New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 5.10 pm: TOP STORIES DEL34 BIZ-3RDLD PETROL-EXCISE CUT (3.38 PM) Govt cuts excise duty on petrol, diesel; slaps windfall tax on fuel exports New Delhi: The government has slashed excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre, averting a pump price hike that had become necessary because of soaring global oil prices.

FGN34 NEPAL-BALEN-2NDLD OATH (4.56 PM) Rapper-turned-politician 'Balen' sworn in as Nepal's 47th PM Kathmandu: Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah 'Balen,' took oath as Nepal's democratically elected prime minister on Friday, around six months after the K P Sharma Oli-led government was ousted in a Gen-Z protest that shook the nation. By Shirish B Pradhan LGD8 UP-HC-LIVE IN RELATIONSHIP (4.45 PM) Live-in relationship between married man, consenting adult woman not a crime: Allahabad HC Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has said that a married man living in a consensual live-in relationship with an adult woman does not amount to a criminal offence under law.

NATION DEL28 PM-NEPAL-BALEN (1.56 PM) Modi congratulates Balendra Shah on becoming Nepal's new PM New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Balendra Shah 'Balen' on being sworn in as Nepal's new prime minister, saying that he looks forward to working closely with him to deepen India-Nepal ties for the mutual benefit of both nations.

DEL26 ED-RELIANCE-CHARGESHEET (1.23 PM) ED to file chargesheet in Rs 40,000 crore loan 'fraud' involving ex-RCOM president New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate may on Friday file a chargesheet as part of its money laundering probe into an alleged Rs 40,000 crore loan fraud involving Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani's group company RCOM and its past executives, official sources said.

DEL35 CONG-EXCISE-3RDLD FUEL (3.36 PM) Excise duty cut on petrol-diesel due to assembly polls: Congress slams govt New Delhi: The Congress on Friday alleged that the government's excise cuts on petrol and diesel were because of assembly elections and pointed out that consumer prices in India were not reduced even when global crude oil prices fell on seven different occasions in the past 12 years.

PAR15 LS-SULE-CRASH (4.08 PM) Supriya Sule raises Ajit Pawar plane crash in LS, seeks time-bound probe New Delhi: NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule on Friday demanded a time-bound probe into the plane crash that killed former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and criticised the state government for not filing an FIR in the matter.

DEL45 DEF-CONTRACTS (4.20 PM) Govt inks twin defence deals worth Rs 858 crore New Delhi: The defence ministry on Friday signed a Rs 445 crore contract with Russia's Rosoboronexport for procurement of an air defence missile system for the Indian Army.

DEL27 DL-SONIA GANDHI-HOSPITAL (1.23 PM) Sonia Gandhi's health shows improvement, will be discharged from hospital soon: Doctors New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's health is showing steady improvement, and she will be discharged from the hospital within one to two days, her doctors said on Friday.

CAL20 WB-POLLS-ABHISHEK (4.43 PM) Modi govt may hike fuel prices after assembly polls: Abhishek Banerjee Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Friday said there is a strong possibility that the BJP-led central government will increase the prices of cooking gas and transport fuel after the assembly elections are over on April 29.

CAL19 WB-MAMATA-LPG (4.38 PM) LPG cylinders produced in Bengal should not be sent outside: Mamata Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday reiterated her demand that cooking gas produced in the state should not be diverted elsewhere in the country, citing concerns over a perceived LPG shortage amidst the ongoing West Asia conflict.

MDS16 TN-POLLS-AIADMK-LIST (4.01 PM) AIADMK announces second list of party candidates for Apr 23 TN Assembly polls Chennai: The Opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Friday announced the second list of its party candidates for the April 23 Assembly election, retaining some of its MLAs.

DEL30 PREZ-ECONOMIC-POLICY (3.21 PM) 'Behind every statistic lies human story', economic policy should improve people's lives: Murmu New Delhi: Asserting that behind every statistic lies a human story, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said that the true measure of economic policy is not merely in numbers, but in its outcome.

BOM9 MH-ZIRWAL-FADNAVIS (2.44 PM) Will take appropriate decision on Zirwal issue after verifying facts: Fadnavis (2.44 PM) Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said an “appropriate decision” on minister Narhari Zirwal will be taken after verification of facts in connection with a viral video showing the NCP leader with a trans-person in a bedroom.

LEGAL BOM6 MH-HC-AMBANI-PIL (1.23 PM) HC junks plea seeking CBI probe against Mukesh Ambani, RIL over ‘illegal’ gas extraction Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking a CBI probe against Reliance Industries Limited and its chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani for alleged unlawful extraction of natural gas from ONGC’s Krishna-Godavari basin fields.

LGD7 CJI-JUDGES VACANCY (3.56 PM) CJI writes to HCs for expeditious filling of vacant posts, prioritising elevation of women judges New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has written to chief justices of high courts for expeditious filling up of judicial vacancies with special focus on elevation of women judges for ensuring diversity in the benches.

BUSINESS DEL24 BIZ-LPG-ALLOCATION (1.15 PM) Govt raises commercial LPG supply to 70 pc of pre-war demand, prioritises key industries New Delhi: The central government has increased commercial LPG allocations to states by 20 per cent, raising the quota to 70 per cent of pre-war demand to meet industrial requirements, including steel and automobiles.

FOREIGN FES20 LANKA-HEALTH SCAM (3.47 PM) Former Sri Lanka health minister fined LKR 75 million for purchasing substandard medicines Colombo: The Supreme Court on Friday fined a former health minister Sri Lanka rupees 75 million for violating fundamental rights by importing medicines under an Indian credit line in 2022 through a company not registered for the purpose. PTI AMJ AMJ