India news: Voting in West Bengal begins, violence reported

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday criticized a proposed $9 billion (€7.69 billion) port-and-city project on Great Nicobar Island that the government is pushing as of "strategic, defense and national importance."

"What is being done in Great Nicobar is one of the biggest scams and gravest crimes against this country's natural and tribal heritage in our lifetime," Gandhi said in a video message posted on X.

Gandhi called it "destruction dressed in development's language" in the video showing him walking through the island's forests.

The island lies near the entrance to the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and the project includes a container port, airport and township.

Critics say it would destroy large areas of rainforest and threaten Indigenous communities, including the Nicobarese and Shompen peoples.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the development, which India's environmental court approved in February, as strategically important,

But Gandhi said the plan "must be stopped."

About 9,000 people live on the island, including 1,200 Indigenous Nicobarese and Shompen people, the latter largely avoiding outside contact, according to Survival International.

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India late on Tuesday proposed amendments to its vehicle regulations to formally allow the use of higher ethanol‑blended fuels, as the government seeks to reduce dependence on costly petroleum imports.

Ethanol is a biofuel derived from agricultural produce or organic waste.

In a statement, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the draft changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules would introduce provisions for E85 fuel — a blend of 85% ethanol and petrol — as well as E100, which would allow vehicles to run on nearly pure ethanol.

The proposals have been opened for public comment before a final decision is taken. India met its target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol in 2025 and is now considering higher blends.

India's E20 ethanol fuel rollout is supposed to boost energy security and cut oil imports, but owners of older petrol cars are reporting engine damage, reduced mileage, and rising maintenance costs.

Rain and dust storms swept through Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region on Wednesday, bringing relief from a severe heat wave that had pushed temperatures to 44.5 degrees Celsius (112.1 degress Fahrenheit) earlier this week.

Early Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) posted on X saying light to moderate rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds of 40-60 kph (25-37 mph) were likely across Delhi-NCR during the morning hours.

The showers, triggered by a western disturbance, were expected to pull the day’s maximum temperature down to around 38 degrees C from an earlier forecast of 41 degrees C.

Delhi had been under a yellow heat wave alert in recent days.

Voting began on Wednesday in the final phase of assembly elections in West Bengal amid reports of violence and technical glitches at polling stations, media reports said.

In the second phase of the West Bengal polls, 1,448 candidates will be contesting for 142 assembly constituencies across seven districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to make inroads into the state it has never been in power in and is locked in a fray with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress Party (TMC).

According to The Times of India (ToI), Banerjee alleged widespread interference by central forces and poll observers at the behest of the BJP, the ruling party at the national level.

"The BJP wants to forcefully rig the election," she said while talking to reporters.

Incidents of violence reported

Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of violence were reported from parts of the state.

In Bally, clashes broke out over alleged electronic voting machine malfunctions, prompting security forces to use batons, with two people detained, officials said, according to NDTV.

In Nadia district, BJP leaders said a party polling agent was assaulted at a booth in Chapra by alleged supporters of the ruling TMC, the ToI newspaper reported.

In a post on X, Modi urged the people of West Bengal to vote in large numbers.

"It is important that the women and youth of West Bengal, in particular, turnout in large numbers and exercise their franchise," he wrote.

About 32.1 million voters are eligible to cast ballots in the final round, completing polling in West Bengal as well as elections held this season in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry. Votes will be counted on May 4.

This is Shakeel from DW's New Delhi studio, bringing you the latest updates from across India.

Well, rains brought some much-needed  respite from the high temperatures for Delhi residents after the heatwave of the past few days.

At the same time, things are heating up in West Bengal, as the state is voting in the last phase of its assembly elections. Sporadic incidents of violence have been reported across the state.

Stay with us for all this and more. And catch up on all the news from April 28 in our India news blog from Tuesday.