Diesel prices at record level; petrol nears all-time high
New Delhi, Aug 27 : Diesel prices touched record high levels across metro cities on Monday, barring Mumbai, and prices of petrol too inched nearer their all-time peak across major cities.
In the national capital, diesel was priced at Rs 69.46 per litre, against the previous high of Rs 69.32
recorded on Sunday, according to data from the Indian Oil Corporation.
In Kolkata and Chennai, the key transportation fuel was priced at Rs 72.31 and Rs 73.38 per litre respectively, up from 72.16 and Rs 73.23 on Sunday, which were themselves record highs.
Cost of diesel in Mumbai, was at Rs 73.74 on Monday, just five paise short of its all-time of Rs 73.79 per litre, recorded on May 29. On Sunday, it was priced at 73.59 in the financial capital of the country.
The rise in prices of diesel gains significance as it is mostly used in transportation of food and agricultural products and an increase in its price may lead to higher inflation.
The surge in fuel prices is largely attributed to the recent rise in crude oil cost and the high excise duty levied on transportation fuel in the country.
In line with increase in diesel prices, petrol prices too are on the rise and are nearing their all-time high levels. In Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, the fuel was priced Rs 77.91, Rs 80.84, Rs 85.31 and Rs 80.94 per litre, respectively, on Monday, against the previous levels of Rs 85.20, Rs 80.80, Rs 86.24 and Rs 81.43 per litre.
The all-time high petrol prices in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai are Rs 78.43, Rs 81.06, Rs 86.24 and Rs 81.43 per litre, touched in May 29.
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Ruckus outside counting centre in Mamata's constituency, TMC claims entry of car with BJP flag
Kolkata (PTI): The counting centre at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Bhabanipur assembly constituency witnessed a ruckus a day ahead of the counting of votes, with TMC workers alleging two cars bearing the BJP's flag were allowed entry to the compound where EVMs are kept.
The incident comes close on the heels of a four-hour-long sit-in by Banerjee in front of the same counting centre at the Sakhawat Memorial Girls School on Thursday night, alleging unauthorised entry of persons into the strongroom.
With the polling now over, the wrangling for power in West Bengal has turned into a battle of nerves between the incumbent TMC and the BJP. Workers and leaders of both parties have been keeping a steely gaze on the security of strongrooms across the state where the electoral fate of the candidates is sealed.
Despite expressing her confidence in a "landslide victory", Banerjee has repeatedly aired her apprehensions of "counting malpractice and EVM tampering ahead of the day of results".
On Sunday morning, TMC workers camping 100 metres from the counting centre alleged that two cars with BJP flags entered the premises and went near the strongroom.
"The CAPF personnel at the spot are not allowing any vehicle or person to enter the premises of the counting centre without valid identity proof. Then how come this car, which we have not seen in the past few days, was allowed entry? Once we protested, the central forces asked us to move 100 metres away," a TMC activist said.
The TMC claimed that while the police personnel posted there promised the vehicle would be removed from the spot, it remained there for some time.
A senior Election Commission official said the car was passing by the Harish Mukherjee Road, and after checking by security forces and police, it was allowed to leave as nothing objectionable was found in it.
On Thursday night, two counting centres, including one at Sakhawat Memorial Girls School in the city, witnessed high drama after TMC leaders alleged a lack of transparency and possible malpractice at the strongrooms housing sealed EVMs of the assembly polls, which concluded on April 29.
TMC leaders and candidates, Sashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh, held a sit-in outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra counting centre on Thursday evening, alleging unauthorised activities inside the strongroom amid the absence of TMC agents
In Howrah, TMC protested renovation work by the public works department at a place adjacent to the strongroom, and the EC stopped the work temporarily.
On Saturday, the ruling party filed a complaint with the poll panel, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at the EVM strongroom in Khudiram Anushilan Kendra.
Similar scenes were witnessed on Saturday outside the strongrooms at Asansol College in Paschim Bardhaman and the Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas districts, where TMC workers held protests, alleging that CCTV cameras were switched off for several minutes.
The EC turned down all allegations, saying the surveillance cameras were working in an uninterrupted manner.
BJP spokesperson Sajal Ghosh told reporters that the people of Bengal were finding it "hilarious" that the TMC, "which used to win elections through unfair means and strongarm tactics" were now coming up with all sorts of "frivolous charges".
"Are they scared of losing?" he posed.
