These are the top stories from the northern region at 5.30 pm

These are the top stories from the northern region at 5.30 pm ELX11-UP-SBSP SBSP dismisses reports of MLAs switching sides Ballia (UP): The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) dismissed all speculations on Wednesday that its legislators might desert the party after the dismissal of its president, Om Prakash Rajbhar, from the Uttar Pradesh cabinet. DES6-JK-GOVERNOR-ASSEMBLY J-K Guv says his admin wants President's rule to end in state as soon as possible Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Wednesday said his administration wants the President's Rule to end in the state at the earliest but the final call on the timing of assembly elections will be taken by the Election Commission.

DEL23-JK-LOC-LD BLAST One soldier killed, 7 others injured in blast during 'training activity' along LoC: Officials Jammu: An Army man was killed and seven others were injured in a blast during a "training activity" along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Wednesday, officials said. DEL3-JK-ENCOUNTER Two militants killed in encounter in Kulgam Srinagar: Two militants were killed Wednesday in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

NRG12-RJ-TORTURE Six miscreants kidnap two men, burn their genitals; police on manhunt Sikar: Two men were admitted to hospital here after six people waylaid them, dragged them into their car and burnt their genitals with matchsticks before robbing them of the cash they carried. ELX21-PB-COUNTING All set for counting in Punjab, Chandigarh Chandigarh: Thirty-nine companies of central forces have been deployed for the security of EVMs at 21 locations across Punjab ahead of Thursday's counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections, an official said Wednesday.

ELX15-HR-COUNTING All arrangements in place for counting of votes at 90 centres in Haryana Chandigarh: Two Union ministers and a former chief minister are among the 223 Lok Sabha poll candidates in Haryana whose fate would be known on Thursday when counting of votes gets underway at 90 centres spread over 30 locations in the state..