Union Home Minister Amit Shah refuted claims that southern states will have reduced representation in the Lok Sabha after the implementation of women's reservation and delimitation of constituencies, assuring an increase in both the number of seats and percentage of power.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah refuted claims that southern states will have reduced representation in the Lok Sabha after the implementation of women's reservation and delimitation of constituencies, assuring an increase in both the number of seats and percentage of power.
India's electric passenger vehicle (ePV) market has expanded sharply over the past five years, with registrations rising from just 3,252 units in 2020 to about 170,000 in 2025. Throughout this scale-up, southern states have remained the bedrock of adoption, consistently contributing around one-third of national electric vehicle (EV) registrations - emphasising the region's role as the structural backbone of India's EV transition.
The Sixteenth Finance Commission Chairman, Arvind Panagariya, has highlighted the challenges faced by southern states due to falling fertility rates and the subsequent increase in dependency ratios and ageing populations. He noted that Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Tamil Nadu have raised concerns about these demographic trends. The Commission is currently touring the states to gather feedback and is expected to submit its recommendations after completing nationwide consultations.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has refuted claims made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin regarding fund allocation and delimitation, accusing him of spreading misinformation and engaging in diversionary tactics. Shah asserted that the Modi government has provided significant financial support to Tamil Nadu and denied claims of any reduction in Parliamentary representation for the state following delimitation. He also criticized the DMK government's handling of law and order, citing issues such as drug trafficking and corruption. Shah expressed confidence in the BJP's prospects in the upcoming Assembly elections, predicting a larger victory than in Maharashtra and Haryana.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over a probe from Andhra Pradesh police concerning an alleged extremist network. Twelve suspects were arrested across several states for their links to banned terror organisations like AQIS and ISIS, involved in radicalisation and recruitment through online platforms.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced a significant increase in Lok Sabha seats for the five southern states following delimitation, countering misinformation and clarifying the timeline for women's reservation implementation.
Claiming taxes collected from the south were being distributed to north India and that the former were not getting their due share, Congress MP D K Suresh on Thursday said the southern states will be forced to demand for a separate nation if the 'injustice' was not rectified.
West Bengal's final phase of assembly elections focuses on the TMC's southern stronghold, where the BJP aims to make inroads. The outcome will determine whether Mamata Banerjee's party retains its dominance or if the BJP can secure a path to power.
Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel's continued strikes in Lebanon and alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement. This move comes as both Israel and Hezbollah accuse each other of breaching the truce, with casualties rising in southern Lebanon.
'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.'
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested a meeting with the Governor, intensifying speculation about a potential change in leadership, with rumours suggesting he may resign to allow his deputy, D K Shivakumar, to take over.
NDA leaders have defended proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Act and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, arguing women have waited long enough for reservation, while opposition parties allege the process could undermine India's federal and democratic structure, particularly impacting southern states.
Household indebtedness is higher in the southern states as compared to the other parts of the country, a report said on Tuesday. Citing the All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS) data from 2013-2019, domestic agency India Ratings said household indebtedness both in rural and urban areas was higher in southern states than rest of India. In 2019, Telangana with 67.2 per cent had the highest proportion of its rural households indebted and Nagaland with 6.6 per cent had the lowest proportion of its rural households indebted.
With the southwest monsoon stalled over southern Maharashtra, India is facing a nationwide rainfall deficit of 41 percent between June 4 and June 18, according to the latest India meteorological department (IMD) data.
India is home to more than 33 crore LPG users, yet consumption habits differ sharply from one region to the next. In metropolitan hubs such as Delhi, cooking gas is used far more frequently. In contrast, families in predominantly rural states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh tend to make a cylinder last close to two months, as per PPAC estimates for 2025-26.
As more opposition MPs are now aligning with the ruling NDA, sources in the government indicated that possibilities are being explored to give a fresh push to the delimitation legislation in Parliament.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has informed his cabinet colleagues of his decision to step down, according to official sources. The move comes after the Congress high command reportedly asked him to make way for a leadership change in the state, potentially offering him a central role in the party.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the Israeli strikes on Lebanon's capital of Beirut "should not have happened", warning that such escalation could jeopardise the peace agreement with Iran to achieve a complete solution to the West Asia conflict, which, according to him, is within reach.
Three Indian-flagged crude oil tankers, Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor, and Sanmar Herald, successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and are en route to India, even as Iran announced the closure of the critical waterway following Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
The Indian government and opposition parties are set for a showdown in Parliament over a Constitution amendment bill concerning the implementation of the women's quota law and the delimitation exercise. The Opposition is concerned about the potential impact of delimitation on the political representation of southern states.
Despite initial challenges like unsold tickets and a rained-out fan festival, visitors are flocking to Toronto for the first-ever World Cup soccer match in Canada. Fans are drawn by factors such as lower drinking age compared to the US, cultural similarities, and Canada's diverse immigrant population, creating a unique and determined atmosphere for the tournament.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Thursday said that it will move the Supreme Court against the delimitation bill, if it is passed in the Parliament.
Aurionpro Solutions has secured a multi-year contract worth approximately Rs 350 crore to develop a large, AI-ready green data centre in southern India for a hyperscale operator.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced the official end of the war and warned that any Israeli attack on Lebanon would violate an agreement between Iran and the United States. He also stated that negotiations on nuclear issues and sanctions lifting would begin on Saturday, led by Iran's Parliamentary Speaker M B Ghalibaf and US Vice President J D Vance.
US president Donald Trump in recent weeks has renewed threats to make Canada the 51st US state, and said he might not renew the trilateral trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico -- the co-hosts of this year's World Cup.
US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the handling of military operations in Lebanon, expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the conflict and the escalating civilian death toll.
The US Congress has paid tribute to the late Indian-American entrepreneur Sivaramakrishnan Somasegar, known as 'Soma', for his significant contributions to Microsoft and the broader technology sector. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene highlighted his impactful career at Microsoft, his role in fostering new startups, and his community involvement, including co-founding the Seattle Orcas cricket team.
Initial vote counting in the Kerala Assembly elections indicates a significant lead for the Congress-led UDF, suggesting a potential shift in power.
Extreme heat and humidity could emerge as a major challenge at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with several host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico expected to experience soaring temperatures during the tournament.
Amidst growing speculation about a potential leadership change in Karnataka, senior Congress leaders are meeting to discuss the future of the state government. The meeting follows months of rumours regarding a transition, with D K Shivakumar potentially succeeding Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister.
West Bengal CID officials visited the state Assembly as part of their ongoing investigation into the alleged forgery of MLAs' signatures for the appointment of the leader of opposition, seeking a crucial party resolution document.
Seven Dalits were injured in Tenkasi and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu after being attacked by a masked gang. Political leaders have condemned the violence and called for immediate action.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed to have targeted and destroyed hangars of F-35 fighter jets and struck 21 American air and naval bases across West Asia and the Gulf region, including the US Army's command and control centre at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
The government has released a set of FAQs to address concerns and clarify the details surrounding the Women's Reservation Bill, which aims to provide 33 per cent quota for women in legislatures.
The Los Angeles Knight Riders on Thursday unveiled the Knight Riders Cricket Field at Fairplex in Pomona, California, which is set to serve as their base for the upcoming season of Major League Cricket in the United States.
Sources said the party top brass including Gandhi and Kharge held several hours of discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, apart from meeting them separately, and is likely to take a call on a possible change of guard in the state after the Rajya Sabha polls, which are due next month.
'The Supreme Court stated that once the delimitation plan is approved by Parliament and receives assent of the President, it cannot be undone. Nor can it be modified.'
A daily wage labourer in Odisha has died in police custody, with his family alleging torture and hot water burns. The state police chief has ordered a high-level probe, and staff at the police station have been transferred.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has launched self-defence strikes against multiple targets in Iran, citing ongoing Iranian aggression. This action has led to Iran's Red Crescent placing emergency centres on high alert amidst reports of explosions in several Iranian cities. Concurrently, Iraqi media claims Iran retaliated with a missile strike on a US air base in Erbil.
