Rajiv Kumar, the 25th chief election commissioner of India, has demitted office after a nearly three-year tenure marked by both electoral successes and allegations of bias from opposition parties. Kumar oversaw the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, among other major elections. During his tenure, he implemented reforms across various aspects of the Election Commission's functioning, including structural, technological, capacity development, communication, international cooperation, and administration. However, he faced criticism from opposition parties and activists on several issues, including the efficacy of Electronic Voting Machines, alleged fudging of voter data, and being "lenient" on the ruling BJP. While the Commission responded to the allegations, Kumar often defended himself and the poll authority through poetry. In his farewell address, Kumar expressed concerns about the timing of petitions raising doubts over poll processes and the impact of freebie promises on the fiscal health of the state. He also criticized the practice of showing early trends on counting day by news channels, calling it "nonsense". Kumar's tenure was marked by numerous controversies, with opposition parties and activists alleging bias and irregularities. While the Election Commission defended its actions, the allegations cast a shadow over his time in office.
Ananya goes to Amritsar... Sonakshi goes glam...Adah has a question...
'Does 99 percent guarantee character and capacity for an independent awareness of life or does it make you -- barring exceptions -- a compliant careerist beholden to governments and corporations?' 'What kind of political and social choices would such minds make?' asks Shyam G Menon.
'Half of China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, which are among the most populous countries in the world, are dependent on the rivers and glaciers of the Himalayas for sustenance.'
How did Bollywood's power couples celebrate NYE? We take a look.
'The first and most basic responsibility of any government is to protect its people from external threats and internal harm.' 'Budget 2025-2026 has to focus on meeting this responsibility,' asserts R Jagannathan.
A list of lesser-travelled destinations in India that you must explore this year!
Namrata Thakker takes us behind the scenes, and gives us a preview of what's coming up.
Travelling from South India to Kashmir in December was magical for Ganesh Nadar as he feasted his eyes on the beauty of the snow-capped Himalayas.
'My belief that I could protect the Himalayas was shattered.'
Indira Gandhi was murdered by her bodyguards on the morning of October 31, 1984. Her death sparked off horrific anti-Sikh riots, killing over 3,000 innocent Indians.
The Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious gathering, began in Prayagraj, India, with millions taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Devotees from across India and the world converged for the 45-day event, which is considered to be a particularly auspicious one this year due to celestial alignments. The event is a major logistical challenge for the government, which has implemented several crowd-control measures and security measures to ensure the safety of the millions of pilgrims.
The Kumbh Mela is what it is because of the devotion of millions who make it an experience like no other. It is experiencing the heart and soul of India and the brotherhood of mankind.
One of India's legends Smita Patil would have been 69 today, October 17.
The government needs to answer the critical question of whether it has accepted any restrictions on its infrastructure creation activities, asserts Ajai Shukla.
Namrata Thakker takes a closer look at her through her Instagram feed.
Places of peace were discovered in Odisha. And Sikkim.
The Balaji boss is on a detox holiday.
India recorded around 16 per cent more rainfall than normal in August, with rainfall over Northwest India recorded at 253.9 mm, the second highest in August since 2001, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
Why can't the Indian government propose to the Chinese a corridor circumambulating the Holy Mountain where people from both sides could perform the yatra again? asks Claude Arpi.
Across the nation, Lord Ganeshas large and small make their way to the sea, to lakes, ponds or man-made water bodies where the Visarjan ceremony takes place.
'We have been appealing to various governments for so many years that there should be no dams in the Himalayas, but no one listens.' 'Nature responded in its own way.'
Each of Navratri's nine days has their own colour and the hue associated with Day 1 is yellow.
Here's another nugget from Zeenat Aman's treasure trove of life experiences.
From Uttarakhand comes a simple, tasty meal.
Mayur Sanap lists five films at MAMI 2024 that took his breath away.
When in Landour, discovers Supriya Newar, one of the most important things to do and that too in large measures, is to do nothing at all.
There is only word to describe Ashok Munne's journey -- 'incredible', says A Ganesh Nadar.
Ashutosh Topey, an IT professional from Hyderabad takes us through his recent Himalayan adventure trek.
'Our greatest enemies lie within us Kama -- selfish desires; krodha -- anger; moha -- attachment; lobha -- greed; madha -- pride and matsarya -- envy. Life is a constant battle against these dark forces. An enlightening excerpt from Priya Arora's book, Rama: A Man of Dharma.
A habeas corpus petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela for listing on October 3 by a lawyer for Wangchuk's "next friend".
The wedding celebrations of Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani that started in Jamnagar in March and continued in Italy in May, finally culminated in Mumbai on July 14, with the Mangal Utsav or the wedding reception.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday sat on a fast at the Ladakh Bhawan where he was staying after the protesters were denied permission to stage the stir for Ladakh's Sixth Schedule status at Jantar Mantar.
'Glaciers are melting all across the region.'
Here's your travel guide to exploring some of India's most beautiful villages.
The Himalaya Wellness Company, in collaboration with cricket icon Yuvraj Singh, unveiled its flagship initiative, Ek Nayi Muskaan.
The Supreme Court on Monday mooted constituting an expert committee for conducting a "complete and comprehensive" study on the carrying capacity of the Himalayan region in the country, where unplanned development has caused devastation in recent times, terming it a "very important issue".
Chinese geologists say the range might even start becoming shorter.
'It's one of the most iconic cricket grounds in the world,' RCB Captain Faf du Plessis declared. 'So unique -- almost walk out of the changing room and you have a smile on your face.'
On June 5, 2024, Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams, along with her crewmate and fellow NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore, safely docked Boeing Starliner capsule with the International Space Station.
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