Udupi: The only BJP MLA who retained his seat and managed to get the party ticket from Udupi district, Sunil Kumar on Thursday filed nomination from the Karkala constituency for the Karnataka Assembly Elections.

The returning officer of the election in the district, Udupi Deputy Commissioner Kurma Rao on Thursday added that four candidates in the district including Sunil Kumar have filed nominations on the first day of nomination submission.

Indian National Congress candidate Molahalli Dinesh Hegde and Kiran Kumar Kodgi of the BJP also filed their respective nominations from the Kundapur assembly constituency.

Ramadas Bhat of the Karnataka Rashtra Samiti also filed his nominations from the Udupi assembly constituency.

No nominations were filed from Byndoor and Kapu constituencies on the first day. The last day for filing the nominations is 20 April. The nomination papers will be scrutinized on April 21 while the last day to withdraw nominations is April 24.

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New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.

The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.

In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.

"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.

It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.

The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.

The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.

The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.

The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.

A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.