1. 2019 Lok Sabha Polls: Cautious Congress Asks Ashok Chavan To Contest Polls
Unwilling to take any chances, the Congress top brass has asked state unit chief and sitting MP Ashok Chavan to contest next month’s Lok Sabha elections from Nanded constituency in Marathwada. Earlier, Chavan had proposed his wife and local MLA Amita Chavan’s name for the seat.
The party is also likely to re-nominate Rajeev Satav from Hingoli and consider former Mumbai corporator Pravin Chheda for Mumbai North constituency.
Source: Hindustan Times
2. With Most Engineers On Poll Duty, Re-auditing Bridges In A Month ‘Impossible Task’
A majority of BMC engineers who are supposed to assist in the re-audit of bridges have been deployed on Lok Sabha election duty, and this could delay the audit, which has to be completed within a month.
Out of the 40 sub-engineers in the bridges department, 28 have already left for election duty across the state. The engineers are supposed to accompany the auditors to ensure that the structural tests are done as per the guidelines specified by BMC.
Source: The Indian Express
3. Should Have Done Study Of Fisherfolk, Fish Breeding Areas Before Starting Work: HC To BMC, State Govt
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday told the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the state government and fisheries department that they should have conducted a study of fishing communities and fish breeding habitats along the proposed coastal road project to ascertain the impact on livelihood.
Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N M Jamdar were hearing a petition filed by Worli Koliwada Nakhwa Matsya Vyavsay Sahakari Society Limited, stating that reclaiming the shoreline and construction of stilted roads for the project will affect the rights of fishing communities to pursue their livelihood. The petitioner told the court that there were about 995 fisherfolk in Worli Koliwada, who had 428 fishing trawlers. The project will block direct access to the sea, resulting in a loss of coastal resources, habitat and fish-breeding area, the petitioner said.
Source: The Indian Express
4. Lok Sabha Polls: MU Reschedules 103 Exams
The Mumbai University (MU) has rescheduled 103 exams as the dates clash with the Lok Sabha polls in Mumbai, Thane and Konkan region. While exams for 76 courses have been postponed, only a few papers have been rescheduled for exams of 27 courses. Most exam centres double up as polling booths and will be unavailable to hold exams for three days, including the day before and after the polls.
Source: The Hindu
5. Mumbai Man Gets 7 Years In Jail For Sexually Abusing Minor
A special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Tuesday sentenced a taxi driver to seven years imprisonment for sexually abusing a 15-year-old in 2016.
The incident happened on the evening on November 19, 2016, when the teenager got into the accused’s taxi at Bandra to go to a friend’s house. The teenager said he had finished his classes in Bandra and decided to go to the friend’s place, also in Bandra, since his maternal grandmother had passed away, and there were guests at his home owing to which he would not be able to study.
Source: Hindustan Times
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