The Election Commission has warned against any lapses in maintaining law and order ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, questioning the absence of a Narcotics Advisory Committee in the state and directing strict monitoring of financial transactions.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking a CBI investigation into the role of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, senior police officials and others for allegedly obstructing its raids in Kolkata against political consultancy firm I-PAC and its director in connection with an alleged coal scam.
Each time her little boy wakes up from sleep, his voice trembles with the same haunting questions: "Where is Papa? Did he go somewhere?"
NCST acting vice-chairperson Ananta Nayak said they have also received complaints against a politician, which they would include in their report to the President, the official added.
The National Human Rights Commission in a statement said the allegations raise a serious issue of violation of human rights and also restriction on the freedom of the press.
After West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose refused to concede to their request that their swearing-in be held in the assembly, two newly elected Trinamool Congress legislators held a protest on Wednesday on the assembly premises.
The CPI-M leader was the chief minister of the state from 2000 to 2011.
Prorogation is discontinuing a session of Parliament or a legislative assembly without dissolving it.
The West Bengal government objected to the inclusion of the Leader of the Opposition in the committee.
Noting that the meeting time was 'unusual and history of sorts in the making', the governor, however, said the decision was taken as per the recommendation of the state Cabinet.
The legislation revokes the original lease agreement signed between Tata Motors, the country's biggest automobile maker, and the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation.
Maintaining that the letter of resignation was not written in accordance with the rules of conduct of business in the assembly, Banerjee said it did not have any mention of the date from which the legislator wanted to vacate his seat.
"No one is above party discipline. Dinesh Trivedi did not consult me or Mukul Roy (the party all India general secretary)," party insiders quoted Banerjee telling the Trinamool Congress legislature party meeting ahead of the budget session of the West Bengal legislative assembly.
The brewing discontentment in the party may adversely impact the TMC's prospects in the next assembly polls due in April-May next year.
There are 8,97,394 active cases of COVID-19, which is 20.53 per cent of the total caseload in the country, the data stated.
Calling the political condition prevailing in West Bengal "horrible and frightening", Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar alleged on Tuesday that the people of the state do not have the freedom to exercise their franchise fearlessly.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought to know from a petitioner-NGO whether the state legislatures have the right to express their opinion or not on central laws and asked it to do some more research on the subject.
Changing a state's name requires constitutional amendment and it is done after taking into consideration all relevant factors, he said.
Centenarian Communist Party of India-Marxist leader and freedom fighter, Samar Mukherjee, who was known for his oratory and leadership, died of old age ailments on Thursday.
The incident, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said, has put the country's democratic history to "shame".
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