Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Mar 23; PTI/GANASHAKTI: President Ram Nath Kovind Saturday  administered the oath of office to Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the country's first Lokpal.

The oath was administered at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, a communique issued by the President's office said.

Justice Ghose, a former Supreme Court judge, was Tuesday named the country's first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman.

Imphal, Mar 24 (PTI) Congress' Manipur unit has accused the BJP of putting up an insurgent-backed candidate for a Lok Sabha seat here and compromising national integrity in a bid to win the upcoming elections at any cost, a charge rejected by the latter as an attempt to malign the party.

BJP's candidate H Shukhopao Mate for the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency, which goes to polls on April 11, has been accused of being backed by insurgent groups in the state -- Zomi Re-unification Organisation (ZRO) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO).

Lucknow, Mar 24 ( PTI) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav will contest from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, the party announced Sunday.

An SP release also said the party will field senior leader Mohd Azam Khan from Rampur.

Tiruchirappalli, Mar 23 (PTI) After taking their protests to the National capital to highlight their demands, Tamil Nadu farmers are gearing up for an electoral battle and will file 111 nominations from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting.

Tamil Nadu farmers leader P Ayyakannu said Saturday that 111 farmers from the State will contest against Modi from Varanasi.

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Vice Admiral Karambir Singh was appointed as the next chief of naval staff, succeeding Admiral Sunil Lanba who retires on May 30, the defence Ministry said Saturday.

Vice Admiral Singh, who is at present serving as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, will be the first helicopter pilot to become Chief of Naval Staff. He will take charge as Navy Chief on May 31, the defence ministry said.

Gorakhpur (UP), Mar 23 (PTI) An official was booked under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCAA) on Saturday after two cows allegedly died due to hunger in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district.

On Thursday, residents found carcasses of the animals from a shelter house in Bansgaon Nagar Panchayat after foul smell started emanating from the unit. The nagar panchayat is responsible for the upkeep of stray animals at the shelter house, officials said.

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) The BJP on Saturday appointed Union minister Uma Bharti, who has decided not to contest the Lok Sabha polls, its national vice-president.

Bharti, who represents Jhansi in the Lok Sabha, was brought in as a senior office bearer after she conveyed to the BJP leadership her wish to not contest the coming general elections.

The Hindutva leader has said she wants to go on a 18-month-long pilgrimage from May.

Cuttack, Mar 23 (PTI) The Odisha police Saturday apologised for arresting a wrong person in connection with a non-bailable warrant and forwarding him to court from where he was remanded to jail custody.

The police of Lalbag police station here had arrested a person called Chandan Maharana of Chandni Chowk here on the night of March 11 while executing a six-year-old pending NBW.

He was thereafter forwarded to a local court, which in turn remanded him to jail custody the next day.

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Some civil society groups launched a campaign in several states on Saturday to ensure issues such as unemployment, agrarian crisis and sluggish economy are discussed in the run-up to the parliamentary election.

The campaign, titled 'Desh Mera, Vote Mera, Mudda Mera' (my country, my vote and my issues), was launched on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh.

Gurgaon, 23 Mar 2019; Two days after a group of Hindutva activists terrorised a Muslim family, vandalised their house, beaten the family members and their guests, and stole jewellery and cash, community members assembled outside the house of Shamshad, the victim.

Tension has prevailed in the area since the horrific attack even as police arrested six accused.