POLITICS

The major controversy was in Asansol, where on Tuesday afternoon, local police restricted movement of media persons within the constituency and kept them stranded at a crossing at Barabani for around 40 minutes. However, soon after the intervention by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, police lifted the restrictions.

The issue came to the fore after a Belagavi-based contractor, Santosh Patil, who was said to be a BJP worker, accused Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister K S Eshwarappa of corruption, and allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday. After the allegation surfaced in March the Congress has been demanding the sacking of Eshwarappa over the bribery allegation by the contractor who had written a letter to the Prime Minister.

Dhankhar also hinted that such "judgemental stance" can influence the investigation process in the case. "Criminal Investigation in shameful rape #Hanskhali leading to victim death is tainted & compromised when people in authority & constitutional position indicate judgmental stand. This against the law approach scuttles fair & independent probe as police is forced to toe such line," Dhankhar tweeted.

The Samajwadi Party suffered a humiliating defeat and could not win even a single seat. Three seats were won by independent candidates. The Jansatta Dal, floated by Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. Raja Bhaiyya, retained the Pratapgarh seat where Akshay Pratap Singh Gopalji was the candidate.

The Special Sessions Court for Trial of Criminal Cases relating to MPs and MLAs, which was expected to deliver its verdict on Tuesday, postponed the hearing. Akbaruddin Owaisi, who is leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Telangana Legislative Assembly, had also reached Nampally court complex. He is the younger brother of AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

Modi virtually inaugurated the hostel and education complex of Shri Annapurnadham Trust at Adalaj, Gujarat. He also performed the Bhumipujan of Hiramani ArogyaDham of Jansahayak Trust during the event. Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendrabhai Patel was among those present on the occasion.

On receiving the complaints on this count from the mediapersons, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal intervened and the state police withdrew the restrictions on media movement but after keeping a group of mediapersons stranded at Barabani under Asansol Lok Sabha for around 40 minutes.

Already, the state government has declared on the floor of the House that there is no provision for non-Hindus to carry out their business on temple premises and religious fairs. The government plans to implement the rule through the Muzrai department which manages more than 30,000 temples in the state. The department has given clear instructions on not allowing Muslim vendors from participating in the auction of shops on the premises of temples, said Muzarai department sources.

Mehbooba Mufti alleged that she intended to visit the family of the Kashmiri Pandit in Shopian district who was attacked by militants in his native village on April 6. Reacting to the decision to place her under house arrest, Mehbooba Mufti said on her Twitter page, "Placed under house arrest today because I wanted to visit the family of the Kashmiri pandit attacked in Shopian. GOI wilfully spreads fake propaganda about Kashmiri mainstream & muslims responsible for pandit exodus & doesn't want this fake divisive narrative to be exposed."

According to the Election Commission, 11.20 per cent voting was registered in first two hours of polling at 9 a.m. Polling began at 7 a.m. in 350 polling booths across the constituency. Despite high temperature, women were stepping out of their houses to exercise their franchise since morning. Several voters claimed that they are casting votes for a change of government in the state.