New Delhi, Oct 16: As the campaigning gathers pace in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday allotted digital vouchers to both national and state parties for free telecast time on the two leading national broadcasters – Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR).

The digital vouchers facilitate political parties (national parties and recognised state parties) to use limited ‘free time’ on the state-owned television and radio channels for campaigning and expanding reach to the masses on their respective poll promises.

The digital time vouchers have been issued to all national and state political parties in Bihar for the Legislative Assembly elections, under Section 39A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Under the policy, free broadcasting and telecasting facilities of base time of 45 minutes have been allotted on both Doordarshan and All India Radio, for each party to be uniformly provided on the regional network within the state.

Additional time could be allotted to the parties, based on their poll performance in the last Assembly elections.

Issuing the guidelines, the ECI said, “The broadcast/telecast period will be scheduled between the date of publication of the list of contesting candidates in each phase and two days before the date of poll in Bihar. The actual broadcast/telecast will be scheduled in advance through a draw of lots in the presence of authorised representatives of the parties and officials from the office of the CEO, Bihar.”

The ECI guidelines mandate that the political parties submit the transcripts and recordings in advance, strictly adhering to the relevant guidelines, and the recordings may be made in studios meeting the technical standards as prescribed by Prasar Bharati.

“Prasar Bharati Corporation will organise up to two panel discussions and/or debates on Doordarshan and All India Radio for Bihar. Each eligible party may nominate one representative for the programme, which will be moderated by an approved coordinator,” an ECI release said.

Palghar: The traffic nightmare on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway (NH-48) has stretched into its fifth consecutive day, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and exposing deep-rooted infrastructure and traffic management failures. The massive congestion near Vasai and Palghar has paralyzed movement for hours, trapping school buses, ambulances, and heavy vehicles in seemingly endless queues.

Officials say the gridlock was triggered by ongoing road repair work and the diversion of heavy vehicles, but the chaos has now spiraled out of control. NH-48, a key link between Maharashtra and Gujarat, serves as a vital economic corridor, yet it remains plagued by poor planning and incomplete infrastructure upgrades.

On Tuesday evening, the crisis took a distressing turn when around 12 school buses carrying students from Classes 5 to 10 were stuck in traffic for nearly 12 hours while returning from a picnic near Virar. Many children reportedly went without food or water for hours, prompting distress among parents. Volunteers from a local social organisation distributed biscuits and water to the stranded students.

Former MAMFDC chairman and educationist Javed Shroff praised MNS chief Raj Thackeray for swiftly mobilising party workers to assist nearly 500 stranded students. “Appreciate the yeomen & good initiative of Shri Raj Thackeray ji to have made arrangements for the students stuck in traffic and provided safe passage,” Shroff wrote on X, lauding the humanitarian effort.

The ordeal has forced several schools across Mumbai to rethink travel plans. According to Anil Garg, chairman of the Educational Tour Operators Association, more than 20 schools have postponed upcoming picnics to Vasai until after Diwali. “Even today, two buses from Nashik carrying 64 students from a Kandivli-based school were delayed by two hours,” he said.

For residents of Vasai-Virar, NH-48 remains the only practical route to Mumbai. Alternative options, such as the Ro-Ro ferry service, are overcrowded, with vehicle queues stretching up to 125 cars. With daily commuters, truckers, and students caught in the gridlock, frustration and anger continue to mount, a stark reminder of Mumbai’s worsening infrastructure crisis.

Mumbai: The special court for cases registered under the SC and ST Act has convicted a 58-year-old man who retired from the police department and his wife for intentionally insulting the complainant over his caste 15 years ago.

The complainant was the chairman of the housing society in 2010, while the accused and his wife were members, with both parties differing on the society’s redevelopment. The special court has sentenced Gajendra Kadam, 58, and his wife Shraddha Kadam, 54, to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5000. They were granted bail to appeal against the verdict. As per the prosecution’s case, the complainant had claimed that the incident took place on February 14, 2010, during a society meeting.

The case was registered on April 30, 2010. The accused and the complainant were residents of Kranti Sahakari Gruhnirman Society, with 104 members at the time of lodging the case. It was claimed that the society was formed under the World Bank Scheme for the rehabilitation of the slum area and the dwellers. Out of all the houses, 36 rooms of the said society were dilapidated and were declared dangerous, in which Kadam’s house fell. It was claimed that Kadam had brought one developer and started the survey for redevelopment.

The other members objected, and Kadam allegedly threatened them, saying he works in the police department and was posted at Mantralaya. The society refused to cooperate with Kadam. On the day of the incident, Kadam barged into the room during a meeting and began abusing the complainant. The prosecution examined the complainant and another eyewitness. It accepted the prosecution case and held the couple guilty.