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AGARTALA, Jan 20? Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh on Thursday night said here that all measures had been ensured to conduct free and fair polls in the state on February 26 next. Addressing a press conference at Circuit House here last night the CEC, flanked by his Election Commissioners T S Krishnamurthy and B B Tandon said, the poll process is going on, smoothly and the election will be conducted in free and fair manner. The CEC also expressed hope that the Central Government would send additional paramilitary force for the Tripura polls. ?The Ministry of Home Affairs is very...

New Delhi, Jan. 20: Eleven days after their arrival in the capital, the NSCN (I-M) leaders today held a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to seek the principal Opposition party?s support for peace talks to end Naga insurgency.

The meeting, held at Sonia Gandhi?s 10 Janpath official residence late this evening, was symbolic of the Congress party?s support to the Naga peace talks.

According to her political secretary Ambika Soni, Sonia Gandhi told the NSCN (I-M) leadership, ?We also want that the Naga issue should be settled at the earliest.?

However, Sonia Gandhi exercised extreme...

New Delhi, Jan. 20: Barriers of language and custom notwithstanding, the Naga tribes and sub-tribes have come together to form a unique troupe. This troupe will showcase the rich culture and history of the community in different countries all around the world.

Named ?Nagas Call for Peace: Creating a Vision of Hope for Our Nation and the World ?, the band?s maiden performance in Bangkok in October spread the message far and wide about the turmoil in Nagaland and the community?s struggle for peace. ?We have received invitations from several countries in Asia and Europe though the tours are yet...

Jorhat, Jan. 20: The CBI has rounded up nine persons from Majuli in connection with the abduction and subsequent killing of social worker Sanjoy Ghose. They would be presented before the court as witnesses tomorrow.

The second hearing of the sensational case will be held tomorrow. The first hearing was on December 17.

Sources here said the CBI team, which landed on the island on January 18, failed to track down Chandan Doley, a prime witness to the incident. Doley, who was abducted along with Ghose from Mekheli village in the island on July 4, 1997, managed to escape from the clutches of the...

New Delhi, Jan. 20: An expected Bodo agreement stumbled in the last stretch before breasting the tape, compelling the Centre to merely extend the ceasefire between the security forces and Bodo militants for a month from tonight.

The ceasefire, which had held the fragile peace in the Bodo region, was scheduled to expire tonight.

Expectations were high that an agreement would be wrapped up at the end of today?s tripartite negotiations between the Assam government, the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) and Union home ministry officials. Even a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been prepared and...