The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Calcutta high court order asking the West Bengal State Election Commission to accept nomination papers filed through e-mail for contesting the panchayat elections in the state. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra took note of the fact that almost 17,000 candidates have won the panchayat polls unopposed and directed the state poll panel not to declare them as winners. The bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, asked the state poll panel to ensure “free and fair” panchayat elections on May 14 in the state. ... Read More

The north Indian states of Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan experienced dust storms, strong winds and rain while a severe storm, accompanied by hail and rain, lashed Shimla. Dust storms, rain and thunder lashed parts of northern India on Tuesday, uprooting trees and blowing the roofs off homes in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district but striking with less fury in other places. ... Read More

Gusty winds swept parts of Rajasthan on Monday night and on Tuesday morning, affecting life, weather officials said. No casualties have been reported so far. Heavy winds hit Ajmer and some areas of Jaipur this morning while a dust storm hit Bikaner and nearby region on Monday night. The weather office has forecast dust storm, thunderstorm or light rains in 26 out of 33 districts of the State on Tuesday. ... Read More

The rupee opened weak against the dollar on Wednesday after United States said it will withdraw from the nuclear deal withh Iran which could have adverse consequences on oil prices. India which imports 80pc of its crude oil requirements face the risk of worsening macroeconomic parameters if crude prices rise. The rupee opened 0.4pc or 28 paise weak against the dollar as compared to Tuesday close of 67.08 a dollar. The Indian currency was one of the worst performers among Asian peers on Wednesday. ... Read More

Tycoon Vijay Mallya lost a U.K. lawsuit filed by Indian banks seeking to collect more than 1.15 billion pounds ($1.5 billion) amid allegations that he committed massive fraud. Judge Andrew Henshaw in London on Tuesday said the lenders, including IDBI Bank Ltd., can enforce an Indian court ruling that relates to allegations that Mallya willfully defaulted on about $1.4 billion in debt for his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. Henshaw also refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallyas assets. ... Read More

Dehradun: Incessant snowfall since Monday night in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath and Badrinath, coupled with rains and landslide in Lambagad disrupted pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrines, with the authorities preventing devotees from moving beyond Linchauli and Bhimbali. However, as the weather cleared up towards the evening, the trek route to Kedarnath was opened for the devotees, Rudraprayag District Magistrate Mangesh Ghildiyal said. ... Read More