HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 10:20 pm: KARNATAKA ELECTIONS MDS35 ELECTIONS-KARNATAKA-2ND LDALL VOTING **** Karnataka records 72 per cent turnout in Assembly polls, exit polls predict tight contest between BJP and Congress Bengaluru: A voter turnout of nearly 72 per cent was recorded in the Karnataka Assembly elections on Wednesday where the ruling BJP, a combative Congress and the JD(S), which is hoping to be a kingmaker in the event of a hung assembly, are locked in a cliffhanger contest.**** DEL91 ELECTIONS-LD KA-EXIT POLLS **** Exit polls give edge to Cong in high-stakes Karnataka battle New Delhi: Exit polls on Wednesday predicted a tight contest between the Congress and the BJP in the high-stakes Karnataka Assembly polls with most pollsters giving an edge to the grand old party. **** MDS29 ELECTIONS-KARNATAKA-RAHUL-WORKERS **** ''Babbar Sher'': Rahul Gandhi thanks Congress leaders, workers for dignified campaign in Karnataka poll Bengaluru: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday thanked leaders and workers of the party for running a ‘dignified and solid people-oriented campaign'' for the Assembly elections in Karnataka, which voted on Wednesday. **** DEL82 RJ-PM-CONG-LD KARNATAKA **** Karnataka echoes in PM Modi's Rajasthan rally Jaipur: As Karnataka went to the polls Wednesday, two references from the state's election campaign surfaced at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in far-off Rajasthan's Abu Road – Bajrang Bali and the evacuation from Sudan of Hakki Pikki tribals. **** NATION DEL95 PM-US-LD VISIT **** PM Modi to visit US next month; to attend state dinner: MEA New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a state visit to the US next month that will underscore the growing importance of the bilateral strategic ties and both sides will reflect on their vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. **** DEL84 RJ-2NDLD GEHLOT **** Opposition should be respected, I think PM Modi will also move in this direction: Ashok Gehlot Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday stressed that Opposition should be respected in democracy and expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also ''move in this direction'', as the two leaders shared the dais at an event in the state. **** DEL99 3RDLD BYPOLL **** Bypolls: Over 90 pc voting in Meghalaya's Sohiong, around 54 pc polling for Jalandhar LS seat Rampur/Jalandhar: Bypolls held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Odisha witnessed a moderate to high voter turnout on Wednesday, while Meghalaya registered an impressive polling percentage of over 90. **** DEL47 INDIA-EU-REVIEW **** 'Connectivity projects must respect sovereignty, territorial integrity' New Delhi: India and the European Union took stock of their negotiations for a free trade agreement and an investment protection pact even as they asserted that connectivity projects must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity. **** BOM19 MH-GOVT-MVA-LD SENA **** SC judgment will decide whether democracy exists in country, says MVA; Shiv Sena asserts its camp not nervous Mumbai: On the eve of the Supreme Court judgment that will decide the fate of the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra, Opposition bloc MVA on Wednesday said the verdict will determine if democracy ''exists'' in the country and judiciary ''functions'' independently. **** MDS30 KL-DOCTOR-4THLD KILLING **** Doctor stabbed to death in Kerala by man she was treating; HC calls it govt, police failure, oppn slams ruling Left Kollam/Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: A 23-year-old doctor was stabbed to death on Wednesday by a man whose leg wound she was dressing at a hospital in Kerala's Kollam district where he was brought after an alleged fight with his family members. **** CAL22 CYCLONE-2ND LD DEEP DEPRESSION **** Cyclone Mocha to bring heavy rain in Andamans, Sunday landfall likely to skip India Port Blair/Bhubaneswar: A cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression near Port Blair in Anadaman and Nicobar Islands and will likely turn into a full blown cyclone by Wednesday evening, the IMD said. **** CAL32 MN-VIOLENCE-3RD LD SITUATION **** Manipur: Soldiers fired on in Imphal East; life limping to normal elsewhere Imphal: Firing by unknown militants in Manipur’s Imphal East district left one Assam Rifles personnel injured on Wednesday, while life in the violence-hit north-eastern state continued to limp back to normal elsewhere with curfew being relaxed in 11 districts for six hours a day. **** LEGAL LGD35 SC-LD SAME SEX MARRIAGE **** Person in same sex relationship not precluded from adopting child as law permits it: SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court, hearing a clutch of pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage, Wednesday said an individual in a homosexual relationship is not precluded from adopting a child under the law irrespective of marital status. **** LGD18 SC-COLLEGIUM **** SC collegium recommends advocate Arun Kumar as judge of Allahabad HC New Delhi: The Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud has recommended 51-year-old advocate Arun Kumar's appointment as a judge of the Allahabad High Court. **** LGD21 SC-LD ADANI-HINDENBURG **** Adani-Hindenburg row: SC to hear matter on May 12, may consider SEBI plea for extension of time to complete probe New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on May 12 the pleas on the Adani-Hindenburg row and is likely to consider market regulator SEBI's application seeking a six-month extension to complete its probe into the allegations of stock price manipulation by the Adani group and lapses in regulatory disclosure. **** BUSINESS DEL8 BIZ-NCLAT-LD GO FIRST-SMBC **** Aircraft lessor SMBC Aviation Capital files appeal against NCLT order allowing Go First's insolvency plea New Delhi: Aircraft lessor SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd on Wednesday moved appellate tribunal NCLAT against the NCLT decision to allow Go First's petition for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings. **** FOREIGN FGN57 PAK-LDALL IMRAN **** Imran Khan sent to 8-day remand amid violent protests across Pak; Court indicts ex-PM in another graft case Islamabad/Lahore: Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan was on Wednesday sent on an eight-day remand to the anti-corruption watchdog while a sessions court indicted him in a separate graft case, amid violent protests that left at least seven people dead and prompted deployment of the army in three provinces. By Sajjad Hussain and M Zulqernain ****