Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has recused himself from hearing petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the 2023 law regarding the appointment of election commissioners, citing a potential conflict of interest.
The Election Commission has placed orders estimated at more than Rs 300 crore with Electronics Corporation of India Ltd and Bharat Electronics Ltd to deliver Electronic Voting Machines for the Lok Sabha elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth consecutive term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
The internecine war within the Trinamool Congress took a new turn on Thursday with "party treasurer" Aroop Biswas writing to a bank seeking restrictions on the operation of the party's accounts, citing uncertainty over its legitimate leadership amid rebellions by MLAs and MPs.
Despite numerous appeals, only two names have been restored to the West Bengal electoral rolls after 2.7 million deletions, raising concerns about voter access and the functionality of proposed tribunals.
Election-related freebies and populist measures are other factors crimping the revenue profile of these states.
Through his commitment to democratic norms, debate, dissent and constitutionalism, Jawaharlal Nehru helped ensure that parliamentary democracy took deep root in independent India. Utkarsh Mishra evaluates Nehru's 17 years as India's first prime minister, examining his role in nation-building, democratic institution-building, economic planning, scientific advancement and foreign policy.
Hopefully, the BJP will realise that it's the right time for parivartan (change) in its polarising poll strategies after achieving the impossible-looking goal of winning West Bengal, argues Sheela Bhatt.
The Supreme Court closed a plea by Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar, who died from a snakebite, challenging the cancellation of the Ponda assembly bypoll by the Bombay High Court.
Local body elections in Haryana, including municipal corporations of Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat, saw a 54.5 per cent voter turnout. Polling was held for mayor and ward councillor posts, with key contestants from BJP and Congress. The votes will be counted on May 13.
Amid the passport row, Shashi Tharoor has proposed legal changes to simplify proof of Indian citizenship.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharpened the BJP's campaign for the West Bengal assembly polls, releasing a 'charge sheet' against the TMC government and framing the election as a battle for the country's security.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the BJP of orchestrating the recent blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of upcoming assembly elections. Mann alleges the BJP seeks to incite violence and intimidate the public to gain votes, a tactic he claims they employ in every state where they contest elections.
BJP MLA Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and criticised TMC leader Mamata Banerjee over her election loss, linking it to her fight for justice in her daughter's case.
Crorepati Candidates: Congress (61). BJP (52). CPM (52).
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will hear both the defected TMC MPs and the faction led by Mamata Banerjee before deciding on recognising the breakaway group's proposed merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee challenges Amit Shah to resign, questioning his commitment to clean politics, citing Shah's past arrest and criticising the BJP's actions against allegedly corrupt leaders.
Congress leader K Muraleedharan criticises blaming communities for voting choices in Kerala, responding to BJP leaders' remarks about the Catholic church. He also expresses confidence in the UDF's prospects in the upcoming election and criticises the Election Commission's arrangements.
A woman in Goa has been booked for allegedly concealing her Portuguese nationality and fraudulently enrolling in the voter list.
The Trinamool Congress on Friday complained to the Election Commission of partisan behaviour by central police forces in favour of its rival Bharatiya Janata Party, while the saffron party made a counter-complaint that Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee had violated the model code of conduct by being inside a polling booth in Nandigram for two hours on polling day.
West Bengal is on edge as it awaits the results of its recent election, with the TMC and BJP vying for control. The counting process will be conducted under tight security, with the Election Commission implementing stringent measures to ensure a fair and transparent process.
Poll preparations for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi have begun, and the preliminary conference of chief electoral officers of these states will be held in Delhi in the first week of June.
Women voters in West Bengal appear to be shifting their priorities beyond financial assistance, placing greater emphasis on governance and accountability, according to post-election analysis. This shift may have contributed to the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) losses in the recent assembly election, as the BJP's promises and other factors influenced voter sentiment.
Government sources have clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship in India, a stance consistent for the past 12 years and rooted in the Passport Act 1967. This clarification, reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and public figures.
Clashes erupted between locals and security personnel in West Bengal's Birbhum district after allegations of EVM malfunctioning triggered tension during the first phase of the state assembly elections.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has apologised to the Scheduled Caste community for his recent objectionable remarks, stating that as a minister, he should not have used such language. The apology follows a controversy stemming from an incident on May 26 where Bittu allegedly used casteist remarks against police officers in Dhuri.
As you drive into Chennai, what is striking is the conspicuous absence of posters, banners, hoardings in the city, even though campaigning is at its peak for the April 13 elections in the state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused authorities of deleting names of people from the Matua and minority communities from voter rolls in the state following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
A referendum on the implementation of a reform package in Bangladesh saw a 60.26 per cent voter turnout, with the 'yes' vote winning a clear majority, the Election Commission announced.
Top Congress leaders are questioning whether the Election Commission's announced schedule for the Assembly polls unduly benefits the BJP, citing concerns over the timing and structuring of election phases.
Despite a directive from the Election Commission, no FIR has been filed against TMC MLA Monirul Islam in connection with vandalism at the Farakka Block Development Office in Murshidabad. The delay raises questions about the implementation of the Commission's orders ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer has ordered a thorough verification of nearly 1 million voter deletions following complaints of wrongful removals, particularly concerning deceased voters and those who may have shifted residences.
The Trinamool Congress has launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government over rising fuel prices, economic concerns, and exam irregularities, accusing the Centre of betraying citizens.
Chandra, a native of Patna, appeared in several Bollywood movies such as 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' and 'Garam Masala'.
The BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal has not merely redrawn the electoral map but overturned the operating logic of politics in the state, breaching the TMC's entrenched fortress despite a decade-and-a-half of dominance, minority consolidation, and a sustained "outsider" narrative.
Six of the nine Shiv Sena-UBT Lok Sabha MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary meeting, signalling a likely split and potential merger with the Eknath Shinde-led faction, which could trigger disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law.
The Election Commission has finally cleared the confusion over suspected damage to Electronic Voting Machines on account of seepage of water from an overhead water tank in a strong-room where the machines were kept after the voting on February 19.
The Supreme Court has declined the Centre's request to postpone the hearing on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the 2023 law, which excludes the CJI from the committee responsible for appointing election commissioners, stating the matter is of utmost importance.
The TMC has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at an EVM strongroom in Kolkata. TMC workers protested outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, claiming that postal ballots were taken to a room without CCTV coverage. Similar protests occurred at a strongroom in North 24 Parganas, while the BJP shared a video from Purba Bardhaman district.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised one lakh jobs for youths each year based on merit if the BJP won the West Bengal election, and also pledged to make the state free of infiltrators.
