Kerala landslides: Search operations continue for 10th day
Wayanad (Kerala) (PTI): Search operations in the landslides-hit areas of this north Kerala district continued for the 10th day with more cadaver dogs being pressed into service on Thursday to look for remains buried deep under the debris that cover the disaster sites.
Using Air Force helicopters to drop special search teams to inaccessible areas along the Chaliyar river and deploying more rescuers, heavy machines and K9 dog squads in the segregated six zones of disaster-hit Chooralmala and Mundakkai continued.
Till Wednesday, the number of persons suspected to be missing in the landslides was around 138 with more than 226 confirmed to be dead.
Besides that, 192 body parts were also recovered from the disaster-hit areas and the Chaliyar river till August 7, according to figures provided by the Wayanad district administration.
As the search operations progress, the state government is also working to ensure temporary rehabilitation of those affected by the landslides.
A cabinet sub-committee, camped out at Wayanad, on Wednesday said that the rehabilitation will be carried out in three phases.
The first phase will involve immediate, but temporary settlement of the victims and survivors to vacant houses, quarters, flats and hostels within the panchayat limits of the affected areas or nearby panchayats.
Additionally, rental houses or flats will be found and provided at government expense, the committee had said.
Buildings and facilities under the government will also be utilised for this purpose, it had said.
The temporary rehabilitation is being carried out to free the schools where relief camps are being run in order to resume classes there, the committee had said.
The second phase would involve the implementation of a temporary transit home system before people are shifted to their permanent homes.
For this, suitable places will be found and accommodations will be prepared using prefab technology, the committee had further said.
The township project with all facilities, as part of the complete rehabilitation, will be implemented in the third phase, it had said.
Amidst the search and rescue operations and phased rehabilitation, the government is also working to restore the identification and other documentation as well as certificates of the people who lost all that in the landslides, the committee had said.
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BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
