New Delhi, Mar 23: President Pratibha Patil on Monday issued the notification for the first phase of the five phased Lok Sabha elections.

Notifications were also issued by respective Governors for 154 of the 294 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh and 70 of the 147 Assembly seats in Orissa, going to polls along with the Lok Sabha elections in the first phase.

As many as 124 out of the total 543 constituencies will go to polls in the first phase, which is scheduled to be held on April 16 covering 15 states and two Union Territories.

New Delhi, Mar 23 : President Pratibha Patil will issue the notification for the first phase of the five phased Lok Sabha elections today.

As many as 124 out of the total 543 constituencies will go to polls in the first phase, which is scheduled to be held on April 16 covering 15 states and two Union Territories.

The election process will be completed in one go in the first phase in Kerala (20 seats), Chhattisgarh (11) and Arunachal Pradesh (2).

Chennai, Mar 21: President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil said on Saturday that terrorism poses a great threat to global peace and should be dealt with firm determination.

Speaking at the passing out parade at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai this morning, Patil said that India has been a victim of terrorist attacks and modern warfare must necessarily incorporate measures to counter terrorism activities in the country.

Patil agreed on the need of latest technological advancements in arms and weapons.

New Delhi, Mar 19 : A day after the Central Government''s recommendation for President''s rule in Meghalaya, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil placed the State Assembly under suspended animation.

"The President has signed the proclamation for imposing Central rule in Meghalaya," a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said.

The Union Cabinet announced the decision after receiving a report from Meghalaya Governor R S Mooshahary about the constitutional machinery breaking down in Meghalaya.

London, Mar. 16 : A group of Congress MLAs from Gujarat met with President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi on Monday to demand immediate removal of Gujarat cabinet Minister for Higher Education Maya Kodnani.

Kodnani, who is the Women and Child Welfare Minister in the Narendra Modi''s Government, is accused for having led a mob in the post-Godhra riots in 2002.

The delegation sought President''s intervention in case the State government does not take any appropriate action against Kodnani.

Varanasi, Mar 14 : President Pratibha Patil on Saturday worshipped at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.

President Patil performed special rituals with her husband Devisingh Shekhawat and other family members.

She performed ''Dugdhabhishek'' (milk-bathing) of the Shivalingam with 50 litres of milk. She also performed special ''Shodashopachar Pujan'' (worship) under the supervision of Pandit Harihar Kripalu Tripathi, the chairman of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust and Pandit Chandramauli Upadhyay, a trust member.