Former bureaucrat Arun Goel to join office as Election Commissioner today

Former Andhra Pradesh Minister Gudivada Amarnath on Thursday said that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the land policy of the state government, alleging that large extents of valuable public land are being allotted to a few real estate companies at very low prices.

The ongoing dispute between the management of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and its sole recognised union, Bhartiya Khadya Nigam Karamchari Sangh (BKNKS), was taken up for conciliation on Thursday before the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) in New Delhi.

According to sources, the meeting involved extensive discussions on around 160 Assembly constituencies across the state. During the deliberations, the party is learnt to have finalised candidates for nearly 145 seats, out of 294 assembly seats in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, marking significant progress in the selection process.

Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala are expected to set a benchmark for democratic practices, expressing confidence in the preparedness of the state's election machinery and cooperation from political parties.

The West Bengal government on Thursday provided officers of requisite seniority for being appointed as Returning Officers for the forthcoming Assembly Elections, on the insistence of the Election Commission of India.