Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s assertion that the 2027 UP assembly polls would be held on time has eased all the pressure on political parties, which had been facing uncertainty after speculation about advanced polls gained ground. At an interaction with the media in New Delhi recently, the CEC said if necessary, the census work (scheduled for February 2027) could be extended. Acknowledging the speculation over advancing the 2027 assembly elections, he said the buzz was putting unnecessary pressure on political parties. The election should be held on time as per the Constitution’s provisions, he further said.
SP leader sparks row over gods and prophets
After the controversial claims made by a Muslim cleric of Etawah about Lord Krishna, calling him a Muslim, former Samajwadi Party MP S T Hasan joined the ranks. Going a step ahead, he claimed that not only Lord Krsihna, but Lord Ram also could have been among Islam’s 1.24 lakh prophets. The senior SP leader, who has been sulking since he was denied ticket by the party from Moradabad parliamentary constituency in 2024, made the claim saying many Muslim scholars believe that Lord Ram and Lord Krishna may have been Islam’s many prophets. Hasan said that with changing times, many things changed, but Lord Ram and Lord Krishna were great personalities.
World’s largest night safari in Lucknow soon
Many carnivores are nocturnal. Others are crepuscular, being active in twilight. Seeing them at night, or during dusk and dawn, in moonlight or light as dim as that will be a never-before experience for the people of state capital Lucknnow in the days to come. This will soon become a reality since an ambitious project of night safari has got the green signal from the SC. Soon, things will start rolling for the country’s first, and the world’s fifth and the biggest, night safari in Kukrail reserve forest of Lucknow. The forest department is set to issue a letter to the Public Works Department informing it that the project was cleared by the SC.
Namita Bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
namita.bajpai@newindianexpress.com
