Faridkot MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa has formally requested the Union Home Ministry to initiate a CBI investigation into the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. Jhota was shot on October 13 while exposing illegal drug sales, and the incident has sparked outrage in Punjab. Khalsa expressed concerns about the local police probe and the accused's alleged criminal history, questioning the issuance of an arms license.
Donald Trump expressed confidence in a swift victory over Iran, suggesting military strikes before midterm elections are possible, with the primary goal of denying Tehran nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi declared readiness for a "doomsday war" if hostilities resume, while also expressing openness to diplomacy if assets are unfrozen and oil sales allowed.
Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday said that he and his associates would continue their efforts despite what he described as illegal arrests and detentions.
Delhi Police have registered three FIRs and detained nearly 1,000 individuals, including prominent political leaders and activists, following protests at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protests, which violated prohibitory orders, were in response to allegations concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
An MP-MLA court in Sultanpur has set October 26 as the date to pronounce its verdict in a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi. The case stems from alleged objectionable remarks made by Gandhi against then BJP president Amit Shah in 2018. Gandhi is required to appear in court on the verdict day.
Total number of 722 candidates are in the fray for 126 seats.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's interim decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress' name and party symbol. The EC had allotted separate names and symbols to two rival TMC factions ahead of upcoming bypolls, a move Banerjee has strongly criticised as a "black day" for democracy.
The Trinamool Congress has submitted new names and symbols to the Election Commission for the upcoming West Bengal bypolls, following an interim order that temporarily barred the party from using its original name and "flowers and grass" symbol due to an ongoing internal dispute and split. The party submitted its choices under protest.
West Bengal's bypolls in Rejinagar and Nandigram were marked by significant tension, including the arrest of AJUP chief Humayun Kabir, allegations of voter intimidation, and polling irregularities. The incidents highlighted the charged political atmosphere in these key constituencies, with competing claims from various parties amidst sustained voter participation.
The murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Pradeep Purnekar in Thane has been linked to an old political dispute concerning civic polls, according to Uttar Pradesh police statements cited in court. Two accused, Santosh Kanojia and Amit Singh, arrested from Prayagraj, had their police custody extended till October 22 as the investigation continues into the meticulously planned conspiracy.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has unveiled a new logo featuring a football player as its interim election symbol. This move comes after the Election Commission froze the party's original name and symbol due to an internal dispute. The new symbol, along with the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress', will be used in the upcoming October 6 bypolls, with the faction actively publicising it to familiarise voters.
The Election Commission has issued an interim order preventing rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, from using the party name and its "Flowers and Grass" symbol during the upcoming West Bengal by-elections. Both groups have been directed to submit preferred names and symbols by Friday morning for recognition and allotment for the bypolls, as the EC undertakes a substantive determination of the party dispute.
All India Students' Association (AISA) President Neha Bora has approached the Delhi High Court challenging a Delhi Police notice requiring her to execute a bond for "keeping peace" under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Bora, who was previously detained, argues the notice is vague and an attempt to suppress peaceful dissent.
Former Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) President S Sabanayakan has been elected to the Executive Committee of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) during its 88th Congress in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel asserted that the Congress would not have secured any seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections without their alliance. He claimed SP chief Akhilesh Yadav persuaded Rahul Gandhi to contest Raebareli and highlighted the SP's significant contribution to the INDIA bloc's success in Uttar Pradesh.
Online video games are emerging that recreate scenes from the Jantar Mantar protests in Delhi. Games like 'Jantar Mantar Chalo', 'Bhaag Neha Bhaag', and 'Jantar Mantar to Jail' allow players to experience elements of the demonstrations, from gathering crowds and dodging police to collecting 'Accountability' and 'Democracy' coins. Creators, inspired by news and real-life events, developed these games rapidly using AI and coding, gaining significant traction online.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has made her Instagram debut to announce her upcoming memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love'. The book, set to be published by HarperCollins India on November 10, details her life from childhood in Italy to her political journey in India, including personal tragedies and her decision not to become prime minister in 2004. Her social media entry marks a significant shift, as she previously avoided such platforms. The memoir's publication also follows a controversy with its initial publisher, Penguin Random House India, over editorial differences.
Curfew has been extended in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district until Sunday morning, with a brief relaxation period on Saturday for residents to obtain essential supplies. The curfew follows violence related to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections, which have now been postponed.
In Rajasthan's recent urban local body elections, several candidates experienced unusual results. A BJP candidate and a Congress candidate each secured only one vote, while an RLP candidate received zero votes. These outcomes occurred across different municipalities in Didwana-Kuchaman, Nagaur, and Balotra districts, with one candidate alleging foul play in the vote count.
The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Committee (DSGMC) has filed a police complaint against AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, alleging disruptions at Bangla Sahib Gurudwara and the circulation of misleading videos. The complaint stems from an incident on Saturday where AAP-affiliated protesters entered the gurudwara premises during an anti-CEC protest, leading to chaos and alleged political activity within the sacred space. DSGMC claims this violated the sanctity of 'Guru Ghar' and hurt religious sentiments, further accusing AAP leaders of amplifying a distorted narrative.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
The Supreme Court resumed hearing pleas challenging the Maharashtra Speaker's decision regarding the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLAs and the Election Commission's recognition of the Shinde faction as the "real" Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing the Shinde camp, argued that the EC has jurisdiction under Article 324 to examine a party's democratic character and organisational structure, especially when the Thackeray faction's constitution was not registered with the poll panel. He emphasised that the Shinde faction's case is based on a split within the political party, not just its legislative wing, citing cadre discontent. The hearing remains inconclusive.
Power, patronage and money fuel politics in drought: And the ruling party controls all of those, points out Aditi Phadnis.
The Supreme Court has questioned the reliability of legislative majority as the sole determinant for political party ownership, especially when disqualification proceedings are pending against the very legislators forming that majority. This query arose during arguments concerning the Shiv Sena faction dispute between Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray.
An Agra court granted bail to six Congress workers accused of defacing CEC Gyanesh Kumar's residence during a protest. The court dropped the "attempt to murder" charge (Section 109(2) BNS) initially invoked by police, citing lack of evidence, and expressed displeasure over the police's handling of the case.
The Delhi High Court is set to hear a plea seeking to stop a protest called by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke at Connaught Place Central Park on October 16. The plea highlights the disruption caused by such protests, especially during the Dussehra weekend. Dipke's call for protest follows the judicial custody of two CJP members for alleged peace bond violations and trespassing.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sparked a major controversy on Sunday with his remark "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" during an event in Patna, in response to an audience member's comment about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The statement drew sharp condemnation from senior leaders of the BJP and other NDA allies, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who criticised the use of "indecent and unparliamentary language" and demanded an apology from the Congress.
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has denied signing any bond preventing further protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, vowing to continue taking to the streets. He accused Delhi Police of illegal detention and mistreatment, including not allowing him to contact family after his grandmother's death on Saturday, and criticised the government's handling of protests and alleged police brutality.
Delhi Police registered a non-cognisable report against unidentified individuals for allegedly threatening a magistrate during the bail proceedings of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. The CJP alleges deliberate delays in their leaders' release, with their legal head claiming the magistrate received threats. The leaders were arrested on October 14 for scaling gates at Jantar Mantar during a protest.
'Fifty thousand policemen were deployed; the entire New Delhi district was under siege. It shows how scared they are.'
Scott Boland struck twice in successive deliveries to reduce South Africa to 20 for two on a rain-hit opening day, giving Australia the early advantage in the second Test.
Delhi is under an unprecedented security clampdown with 25,000 police and paramilitary personnel deployed, 45 metro stations shut, and mobile internet suspended in parts of the city, as authorities deny permission for a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
'The BJP and its allies can decide the fate of many candidates.'
What lessons opposition parties need to learn post defeat of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal elections? The election saw spectacular victor of BJP which rose from 3 seats in 2016 to 206 seats in 2026 assembly elections.
Delhi Police has advised the public to avoid the Cockroach Janta Party's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march scheduled for Friday at Connaught Place, citing prohibitory orders and security concerns. While offering to facilitate a symbolic flag-waving event elsewhere, police have stepped up security and warned of legal action against those defying orders, as the proposed venue, Central Park, will be closed.
The Kolkata Police has appointed four senior IPS officers as nodal officers to oversee specific responsibilities related to the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, ensuring smooth and fair conduct.
Brand Tharoor is not perfect. But it is lovable. In a country of 1.4 billion where most politicians sound the same, a man who makes you open a dictionary before breakfast has already won, points out Sandeep Goyal.
India has strongly rejected a UN special rapporteur's report describing the Dawood Ibrahim-led D-company as an "India-based" criminal group, flagging "glaring inaccuracies" and cautioning against such incompetence. First Secretary Raghoo Puri stated that Dawood Ibrahim fled India much before his 2003 listing and is wanted in India for terror attacks since 1993, residing in the same country where Osama bin Laden was found. India also raised concerns about alleged bias in the report and funding allegations against the rapporteur.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have approached the Delhi High Court for an urgent hearing to challenge the extension of their judicial custody. They were initially detained on October 13 for allegedly protesting at Jantar Mantar, a denotified site. The CJP claims bail proceedings are being deliberately delayed and argues that the special magistrate's order extending custody violates their 'Right to Liberty' and legal procedure, especially regarding surety acceptance.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot invited D K Shivakumar to take oath as the chief minister of the state along with team members on June 3.
