In order to ensure the conduct of free and fair polls in Manipur, which goes to the polls on January 28, the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday ordered the removal of the state’s director-general of police Y. Joykumar Singh. The EC replaced him with Mr Ratnakar Bral. The decision to shunt out the serving DGP was taken after getting inputs from all the political parties. In an unprecedented move to curb rigging and bogus voting, the EC also directed that all voters be photographed in the state.
The EC comprising all the commissioners namely S.Y. Quraishi, V.S. Sampath and H.S. Brahma were on a day’s visit to the poll-bound state to supervise the arrangements for the Assembly elections.
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Kalyan turns 79, promises to return to power
Age Correspondent
Lucknow, Jan. 5
Former UP chief minister and founder of Jan Kranti Party (JKP) Kalyan Singh on Thursday celebrated his 79th birthday with his party leaders and workers.
Though the celebrations were considerably toned down compared to previous years, the veteran leader cut a birthday cake in the presence of party workers and family members.
Later addressing the gathering, he told party workers that he was all set to spring a surprise in the coming assembly elections in the state. Mr Singh said JKP candidates will contest on all the seats in the assembly elections and would emerge as a new political alternative in the state after the polls. He has already announced JKP candidates on 171 seats and the next list of candidates is expected to be released on Friday.