The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has claimed that an important file related to the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society in Colaba has gone missing from its offices, a claim that the CBI fears might become a frequent method of evasion.

Wrong selection of candidate has cost Congress the insurgency-hit Bastar (ST) parliamentary constituency, bypoll to which was held on May 8, senior party leaders here concede.

Terming the Planning Commission’s yardsticks for determining poverty in the country as “impossible” for the subsistence of any person, the Supreme Court on Saturday directed the Centre to earmark 10 million tonnes of food grains exclusively for the poorest of the poor, including those living in the 150 most poor districts and accounting for the majority of the 3,000 malnutrition deaths every day.

The senior Congress leader, Mr Oommen Chandy, is likely to call on the governor, Mr R.S. Gavai, on Sunday evening and stake the claim to form the government after he is elected as the Congress Legislature Party leader.

The possibility of the Congress joining a Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal brightened following discussions between Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and the Trinamul Congress chief and chief minister-in-waiting. The final decision, however, will be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Ms Banerjee said she would personally invite Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mrs Gandhi to her swearing-in ceremony.

The Land Acquisition Amendment Bill, expected to be pushed for Cabinet approval shortly, is all set to be opposed by Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee. Preparing to take charge of West Bengal, Ms Banerjee will be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the contentious legislation since the PMO is also inclined to push it for early approval.

The possibility of the Congress joining a Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal brightened following discussions between Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and the Trinamul Congress chief and chief minister-in-waiting. The final decision, however, will be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Ms Banerjee said she would personally invite Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mrs Gandhi to her swearing-in ceremony.

The public sector oil marketing companies have hiked petrol prices by around `5 per litre in Delhi from Saturday midnight. The prices will vary in different cities due to local taxes. The steepest hike in petrol prices comes after Assembly election results for four states and one Union Territory were declared on Friday.

City-based seven industry and trade chambers are jointly planning to felicitate Mamata Banerjee after the oath-taking ceremony of the next government with Ms Banerjee as the chief minister.

The CBI, probing alleged irregularities committed in awarding contracts related to the CWG, is likely to file chargesheet related to the result update system of the games on May 25. This will be CBI’s first chargesheet related to the agency’ probe into the CWG cases.