Rare dinosaur 'egg-in-egg' found by DU researchers in Madhya Pradesh
New Delhi(PTI): A team of researchers from Delhi University has discovered an 'egg-in-egg' dinosaur egg from Madhya Pradesh, which is probably the first time in the fossil history, a statement issued by it said.
According to the researchers, the discovery is a "rare and important find" as no ovum-in-ovo' egg was found in reptiles until now. The findings have been published in the latest issue of the journal Scientific Reports.
The abnormal titanosaurid dinosaur egg was discovered from Bagh area in MP's Dhar district, and could provide important insights into whether dinosaurs had a reproductive biology similar to that of turtles and lizards, or crocodiles and birds, their immediate cousins, they said.
The Upper Cretaceous Lameta Formation of central India has been long known for discovery of dinosaur fossils (both skeletal and egg remains). The authors documented a large number of titanosaurid sauropod nests near Padlya village close to Bagh town. While studying these nests, the researchers came across one 'abnormal egg'.
The research team found a sauropod dinosaur nest consisting of 10 eggs including the abnormal egg which had two continuous and circular eggshell layers separated by a wide gap reminiscent of ovum-in-ovo (one egg inside another egg) pathology of birds, read the statement.
The microstructure of the pathological egg as well as that of an adjacent egg in the same nest identified it with that of titanosaurid sauropod dinosaurs.
Until this find, no egg-in-egg abnormal fossil egg was found in dinosaurs and for that matter in other reptiles like turtles, lizards, and crocodiles, it said.
In the past, it was suggested that dinosaurs had a reproductive function similar to that of turtles and other reptiles, in contrast to the segmented reproductive tract of crocodiles and birds with separate regions of membrane and shell deposition, the statement said.
Although crocodiles have separate regions of shell membrane and mineralised shell deposition, they ovulate and release all the eggs simultaneously like turtles and other reptiles, as opposed to sequential ovulation of birds, which lay one egg at a time, it added.
The finding of ovum-in-ovo egg from a titanosaurid nest opens up the possibility that sauropod dinosaurs had an oviduct morphology similar to those of crocodiles or birds and they may have adapted to a mode of egg-laying characteristic of birds, said DU researcher Dr Harsha Dhiman, lead author of the paper.
Professor Guntupalli V R Prasad, who is the corresponding author of the published article, concurred with his colleague.
The new pathological egg is a rare and important find as no ovum-in-ovo egg was found in reptiles until now and as it brings out significant information on whether dinosaurs had a reproductive biology similar to that of turtles and lizards or their immediate cousins crocodiles and birds, he added.
The new find highlights the fact that central and western India hold great potential for dinosaur fossils which may offer important information on dinosaur oospecies diversity, nesting behaviour, and reproductive biology, the statement said.
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Bengaluru civic body polls will be held after May 25 with ballot papers: State EC
Bengaluru (PTI): Elections to the five city corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will be held after May 25 with ballot papers instead of EVMs, Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi said on Monday.
He also said that zilla and taluk Panchayat polls, which are expected later this year, will also be held using ballot papers.
"Elections will be held tentatively after May 25, after SSLC (class 10) and PUC (class 11 and 12) examinations are over, and before June 30," Sangreshi added.
The Supreme Court had last week asked the Karnataka government and the state election body to hold Bengaluru local body polls by June 30.
Speaking to reporters here, the Commissioner said, this time the GBA election will be held using ballot papers.
"There are two best practices to hold elections, ballot papers were being used since the beginning, but since 20-30 years ago EVMs are being used. Use of ballot papers is not barred by law or by the judgements of the Supreme Court," he said, defending the decision to use ballot papers.
The Congress government in Karnataka in September last year had decided to recommend to the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold all the future panchayat and urban local body polls in the state using ballot paper instead of Electronic Voting Machines, claiming there is erosion of confidence and credibility, among the people towards EVMs.
Noting that developed countries like America too use ballot papers, the state's chief election commissioner said, most elections like Gram Panchayat, Cooperative polls are held using ballot papers, except Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. "However, last time the Bengaluru corporation polls in 2015 were held using EVMs," he noted.
Responding to a question whether the decision to use ballot papers was under the government's pressure, he said the state election commission is an independent and constitutional body, and as law provides for elections to be held either using ballot papers or EVMs, the commission has the discretion to decide.
Sangreshi in response to a question said, Zilla and Taluk Panchayat polls will also be held using ballot papers.
"Using ballot papers is a choice. The SEC after considering what is good in the present scenario, after discussion and thinking, felt that use of ballot papers is appropriate. Most of those voting, since the last 20-30 years ago (in Bengaluru) have not seen ballot papers as EVMs are being used. Ballot paper is also a best practice, and throughout the world it is appreciated," he said.
"Using ballot papers doesn't mean going back to old age. Ballot papers are still being used in several of our elections like Gram Panchayat, cooperative and MLC polls," he also said.
Stating that according to him both ballot papers and EVMs don't have any faults, Sangreshi said, the Supreme Court which has upheld EVMs, has not said that ballot papers shouldn't be used.
He said, under the GBA Act there is a specific provision to hold the election using ballot paper. "When there is an act, why shouldn't we use it?"
The officers are well equipped to complete the process of election within the time, he further said, adding that "I think, there will be no hurdle to conduct the polls using ballot papers."
Responding to a question, the commissioner said that web cameras and CCTV cameras will be installed and adequate security will be ensured using police force to address the concerns of rigging. Also there will not be any logistical issues. "Everything will be taken care of," he said.
The tenure of the earlier elected body, under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) expired on September 10, 2020, and since then a government-appointed administrator was taking care of its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five new municipal corporations -- Central, East, West, North, and South-- under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) in September 2025, replacing the single BBMP.
Speaking to reporters after releasing the draft voters' list for GBA along with Sangreshi, R Ramachandran, Special Commissioner of GBA Election said, a total of 88,91,411 voters are there in the ward-wise draft voters' list of five corporations under the GBA, and a total of 369 wards have been formed in the jurisdiction of five corporations.
The draft voter list prepared keeping October 1, 2025 as the base date has 45,69,193 male, 43,20,583 female and 1,635 other voters.
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit homes from January 20 to February 3 and people will be allowed to submit claims and objections about the voters list during this period, he said, adding that disposal of claims and objections will take place from February 4 to February 18, and the final electoral roll will be published on March 16.
While ward number 23 of Bengaluru West Municipal Corporation has the highest number of voters at 49,530, ward number 16 of Bengaluru East Municipal Corporation has the lowest number of voters at 10,926. There will be 8,044 polling booths in a total of 369 wards, he further said.
