Breaking News March 28

Retired IAS officer Nilam Sawhney has been appointed as the next Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner (SEC).

Keeping in view the spike in COVID-19 cases in Odisha, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Sunday decided to close the 12th century shrine for devotees in order to undertake disinfection on every Sunday from next week.

The sitting YSR Congress MLA from Badwel in Kadapa district, Dr Venkata Subbaiah died of prolonged illness on Sunday.

Britain is taking another small step out of lockdown as it looks nervously at a new virus surge inundating its European neighbours.

Albania started a mass inoculation campaign on Sunday ahead of the summer tourism season after acquiring 192,000 doses of Chinese coronavirus vaccine Sinovac earlier this week.

India and the US kicked off a two-day naval exercise in the eastern Indian Ocean Region, reflecting the growing congruence in their defence and military partnership.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a press conference in Delhi. Here are some highlights from his presser:

• The first phase of voting for West Bengal and Assam concluded yesterday. I want to thank the people of both States for voting for us. Voter turnout shows enthusiasm in people.
• Polling was held peacefully in both West Bengal and Assam. No one died due to poll violence.
• After discussions with booth-level workers and party leaders, I can say out of 30 seats in West Bengal we will win more than 26 seats. We have got clear indications that BJP will win more than 37 seats out of 47 seats in Assam.
• Yesterday, after many years, the polling process was held without any incident of violence in West Bengal. I want to thank the women of West Bengal for polling in favour of the BJP. BJP will form government in West Bengal with more than 200 seats.

BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty held a roadshow in West Bengal's Bishnupur for assembly polls.  

25 students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar have tested positive for COVID-19. While. 40 people including students and professors at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad have tested positive for COVID-19.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Sivagiri Math of Sree Narayana Guru in Varkala, Kerala.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has decided that the allegations levelled against him by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh will be probed by a retired high court judge.

Congress releases its manifesto for upcoming Puducherry assembly elections. Puducherry to go to the polls on April 6. 

Three dead and nine injured in a road accident near Vadlamannadu village in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. Case registered.

Under construction flyover on Gurugram-Dwarka Expressway near Daulatabad collapsed in Haryana. 2 workers have been injured. Details awaited.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested TMC leader Chhatradhar Mahato in connection with 2009 murder case of CPI(M) leader Prabir Mahato. He will be produced before the court today.

Fire breaks out at the cardiology department of LPS Institute Of Cardiology in Kanpur. More details awaited.

One person dead and multiple others were wounded in a stabbing at a public library in Vancouver, Canada, and a suspect, who apparently acted alone, was taken into custody.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike with a start-up installed 'Smog Tower' in Hudson circle, Bengaluru, Karnataka "We've developed a nanotechnology-based air purification system. We've observed almost 90% reduction in ambient air pollutants of area," said CEO of the start-up.

Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Mohan Yadav said, "We have decided to conduct open book examination for first and second-year students pursuing undergraduate courses, in May. While the examination of final year students will be held offline mode (in college), in June."