Goa to host 37th National Games in October 2023: IOA
New Delhi (PTI): Goa will host the 37th edition of the National Games in October next year, the Indian Olympic Association confirmed on Saturday.
The Goa state government has conveyed to the IOA its in-principle approval to host the next edition of the National Games.
In a letter to Ajit Roy, Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs, Goa, IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta wrote: "IOA is pleased to note the wholehearted support of the Government of Goa to host the 37th National Games in Goa in 2023, hence conveying IOA's approval to organise the 37th National Games in Goa.
"The Goa delegation may receive the IOA flag in the Closing Ceremony of the 36th National Games on 12th October 2022 in Surat, Gujarat."
The IOA, however, said the dates for the event will be decided later.
"The date of the 37th National Games will be decided to keep in view of the dates of the 19th Asian Games, which will be held from 23rd September to 8th October 2022 in Hangzhou, China."
Goa got the rights to host the National Games in 2008, but due to different reasons, the state has failed to host them, forcing the IOA to shift the 36th edition to Gujarat, which agreed to conduct the event in a short span of time.
The last National Games were held in Kerala in 2015 and Goa was to host the 36th edition in November 2016.
After two delays in 2018 and 2019 due to the coastal state's inability to create adequate infrastructure, the Games were further postponed to 2020.
But the COVID-19 pandemic then forced the postponement of the National Games again and the Goa government expressed its inability to host the event before December this year.
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UP bypolls: SP says cops deterring voters, BJP seeks identification of burqa-clad women
Lucknow (PTI): The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday accused police personnel of deterring dome people from casting votes in Uttar Pradesh where bypolls are underway, while the BJP alleged that the faces of some burqa-clad women voters are not matching with their IDs.
Both the SP and the BJP called for the Election Commission (EC) to intervene.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court and the EC to take immediate cognisance of alleged voter suppression based on video evidence, take punitive action and ensure fair elections. The party requested the EC earlier to issue instructions that on polling day, police officers are not allowed to check the ID of voters, only polling officers are permitted to do so.
In a post on X, Yadav said, "All police officers who are checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs should be immediately suspended on the basis of video evidence. Police have no right to check Aadhaar ID cards or identity cards," Yadav said.
He shared a video of party candidate Sumbul Rana from Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar district, accusing police personnel of trying to deter people from voting.
"We are going from village to village, people are being harassed and are not being allowed to vote. Police officers are troubling people, telling them that they cannot vote. They are asking for one ID, and then asking for another ID. They are checking all IDs, but still, people are not being allowed to cast their votes," she told reporters.
Rana claimed that such complaints were coming from Nayagaon, Nagla Buzuk, Sambalheda, and other areas in the constituency. "We are raising complaints but officers are not checking it," she alleged.
Countering the opposition party's claims, BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla said the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav are scared of losing in the ongoing bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.
"The Samajwadi Party has lost trust in the voters. That is why they have gathered external disruptive elements in the bypoll areas. According to several media reports, the faces of women wearing burqas are not matching with their identity cards," Shukla said.
"The BJP appeals to the EC and the administration to ensure that voting is not allowed without matching the identity cards and that the EC's instructions are strictly followed," he added.
On social media platform X, SP's media cell also highlighted alleged poll code violations at some locations, including the Kundarki seat in Moradabad. It said that the party's agents were not being allowed near the polling stations.
Moradabad DM Anuj Singh said there were reports from a party alleging "bogus voting" in Bikanpur and claims that the administration has not allowed their agents.
"We got these claims verified, I myself spoke to the polling officer in Bikanpur and found that voting is underway smoothly and no voter is facing any problem. There is adequate security presence also," Singh added.
In Kanpur, SP candidate Naseem Solanki alleged her party voters were complaining of foul play by the administration, and alleging "biased behaviour" by the administration.
Voting for bypolls is underway in Katehari, Karhal, Mirapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur and Kundarki assembly seats. Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm. Votes will be counted on November 23.
मुजफ्फरनगर की मीरापुर विधानसभा बूथ संख्या 318 पर मतदाताओं से अभद्रता कर रही पुलिस, महिलाओं पर चला रही लाठी।
— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) November 20, 2024
संज्ञान ले चुनाव आयोग, निष्पक्ष मतदान सुनिश्चित हो।@ecisveep @ceoup @DmMuzaffarnagar pic.twitter.com/1XgJMHiUsT
