Google Search experienced a widespread outage on Tuesday morning, leaving users across several countries unable to access the platform or perform searches for a period of time.

The disruption affected users in India, the United States and multiple other regions, with many encountering an error message stating that an “internal server error” had occurred while processing their request.

The message informed users that engineers had been alerted to the issue and were working to restore services.

The outage sparked a wave of complaints on social media platforms and online outage trackers, with hundreds of users in India reporting problems within a short span.

Many users said they were unable to access search results or experienced intermittent disruptions while attempting to use the service.

The issue was identified as a “500 Internal Server Error”, a technical problem that generally points to a failure on the company’s server side rather than faults with users’ internet connections or devices.

Such errors typically occur when communication between a web browser and backend servers is interrupted due to technical difficulties within the platform’s infrastructure.

Google had not immediately issued a detailed public explanation for the outage at the time reports emerged.

The disruption follows a series of outages affecting major digital platforms and AI services in recent months.

In March, Chinese artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek reportedly suffered a prolonged outage lasting more than seven hours. Around the same time, Instagram users worldwide reported problems with direct messages, missing chat themes and malfunctioning search features.

Earlier this year, YouTube also experienced a global service disruption before the platform later confirmed that operations had been restored.

With IANS inputs

The Indian rupee fell to a fresh record low against the US dollar on Tuesday morning as escalating concerns over the fragile Iran ceasefire and rising crude oil prices weighed heavily on market sentiment.

The domestic currency slipped 35 paise in early trade to touch an all-time low of 95.63 against the dollar at the interbank foreign exchange market. The rupee had opened at 95.57 before extending losses, following Monday’s sharp decline of 79 paise, when it closed at a record low of 95.28.

The latest weakness in the rupee came after US President Donald Trump suggested that the ceasefire with Iran was under severe strain, raising fears of prolonged instability in West Asia and tighter global oil supplies.

Speaking at the Oval Office on Monday, Trump described the ceasefire as being on “massive life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest response to a US-backed peace proposal. He said hopes of a quick resolution to the conflict had faded and reiterated his administration’s hardline stance against Iran.

The comments triggered renewed anxiety in global energy markets, with investors concerned that the 10-week-old conflict could further disrupt oil supply chains.

Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, rose more than 0.8 per cent to trade above 105 dollars per barrel in futures trading, while oil prices remained elevated across Asian markets after gaining nearly 3 per cent in the previous session.

Currency market experts said the combination of rising oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty had increased pressure on emerging market currencies, including the rupee.

The dollar index, which measures the strength of the US currency against a basket of major global currencies, also edged higher during the session.

Indian equity markets mirrored the cautious sentiment, with benchmark indices opening sharply lower. The Sensex dropped more than 525 points in early trade, while the Nifty slipped over 160 points.

Investor sentiment was further dampened by continued foreign fund outflows. According to exchange data, Foreign Institutional Investors sold Indian equities worth more than Rs 8,400 crore on Monday.

With PTI inputs

Indian equity markets opened lower on Tuesday, extending losses for a second straight session as rising crude oil prices and mounting geopolitical tensions dampened investor sentiment.

The benchmark Sensex slipped nearly 475 points in early trade to touch an intraday low of 75,541, while the Nifty 50 dropped more than 125 points to trade below the 23,700 mark.

Selling pressure was most visible in information technology, chemicals, real estate, cement and financial stocks, with sectoral indices in these segments falling by more than 2 per cent during morning trade.

Among the major laggards were Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Technologies, Wipro, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance, Maruti Suzuki, Asian Paints and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.

In contrast, metal, oil and gas, and PSU banking stocks bucked the broader trend and traded in positive territory.

The Sensex had opened at 75,688, down more than 300 points from the previous close, while the Nifty began the session lower by around 93 points at 23,722.

Market analysts attributed the weak sentiment largely to concerns surrounding geopolitical instability and the sharp rise in global crude oil prices.

Experts said sectors with relatively inelastic demand, such as pharmaceuticals and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), were likely to remain resilient despite broader market volatility. They noted that pharmaceutical companies could also benefit from rupee depreciation.

Analysts also pointed to improving trends in private capital expenditure, particularly in capital goods, automobiles and renewable energy sectors. According to market observers, a strong recovery in private investment activity has been overshadowed by negative global developments, but continued momentum in capex spending could support select industrial stocks.

In the commodities market, Brent crude climbed above $105 per barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude approached the $100 mark, intensifying concerns over inflation and input costs.

Asian markets traded mixed during the session. Japan’s Nikkei index advanced modestly and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng posted gains, while South Korea’s KOSPI fell sharply.

Wall Street had ended marginally higher overnight, with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq recording slight gains.

With IANS inputs

Pakistan has extended its nationwide austerity measures until 13 June as uncertainty surrounding the conflict in West Asia continues to weigh heavily on the country’s economy and energy security.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the extension following the failure of the United States and Iran to reach an agreement aimed at ending months of hostilities in the region. The decision came after US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected Tehran’s latest proposal for a settlement, describing it as “totally unacceptable”.

The austerity measures were first introduced on 9 March after disruptions to energy supplies triggered by military action involving the US, Israel and Iran. The restrictions had initially been scheduled to remain in place for two months.

According to a notification issued by Pakistan’s Cabinet Division on Monday, the government decided to continue the measures immediately after reviewing recommendations submitted by a committee overseeing fuel conservation and austerity implementation.

Under the extended restrictions, fuel allocations for official vehicles will remain reduced by 50 per cent, although emergency and operational vehicles such as ambulances and public transport buses are exempt.

The government has also retained its decision to ground 60 per cent of official vehicles and continue a ban on most foreign visits, except those deemed essential to national interests.

Pakistan’s economy remains highly vulnerable to disruptions in oil supplies from West Asia, and the conflict involving Iran has intensified concerns over energy availability and rising import costs. The country has already witnessed significant increases in fuel prices despite the austerity campaign.

The conflict began after coordinated strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian targets, followed by retaliatory action from Tehran. Although a ceasefire has been in place since 8 April, tensions remain high as negotiations continue to stall.

Islamabad hosted a round of direct talks between Iranian and American officials on 11 April, but no breakthrough was achieved. Key disagreements reportedly persist over Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities and the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.

On 21 April, Trump extended the ceasefire indefinitely beyond its initial deadline to provide additional time for diplomacy.

Regional instability has continued despite the truce. Recent reports of drone incursions into the airspace of the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, along with a drone strike that caused a minor fire aboard a commercial vessel near Qatar, have raised fresh concerns over the durability of the ceasefire and the broader security situation in the Gulf.

With PTI inputs

Radboud University Medical Center has placed 12 employees under preventive quarantine for six weeks after incorrect safety procedures were followed while treating a patient infected with hantavirus linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.

The hospital, also known as Radboudumc, said the lapse involved the handling and processing of blood samples as well as the disposal of the patient’s urine.

“This blood was processed according to standard procedure. Due to the nature of the virus, this blood should have been processed according to a stricter procedure,” the hospital said in a statement on Monday, without detailing the additional safeguards required.

The medical centre added that it became clear on Saturday that the latest international guidelines for disposing of the patient’s urine had also not been followed.

As a precaution, 12 staff members who may have been exposed have now entered quarantine, although officials stressed the risk of infection remains very low.

“Although the risk of actual infection is very low, these measures have a significant impact on everyone involved,” said Bertine Lahuis, chair of Radboudumc’s Executive Board.

The patient was admitted to the Dutch hospital on Thursday after being evacuated from the MV Hondius, which has been linked to an ongoing hantavirus outbreak involving multiple passengers.

Meanwhile, Spain confirmed a preliminary positive case among evacuees from the same cruise ship. Spanish health minister Monica Garcia said one of 14 Spanish nationals evacuated from the vessel tested preliminarily positive for hantavirus after arriving in Madrid.

Writing on X, Garcia said the individual had been isolated at Madrid’s Gómez Ulla hospital and remained asymptomatic.

“The person remains in isolation, without symptoms and in general good health, under continued clinical observation in accordance with established safety and epidemiological protocols,” she said.

The remaining 13 evacuees tested provisionally negative, although authorities said final results were still pending.

According to health officials and the World Health Organisation, the outbreak is believed to involve the Andes strain of hantavirus — a rare variant capable of person-to-person transmission through close contact. Hantaviruses are typically spread through exposure to infected rodent urine, saliva or droppings.

The Spanish evacuees were transferred to Madrid after the MV Hondius arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands over the weekend as part of an international evacuation effort.

Several confirmed and suspected cases linked to the outbreak have now been reported, with passengers transferred to different countries for monitoring and treatment.

The final group of evacuees disembarked from the ship on Monday after the vessel briefly docked at the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife due to poor weather conditions. The ship later resumed its journey to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

With IANS inputs

In a major policy move carrying significant political and social implications, the Tamil Nadu government led by chief minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday ordered the closure of 717 TASMAC liquor outlets operating near places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands across the state within the next two weeks.

The decision marks the first major regulatory overhaul of the state-run liquor retail network since the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government assumed office and is being seen as a key step towards fulfilling one of its prominent election promises on alcohol regulation and public welfare.

During the assembly election campaign, Vijay and TVK leaders had repeatedly accused previous governments of expanding liquor sales while ignoring the social and economic impact of alcohol consumption on families and young people.

According to an official government release, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation currently operates 4,765 liquor retail outlets across Tamil Nadu.

Following directions from the chief minister, officials conducted a statewide inspection to identify liquor shops operating within a 500-metre radius of sensitive public locations. The review reportedly found that 717 outlets violated the prescribed distance norms.

Of the identified outlets, 276 were located near temples, mosques and churches, while 186 shops were functioning close to schools and colleges. Another 255 liquor outlets were found near bus stands and transport hubs frequented daily by commuters and the public.

“Considering public welfare, the chief minister has directed that all the identified liquor retail outlets be closed within two weeks,” the official statement said.

Officials said district administrations and TASMAC authorities have been instructed to begin the closure process immediately and submit compliance reports within the stipulated timeframe.

The move is expected to spark political debate, particularly because TASMAC revenues remain one of the Tamil Nadu government’s biggest sources of income. However, the decision is also likely to be welcomed by religious groups, parents’ associations and anti-liquor activists who have long demanded the closure or relocation of liquor outlets near schools, residential neighbourhoods and religious institutions.

Political observers view the crackdown as an early attempt by the Vijay-led government to signal a shift in governance priorities and reinforce its image as a welfare-focused administration willing to take politically sensitive decisions.

With IANS inputs

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday expressed serious concern over the continued sale and use of Chinese manjha — kite strings made of nylon and coated with metal or glass particles — and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to explain the concrete steps being taken to eliminate the practice.

Hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate M.L. Yadav, a bench comprising Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla questioned the state on its strategy to prevent the manufacture, sale and use of the hazardous kite strings, which have been linked to fatal accidents and injuries.

In response, the state government informed the court that it was in the process of drafting legislation to prohibit the use of such manjha. It also said a six-member committee had already been constituted to prepare the framework for the proposed law.

Taking note of the submission, the bench directed the secretaries of the Home and Environment departments — or officers not below the rank of secretary — to appear through video conferencing at the next hearing scheduled for 13 July.

During the proceedings, counsel representing the central government told the court that nylon and lead-coated Chinese manjha had already been prohibited under orders issued by the National Green Tribunal.

The bench, however, observed that imposing a ban alone was insufficient unless accompanied by effective enforcement measures. The judges said it was the responsibility of the state authorities to ensure strict compliance with the ban and identify locations where the prohibited kite strings were being manufactured or sold.

Meanwhile, the city’s kite association moved an intervention application before the court, alleging that police and local authorities were harassing its members under the guise of taking action against Chinese manjha.

Addressing the concern, the court observed that members of the kite-flying community should also cooperate with efforts to curb the use of banned strings. It further directed the state government to ensure that innocent individuals were not subjected to unnecessary harassment during enforcement drives.

With PTI inputs

US President Donald Trump transformed a White House dinner honouring law enforcement officers into a campaign-style political event on Monday night, joking about the 2028 presidential race, attacking Democratic rivals and boasting about renovations to the White House.

Speaking for nearly 30 minutes at a Rose Garden dinner during Police Week, Trump veered across topics ranging from immigration and crime to drones, the White House and what he again described as the “rigged” election. The gathering included vice-president J.D. Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, cabinet officials and leaders of major law enforcement organisations.

Trump drew laughter after staging an impromptu audience poll on possible Republican candidates for the 2028 presidential election.

“So we got a lot of beauties out there, JD. I envy you and other people. I don't know. Who's it going to be? Is it going to be JD? Is it going to be somebody else? I don't know,” Trump said.

Turning to the crowd, he asked: “Who likes JD Vance?” before following up with: “Who likes Marco Rubio?”

After applause for both men, Trump remarked: “All right. Sounds like a good ticket… That was a perfect ticket.”

“I do believe that's a dream team, but these are minor details. That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance,” he added. “I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate.”

Trump also mocked former vice-president Kamala Harris and California governor Gavin Newsom, both seen as prominent Democratic figures.

“How about Gavin Newsom though?... He said he can't read a speech. He's not a smart person,” Trump said. “It was the worst interview I've ever seen by a professional politician and he's running and he's in second place.”

A large portion of Trump’s remarks focused on the White House itself, with the president claiming he personally funded repairs and improvements to the historic residence.

“This place was not properly taken care of,” he said. “The columns were falling down. The plaster was falling off.”

“I spent a lot of time on bringing this house back because this house was in very bad shape,” Trump added. “It's the White House. It's got to look incredible. It's got to be pristine.”

At one point, birds flying overhead briefly interrupted the event while Trump was discussing singer Lee Greenwood and his patriotic anthem “Proud to be an American”.

“Oh, oh. Thought that was a drone,” Trump joked. “They make them in all different sizes nowadays. They can be very destructive as you probably know.”

The president repeatedly praised police officers and highlighted their political support for him.

“These are my friends. These people voted for me 98 per cent and we’re looking for the other two,” he said.

Trump also praised deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller as “fantastic” and “an MVP candidate”, while joking that FBI director Kash Patel “doesn't get enough publicity”.

Referring to the recent White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Trump commended the Secret Service, saying: “I thought you did a great job two weeks ago. You know why? Because I'm here, okay? We consider being here a success.”

Before the dinner, guests were welcomed with music from artists including Paul McCartney, Celine Dion and Ray Charles. The event featured about 32 tables and a menu that included salad, prime beef filet and chocolate dessert.

Police Week is an annual Washington event honouring law enforcement officers killed or injured in the line of duty. Presidents from both parties have traditionally used the occasion to recognise police service and host leaders from across the law enforcement community.

Trump, however, has frequently blended official White House events with campaign-style political messaging, continuing to focus heavily on immigration, violent crime and attacks on political opponents during public appearances since returning to office.

With IANS inputs

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has alleged widespread sexual harassment, systemic bullying and serious non-compliance with workplace safety laws at the Nashik office of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), following a fact-finding inquiry submitted to the Maharashtra government.

The Commission said it had taken suo motu cognisance of complaints linked to the TCS Nashik unit after several women employees raised allegations of misconduct. Acting on the directions of NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, a four-member committee visited Nashik in April to investigate the claims. The panel included retired Bombay High Court judge Justice Sadhna Jadhav, former Haryana Director General of Police B K Sinha, Supreme Court advocate Monika Arora and NCW senior coordinator Lilabati.

According to the report, the committee interviewed complainants, members of the Internal Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, police officials and other witnesses before compiling a report exceeding 50 pages with more than 25 recommendations. The findings were submitted to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 8 May.

The committee described the workplace environment as “deeply disturbing and toxic”, alleging pervasive sexual harassment and abuse of authority within the office. It claimed that young female employees had been targeted and subjected to sexual, emotional and mental harassment, including alleged attempts at molestation.

The report further alleged that some women employees were exposed to religious insults and anti-Hindu commentary in the workplace. It claimed that certain individuals denigrated Hindu beliefs and traditions while promoting Islam as a superior religion, creating what the committee described as a coercive and hostile environment.

The panel also alleged that several women chose not to lodge formal complaints because of fear of retaliation, social stigma and a lack of confidence in the grievance mechanism. It claimed that employees who raised concerns feared transfers, termination or other professional consequences.

Among the concerns highlighted were alleged failures in workplace safety measures, including claims that CCTV cameras at the office were non-functional. The committee also criticised what it described as “zero compliance” with the POSH Act, stating that the Pune and Nashik offices shared a common Internal Committee in violation of statutory requirements. It further alleged there had been no awareness programmes, orientation sessions or visible information regarding POSH procedures at the Nashik office.

TCS, however, has disputed several of the allegations contained in the report. Sources within the company said the organisation maintained full compliance with the POSH Act, including regular employee training and the display of Internal Committee details within the office premises. The company also rejected claims that CCTV systems were non-functional.

The NCW committee criticised the response of the Internal Committee members, stating that it found a lack of empathy towards complainants and accusing the company of failing to meet its obligations under Section 19(C) of the POSH Act, which mandates awareness and sensitisation programmes for employees.

The panel recommended stricter enforcement of workplace harassment laws, stronger grievance redressal systems and better safeguards to protect complainants from retaliation. It also called for regular monitoring of workplace safety mechanisms, including CCTV systems, and said criminal proceedings should run alongside obligations under the POSH Act where applicable.

The report stated that police had been advised to consider witness protection measures for complainants and witnesses. It further suggested that the accused could face charges under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including offences relating to outraging religious feelings and abuse of authority.

The NCW said it had urged both the authorities and TCS management to take appropriate action to ensure the protection, dignity and safety of women employees in the workplace.

With IANS inputs

The arrest of an alleged sharpshooter in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, has triggered a political controversy after videos surfaced on social media purportedly showing one of the accused campaigning for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

Raj Singh, arrested by West Bengal Police from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, is alleged to be one of the key shooters involved in Rath’s killing in Madhyamgram earlier this month. Investigators claim the murder was a meticulously planned contract killing executed by multiple assailants in less than a minute.

A video circulating on X allegedly shows Raj Singh canvassing for BJP candidates during an election campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Photographs shared online also appear to show him alongside political figures, including Uttar Pradesh MLC Brijesh Singh and state transport minister Daya Shankar Singh. In several social media posts, Raj Singh has also been identified as a former office-bearer of the All India Kshatriya Mahasabha.

However, National Herald could not independently verify the authenticity of the video or the photographs.

The emergence of the visuals has intensified political sparring, with opposition leaders questioning whether the accused had links to members of the BJP. So far, neither the BJP leadership in Uttar Pradesh nor the West Bengal government has officially commented on the allegations surrounding the footage.

Police sources said Raj Singh has a long criminal record, with more than a dozen cases allegedly registered against him, including offences under the Arms Act. Investigators suspect he acted as a hired sharpshooter and may have been paid a substantial sum to participate in the killing.

According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Raj Singh was arrested during a late-night raid in Ballia, while two other accused — Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya — were apprehended from Bihar’s Buxar district. Investigators believe seven to eight people may have been involved in the conspiracy.

The murder took place on the night of 6 May, just two days after the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared. Police said Rath’s vehicle was first intercepted by another car before armed men on motorcycles surrounded it from both sides and opened fire through the windows at close range.

Around 10 rounds were allegedly fired during what investigators described as a “50-second operation”.

Officials said digital payment trails played a key role in cracking the case. FASTag and UPI transactions linked to toll payments reportedly helped investigators track the movement of the accused across multiple states.

The accused were produced before the Barasat Court under heavy security, where the CID sought custody for further interrogation. The court granted 13 days of police remand.

Meanwhile, Raj Singh’s family has strongly denied the allegations against him. His mother claimed that he was in Lucknow attending the wedding of an MLC’s daughter at the time investigators believe the conspiracy was unfolding. “We have no connection with Kolkata and have never gone there with my son. I do not know why he is being implicated,” she told reporters.

She further claimed that several people, including family members, friends and a driver, had travelled together to Lucknow and insisted there was evidence proving his presence there. “His mobile phone records should be checked. There is proof that he was in Lucknow,” she said.

The family has appealed for a fair investigation and demanded that police examine all available evidence before reaching conclusions.

Political reactions to the case continue to escalate. Opposition parties have alleged that the murder points to a deeper conspiracy, while BJP supporters have accused rivals of attempting to politicise a criminal investigation before the facts are fully established.

Adhikari had earlier described the killing of his aide as “brutal”, “premeditated” and a “contract killing”, claiming the attack bore signs of detailed planning and reconnaissance carried out over several days.

Investigators are now focusing on identifying who financed the operation and whether a larger network was involved. Police officials said multiple angles — including political motives, organised crime links and personal enmity — remain under investigation.

Farmers across Maharashtra are facing mounting distress after unseasonal rain and hailstorms damaged standing crops while onion prices — often called “red gold” in the state — crashed to as low as 50 paise to Re 1 per kilogram in several mandis, triggering anger and protests among cultivators.

Large parts of Maharashtra witnessed unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms during March and April, damaging rabi crops across more than 1.59 lakh acres of agricultural land. The worst-hit regions include Nashik, Ahmednagar and parts of Marathwada, where onion, wheat, mango, cashew, grape and pomegranate crops suffered extensive losses.

Among them, onion farmers have been hit hardest. Around 44,000 hectares of onion cultivation has reportedly been affected, while market prices have collapsed due to record production, weak exports, inadequate storage infrastructure and declining demand.

Farmer organisations led by the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana have announced a protest march in Mumbai on 15 May. The march will begin from Girgaum Chowpatty and proceed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s official residence Varsha. Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray has extended support to the agitation.

Farmers burn crops in despair

Maharashtra is among India’s largest onion-producing states, with lakhs of farmers dependent on the crop in districts such as Nashik, Ahmednagar, Dharashiv, Beed, Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Agriculture market experts say rising cultivation costs — including seeds, fertilisers, labour, irrigation and transportation — have sharply increased farmers’ input burden while mandi prices have collapsed below production cost. In several markets, farmers are reportedly receiving only Rs 2 to Rs 5 per kilogram, while some distress sales have occurred at Re 1 or below.

In Dharashiv district’s Tintaraj village, onion farmer Bhagwan Sable allegedly set fire to his own crop after failing to secure viable prices in the market.

Sable had cultivated onions on nearly four acres of land, with produce from around two-and-a-half acres already harvested and packed into 600 sacks. According to him, the crop required an investment of around Rs 3–4 lakh, but mandi prices had fallen to around Re 1 per kilogram, making sale economically unviable.

Similarly, farmer Prakash Galdhar from Varudi village in Paithan taluka of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district reportedly received only Rs 100 per quintal for 1,262 kg of onions packed in 25 sacks — effectively around Re 1 per kilogram.

Demand for MSP, export relief

Farmer groups say onion cultivators are once again staring at mounting debt after hopes of income recovery collapsed this season.

They are demanding an MSP (Minimum Support Price)-like mechanism for onions, government procurement centres and relaxation in export policy restrictions to ensure remunerative prices for farmers.

Farmers have also criticised the Maharashtra government’s compensation announcement of Rs 22,000 per hectare for crop damage, calling it grossly inadequate compared to actual losses.

Farmer organisations claim that mango and cashew crops in several parts of the Konkan region have also been severely damaged, causing losses worth crores of rupees to cultivators.

West Bengal's chief electoral officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal has been appointed the state’s new chief secretary, becoming the second senior official linked to the recently concluded election process to join the BJP government headed by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari. Agarwal's predecessor Dushyant Nariala — appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI)ahead of the election — will move to Delhi as Bengal's resident commissioner.

The appointment comes just days after retired IAS officer Subrata Gupta — who had served as the ECI-appointed special roll observer during the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls — was brought into the new administration as adviser to the chief minister.

The developments are likely to trigger fresh political debate in the state, particularly because both officials were closely associated with election-related exercises that had drawn strong criticism from the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government before the Assembly polls.

Media reports had earlier stated that Agarwal was emerging as the frontrunner for the chief secretary’s post after he was seen attending Adhikari’s first cabinet-level administrative meeting on Monday, 11 May. According to a Quint report, his presence at the high-level meeting had fuelled speculation within bureaucratic and political circles that he was being considered for the top administrative role in the state government.

The Quint report pointed out that there are precedents for election officials moving into senior government roles after polls — although the publication noted that an immediate transition from CEO to chief secretary remains “relatively uncommon and politically sensitive”.

One example cited by was Odisha, where then CEO Nikunja Bihari Dhal was appointed additional chief secretary in the chief minister’s office shortly after the BJP came to power in the state in 2024.

Another example mentioned was that of Vijay Kumar Dev, who became Delhi chief secretary in 2018 a few months after being appointed Delhi’s CEO. Though, as The Quint noted, Dev had not overseen any major election in the capital at the time.

The Quint also quoted former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi as saying there was “nothing procedurally wrong” with a CEO returning to a government posting after election duty. At the same time, Quraishi acknowledged that the optics were “bad”, especially at a time when there was heightened scrutiny surrounding the ECI’s functioning.

Neither the BJP nor the West Bengal government has directly addressed criticism surrounding the appointments. The administration has instead projected both Agarwal and Gupta as experienced bureaucrats being assigned governance responsibilities based on seniority and administrative competence.

Agarwal, who is due to retire in July 2026, is among the senior-most IAS officers in the Bengal cadre. According to The Quint report, his seniority and handling of the election process had already strengthened his position as a likely contender for the chief secretary’s post even before the formal announcement was made.

His appointment also comes amid a wider bureaucratic restructuring by the new BJP government, which has already removed several nominees appointed under the previous Trinamool administration while signalling tighter alignment with the Centre.