Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari takes charge as new IAF chief

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New Delhi: Bhabanipur Assembly seat recorded the lowest polling percentage among three assembly by-elections in the state in the first two hours of polling on Thursday (September 30, 2021). Few hours after the polling started, BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal said, "TMC`s Madan Mitra has purposely shut the voting machine here as he wants to capture the booth."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal in Bhabanipur by-poll. Polling began at 7 am on Thursday in Bhabanipur and two other constituencies amid tight security and stringent COVID-19 measures.

Voting also began for the by-election to the Pipili assembly seat in Odisha's Puri district at 7 am today. The administration has deployed close to 2,000 security personnel to ensure peaceful voting in Pipili, which has a history of poll violence.

In other developments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to virtually inaugurate the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) in Jaipur, Rajasthan today at 11 am.

PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of four medical colleges in Banswara, Sirohi, Hanumangarh and Dausa districts of the state today morning via video-conferencing.

Additionally, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi today to discuss various central schemes being implemented in the state. 

30 September 2021

18:01 IST

Punjab CM Charanjit Channi calls cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on October 4. (ANI)

17:32 IST

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari is new Chief of Air Staff, calls on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after formally taking charge.

17:31 IST

Poll percentage till 5 PM for bypolls to three seats in West Bengal:

Samserganj - 78.60%

Jangipur - 76.12%

Bhabanipur - 53.32%

16:53 IST

All the data has been given on which clearance is given by WHO. The data is being looked at, WHO to take a decision: ICMR DG Dr. Balram Bhargava on Covaxin

16:42 IST

The call of the hour is to give the two-dose vaccination/full vaccination covering the entire adult population. The talk of booster dose is not pertinent at the moment: ICMR DG Dr. Balram Bhargava

14:32 IST

Punjab: Navjot Singh Sidhu leaves his residence in Patiala. Sidhu, who resigned as Punjab Congress President, tweeted, "Chief Minister has invited me for talks … will reciprocate by reaching Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh at 3:00 PM today."

Punjab: Navjot Singh Sidhu leaves his residence in Patiala

Sidhu, who resigned as Punjab Congress President, tweeted, "Chief Minister has invited me for talks … will reciprocate by reaching Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh at 3:00 PM today." pic.twitter.com/pSKvDB6M5W

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

14:31 IST

Mumbai: "23 MBBS students test positive for COVID19 at KEM Hospital. All 23 students were vaccinated with at least one dose of vaccine. Some of them have mild symptoms. It may have spread due to some cultural or sports event held in the college," said Mayor Kishori Pednekar. 

12:32 IST

Punjab: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal in Ludhiana said, "Punjab had formed Congress govt with great hopes. But today they've made a mockery of govt. A dirty fight for power is going on. All their leaders want to become CM. There's so much infighting that Govt has disappeared."

“It is a hypothetical question, if anything like that happens we will tell you first of all,” Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday while replying to a question if Navjot Singh Sidhu will join the Aam Aadmi Party. Kejriwal is on a two-day visit to Punjab ahead of state assembly elections in 2022.

I have said again & again that when the time comes we will give you a good CM face, it could be anyone. We are not thinking about it right now: AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Ludhiana, when asked about the party's CM face for Punjab elections pic.twitter.com/UmHs8Lb01r

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

12:31 IST

Punjab: "Chief Minister has invited me for talks … will reciprocate by reaching Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh at 3:00 PM today, he is welcome for any discussions," tweets Navjot Singh Sidhu, who resigned as Punjab Congress President. 

"Chief Minister has invited me for talks … will reciprocate by reaching Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh at 3:00 PM today, he is welcome for any discussions," tweets Navjot Singh Sidhu, who resigned as Punjab Congress President pic.twitter.com/9pzXoit7uS

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

12:25 IST

Rajasthan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) in Rajasthan`s Jaipur district through video conferencing. He also laid the foundation stone for four medical colleges in Banswara, Sirohi, Hanumangarh and Dausa districts of Rajasthan today.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister`s Office on Wednesday, these medical colleges have been sanctioned under the centrally sponsored scheme for "the establishment of new medical colleges attached with district/ referral hospitals".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of four new medical colleges in Banswara, Sirohi, Hanumangarh & Dausa districts of Rajasthan via video-conferencing pic.twitter.com/FaXjb152gK

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

10:15 IST

New Delhi: Outgoing Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria lays wreath at the National War Memorial

Delhi: Outgoing Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria lays wreath at the National War Memorial pic.twitter.com/AUzhQxGd7S

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

09:49 IST

India: India reports 23,529 new #COVID19 cases, 28,718 recoveries and 311 deaths in last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry

Out of 23,529 new #COVID19 cases and 311 deaths across India, 12,161 cases and 155 deaths were reported in Kerala yesterday.

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

09:48 IST

West Bengal: Polling underway in Murshidabad for Jangipur constituency, in compliance with COVID norms. 

#WestBengalBypolls | Polling underway in Murshidabad for Jangipur constituency, in compliance with COVID norms

(Visuals from booth no. 72 & 72A in Ramjanpur Primary School) pic.twitter.com/SVf561F2Rr

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

09:22 IST

New Delhi: Directorate of Education has directed to authorities concerned to ensure that all teachers& school staff who have not been vaccinated, should be vaccinated by 15th October, or else they would "not be allowed to attend the school & their absence will be treated as on leave."

Delhi: Directorate of Education has directed to authorities concerned to ensure that all teachers& school staff who have not been vaccinated, should be vaccinated by 15th October, or else they would "not be allowed to attend the school & their absence will be treated as on leave" pic.twitter.com/kaHQMKq4H5

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

09:22 IST

West Bengal: 90-year-old Manobashini Chakrabarty casts her vote at Mitra Institution polling booth in Bhabanipur

#WestBengalBypolls | 90-year-old Manobashini Chakrabarty casts her vote at Mitra Institution polling booth in Bhabanipur pic.twitter.com/mMiAbWOoPx

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

08:44 IST

West Bengal: As voting for the bypoll in Bhabanipur assembly constituency began on Thursday, BJP candidate for the constituency Priyanka Tibrewal alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) was purposely shutting voting machines at a polling booth of ward number 72 and was an attempt at capturing the booth.

The Bhabanipur candidate reached the polling booth to inspect the situation.Speaking to media persons here, Tibrewal said, "TMC`s Madan Mitra has purposely shut the voting machine here as he wants to capture the booth." (ANI)

08:43 IST

Odisha: Voting for by-poll begins in Pipili, Puri. "We have made appropriate arrangements and have deployed extra security at sensitive polling booths. There are 32 mobile parties deployed for this election," says SP Puri Kanwar Vishal Singh

Odisha: Voting for by-poll begins in Pipili, Puri

"We have made appropriate arrangements and have deployed extra security at sensitive polling booths. There are 32 mobile parties deployed for this election," says SP Puri Kanwar Vishal Singh pic.twitter.com/6LZgTm7nNB

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

07:58 IST

Jammu and Kashmir: A cleanliness drive is in full swing at the Dal Lake in Srinagar. The cleaning drive was paused last year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) has taken the initiative to clean Dal Lake.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Vice Chairman, LAWD said, "It has been a challenging job. We have deployed 15-16 more machines for lily extraction. There are several factors like we need to keep the balance of the natural habitat and water ecosystem. Along with high-tech machinery, authorities have also resorted to manual cleaning processes. For manual cleaning, we need expert labourers."

07:57 IST

Punjab: Punjab Students` Union and Naujawan Bharat Sabha on Tuesday started an indefinite protest against the facelift of the historic Jallianwala Bagh. Hardeep Kaur, a protester of the Punjab Students` Union said that the protest will continue until they restore the historical monument back to its original form.

"Changing the outlook of the historic monument also changes the narrative of history; It had only one gate previously, now it has two. For the ones visiting it for the first time will question that if there were two doors, why did people jump into the well instead," she said. (ANI)

07:57 IST

Chhattisgarh: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said that Government lies to the media that it is open to dialogue on the issue of ongoing farmers agitation.

Addressing a press conference here, Tikait said, "Government lies to media that it is open to dialogue but farmers are not. They want to hold conditional dialogue, in which farmers will not participate. They said farm laws would not be rolled back. It means they have already drafted the agreement and farmers just have to sign it."

07:55 IST

West Bengal: "Madan Mitra (TMC MLA) has purposely shut the voting machine here as he wants to capture the booth," said Priyanka Tibrewal, BJP candidate for Bhabanipur by-poll at polling booth of ward number 72. 

Madan Mitra (TMC MLA) has purposely shut the voting machine here as he wants to capture the booth: Priyanka Tibrewal, BJP candidate for Bhabanipur by-poll at polling booth of ward number 72 pic.twitter.com/lFB5hQytTY

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

07:50 IST

Odisha: Voting for the by-election to the Pipili assembly seat in Odisha's Puri district began here at 7 am on Thursday amid tight security and strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, officials said. Around 2.30 lakh voters will decide the fate of 10 candidates, including the ruling BJD's Rudrapratap Maharathy, Ashrit Pattnaik of the BJP and Congress nominee Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra.

The administration has deployed close to 2,000 security personnel to ensure peaceful voting in Pipili, which has a history of poll violence. (PTI)

07:50 IST

West Bengal: The by-polls are being held in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur, besides Jangipur and Samserganj seats in Murshidabad district. A total 6,97,164 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the three constituencies. Votes will be counted on October 3.

07:46 IST

West Bengal: Security deployment at a polling booth of ward number 71 in Bhabanipur

#WestBengalBypolls | Security deployment at a polling booth of ward number 71 in Bhabanipur

Besides Bhabanipur, bypolls will also be held in Shamsherganj and Jangipur in the Murshidabad district. pic.twitter.com/P1HAShSrRX

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021

07:45 IST

West Bengal: Polling begins in Bhabanipur, polling is scheduled to end at 6:30 pm, according to State CEO

#WestBengalBypolls | Polling begins in Bhabanipur, polling is scheduled to end at 6:30 pm, according to State CEO

(Visuals from Mitra Institution polling booth) pic.twitter.com/fgW9fvMsbb

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021