India

NEW DELHI, April 30 (Xinhua) -- India's defense ministry has given a contract to build eight anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts for Indian navy to state-owned Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), officials said Monday.

"The contract worth INR 6,311.32 crore (903 million U. S. dollars) was signed today by joint secretary and acquisition manager (Maritime Systems) Ravi Kant on behalf of Ministry of Defence and S S Dogra, Director (Finance), on behalf of GRSE, in New Delhi," a statement issued by defense ministry said.

Kanpur: Scorching sun halted enthusiasm of the voters on Monday. In the morning the voters including the women came out of their houses. Some who reached at the booth no 221 in Cantt area were denied voting for they carried mobile with them. 

Rising temperature in the day lessened the voters' enthusiasm and this remained main cause behind low percentage of voting in the parliamentary election this year. The noon time completely hindered the voters to move. 

A dog was found roaming around with BJP flag tied to its neck, and stickers with slogans “Modi Lao, Desh Bachao” (vote for Modi, save the country) on Phase 4 election day in Nandurbar town, Maharstra.

As campaign during the day of polling is illegal, someone reported the incident to local police.

Kanpur: Voting remained slow and it could not gain momentum till evening. Despite that trend Cantt assembly area registered maximum percentage of votes. It was recorded 40.30 % till three in the afternoon. Later it increased up to 51.40 percent till 6 pm. Voters voted till seven in the evening. Akbarpur Lol Sabha seat recorded 56.40% voting till six pm. 

Though there were reports of defective EVMs at several booths like 264,193,195,182,144,105,144 and others, one case of misbehaving with the Circle officer was also registered. 

Barmer, Apr 29 (PTI) The district polls authorities on Monday said a factual report has been submitted to the Election Commission following allegations by the Congress that Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at a rally here had "brazenly" violated the poll code by repeatedly invoking the armed forces.

A factual report along with transcription of the prime minister's address he delivered in Barmer recently has been forwarded to the Election Commission, the district election office said.

New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Terming Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as his ideal, boxer-turned-politician Vijender Singh has said he is impressed by the simplicity of the Congress general secretary in whom he sees glimpses of her grandmother Indira Gandhi.

Singh, who will be making his electoral debut from south Delhi Lok Sabha constituency in Delhi as a Congress candidate termed his rivals - BJP's old-timer Ramesh Bidhuri as "not a good person' and AAP's Raghav Chadha a 'bachcha'.

Singh said he idolises Priyanka Gandhi and admires her simplicity.

Lucknow, Apr 28 (PTI) With four Uttar Pradesh ministers fighting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and standing "bright chances" to win their seats, the Adityanath government may have to undertake its first Cabinet reshuffle soon after the elections are over.

The four state ministers in the poll fray include Rita Bahuguna Joshi from Allahabad, S P Singh Baghel from Agra , Satyadev Pachauri from Kanpur and Mukut Bihari from Ambedkarnagar parliamentary constituencies.

Bengaluru, Apr 28 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday said he was 'boycotting' the media, apparently upset over the coverage of the Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where his son Nikhil Gowda is in the fray.

"I'm boycotting you," an upset Kumaraswamy told reporters who sought his comments after his meeting with Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal here.

"You do whatever you want for your story... Go do it. Go enjoy," he said.

Bhubaneswar, Apr 28 (PTI) As many as 332 candidates for the ongoing Odisha Assembly elections have criminal cases against them, while 257 aspirants are facing cases of serious offences, a report by Odisha Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said on Sunday.

While seven candidates have declared convicted cases against themselves, nine aspirants have declared cases related to murder, 63 attempt to murder, 17 kidnapping and 63 crimes against women, it said.

Karimganj (Assam), Apr 28 (PTI) A headmaster was arrested for allegedly molesting a teenage student of his school in Cahcar district of Assam, police said on Sunday.

The head master was picked up from his home on Saturday night after receiving a complaint from the parents of the girl, Cachar Superintendent of Police Mugdhajyoti Dev Mahanta said.

In the FIR lodged with the Dwarbond Police Station, her parents said the headmaster called the student to his chamber in the school located in Barjalanga area on Saturday and tried to force himself on her.