Daily Bulletin: Phase 5 of Jharkhand Assembly polls, quantum of punishment against Kuldeep Sengar; day's top stories

Jharkhand Assembly elections: Polling begins for last phase

Polling for the fifth and final phase of the Jharkhand assembly elections in 16 constituencies began on Friday. The fate of 237 candidates, including two ministers and a former chief minister, will be decided in this final phase.

The polling that began at 7 am in all assembly segments will end at 3 pm in five constituencies of Borio (ST), Barhait (ST), Litipara (ST), Maheshpur (ST) and Sikaripara (ST). Voters in the rest of the assembly segments can exercise their franchise till 5 pm.

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The other seats where polling is being held in this final phase are Rajmahal, Pakur, Nalla, Jamtara, Dumka (ST), Jama (ST), Jarmundi, Sarath, Poreyahat, Godda and Mahagama. All constituencies are spread over six districts in the Santhal Pargana region of the state.

In all, 40,05,287 electorate, including 19,55,336 women and 30 third gender voters, are eligible to cast their vote, Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said. Adequate security forces have been deployed, he said.

Of 5,389 polling stations, 396 in Naxal-affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 208 have been declared "sensitive". In all, 1,321 polling stations in non-left wing extremism affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 1,765 declared "sensitive".

Delhi court to determine quantum of sentence against the expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao rape case

Delhi’s Tis Hazari court deferred the hearing to decide the quantum of sentence to be awarded to expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on Tuesday, a day after he was convicted in the case of the rape and abduction of a minor girl in 2017.

The matter will now be heard on 20 December and the court has sought a copy of the affidavit filed by Sengar in 2017 with the Election Commission in order to determine the compensation to the survivor.

File image of Kuldeep Singh Sengar. PTI

Co-accused Shashi Singh was acquitted on the benefit of doubt by District and Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma. Singh had allegedly taken the survivor to Sengar on the pretext of getting her a job in 2017. He was expelled from the BJP in August.

Sengar was convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Charges were also framed under Sections 120 b (criminal conspiracy), 363 (kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping or inducing a woman to compel for marriage) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code. His offences can invite a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Mobile internet, SMS suspended in Lucknow till 21 December: UP govt

Mobile internet services and SMS of all mobile service providers have been suspended in Lucknow till 21 December noon, according to an Uttar Pradesh government order. Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi issued an order to this effect late on Thursday night.

"The order is effective from 3 pm on 19 December till 12 pm on 21 December," he stated in the order. The decision has been taken in view of violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

A 25-year-old man was killed as violence erupted in the state capital and some other parts of UP with protesters, angry over the amended citizenship law, pelting stones at police and torching vehicles.

Karnataka HC to hear PIL challenging Section 144 in Bengaluru today

According to Live Law, the Karnataka High Court is expected to hear a bunch of petitions against the imposition of Section 144 in Bengaluru in light of the recent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The petition was filed by Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda on Thursday.

The petition stated that several groups were seen protesting peacefully in public spaces. The protests caused no damage to property or disrupted public life, the PIL stated.

Narendra Modi to address general meeting of ASSOCHAM today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the annual general meeting of industry body ASSOCHAM on 20 December, sources said. The theme of the event is ''New India Aspiring for a USD 5 trillion economy'', said a source, adding that the prime minister has given his confirmation to attend and address the Assocham AGM on Friday.

The prime minister's address at the industry event follows a debate about the corporate engagement of the government and allegations in some quarters, mainly by opposition parties, that the corporates were afraid to raise their voice and flag their concerns.

Industrialist Rahul Bajaj had recently said there was an "atmosphere of fear" and people were afraid to criticise the government, while Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw remarked that the government treated India Inc as ''pariahs'' and doesn't want to hear any criticism of the economy.

JP Nadda calls meeting of BJP general secretaries today

BJP working president JP Nadda on Thursday called a meeting of the party's general secretaries on December 20. In the meeting scheduled for Firday evening, Nadda will speak to the general secretaries about the programs being organised by the party to educate the people on the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

He is also likely to discuss the status of the ongoing organisational elections of the BJP, which are being conducted across the country.

Jaipur serial blasts case: Court to hear quantum of punishment of four convicts today

A special court in Jaipur on Wednesday found four accused guilty in connection with the 2008 Jaipur serial bomb blasts that had left 70 people dead and 185 injured. However, one of the accused was acquitted by the court. Arguments on the quantum of punishment will take place on Thursday.

The four -Mohammad Saif, Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, Mohammad Salman and Saifurrehman were convicted under IPC sections 302 (punishment for murder), 307 (Attempt to murder), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons, means), 326 (causing hurt by acid attack), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 121-A (Conspiring to commit certain offences against State), 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting disharmony) and sections of Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, public prosecutor Srichand said.

With a 'radical' agenda, Boris Johnson sets sights on quick Brexit

Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled what he called a radical government agenda on Thursday, setting his sights on a quick Brexit, future trade deals and on transforming Britain to repay the trust of voters who handed him a landslide election victory, reports Reuters.

Just a week after he won the largest Conservative majority since Margaret Thatcher in 1987, the Queen’s Speech offers details of Johnson’s plans for Britain after more than three years of Brexit upheaval. Johnson showed he intended to try to satisfy the demands of voters in northern and central England who broke their tradition of backing the opposition Labour Party to support him.

Among pledges to boost funding for the state health service, increase sentences for violent crime and enhance workers’ rights, Johnson made his campaign slogan to “get Brexit done” his number one priority, confirming he would lead Britain out of the European Union on 31 January.

He said he would not allow any more “dither and delay”, ruling out any extension beyond 2020 to the transition period to negotiate a free trade deal with the EU, and suggesting he would hold trade talks with other countries at the same time.

Instagram says it will ban influencers from promoting vaping products

Instagram has announced that social media influencers will no longer be allowed to promote vaping, tobacco products and weapons on Instagram as the Facebook-owned platform doubles down on its existing ad policies banning the advertisements of such products.

“Branded content that promotes goods such as vaping, tobacco products and weapons will not be allowed,” Instagram said, adding that it would begin enforcement “in the coming weeks.”

With inputs from agencies