shift for ISI by replacing its society-based governance with a centrally defined statutory framework. For ISI Kolkata, this means a reorganisation of authority, decision-making and institutional hierarchy as the new Board of Governance becomes the primary decision-maker across academics, administration, finances and the future shape of ISIs centres.
Leader of Opposition in Bengal Suvendu Adhikari urges CEC to remove 'biased' cops from poll duty
KOLKATA: The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday urged the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to remove biased police officers from poll duty during the forthcoming assembly elections likely to be held in May next year in the state. Suvendu, who became an MLA on a BJP ticket after defeating the Chief Minister as well as Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram assembly seat in East Midnapore district in 2021, has written a letter to the CEC bringing serious charges against four police officers, raising questions on their 'biased' role. According to his complaint, in a convention of a police association held at Digha in the district recently, several participants expressed a desire to see Mamata again as the chief minister for the fourth term in Bengal. Violating service rules, these police officers have become biased showing their allegiance to Mamata, said Suvendu. These officers should not be deputed on poll duty when the model code of conduct (MCC) comes into force before the assembly polls in the state, the LoP told reporters. I have sent a letter to the CEC seeking removal of the biased police personnel from poll duty, Suvendu said. Asserting that the men in uniform cannot make such political statements, the BJP leader alleged that the police under Mamata Banerjee have ruined the last vestiges of democracy in the state. He claimed that the majority of police personnel are seeking the ouster of the Trinamool Congress government. SIR row: ECI to appoint observers to keep watch on section of BLOs in West Bengal after alleged negligence Regarding the issue of enlistment of data entry operators for election-related work, he alleged that the state government-owned Webel Technology Limited has been entrusted to appoint personnel who will be taken from the TMC's political consultancy firm I-PAC. The data entry operators should ideally be permanent employees of the West Bengal government, he said. The West Bengal CEO recently directed district election officers not to engage contractual data-entry operators and Bangla Sahayata Kendra staff for SIR or other poll-related work. Opposing the move, the chief minister wrote a letter to the CEC on Monday stating, When district offices already have a substantial number of competent professionals performing such functions, what necessitates the CEOs office to outsource the same work through an external agency for a full year? Traditionally, field offices have always hired their own contractual data entry personnel as per requirement. If there is an urgent need, DEOs are fully empowered to undertake such hiring themselves. Is this exercise being undertaken at the behest of a political party to serve vested interests? she questioned.
A Boeing 737, forgotten by Air India for over 13 years at Kolkata airport, has begun a 1,900 km journey to Bengaluru. The aircraft, VT-EHH, will serve as a training platform for maintenance engineers. Its removal is part of a larger airport clearance effort, making way for new infrastructure. This marks the 14th defunct plane removed in five years.
Move over Bengaluru, this city is now India's slowest, world's No. 2 in traffic delays
Kolkata emerges as India's slowest city for travel times, ranking second globally in the 2024 TomTom Traffic Index.
Manual scavenging deaths a blot on nation: Calcutta HC pulls up authorities
The Calcutta High Court has held the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and other state authorities responsible for serious lapses and negligence that led to the deaths of four labourers during a sewer-desilting operation in South Kolkata in February 2021. Expressing strong concern, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee Das observed, It is disheartening to see cases of death and severe injury due to manual scavenging still plying in courts today its persistence is a blot on the nation's conscience. The court was hearing a PIL filed by the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), which sought an independent probe and adequate compensation for the victims families. According to a report by Live Law , the case relates to the deaths of four labourers engaged in manual sewer cleaning in the Khudghat area as part of the Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Programme (KEIIP), a KMC-run project. The workers were allegedly sent into an underground sewer chamber without any safety measures, where they inhaled toxic fumes and drowned in sludge. Despite media coverage and information sought through RTI applications, no arrests were made in the aftermath of the incident, prompting APDR to approach the High Court. The bench, relying on the Supreme Courts 2023 ruling in Dr. Balaram Singh v. Union of India, emphasized that compensation for sewer-related deaths must be Rs 30 lakhsignificantly higher than the Rs 10 lakh paid by KMC, Live Law added.
Kolkata Metro Services Briefly Hit After Passenger's Suicide Attempt, Third Time In Six Days
Kolkata Metro's Blue Line faced three suicide attempts in a week at Dumdum, MG Road, and Netaji stations, causing temporary service disruptions and rescue operations.
Small tea growers writes to Prime Minister, seek national policy for growth
KOLKATA, Nov 25: The Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations (CISTA) on Tuesday has sent a missive to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a national policy to support their growth. In the letter, CISTA President Bijoy Gopal Chakraborty said that the small tea growers (STGs) contribute to more than 50 per cent of the total tea production volumes in the country annually. However, the STGs are facing acute distress in terms of volatile green tea leaf prices, limited access [] The post Small tea growers writes to Prime Minister, seek national policy for growth appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
The casedates back to2021, where four workers had andthreeothers were injuredduringsewercleaning in south KolkatasKudghatarea
Tension flares as BJP workers reach BLO workers protest site outside Bengal CEO's office
KOLKATA: High drama unfolded as a group of BJP workers came face to face with protesting members of a booth-level officers' forum in front of the West Bengal CEO's office here around midnight, while a police force stood as a barrier between the two groups, a senior officer said on Tuesday. Several members of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee were on a sit-in outside the CEO's office since the afternoon hours on Monday, alleging excessive work pressure and unmanageable workload during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Matters came to a head when around 50 BJP activists led by KMC Councillor Sajal Ghosh arrived at the spot at 11 pm, shouting slogans against TMC's alleged bid to stall the SIR exercise by intimidating the Election Commission officials who were confined in the CEO's office. The situation turned volatile when the protesting BLOs raised counter-slogans, accusing the BJP of working in collusion with the Election Commission to delete names of genuine voters in West Bengal. They also alleged that the BJP activists were rying to terrorise and provoke the peacefully demonstrating BLOs who only wanted an audience with the CEO. The protesters are not BLOs. They are leaders of TMC-backed organisations, Ghosh claimed. The BLO forum members dismissed the allegation. As the two groups traded barbs in front of mediapersons, a strong police force led by DC Central Indira Mukherjee stood between the warring sides to soothe frayed tempers. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal - who was confined due to the sit-in by the BLOs - left his office around 11.40 pm. He refused to comment on the late-night development, but tension subsided as he and other EC officials were escorted by the police to their residences. Ghosh and his party men announced that they would leave the place as the CEO and others boarded vehicles in the presence of the police. As asked by our top leadership, we are now leaving the area. Our immediate objective was to see that the CEO and other officials are not harassed by the Trinamool Congress. Since they have managed to leave, we don't wish to stay back here any more. The TMC got a befitting reply to its sinister campaign to harass the CEO, Ghosh said. Earlier, members of the booth-level officers' platform engaged in altercations with the police while attempting to enter the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office here during a demonstration. The BLO protesters went on a march from College Square to the CEO's office in central Kolkata on Monday afternoon. At least three BLOs in West Bengal have died by suicide over alleged inhuman work pressure during the door-to-door enumeration form distribution and collection process.
Modi to kickstart Mission Bengal with public rally
NEW DELHI/KOLKATA : The BJP has shifted its attention from what its leaders are calling Fateh Bihar to an ambitious Mission Bengal, but insiders admit that West Bengal will be far more challenging than Bihar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may kick off the poll campaign in the second week of December, followed by a strategy tour of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Modi may address a rally in Hooghlys Arambag on December 13 or 14, followed by Bhagwats six-day tour beginning December 18. Hindu organisations will also hold a Panch Lokkho Konthe Gita Path at the Brigade Parade Ground on December 7 to consolidate Hindu voters. Party functionaries said the demographic mix in several Bengal districts, even after the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, remains formidable and favourable for the ruling Trinamool Congress. The BJP has drawn up a fresh strategy for the 2026 Assembly polls. Bengal might not go the way Bihar did because caste dynamics dont play the same role here, a senior functionary said. He added that the BJPs focus would be on consolidating Hindu voters who are less outspoken even after being subjected to exploitation by rowdy elements of a particular community enjoying government patronage. The state has been divided into 56 organisational zones, each monitored by senior leaders from outside Bengal. The party is spotlighting alleged law-and-order failures and Jungle-Raj under TMC, echoing its Bihar campaign. With women and youth, we will take the same approach that helped us in Bihar, a BJP leader said, citing the Prime Ministers recent assertion that Bengal bhi mukt hoga Jungle-raj se jald. As the SIR continues, the party expects large deletions of dead and bogus voters, which it claims will reduce the TMCs advantage. The BJP has set up more than 71,000 booth committees and brought in leaders such as Bhupender Yadav, Biplab Deb, Amit Malviya and Sunil Bansal to strengthen ground operations.
Kochi firm first private entity in India to design Navy warship
KOCHI: When the Indian Navy commissioned INS Mahe on Monday, it was not just the launch of a new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, it was a landmark for Indias private ship design ecosystem. The Mahe-class lead ship, built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), is the first Indian naval vessel designed by a private firm. And it has a Kochi tag. Smart Engineering & Design Solutions (India) Pvt Ltd (SEDS), a naval architecture company operating out of Kakkanad, has etched its name as a pioneer in the sector. INS Mahe, the first of eight shallow-water ASW corvettes, represents both a technological leap and a shift in how India is opening its defence architecture to private players. Frontline ships like aircraft carriers will continue to be designed by the Warship Design Bureau. But the government has been encouraging private sector participation to strengthen the shipbuilding ecosystem. INS Mahe is the first major result of that effort, said Hariraj Puliyankodan, COO of SEDS which employs 153 people. Designing the corvette required navigating tight spatial, weight and machinery constraints. These ships have to carry advanced sensors, weapons and equipment in a very compact frame. The design kept evolving with each requirement from the Navy, he said. Mahe now leads her seven sister ships, all under construction or trials at CSL. SEDS role in naval projects does not end with the Mahe-class. The company also provided the design for the Indian Navys massive `20,000-crore fleet support ship programme, currently being built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. This project had originally been contracted to Turkey. But when ties with Turkey soured, the deal was cancelled. The project was restarted entirely in India, and we designed the vessels from scratch, said Antony Prince, CEO of SEDS. SEDS designed Coast Guards Aadesh-class fast patrol vessels These enormous ships, built with double bottoms and double hulls in the cargo areas, are meant to replenish combat vessels with fuel, ammunition, spare parts, provisions and personnel during long deployments. The first ship in the class will be commissioned soon, Antony said. Antony brings over 50 years of maritime experience, spanning ship operations, management, construction and design. He also heads GTR Campbell Marine Consultants Ltd in the Bahamas. Around 2007, CSL was struggling for orders. The company brought in international projects, but realised India didnt have private ship design firms. So I started SEDS, he said. The success of the Trader series at CSL validated the move, and the firm soon began recruiting naval architects from Cusat to build in-house expertise, he said. Today, SEDS 153-member team works across defence and commercial ship design. It has brought in orders from Denmark and Germany to major Indian yards such as Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata. Closer home, SEDS designed the Coast Guards Aadesh-class fast patrol vessels 20 of which were constructed by CSL. The commissioning of INS Mahe underscores the Navys push for potent platforms capable of operating in Indias vast coastal and shallow-water regions. The corvette integrates weapons, sensors and communication systems into a powerful combat suite designed to detect and neutralise submarines. Engineered for sustained operations, the Mahe-class will serve as the Navys frontline coastal defence layer.
Kolkata Man Has Sex With Coworker On Pretext Of Marriage, Flees To Mumbai To Avoid Tying Knot; Held
The man allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a female colleague under the false promise of marriage.
'Not an easy task': Bengal CEO lauds BLOs amid SIR; seeks reports on alleged work-pressure deaths
Booth Level Officers in Kolkata protested against work-related stress during the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The Chief Election Officer stated that District Magistrates have been asked to assist BLOs and investigate the deaths of four BLOs during the exercise. The protest highlights concerns over immense work pressure and its impact on BLOs' health.
ED hands over four attached flats of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi for asset recovery
NEW DELHI: In a move against fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi in Rs 6000 crore PNB scam, the Enforcement directorate (ED) has handed over four flats of Gitanjali Gems Ltd to the liquidator, the agency said on Monday. The agency has facilitated the handing over of four flats in Project Tatva, Urja A Wing, Datthapada Road, Borivali (East), Mumbai, properties attached in the case of Mehul Choksi and others in PNB fraud case to the liquidator on November 21. It will enable the liquidator to proceed with monetisation for the benefit of victims, secured creditors and other legitimate claimants. Till now, immovable/movable properties located at Mumbai, Kolkata and Surat collectively having worth of Rs 310 crore have been handed over to the Liquidator of Gitanjali Gems Ltd, the agency said. Investigation in the case of Mehul Choksi revealed that Choksi connived with his associates and Bank officials of Punjab National Bank (PNB) during the period from 2014 to 2017 and fraudulently got issued Letters of Undertaking and Foreign Letters of Credit from PNB resulting in wrongful loss of Rs 6097.63 crore to PNB. He had also taken loan from ICICI Bank and had defaulted on that loan too. During the investigation, ED conducted searches at more than 136 locations all over India and seized valuables and jewelleries worth Rs 597.75 crore pertaining to Gitanjali Group of Mehul Choksi. Further, immovable/movable assets worth Rs 1968.15 Crore of Mehul Choksi/Gitanjali Group were attached which included immovable properties in India and overseas, vehicles, bank accounts, factory, shares of listed companies, jewellery, among others. In aggregate, assets worth Rs 2565.90 crore were attached or seized in this case and three Prosecution Complaints have been filed, the agency said in the matter. To expedite the process of restitution of properties to the victim banks, ED along with the banks took proactive steps towards monetisation of assets.
KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday protesting the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwals proposal to set up polling booths inside private housing complexes. The CEO has sent proposals to the state government and directed all district magistrates, who are district electoral officers (DEOs) across the state on the matter. Agarwal has asked the DEOs not to engage the contractual Data Entry Operators and Bangla Sahayata Kendra staff for SIR-related or other election-related data work. When district offices already have a substantial number of competent professionals performing such functions, what necessities the CEOs office initiative to outsource the same work through an external agency for full year? Traditionally, field offices have always hired their own contractual data entry personnel as per requirement. If there is an urgent need, DEOs are fully empowered to undertake such hiring themselves, Mamata raised questions through the letter. Is this the exercise being undertaken at the behest of a political party to serve vested interests? she questioned indicating the CEO and opposition BJP. The Chief Minister, protesting the CEOs move to set up polling booths inside private housing complexes stated, The proposal is deeply problematic. Polling stations have always been-and must remain-located in government or semi-government institutions, preferably within a 2 km radius, to ensure accessibility and neutrality. Private buildings are typically avoided for clear reasons: They compromise fairness, violate established rooms and create discriminatory distinctions between privileged residents and the general public-the haves and have-nots. Why is such a move being contemplated at all? Again, is this being done under pressure from a political party to advance their partisan interests? she wrote in the letter. Why? Why? Why? she questioned the CEC. Its learnt that the ECI has already written to several housing societies in north Kolkata to set up booths on their premises. These booths will be exclusively for residents of societies with over 300 voters. After the incident of the BLOs deaths by suicide in Bardhaman and Jalpaiguri districts last week, Mamata came down heavily on the ECI alleging that precious lives are lost due work pressure and stress generated by the SIR process in the state. She urged the commission to immediately halt this unplanned drive before more lives are lost. BJP leaders alleged that the Chief Minister is fearing her partys fate in the coming assembly polls next year in the state and thats why she is involving saffron camp in connection with CEOs proposals.
BLOs protest outside Bengal CEOs office over excessive work pressure under SIR
Members of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee took out the procession from College Square in north Kolkata, carrying locks and fetters to symbolically close the main entrance of the building in which the office of the Chief Electoral Officer
KOLKATA: Rattled by complaints of alleged negligence in supervising the filling up of enumeration forms during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in the state has decided to engage electoral roll observers (ERO) to prevent manipulations in the exercise. Sources said senior government officers will be appointed as EROs to keep watch on a section of booth level officers (BLOs) who are the backbone of the ongoing SIR process in the state. The CEO office took the unheard-of move after issuing show-cause notices to seven BLOs in Kolkatas Beliaghata constituency over alleged lapses in the digitisation of SIR enumeration forms. According to the sources, the complaint pertains to incomplete or incorrect digitisation of voter data collected during the ongoing revision exercise. The BLOs have been asked to explain why the assigned work was not carried out properly. Disciplinary action may follow if their responses are found inadequate. The Election Commission is currently conducting the second phase of the SIR exercise across 12 states and Union Territories including West Bengal, which goes to the polls early next year. The revision process began on 4 November and will continue until 4 December. The draft electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on 9 December, while the final rolls will be released on 7 February. Earlier this month, the opposition BJP had written a letter to the CEO, alleging appointment of BLOs affiliated to the ruling Trinamool Congress in Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district. Lock BLOs inside your house, don't let them delete names from voter list: Jharkhand minister on SIR The party alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress' activists or their spouses have been appointed as BLOs to give the party electoral benefits in the 2026 assembly polls in the state. Despite drawing attention of respective district magistrates as well district electoral officers (DEOs) the improper appointment of BLOs continues. In most cases the incumbent BLO is directly a TMC activist/worker or linked through his/her spouse, stated a complaint lodged by the BJP with the Election Commission of India (ECI). With the enumeration phase of the SIR just days away, complaints regarding the wrong appointment of BLOs continue, which will vitiate the process. Since West Bengal will be poll-bound in a few months, there will not be any chance to correct the wrong done by the BLOs who clearly have a party affiliation, the BJP claimed. On the other hand, BLOs belonging to a newly-floated platform BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee backed by the Trinamool Congress staged a march on Monday afternoon in the city protesting what it describes as excessive workload and systemic lapses in the exercise. The march, which started from Sealdah area around 12.30 pm, reached the CEO office at BBD Bag around 2 pm and staged a protest demanding extension of the deadline for digitisation of enumeration forms. The agitating BLOs alleged that the national poll body is working as a BJP agent. Two BLOs have died by suicide triggered by SIR-related work pressure and another succumbed to a cerebral attack since 9 November in the state. Hours after BLO Rinku Tarafdar, a 53-year-old para teacher of a local school in Krishnagar in Nadia district, died by suicide on Thursday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the Election Commission of India (ECI), asking how many more BLOs must die under the SIR drive. Struggling to counter Opposition attack, BJP launches SIR training for cadre
BLOs hold protest outside Bengal CEOs office over excessive work pressure under SIR
Kolkata: Booth-level officers, engaged in the ongoing SIR process in West Bengal, scuffled with police personnel on Monday while trying to enter the CEOs office here during a demonstration to protest against alleged excessive work pressure, a senior officer said. Members of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee took out the procession from College Square in Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
KOLKATA: On a day the West Bengal School Service Commission is scheduled to publish the SLST results for recruitment of teachers to classes 9-10, two groups of job aspirants held separate protest marches here on Monday over illegal mark allotment and recruitment delays, reflecting persisting unrest in the state's school education sector. Thousands of fresh SSC aspirants to classes 11 and 12 took out a march from the Sealdah Station in north Kolkata, breached multiple police barricades and clashed with personnel in uniform to reach the Esplanade area of central Kolkata, their destination. The unrest broke out after police denied permission to protesters to march along their planned route to the Y-channel in Esplanade and tried to divert them to the Ramleela Maidan on CIT Road instead, which the protesters refused to accept. Till reports last received, the agitating aspirants were holding a sit-in at the Esplanade crossing, throwing traffic along the arterial intersection out of gear. The new aspirants demanded scrapping of the 'experience'-based 10 marks granted to previously appointed teachers whose panel was cancelled by the court in the jobs scam case, public display of all OMR sheets, and creation of one lakh additional teaching posts. We will continue our agitation against the unlawful 10 marks. We worked day and night doing tuition to pay for the exam application fee, and now we are not eligible despite securing full marks, a protester said. The provision of 10 extra marks for experience to former teachers whose appointments were annulled has emerged as a major point of contention among new candidates and has been challenged before both the Supreme Court as well as the Calcutta High Court. In a separate mobilisation, hundreds of candidates from the 2016 Upper Primary batch marched from the Karunamoyee crossing in Salt Lake to Bikash Bhaban, the state education department headquarters, demanding completion of the long-pending appointment process. Though results were declared nearly a decade ago and a court had directed recruitment of 14,052 candidates, appointments of 1,241 qualified aspirants remain stalled despite completing all formalities, including interviews, the protesters alleged, while holding a sit-in near Central Park in Salt Lake. The protesters claimed that counselling he final step before appointment had not been conducted despite a Supreme Court upheld directive that set November 20 as the deadline. It is contempt of the Supreme Court order. Despite the deadline, we are being pushed back and forth between authorities. The chairman asks us to go to Bikash Bhavan for vacancy matching, and officials there direct us back to the chairman, a protester said.
BLO platform holds protest rally in Kolkata in demand of immediate stoppage of SIR in West Bengal
The platform claimed that the poll panel had not taken necessary steps to ease their workload and burdened them with digitization without training despite repeated requests, during the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls. The SIR started in Bengal on November 4.
PM Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to visit West Bengal ahead of 2026 Assembly polls
KOLKATA: Ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls, Prime Minister PM Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are likely to attend separate programmes to kick off election campaigns for BJP in the state. The Bengal BJP unit has already approached the state administration seeking clearance for a rally in Arambag of Hooghly district on 13 or 14 December. The Bengal leadership of the saffron camp held a meeting in Kolkata last week where the PMs visit to the state to attend the proposed election rally in Arambag was discussed. Besides the PM, heavyweights like Amit Shah, JP Nadda and others may also be called to address several rallies of the party in the state during December and January, according to the insiders of the party. Requesting anonymity, insiders said, The date of the Arambag programme will be finalised soon after the PMO clears their proposal. The union home minister Amit Shah is also expected to attend a programme in Kolkata in end-December. It will be a mega beginning for our party workers ahead of polls if leaders like Modiji and Amitji attend first two or three rallies separately in a row. In order to consolidate Hindu votes in poll-bound Bengal with 70 percent Hindu vote banks, RSS has outlined its plans at the backdrop against its ongoing centenary celebration programmes across the country. The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat likely to visit the state for around six days from 18 December, hardly four days after Modi attends the Arambag rally. Bhagwat may attend programmes in Siliguri in northern part of the state, on 18 and 19 December. He is also expected to interact with intelligentsia in Kolkata at Science City auditorium on either 20 or 21 December. He has already attended such programmes meeting the intellectual community in Delhi and Mumbai. Besides Bhagwats visit, three Hindu organisations will also organise Panch Lokkho konthe Geeta Path event at the historic Brigade Parade Ground on December 7 where five lakh people will chant verses from the Bhagavada Gita. The same programme organised by the Hindu organisations was also held at the same venue in 2023. Sources said that the RSS would be there behind programme though it is organised by the Hindu bodies in papers. Observers felt that the main agenda of these events starting from RSS chiefs Bengal visits and Panch Lokkho konthe Geeta Path is to woo Hindu voters in favour of the BJP in the forthcoming elections in the state. The BJP had around 39 percent vote share in previous elections, while the ruling Trinamool Congress had retained around 46 percent. BJP plans to increases its vote percentage by a maximum of 6-7% , relying heavily on the Hindu vote bank amidst the ongoing Special intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The BJP leadership claims that there will be a huge deletion of around one crore dead and bogus voters in the list leading a electoral loss for the ruling party in the state.
Chartered Accountant Found Dead In Kolkata Hotel Room, 2 Arrested
Two people have been arrested after a man was found dead inside his room at a hotel in West Bengal's Kasba area in South 24 Parganas district.
BLOs to hold march in Kolkata on Monday to protest against work pressure under SIR exercise
Since the launch of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state, the BLOs across districts have been working under unprecedented and inhuman pressure, the committee alleged
