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Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party (NPP) supremo Conrad K Sangma asserted that neither he nor his party had any role in denying permission for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election rally at the PA Sangma Sports Complex in Tura. The Sports department has informed the West Garo Hills district authorities that permission cannot be given for the PM's rally there as construction debris may pose safety concerns. The saffron party, which last month snapped ties with ally NPP ahead of the February 27 assembly election, alleged that the ruling party was trying to stall a "wave of the BJP" in the state. In a statement issued here, the chief minister said on Monday the accusation made by the BJP was false as permissions for rallies are given by the Election Commission and the district administration is now a part of it. "All permissions come from the side of the Election Commission of India. So, there is no say from NPP or my side. Dragging our name into it is completely .
The Congress in Meghalaya on Thursday promised monthly assistance of Rs 3000 to single BPL mothers and a job each to every household if the party comes to power in the northeastern state in the February 27 election. In the Congress' manifesto, which was released here, the party also promised to provide an uninterrupted electricity supply to commercial and domestic users, and bring in a law which will make it mandatory for the government to upload all files related to development and infrastructure on portals. If the Congress forms the government, it will transfer Rs 3,000 per month to single BPL mothers raising their children alone. This will empower women giving them financial independence and helping them run their houses in a better way. This translates to Rs 36,000 a year which is a substantial amount, state Congress president Vincent H Pala said. Single mothers face plenty of problems. As a large number of them have little or no education, it is difficult for them to get decent
About 61 per cent polling was recorded on Sunday in Nepal's parliament and provincial assemblies elections, marred by sporadic violence and clashes that left one person dead and disrupted voting at several polling stations, officials said. The polling started at 7 am local time at over 22,000 polling centres and closed at 5 pm. "The nationwide voter turnout has stood at around 61 per cent. This is likely to increase slightly as we continue receiving details from districts across the country," Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya told reporters. "This is certainly less than what we had expected," he added. The voter turnout is significantly lower as compared to the past two elections - 77 per cent in 2013, and 78 per cent in 2017. More than 17.9 million voters were eligible to cast their votes to elect a 275-member House of Representatives and provincial assemblies. Thapaliya said the elections were held largely in a peaceful manner except for a "few minor incidents.
Ahead of the counting of votes polled in the recently conducted bypoll, violence was reported in Dhamnagar assembly constituency in Odisha's Bhadrak district, leaving at least three people, including a woman, injured and a house burnt, police said on Saturday. Incidents of violence were reported from three different locations in Tihidi block on Friday night and Saturday, they said. A father-daughter duo was attacked with iron rods by supporters of a political party in Talagopabindha village on Friday night. They have been admitted to the Bhadrak district headquarters hospital, an officer said. The injured alleged that party supporters attacked them for voting in favour of another party in the by-election on November 3. They claimed they were earlier threatened against going to cast their votes. An FIR was registered with Tihidi police station and further investigation is underway, IIC Dibyalochan Behera said. In another incident, a person was attacked by supporters of a rival part