Rajya Sabha elections Monday accentuated the opposition’s inability to hold its ranks, with absentee legislators costing the Grand Alliance a seat in Bihar, cross-voting delivering a bonus seat to BJP in Odisha and a dispute over ballot secrecy leaving the poll outcome in Haryana hanging. In Bihar, Mahagathbandhan’s lone candidate, RJD’s Amarendra Dhari Singh, lost after four opposition legislators — three from Congress and one from RJD — stayed away from the election. Had they voted, Singh would have secured 41 votes against the required threshold of 40, instead of the 37 he polled. Bihar last saw an RS vote in 2014, when JD(U) candidates Pavan Varma and Gulam Rasool Balyawi overcame crossvoting by party MLAs to defeat BJP-backed independents.

Nitish, Nitin win Rajya Sabha seats as NDA sweeps BiharIn Bihar, all five NDA candidates — outgoing CM Nitish Kumar, new BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union minister Ram Nath Thakur, Rashtriya Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha and state BJP general secretary Shivesh Kumar — won the biennial elections to fill five Rajya Sabha berths that will be vacated on April 9. All 202 NDA MLAs voted, and no cross-voting was reported. Among the NDA candidates, Nitish and Nitin each polled 44 votes while Ram Nath and Upendra received 42 each. Shivesh had 30 first-preference votes, crossing the threshold on second-preference counting. In Odisha, 11 instances of cross-voting — eight by BJD members and three by Congress — handed BJP-backed Independent Dilip Ray the fourth Rajya Sabha seat, defeating BJD and Congress’s joint candidate Datteswar Hota. BJP nominees Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar won comfortably, as did BJD’s Santrupt Misra. BJD, with 50 MLAs — including two suspended members — had the required strength in the assembly to win one seat on its own and had tied up with Congress’s 14 to secure a second. Cross-voting upended that arithmetic. BJD president and former CM Naveen Patnaik accused BJP of horse-trading, saying most non-BJP MLAs who backed the governing party had “criminal backgrounds”. CM Mohan Charan Majhi termed the remarks “immature” and said Patnaik had “insulted not just the MLAs by calling them criminals, but also the voters who elected them”. Odisha PCC president Bhakta Charan Das described the defection of three Congress MLAs — Sofia Firdous, Ramesh Jena and Dasarathi Gamango — as “unexpected”. He said the matter had been referred to the party high command. For Ray, the script was a familiar one. The former Union minister won a Rajya Sabha seat in 2002 under near-identical circumstances. On that occasion, he was contesting as an Independent after being expelled from BJD and was carried through by large-scale cross-voting. Haryana’s two-seat contest remained unresolved Monday night after both BJP and Congress lodged complaints with the Election Commission. Of 90 MLAs in the House, 88 voted. Both Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) legislators abstained, with Abhay Chautala citing a lack of confidence in either party. Each seat requires 31 votes to win. The three candidates are BJP’s Sanjay Bhatia, Congress nominee Karamvir Singh Boudh and BJPbacked Independent Satish Nandal. BJP has 48 seats in the assembly and Congress 37. The three legislators are Independents. BJP minister Krishan Kumar Bedi filed two objections, alleging that two Congress legislators failed to fold their ballots correctly, compromising vote secrecy. Till close to midnight, the presiding officer was awaiting chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s ruling on the dispute

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: A day after it substituted Bengal chief secretary and principal secretary (home) with its own choices, EC Monday replaced the DGP and Kolkata Police commissioner, among others. Hours after announcing the assembly poll schedule for Bengal along with those of three other states and a UT, the poll panel late Sunday night shunted out Bengal chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty, replacing her with 1993-batch IAS officer Dushyant Nariala. Principal secretary (home) Jagdish Prasad Meena was replaced with 1997-batch IAS officer Sanghamitra Ghosh. Chakravorty took over as chief secretary on Jan 1 and was the first woman appointed to the post in WB. She was also the state’s first woman home secretary. This is the first time WB’s top bureaucrat has been changed ahead of an election. On Monday, EC ordered another reshuffle, shunting out DGP Peeyush Pandey and replacing him with 1992- batch IPS officer Siddh Nath Gupta. Kolkata Police commissioner Supratim Sarkar was replaced by Ajay Kumar Nand, a 1996-batch IPS officer. EC’s overriding powers to shift officers directly engaged in the conduct of polls stem from Article 324 of the Constitution, which places the entire election machinery in a poll-going state or UT under its “superintendence, direction and control”. The 2021 assembly and 2024 LS polls in Bengal also saw transfers of the DGP and senior officials identified as “too close to the party in office”.

“CEC Gyanesh Kumar had at the EC presser Sunday assured that elections in Bengal would be violence-free and peaceful. In pursuance of this objective, EC appointed/ transferred senior police officials, including the DGP and Kolkata Police commissioner,” an EC official told TOI. Sources indicated more transfers at the district level in the days to come, to be done in consultation with Bengal special observer N K Mishra.Also making a change in the crucial post of ADG and IGP (law and order) — with a direct role in curbing political clashes and violence as well as ensuring judicious deployment of security forces for poll security — Election Commission replaced incumbent Vineet Goyal with 1995-batch IPS officer Ajay Mukund Ranade. Natarajan Ramesh Babu, a 1991-batch IPS officer, was ordered to be posted as DG correctional services. In its orders, EC made it clear that these officers have been barred from all work related to the Bengal elections. Changes in the police setup during an election season are not unprecedented. Before the 2019 LS polls, the commission had replaced Anuj Sharma with Rajesh Kumar as Kolkata Police commissioner. Since the 2016 assembly polls, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has brought back transferred officers to their previous posts after the elections were over.

The 2026 Academy Awards brought many huge moments, but one of the surprising points of discussion was about a creator who never even stepped foot on the red carpet. Markiplier, one of the most popular YouTubers, brought about a lot of attention when fans realized that he did not appear on the red carpet at the 98th Academy Awards. The YouTuber attended the ceremony as a guest following the growing success of his horror project Iron Lung. However, his absence from the red carpet quickly became a major topic online.Later, Markiplier explained that the situation was simply a mix-up that happened behind the scenes. According to the creator, he was accidentally guided away from the carpet by VIP staff before he understood where he was being taken. By the time he realized what had happened, he had already missed the red carpet walk entirely. The story quickly spread across social media after he shared a lighthearted explanation and a backstage photo from the Oscars venue.

Markiplier explains how a VIP mix-up led him away from the Oscars red carpet

Markiplier later addressed the situation in a short post shared through his Instagram Story. In the image, he stood backstage near one of the famous Oscar statues with his wife, Amy Nelson. The post confirmed that he was indeed present at the ceremony, even though viewers never saw him arrive on the red carpet.In the post, Markiplier explained that the situation happened because he followed staff members who appeared to be guiding VIP guests inside the venue. “I’m here at the Oscars I swear,” he wrote over the photo. “Funny story about why I wasn’t on the red carpet. I was somehow too VIP and they whisked me away. I didn’t know better not to go with them. I swear I just went the wrong way. The whole carpet is red, they don’t tell you that on TV.”The YouTuber’s explanation showed that the situation was more confusing than dramatic. Large events like the Oscars involve many staff members, security teams, and different entrances. It is easy for guests to be directed through different paths inside the venue, especially if they are new to the event.Markiplier’s presence at the Oscars was still meaningful because it highlighted how creators from the internet are slowly becoming part of the film industry. With more than 36 million subscribers on YouTube, he has built a massive audience over the years. His projects have also expanded beyond gaming videos into larger storytelling work, including the horror film project Iron Lung.Although he missed the red carpet event, Markiplier still managed to attend the ceremony and share the experience with his fans. Eventually, what started as a small incident backstage became one of the most discussed events surrounding the 2026 Oscars.

The Raiders gave Tyler Linderbaum a record deal, then left the rest of the league to deal with the fallout.

The Las Vegas Raiders did not tiptoe into free agency. They kicked the door in. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Las Vegas agreed to a three-year, $81 million deal with former Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, a contract NFL.com’s free agency tracker also listed at that number. ESPN reported the deal includes $60 million guaranteed and makes Linderbaum the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.That is the headline. The subtext is even louder. This was not just a line move. It was a quarterback move. Dan Wilkins of theScore wrote Monday, March 16, that the Raiders’ signing of Linderbaum helps set up Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as Las Vegas’ projected pick in his updated 2026 mock draft. That does not make Mendoza a Raider yet, but it does show how quickly this signing changed the conversation around the No. 1 pick.

Tyler Linderbaum’s deal did not just help the Raiders, it boxed the Ravens into a new reality

Baltimore now has a hole in the middle of its offensive line, and the draft chatter changed almost immediately. Wilkins connected the Ravens to Utah lineman Spencer Fano after Linderbaum’s exit, while another Ravens-focused mock from Kyle Crabbs on March 16 also floated Fano as a possible answer at center. That is what happens when a player this good walks out the door. You do not replace him with a press release. You start rewriting the draft board.The contract also shoved the rest of the market into an awkward spot. A Browns analysis published March 16 called Linderbaum’s deal a number Cleveland was smart to avoid, noting that Elgton Jenkins at $12 million per year was easier to stomach than paying the Raiders’ price. Yahoo Sports also described Linderbaum’s contract as a reset at the position. So this was not just a Raiders-Ravens story. It landed on every front office desk in the league.

If the Raiders draft Fernando Mendoza, this signing will look even less subtle

The most interesting part of this move is not the money. It is the timing. The Raiders made Linderbaum one of the faces of free agency before the draft even arrived. Then, hours later, a major mock tied that move directly to Mendoza. That is not accidental framing. That is the league reading the room.A team picking first overall does not spend like this unless it believes a young quarterback is coming and needs help right away. Linderbaum gives Las Vegas a proven answer at one of the most important spots on the field. He also gives the Raiders something they have not had enough of lately: a real plan that makes sense from March to April. If Mendoza is the pick, this signing will not look aggressive. It will look obvious.

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MUMBAI: A family property battle that began before the Bombay high court just two weeks after the Indian Constitution came into force has finally been resolved, 76 years later. In a judgment made available on March 11, the HC ordered a five-way partition of the remaining one acre (4,271 sq. m) in Yerawada, Pune, among the heirs of landowner Mia Mohamed Haji Janmohamed Chotani, who had left behind two large prime plots, including one on Deccan College Road. The dispute had dragged on for decades.Justice Farhan Dubash, in his judgment dated February 27, brought closure to the long-standing battle between two sets of heirs of Mia Mohamed Haji Janmohamed Chotani.Background of the CaseEbrahim Mia Mahomed Haji Janmohamed Chotani and other heirs filed a suit on February 8, 1950, before the HC against Osman Mia Mohamed Haji Janmohamed Chotani, one of the other heirs, seeking partition and determination of their respective shares.Plaintiffs’ Claims:The plaintiffs sought a declaration regarding the estate of the deceased and the respective shares of all parties. They also requested partition of the estate among the heirs according to their respective shares, along with consequential reliefs, including sale of properties and rendition of accounts.Defendant’s Position:Osman Mia Chotani later became insolvent, and the official assignee of his estate was substituted as the defendant.The Lands in QuestionOne parcel situated at Deccan College Road, Yerawada, PuneAnother parcel situated in Yerawada, PuneCourt ObservationsJustice Dubash noted that on March 14, 1950, the HC appointed the Court Receiver as Receiver for the two properties, along with all rents, income, and profits, and other legally mandated powers.On March 28, 1950, a preliminary decree for partition was passed by the HC declaring the shares of the heirs and referring the suit to a “Commissioner for Taking Accounts” to effect the partition of the properties according to the heirs’ respective shares. The Commissioner was also empowered to sell any properties as necessary.What Happened NextThe Deccan College Road property was acquired by the government. The compensation received by the Court Receiver, along with sale proceeds of other properties sold by the Commissioner over the years, was distributed among the entitled parties under a 1979 order in proceedings filed in 1978 by the original defendant.This left only a 16-acre plot in Yerawada under the Court Receiver’s possession.During his lifetime, the original owner had appointed a manager for this 16-acre plot. The manager’s heirs later claimed either the property in lieu of certain debts or, alternatively, half the share in the plot based on a writing dated June 22, 1946, executed by the original defendant. Another individual, claiming actual possession, asserted ownership citing adverse possession rights.In 1952, the Court Receiver filed a suit in the Pune Civil Court for possession.By June 1953, the parties settled: the manager’s heirs relinquished their claim in exchange for a one-fourth share of the 16-acre plot. A compromise decree in 1955 granted them this one-fourth share, settling all claims, while the Court Receiver retained three-fourths.Despite this, the property remained unpartitioned for three more decades. In 1984, the HC ordered demarcation of the land, leaving two plots: one of 1 acre and another of 3 acres.In 2006, Bishop’s Education Society intervened, seeking removal of the Court Receiver from the 3-acre plot. Nearly two decades later, in January 2024, the HC discharged the receiver for the three-acre plot. Plaintiffs and one defendant who claimed to have paid for part of the land filed an appeal last year, which remains pending. Justice Dubash stated that its outcome would bind all parties.Over the years, the HC also impleaded individuals and private builders claiming rights over portions of the land through various agreements in 1989, 2018, and 2019.Key TakeawaysPursuant to the preliminary decree of March 28, 1950, the Commissioner for Taking Accounts submitted a report proposing the partition of the remaining one-acre plot in Yerawada. All plaintiffs and defendants, except one, consented to the proposed partition. The objecting defendant opposed a 12-metre wide internal road. The HC referred the matter to an architect, who confirmed that the 12-metre road complies with Maharashtra’s Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR).The HC rejected the defendant’s objection, noting that the 12-metre road was justified for layout and access requirements.Final OrderThe Commissioner for Taking Accounts is directed to effect partition of the 4,271.50 sq. m property according to the plan dated August 21, 2025, prepared by the architect and annexed to the Commissioner’s report dated December 10, 2025.Demarcation will be carried out through the District Superintendent of Land Records or the concerned City Survey Officer in Pune, with parties allowed to be physically present.Defendants 16 and 17, claiming competing rights, may institute separate proceedings before a competent court. To facilitate this, status quo will be maintained over six sub-plots until June 15, 2026.The 1950 suit is accordingly disposed of.