Polling for the 543 seats for electing the 18th Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases. The first phase of the elections is set to begin from April 19.  Eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and one ex-governor are among those who will be contesting in phase 1. Watch the video to know more about the key candidates in Phase 1 polling.
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Polling for the 543 seats for electing the 18th Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases. The first phase of the elections is set to begin from April 19.

Lok Sabha Elections: Who are the key candidates in phase 1 voting | Elections 2024

Bhagwati Products targets ₹12,000 cr revenue in FY26

Multi-conglomerate ITC on Thursday said it will acquire Sresta Natural Bioproducts, engaged in the manufacturing and sale of organic packaged food products under the 24 Mantra Organic brand, for about Rs 472.50 crore.
It has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire a 100 per cent stake in Sresta Natural Bioproducts Private Limited (SNBPL), ITC said in a regulatory filing.
The acquisition is "in line with the strategy to augment the company's future-ready portfolio, the transaction will fortify ITC's presence and market standing in the high growth organic products segment in both Indian and overseas markets," it added.
SNBPL's portfolio comprises a wide range of over 100 organic products, spanning branded grocery staples, spices and condiments, edible oils, and beverages, among others. Besides, it has a strong international presence with a deep connection with the Indian diaspora.
"The share acquisition is expected to be completed in Q1 of FY 2025-26 or such later date as may be

It has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire a 100 per cent stake in Sresta Natural Bioproducts Private Limited (SNBPL), ITC said in a regulatory filing

The move is expected to attract investments of ₹10,000 crore into Tamil Nadu's space sector, creating at least 10,000 high-value jobs in the sector for talented youth

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Rahatkar, who is part of the probe committee constituted by the NCW, will visit affected areas, including Malda and Murshidabad, over the next three days

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered the formation of a three-member committee for the identification and rehabilitation of people displaced by the violence during the protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Murshidabad district.
A division bench comprising justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Chowdhury also said that its interim order of April 12, directing the deployment of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in Murshidabad, will continue.
The court said the three-member committee will consist of an official each from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC), besides the member secretary of the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA).
"We deem it appropriate to constitute a committee consisting of three officers who shall monitor and coordinate the situation," it said.
The committee was directed to identify the displaced persons, extent of damage caused to properties of the victims and also collect the data of the FIRs ...

The committee was directed to identify the displaced persons, extent of damage caused to properties of the victims and also collect the data of the FIRs lodged

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Friday presented a Rs 40,187 crore-budget for the megapolis.
Infrastructure spends across projects have been pegged at Rs 35,151 crore or 87 per cent of the overall expenditure, as per an official statement. The revenues have been estimated at Rs 36,939 crore, and the body chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be borrowing Rs 22,000 crore.
This will result in a budget deficit of Rs 3,249 crore, which the body plans to bridge through land sales, issuance of bonds, financial assistance from the government, and loans from financial institutions, the statement said.
The ongoing metro line projects have been earmarked Rs 10,969 crore of expenditure in the new fiscal, which is a fourth of the overall expenditure..
Over Rs 5,697 crore have been allotted for multiple tunnel projects which are going across the megapolis, with Rs 2,684 crore earmarked for the four-lane road running under the Sanjay Gandhi National 

Infrastructure spends across projects have been pegged at Rs 35,151 crore or 87 per cent of the overall expenditure, as per an official statement

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday returned the Finance Bill 2025 to the Lok Sabha, along with 35 government amendments, including one that abolishes a 6 per cent digital tax on online advertisements, thus completing the 2025-26 budgetary exercise that started on February 1.
The House also returned the Appropriation Bill (3) with a voice vote.
Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had moved the two bills in the House.
The Lok Sabha had passed the Finance Bill on March 25 and passed the Appropriation Bill on March 21.
Replying to the debate later in the evening, she said the tendency of the finance ministry would be to exercise caution and not let go of revenues.
"But, here we wanted to use this opportunity to show our respect for Indian taxpayer. We have moved towards setting Rs 12 lakh as threshold up to which no one will have to pay any tax," Sitharaman said.
The Union Budget 2025-26 envisages a total expenditure of Rs 50.65 lakh crore, an increase of 7.4 per cent ov

The Union Budget 2025-26 envisages a total expenditure of Rs 50.65 trillion, an increase of 7.4 per cent over the current fiscal

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Lok Sabha Elections: Who are the key candidates in phase 1 voting | Elections 2024

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