Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer, S Chockalingam, has warned of strict legal action against individuals spreading false claims or insinuations regarding tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

His statement comes amid ongoing allegations from Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders about EVM malpractices during the recent Maharashtra assembly elections.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the "unnatural" verdict in Maharashtra, which saw Mahayuti winning big in assembly polls, has delayed the selection of chief minister for the last eight days.

Raut indicated that differences in Mahayuti forced caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde to go to his village in Satara district amidst the government formation efforts.

Only the estranged Thackeray cousins- Uddhav and Raj- can decide if they want to join hands, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said on Saturday.

Danve said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's political position is ambiguous and people cannot understand whether he is supporting the state government or opposing it.

The new government of the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra will be formed on December 5 with Devendra Fadnavis emerging as the frontrunner to become the next chief minister, a senior BJP leader said on Saturday.

In the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), retained power, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested he’d accept a cease-fire with Russia that left parts of his country occupied in return for Nato security guarantees over the rest, the strongest signal yet that the Ukrainian leader is open to ending the war without regaining all territory.

Zelenskyy made the comments in an interview with Sky News broadcast Friday when asked about a scenario in which Nato security guarantees covered only territory controlled by Kyiv.

Officials here have asked the residents to stay indoors in view of cyclonic storm Fengal’s likely landfall near Puducherry on Saturday afternoon.

All schools and colleges here will remain closed on Saturday, they said.

The cyclonic storm is likely to make landfall close to Puducherry with wind speeds up to 90 kmph, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Saturday claimed that the results of the assembly elections reflect lack of transparency, and said the government and the Election Commission need to clear people's doubts they have raised over the poll process.

He termed the verdict of the Maharashtra polls a "murder of democracy".

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine a plea seeking regulations over the quality of "prasad" or food offerings being distributed at temples, observing its prayers were within the state's domain.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan told the petitioner's counsel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 26 said the executive was discharging its function within its limits.

The National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) on Friday said Vijay Chandok, a financial market veteran, has joined as its managing director and chief executive officer.

Prior to joining NSDL, Chandok served as the MD and CEO of ICICI Securities. He held pivotal roles at the ICICI Group, including on the board of ICICI Bank as an executive director.

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned till January, 2025, the hearing on an appeal filed by the Andhra Pradesh government against the order of bail to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the skill development corporation scam case.

A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi an S C Sharma deferred the matter after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the state government, sought the adjournment.

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