The Supreme Court has granted the Centre an extension until October 15 to file its response on petitions concerning the closure of metro stations and disruption of train services in Delhi during protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The court also deferred a crucial hearing, issued notice on a petition challenging the immunity of election commissioners, and sought a Delhi Police officer's presence regarding alleged assaults on women journalists. Earlier, the court had directed authorities to ensure normal public transport and prevent unlawful detentions.
Defending the law for regulating appointment procedures of the chief election commissioner and the deputies, the Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it would be wrong to assume that the prime minister and the other ministers would act in "bad faith" and against "democracy" because they have a numerical majority in the selection procedure.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has accused DMK president M.K. Stalin of 'body-shaming' their Dharapuram bypoll candidate P. Satyabama during a campaign rally, petitioning the Election Commission to revoke his star campaigner status and impose a temporary ban.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and various student organisations have called for a united protest on October 10 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They demand his resignation and an overhaul of the electoral system, describing the confrontation as a fight for democracy against the BJP. The groups are seeking to sustain street pressure, following a previous agitation that led to a minister's resignation.
Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met President Droupadi Murmu, alleging 'vote chori' and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with the repeal of assembly polls from the last two years. Rahul Gandhi expressed shock that the President did not deny the 'election theft' charge but sought proof.
Sources have refuted Rahul Gandhi's claims regarding President Droupadi Murmu's response to 'vote chori' allegations, stating it's 'unfortunate' she's being drawn into the controversy. Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc, after meeting the President, has vowed to provide a 'mountain of proof' to support their claims of electoral malpractice and demand for the CEC's resignation.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's top brass is not overtly perturbed by Law Commission's recommendation of bringing the richest sporting body of the country under the Right To Information (RTI) ambit.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced that the INDIA bloc will stage a major protest in Delhi on Monday to protect voting rights, following meetings with the President and a planned meeting with the Chief Justice of India. He accused PM Modi and Amit Shah of attempting to protect Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and criticised the Centre for denying an AIIMS facility to Keralam despite past assurances. Venugopal affirmed the bloc's commitment to ensuring free and fair elections and expressed hope for AIIMS if they come to power.
Supreme Court Justice Dipankar Datta has strongly criticised the 2023 law for selecting the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners, arguing that the executive's dominant role in the selection committee creates a 'shadow of doubt' over the Election Commission's independence, even if appointments are meritorious.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the UPSC centenary, urged a fundamental shift in civil services recruitment and governance. He highlighted the need for services to adapt to an "instant-delivery world" powered by AI, focusing on citizen-centricity and evaluating candidates' motivation beyond academic knowledge. The PM also praised Captain Smit Machchhar's bravery during his address.
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged statutory duty violations and the controversial deletion of 13 crore voters during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, claiming decisions were made without the concurrence of other election commissioners.
'Election Commissioners are Constitutional authorities and they are not supposed to go to the Cabinet secretary. They are not supposed to write letters. And if they are aggrieved, they should straight go to the President of India.'
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student organisations have accused the government of attempting to influence electoral outcomes by allegedly deleting over 13 crore voters. They have demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged irregularities in voter rolls and criticising the police crackdown on protesters. Leaders questioned the government's protection of the CEC and linked voter deletions to the narrow victory margin in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Pravin Shinde and Brijesh Moradiya in a money laundering investigation connected to international drug trafficker Salim Ismail Dola's syndicate. The probe revealed a highly organised network involved in manufacturing and trafficking mephedrone, using hawala channels to layer proceeds of crime and acquire assets.
A curative petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the September 23 split verdict on the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. The petition, filed by Jaya Thakur, alleges a "reasonable apprehension of bias" due to claims that Justice Satish Chandra Sharma's son is a standing counsel for the Election Commission, raising questions about judicial propriety.
Amid sweltering October heat in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray turns up the heat against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, hinting obliquely about Nuremberg-like trials once the wheels of electoral fortune change.
The Congress party in Maharashtra has accused the police of illegally entering its Mumbai headquarters, Tilak Bhawan, and arresting tribal students and NSUI members who were protesting. While the police deny these claims, stating no arrests were made from the building, the Congress has threatened to gherao the Chief Minister's residence if the detained individuals are not released, escalating a political confrontation over student protests.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch has called for Manchester City to be severely punished, including relegation, over breaches of Premier League financial rules, citing inconsistencies he observed during his time managing in England.
Deepak Kumar, a gym owner from Kotdwar known for confronting Bajrang Dal members, has been arrested on charges of abusing, assaulting, and threatening a businessman. Police stated the arrest was a preventive measure to maintain peace, with additional sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita added based on evidence.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the Modi government over the "war-like deployment" of police and paramilitary in Delhi to prevent a protest against the Election Commission. He highlighted extensive security measures, internet suspension, and detentions, calling it an "undeclared Emer-GenZ" and questioning the government's confidence in electoral integrity.
The INDIA bloc has formulated a joint action plan to address the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row and concerns over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Following a meeting of key opposition leaders, the alliance announced a series of "save democracy" marches, demonstrations, and a march to the Election Commission, demanding a return to ballot papers for elections and alleging electoral malpractices by the ruling government.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and state governments on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) advocating for the confiscation of movable and immovable property belonging to individuals and their family members involved in exam question paper leak cases. The plea also calls for invoking various anti-corruption and financial crime acts against perpetrators and suggests consecutive sentencing for such offences.
The Commission also suggested changes to the phrasing of Section 124A and added words "a tendency to incite violence or cause public disorder".
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging he has 'undermined' voter rights by excluding over 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union territories during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Parliament on Thursday passed a bill to amend the anti-paper leak law to introduce stricter punishments, with the government expressing its commitment to go the extra mile to safeguard the interests of students, who are the country's future.
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction to operate four debit-frozen bank accounts, upholding a Calcutta High Court order. The accounts, holding around Rs 804 crore, are under investigation due to alleged cash deposits and a factional dispute within the party. The court noted the Election Commission's symbol freeze and requested the High Court to expedite the larger adjudication.
Buying a policy is only the beginning. Health insurance is a long-term commitment that needs regular review as your age, health needs and family circumstances change.
A contempt petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, and DMRC chairperson D Thara. The plea alleges that authorities violated the apex court's October 9 order by imposing a "blanket shutdown" on metro and train services in Delhi on October 10, despite the court's directive for only regulated movement during a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The petitioner claims personal experience of metro station closures and seeks immediate revocation of prohibitory orders.
Meghna Gulzar's Daayra delves into the uncomfortable territory between public anger, police power, and the rule of law, drawing inspiration from the 2019 Hyderabad rape-murder case and the subsequent police encounter.
Top Meta India executives, including chief Arun Srinivas, appeared before the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for the second time in a week regarding alleged Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) related advertisements on its platforms. Meta has committed to reporting child safety matters directly to India's I4C cybercrime portal, a significant shift from its previous practice of reporting to a US-based centre. The government is pushing for stronger safeguards and accountability from social media platforms to ensure online child safety.
Before protesting against the State, the citizen should not have to ask: Sir, may I protest, please?, asserts Prem Panicker.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea on Sunday seeking contempt proceedings against authorities for allegedly violating its directive against a complete prohibition on metro and train services in Delhi during the CJP protest. The plea argues that the blanket shutdown and lack of transparent advisories constitute a deliberate disregard for the court's October 9 order, which had called for regulation rather than outright prohibition of public transport.
Congress's Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan has been sent to judicial custody until October 3 on charges dating back 19 years, effectively ending his campaign for the October 6 by-election.
Former Chief Election Commissioners have voiced strong objections to reported 'illegal' changes in voter registration Form 6 and the centralisation of electoral roll control, raising serious concerns about the integrity of future elections.
The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench has discharged Congress MP Rakesh Rathore in a rape case, ruling that the prosecution material indicated a long-standing consensual relationship between him and the complainant, contrary to allegations of rape on the promise of marriage. The court deemed the allegations contradictory and unfounded, setting aside a lower court's order.
Nearly 200 protesters, including prominent activists, were detained at Jantar Mantar during demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Delhi Police registered cases under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for disobedience and obstruction, following prohibitory orders in the New Delhi district. The protests stem from alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions, prompting significant police deployment and ongoing legal actions.
The Supreme Court has ruled that courts must first decide on allegations of adultery made by a husband before granting interim maintenance to the wife, stating that if adultery is proven, the wife is not entitled to maintenance.
An analysis by ADR and National Election Watch reveals that 111 MPs and MLAs changed parties after winning elections between 2022 and 2026. Nagaland and West Bengal recorded the highest number of switches. The report also highlights party-level impacts and suggests reforms to the anti-defection framework.
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan critically examined police conduct in India, raising serious concerns about alleged assaults on protesters, custodial torture, and the urgent need for comprehensive police reforms to uphold human rights and the rule of law.
Competition Commission of India (CCI) chairperson Ravneet Kaur has warned that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) could intensify anti-competitive practices in digital markets, including self-preferencing, discriminatory pricing, and market manipulation. She highlighted the CCI's ongoing study into AI's impact on competition and stressed the regulator's role in fostering growth while preventing abuse of dominance.
