The Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, has stated that the primary goal of the Election Commission is to ensure all voters in West Bengal can participate in the upcoming assembly elections without violence or intimidation.
This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
The BJP has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of using 'victim card' politics to gain sympathy during the assembly elections, dismissing claims of threats to her life as a political strategy.
The Himachal Pradesh government is set to implement stringent measures, including mandatory drug testing for government jobs and 'bulldozer action' against drug smugglers, to combat the growing menace of 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) in the state.
Opposition leaders have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, calling it politically motivated and a misuse of official platforms during ongoing elections.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested a Kolkata-based businessman, Kamdar, after conducting searches against him and a Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged criminal syndicate in West Bengal.
Ritu Tawde of the BJP has been elected as the new Mumbai Mayor, marking a historic moment as the party secures the position after 44 years in the BMC.
Upadhyay submitted the resignation to Governor K N Tripathi at the Raj Bhavan.
Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh has petitioned the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking the restoration of his security cover after it was withdrawn following his defection from AAP to BJP. Singh cites a mob attack on his residence and potential threats as reasons for the plea.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab government to ensure the safety of Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh and his family, following his defection from AAP to BJP and subsequent protests outside his residence.
Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer, Ratan U Kelkar, addressed concerns regarding the release of detailed polling data from the recent Assembly elections, defending the timeline and transparency of the process.
In a first, the Bihar assembly polls this time saw no voting day deaths and no re-polling being ordered in any constituency.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested a Kolkata-based businessman, Jay Kamdar, following searches against him and a Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged criminal syndicate.
Police in Surat are investigating an alleged interstate hawala-linked political funding network involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionaries, with Rs 1.25 crore reportedly routed from Delhi to Surat ahead of Gujarat local body polls. The AAP has dismissed the claims as a conspiracy by the ruling BJP.
Elections for municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra are scheduled for December 2, according to the State Election Commissioner. The schedule for other local bodies will be announced later.
Police in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, have registered a case against two Congress corporators for allegedly disturbing communal harmony after they refused to sing the national song 'Vande Mataram' during a municipal corporation session.
'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with families affected by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, met with the Chief Election Commissioner to voice their concerns and demand a halt to the revision process.
65 candidates from ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra were declared elected unopposed ahead of elections held on January 15, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). The BJP led with 43 unopposed candidates.
Kerala's General Education Minister V Sivankutty has criticised former DGPs R Sreelekha and T P Senkumar for their alleged adverse remarks against the police, questioning the timing and appropriateness of their statements.
Kerala recorded a high voter turnout in the Assembly elections, with over 77 per cent of eligible voters casting their ballots. The election is crucial as it will determine whether the LDF secures a rare third consecutive term, the UDF stages a comeback, or the NDA makes deeper inroads into Kerala's political landscape.
The Election Commission has intensified preparations for the West Bengal Assembly elections by reshuffling senior officers and deploying IAS and IPS officers in key poll management roles.
Mamata Banerjee is in Delhi to meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.
Top Congress leaders attacked the BJP and election commissioners at a rally in Delhi, alleging election irregularities and demanding action against those involved in 'vote chori'.
Quraishi asserted that India has, is and will always stand up and fight for its constitutional institutions and principles.
Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha criticised the Modi government's economic policies, citing the LPG crisis, lack of energy security, and concerns over the Economic Stabilisation Fund.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar expressed satisfaction over the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, stating that the exercise has 'purified' the voters' list after 22 years. He made the announcement during a press conference in Patna.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Jay Kamdar, a Kolkata businessman, for alleged money laundering. The ED claims Kamdar had close ties with police officers and misused his influence in land-related matters. The investigation is linked to an alleged criminal syndicate led by Biswajit Podder.
Shiv Sena (UBT) in Kalyan files a police complaint after two newly-elected corporators go missing following the Kalyan Dombivali civic polls. The party suspects foul play and seeks a thorough investigation.
Canada's police chief states there is no current evidence of clandestine activities or transnational repression linked to the Indian government within Canada, amidst improving diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Election Commission's move to transfer West Bengal's chief secretary and DGP soon after the announcement of Assembly poll dates triggered a political slugfest.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resign, citing hypocrisy in Shah's call for 'clean politics' given his past arrest. Banerjee also criticised the Election Commission and defended his party's record.
Police in Gurugram have arrested four individuals involved in an interstate gold coin fraud, recovering a substantial amount of cash and gold. The alleged mastermind, Solanki Prabhubhai Gulshanbhai, has a long history of fraud and is accused of targeting high-profile individuals.
TVK chief Vijay declared assets worth 603.20 crore in his election affidavit, including luxury cars and significant bank deposits, ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Friday announced that Thursday, January 15, will be a public holiday in areas falling under the 29 municipal corporations where polling for civic elections will be held, an official said.
Former secretary in the Union ministry of energy, Hari Shankar Brahma, was appointed as the new Election Commissioner on Wednesday.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleges 'vote chori' amid controversy over the quality of indelible ink used in Maharashtra civic polls. The Election Commission has launched a probe into the matter.
The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, has reassured the public that individual data collected during the upcoming census will remain confidential and cannot be used for any purpose other than statistical aggregation.
Vikram Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat, has been appointed as India's new ambassador to China, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Rawat. This decision comes as both countries attempt to improve bilateral relations following a period of strain.
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