AGARTALA, Feb 17 — The women representation in the State continue to be dismal despite demand by both the Left Front and the Congress to reserve 33 per cent seats for the women. This time, there are only 17 women candidates in the fray for the February 26 Assembly polls in comparison to the total number of 254 candidates.

According to the Election Commission sources, the candidates are Kalyani Dey (Mitra), CPI(M) Barjala), Laxmi Nag Burman, (Congress, Khayerpur), Kartik Kanya Debbarma, (NCP, Takarjala), Tutan Chakraborty (Bhowmik), (JD (U), Sionamura), Pratima Bhoumik (BJP, Dhanpur), Mira Das...

SHILLONG, Feb 17—Security has been geared up in the entire state which goes to the polls on February 26. Meghalaya, Director General of Police L Sailo informed newspersons that about 45 companies of security forces including the state police will be deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the Assembly polls.

Assistance of the BSF would be sought if required, Sailo said, adding that besides the existing ten companies of CRPF, three battalions of state police and one newly-recruited battalion, the Centre had sanctioned 15 companies of additional forces to be deployed in the state. Sensitive and...

KOKRAJHAR, Feb 17 — As soon as the euphoria of the signing of the memorandum of settlement (MoS) between the Central and the State Governments and Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) comes down, the leaders of the BLT and other Bodo organisations will have to concentrate on proper implementation of the accord for fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of not only the Bodos but of all sections of people of the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

The 35th annual conference of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) which concluded at Bonorgaon yesterday, virtually turned into a victory rally and...

TEZPUR, Feb 17 — Rubul Pathak, Ranger of Chariduar Reserve Forest and Nirmaleswar Gohain, Ranger of Bhotpara Saw Mill area who were placed under suspension by an order to Joint Secretary, Forests, Assam, on January 25, have been absconding, police sources here said. Both the forest rangers were allegedly involved in encouraging deforestation by the illegal encroachers and the smugglers in Chariduar reserve forest.

Assam Forest Minister, Pradyut Bordoloi had visited the Nameri National Park on January 25 when the local villagers detected and exhibited a good number of logs of valuable trees...

GUWAHATI, Feb 17 — There is good news for private sector power companies willing to venture into the North East India which is considered the power house of the country given its tremendous hydro-power potential. The South Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) is interested in financing privately-owned hydro-power projects, both mega and mini varieties, in the region.

Talking to this newspaper, Dr Anton de Wilde, the Programme Manager of the SEDF, informed that the SEDF was already in consultation with Tata Power which has shown interest in setting up hydro-electricity projects in the...