Puducherry Assembly  Deputy Speaker, V. P. Sivakolundhu, is set to be elected Speaker of the House on Monday. The 68-year-old Congress leader will assume the office of Speaker during a special session of the House convened by the Lt Governor. With Sivakolundhu, who won from Lawspet MLA, alone filing his nomination papers before the Assembly Secretary, A Vincent Rayar, on Sunday, he is for all practical purposes elected ‘unopposed’ as the Speaker of the House, a report said. Ministers and Legislators of the Congress and its ally, the DMK, proposed and seconded his name for the post of Speaker, which has been lying vacant after senior Congress leader V Vaithilingam quit the post on March 21 to contest the Lok Sabha polls.

A Delhi court  is to pass on June 3 its order on an application filed by Robert Vadra, accused in a money laundering case, to travel abroad. The Enforcement Directorate opposed Vadra’s plea seeking permission to travel to the UK and two other countries citing health reasons. The ED said the probe is at a crucial stage. “His custodial interrogation is required and may flee. He is facing serious charges. His medical condition is merely a pretext where laundered money is parked. The medical condition appears to be is routine medical check-up,” said Solicitor-General,Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED.

Fares of the  AC local train in Mumbai operated by the Western Railway (WR), are set to rise from June 3. The minimum fare for a single journey ticket will now cost Rs 65 instead of Rs 60, while the maximum fare will be Rs 220 instead of Rs 205. The fare hike is due to the Ministry of Railways' decision to withdraw the introductory offer. "The fare hike will come into effect from June 3, when the AC local train resumes services after its usual weekend break," an official said. 

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Uttam Kumar Reddy will resign as Huzurnagar MLA on May 3. Uttam won as MLA in the last assembly elections and also emerged victorious in the parliament elections from Nalgonda. He has decided to continue as an MP and will resign as MLA. The Congress leader will submit his resignation to the Speaker. After his resignation, by-elections will be announced in Huzurnagar.

In World Cup  action, England take on Pakistan in Trent Bridge on Monday. While England has two points from its win against South Africa, Pakistan has yet to open its account, having lost to the West Indies in its first outing.