Though elections to several state assemblies are being held over the next two months, politicians of all hues from Punjab will be playing a key role in these elections directly or indirectly.

Bibi Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, the Leader of opposition in Punjab, has already jumped into the election field of Delhi. People turned up in large numbers to attend rallies addressed by Bibi Bhattal on Monday.

The Economic meltdown is taking its toll on the automotive market. India's largest vehicle maker, Tata Motors Ltd has announced shutting down of its commercial vehicle plant in Jamshedpur for five days from November 25-29 owing to declined demand.

The Company had earlier shut down the plant from 6 to 8 Nov, with 5 and 9 Nov being weekly company holidays.

Tata Motors stated, "Across the industry, it has been seen in the month of October 2008 that unavailability of finance, coupled with high interest rates is forcing customers to postpone purchases."

It's final. A total of 2,194 candidates are going to contest Rajasthan assembly polls.

Rajasthan has a 200 member assembly which will go to polls on Dec 4.

Out of 200 seats going to polls, the ruling BJP has fielded 193 candidates, Opposition Congress 200 followed by BSP 199.

Besides recognized parties, altogether 1,019 Independents are contesting the upcoming polls.

Of 2,194 contestants this year, there are 2,052 male and 142 female candidates. BJP and Congress fielded 32 and 23 women contestants respectively.

The SDJM Court of Baliguda in Kandhamal district has postponed the hearing of controversial Nun rape case till Dec 6.

'No petitions were filed before the court today (Monday) either by the crime branch or by the nun. The court posted the date in the case to Dec 6 without making any observation,' Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) B. Loknath Dora said.

The Court had issued a notice the nun last month, directing her to be present at the TIP at Baliguda Nov 10. Subsequently the date was changed to Nov 19 following her petition for more time.

The Pakistan government has decided to free 101 Indian prisoners, 99 of them fishermen, as part of confidence-building measures between Pakistan and India.

They will be released ahead of a meeting between the interior secretaries of the two countries later this week.

The prisoners had completed their jail terms.

The fishermen had been in jail for two to six years.

Interior ministry chief Rehman Malik said 99 Indian fishermen and two other prisoners would be freed before the meeting of Pakistan's interior secretary and India's home secretary in Islamabad on 25th November.

Authorities in Orissa have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in some parts of the riot-hit Kandhamal district on Monday to prevent a rally planned by tribals.

The Kui Samaja Kalyan Samittee had announced to hold a massive rally at Parampanga village. The rally was planned to protest alleged police atrocities against innocent tribals.

"We have clamped prohibitory orders in Daringbadi area and banned the rally as it may flare up tension in the region," a district police official said.