Bengal

BHAGWANPUR (EAST MIDNAPORE): A cultural programme at a private school in East Midnapore’s Bhagwanpur descended into chaos on Saturday night after renowned Kolkata-based playback singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was allegedly heckled and physically harassed for performing a devotional song. The incident has sparked a major political controversy, with police arresting the school owner.Jinnah To Nehru: Top...

Kolkata: The increasing demand for spaces to exhibit audio-visual content and the rising interest in small group movie viewings has prompted the state govt to launch a mini cinema policy. This policy was announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the Business & Industry Conclave on Thursday. Tollywood believes this is the first of its kind in India by a state govt. It is expected to enhance the...

Bengal's draft electoral roll will feature 7,08,16,621 names, excluding over 58 lakh absent, shifted, duplicate, and dead voters KOLKATA: The draft electoral roll for Bengal, which will be published on Tuesday, will contain 7,08,16,621 names, among the 7,66,37,519 who were issued enumeration forms as part of the special intensive revision of voters’ records, Election Commission officials said.The...

KOLKATA: Suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir on Tuesday claimed he would emerge as a "kingmaker" in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, asserting that no government could be formed without the support of his proposed new political outfit.Kabir predicted that neither the ruling TMC nor the BJP would secure a simple majority on their own, estimating that no party would cross the 148-seat...

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress claimed on Monday that the govt had pushed for a discussion on 'Vande Mataram' in the Parliament only with an eye on West Bengal elections, calling BJP's commitment to the national song a "badly scripted comedy".With BJP making a determined bid to unseat CM Mamata Banerjee, TMC MPs Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Mahua Moitra slammed the party for its "divisive" politics and...

KOLKATA: From November 1 onwards, pensioners will no longer have to physically appear before the treasuries or banks to submit their life certificate to draw pension. They will be able to submit a digital life certificate (DLC) from home using a smartphone through which they will only have to make a face authentication. The state finance department has recently issued a notification in this regard.The...

KOLKATA: Shortly after the arrest of West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took action to freeze his bank accounts, as well as those belonging to his wife and daughter, and seized his mobile phones for forensic examination, according to a senior officer.The ED has instructed bank authorities to freeze the...

KOLKATA: West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case tied to an alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam, collapsed in an overcrowded courtroom during his appearance, according to an official.The state's forest minister fainted during the court hearing and was subsequently taken out to a balcony where he was provided with water to drink.ED...

KOLKATA: With the Durga Puja fervor in full swing, West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose is out on the streets of Kolkata to capture the festivity. While doing so, he provided shelter to a destitute individual and also offered him a job on Monday, proving himself a good samaritan.For the past three days, Bose has been trying to help people.The governor visited the All Bengal Women's Union home on Saturday...

NEW DELHI: Four officials of the Regional Passport Office in Kolkata were arrested by the CBI in connection with a racket in which passports were issued to Nepalese citizens based on forged documents, officials said. The arrested officials were identified as senior passport assistants Uttam Kumar, Debasis Bhattacharjee and Nishit Baran Saha and stenographer Manish Kumar Gupta.They were presented before...