Pak accused of violating ceasefire in Balakote,1700 shifted to safer areas

May 17, 2017

Jammu, May 17: Pakistan Rangers violated the ceasefire again today by firing on forward posts along the LoC in Balakote sector of Jammu of Kashmir.

"Pakistan army resorted to firing on forward posts along the LoC in Balakote sector from 0050 hours today," a defence spokesman said.

Pakistan troops also fired on forward posts and civilian areas last night along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. The firing continued till 0130 hours, the spokesman said.

He said the Pakistan army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 1830 hours last night along the LoC in Nowshera sector. The firing continued till 2100 hours yesterday.

The Pakistan Rangers fired shells on the intervening night of May 15 and 16 on forward areas and civilian belts along the LoC in three belts of Rajouri district.

The firing and shelling from across the border has affected over 10,000 people.

Civilian areas along the LoC in Nowshera sector were pounded with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three others.

On May 13, Pakistani troops had pounded civilian areas and forward posts in Nowshera area with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three.

On May 15, Pak troops resorted to fresh ceasefire violation along the LoC in Nowshera sector since 1600 hours till late night. Four villages in Nowshera have come under small arms fire from across the LOC in Nowshera.

"Shelling started in Ans Bhandhaar areas of Nowshera in Rajouri at 2255 hours night of May 15 and 16. Lam and Kalsian areas were also affected," Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.

"Interdepartmental teams deputed by District Administration for damage assessment reported small arms firing begins at 4 PM on May 15 in village Sarya followed by villages Khamba, Anwas and Bhandar," Choudhary said.

Nearly 1700 people have already been evacuated from the LoC hamlets hit by shelling from Pakistani side and shifted to relief camps.

Around 10,042 people from over 2,694 families have been affected by the continued shelling from across the border, the DC said.

The district administration has provided an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the dead and financial assistance to the injured, he said.

Choudhary said the administration is prepared to make more relief camps as more than 25 buildings have been earmarked.

He added that students' classes will be resumed this week to ensure that education doesn't suffer.

"Six ambulances have been pressed into action for shifting of injured and treatment. One mobile medical unit was stationed at Nowshera and another deputed to forward areas," he said.

According to a Home Ministry reply to an RTI, Pakistan violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) 449 times in 2016 as compared to 405 violations in 2015. 23 security personnel were killed in the two-year period.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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