Remove hoardings
Election Commission directive to Centre, states
New Delhi, March 9
The Election Commission today directed the Central and the state governments to immediately remove all hoardings and advertisements which were still on display “at the cost of public exchequer” and send compliance reports.

Orders fair liquor auctions in Punjab
Editorial: Stink of liquor auctions
Ludhiana page: Liquor auction rigged, alleges Garcha
Punjab page: Sukhbir, Adesh behind Ponty’s entry into Punjab
Chandigarh page: Chautala hoardings likely to be pulled down

Militants storm PIB office in Srinagar; 1 shot

Srinagar, March 9 Two militants tonight stormed a building housing the Central Government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) and Jammu and Kashmir Government’s Information Office triggering a fierce gun-battle.

BSF personnel take up positions outside the Srinagar office of the Press Information Bureau which was stormed by militants at Residency Road on Tuesday evening. — PTI photo

PDP, Cong differ on J&K Bill
Jammu, March 9
The ruling coalition partners, the Congress and the PDP, have taken different postures on the controversial Bill seeking to deny state subject rights to girls marrying outsiders.

Advani to begin yatra today
New Delhi, March 9
Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani today dismissed the allegations that his roadshow would cause communal tensions. “The opposition reaction is predictable.

In video (28k, 56k)
Cong to focus on unemployment, farmers’ plight
LS poll in five phases now
Graphic: Greying of the Lok Sabha

Pakistan test-fires Shaheen-II
Islamabad, March 9
Pakistan today test fired its first 2,000 km-range surface-to-surface Shaheen-II ballistic missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and hitting targets deep inside India, apparently to match the neighbour’s Agni-II missile.
In video (28k, 56k)

Tension in Poohla village SGPC threat to ‘liberate’ gurdwara Poohla (Tarn Taran), March 9 Tension prevails in the village even as the Poohla Eviction Committee led by Col G.S. Sandhu has decided to take out a procession from Pahuwind to Poohla tomorrow to oust Ajit Singh Poohla, the chief of the Tarna Dal, from the village. Col G. S. Sandhu, Chairperson of the Poohla Eviction Committee, addresses a Press conference in Amritsar on Tuesday. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma