The Election Commission has issued an interim order preventing rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, from using the party name and its "Flowers and Grass" symbol during the upcoming West Bengal by-elections. Both groups have been directed to submit preferred names and symbols by Friday morning for recognition and allotment for the bypolls, as the EC undertakes a substantive determination of the party dispute.
The Centre has ordered the deployment of 20 additional companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi. These forces are being airlifted from West Bengal to strengthen security measures in response to CJP protests, demonstrations by various political parties, and the ongoing Parliament session, following instances of violent clashes.
Mention Anant Nag to almost anyone in Karnataka and the reaction is immediate: 'Anant? Oh my God! What a fascinating man!' 'Such an intellectual. Such a great speaker. Brilliant actor.'
The Election Commission of India is considering launching the final phase of its special intensive revision of voters' lists in the remaining states and Union territories after the assembly elections conclude.
Making several announcements in the assembly, Vijay, fulfilling TVK's key electoral assurances, announced three free cooking gas cylinders and also declared that the Parandur greenfield airport project will be shelved.
Congress's Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan has been remanded to judicial custody in connection with old criminal cases, including murder charges from 2007. This development effectively prevents him from campaigning for the upcoming by-election. The Congress party has questioned the timing of the arrest, alleging political motives behind the revival of these long-pending cases.
In the throes of a financial crisis, the state's ruling Congress government has little to be triumphant about as Assembly elections approach next year, points out Aditi Phadnis.
If the government wishes that protests like the one that took place at Jantar Mantar during the last few weeks should not recur, it must refocus its energies on jobs, not just the examination system, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The Supreme Court has emphasised the need for timely investigations and conclusions of criminal cases involving illicit money in elections. Observing that black money compromises democracy and the rule of law, the court issued several directives, including reporting seizures to competent authorities within 24 hours, completing investigations within a year, and submitting quarterly status reports to the Election Commission. The ruling also mandates High Courts to designate special courts for expeditious disposal of cases against candidates and requires High Court approval for withdrawing cases.
Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Nabin has made his first significant mark on the BJP's national apparatus with a major organisational reshuffle, bringing back key figures like Smriti Irani and Ram Madhav while removing Nadda-era functionaries, signalling a strategic move ahead of crucial state elections.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has called for the immediate passage of the women's reservation bill and the delimitation bill, advocating for a uniform 50 per cent increase in seats for all states to ensure fair and equitable representation.
The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has announced its candidates, K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, for the upcoming October 6 bypolls in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. This marks the first electoral challenge for the TVK government since its formation, setting the stage for a direct contest with DMK and anticipated participation from AIADMK.
Abbas Ansari, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party MLA, was sentenced to two years imprisonment in a 2022 hate speech case by a special MP-MLA court on Saturday.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and actor-racer Ajith Kumar, known as 'Thalapathy' and 'Thala' respectively, shared a warm, lingering hug at the iconic Silverstone circuit in the UK.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's decision to replace six-time MLA Narottam Mishra with a rookie candidate in the Datia Assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh led to a significant defeat, with the Congress retaining the seat. This loss is seen as a major setback for the BJP's image of discipline, with the party indicating possible disciplinary action against those who defied the central leadership's choice.
Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin Yojana has seen 81 lakh registered beneficiaries removed following a multi-month e-KYC verification drive, with the state's Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare clarifying the process was mandatory to filter out ineligible individuals, income-tax payers, and government employee families.
The National Conference and BJP held significant protests in Jammu and Kashmir, accusing each other of failing to deliver on promises. The NC demanded the restoration of statehood, while the BJP criticised the NC government's performance on issues like jobs and corruption, marking the first major political unrest since Article 370's abrogation.
With Uttar Pradesh assembly elections approaching, an analyst suggests the BJP is in a strong position. Meanwhile, Punjab's political landscape is described as fluid with mixed public satisfaction towards the ruling AAP.
A former principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Bhagwandev Israni, has claimed that Congress nominee Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha poll nomination was wrongly rejected, arguing she was not required to disclose information as no FIR or chargesheet had been filed against her.
India's first Asian Games gold-winning heptathlete, Swapna Barman, has been provisionally suspended by NADA after testing positive for the banned substance Boldenone. This disciplinary action proceeds despite her recent retirement announcement. The case highlights ongoing efforts to combat doping in Indian sports, with other athletes also facing bans.
Political tensions are escalating in Uttar Pradesh as Samajwadi Party leaders strongly refute Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar's assertions of an impending split within the SP.
The protest was triggered by alleged attacks following the BJP's victory in recent assembly elections.
The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Centre regarding the introduction of totalisers for counting votes recorded in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The court wants to understand any impediments and potential negative impacts of this mechanism, which aims to protect voter privacy and prevent post-poll violence by counting votes from multiple booths together.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay issued a stern warning against personal attacks, double-meaning insults, and derogatory language targeting women, particularly in political discourse. Speaking in the Assembly, he recalled past humiliations faced by late CM J Jayalalithaa and condemned recent incidents involving women personalities, stressing that such behaviour would face immediate legal consequences. He also outlined his administration's vision for public security and zero-tolerance against crime.
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has hinted at a potential re-alliance with the BJP, expressing a desire for "agreements" that bring progress to Punjab from Delhi. This follows a recent meeting between SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reigniting speculation about the former allies rejoining forces after their 2020 split over farm laws.
Former Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K Annamalai left for Delhi from Chennai on Monday amid growing speculation on social media over his political future and reports suggesting he may be planning to launch a new political platform.
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor secured a significant victory in the Bankipur assembly bypoll, defeating the BJP candidate by over 19,000 votes. Kishor attributed his win to support from disgruntled members of major parties and potentially Gen Z protests, while firmly rejecting any future political alliances. He claimed the mandate was a wake-up call for the BJP-led government in Bihar and its Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, giving his party its maiden presence in the state assembly.
A political controversy has erupted in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections, with the Congress party accusing BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar of concealing details of a high-value property in his election affidavit. Chandrasekhar has denied the allegations, challenging the Congress to prove their claims in court.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced a new dress code of blue T-shirt and jeans for the party's student wing, Chhatra Sabha, along with a two-week student awareness campaign. The move aims to connect with young people in educational institutions, familiarise them with the party's ideology, and promote socialist values. Yadav explained the symbolism of the blue colour, associating it with ideology, democracy, the Constitution, and the 'Bahujan samaj', while jeans represent rebellion and workers. The initiative is part of the party's broader PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak, and also Prem, Daya, Apnapan) campaign to establish social justice.
Amidst ongoing ethnic tensions, a new political alignment in Manipur sees Meitei and Naga groups uniting to demand an update to the National Register of Citizens with a 1951 base year, a move fiercely opposed by Kuki-Zo communities who fear it will disenfranchise them.
A proposed Rs 1,200 crore Secretariat-Assembly complex in Pattinapakkam, Chennai, has ignited significant opposition from local fishing communities and various political parties. Residents fear displacement, loss of livelihood, and environmental damage, citing ancestral rights and broken promises. Political leaders across the spectrum are urging Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to reconsider the site, highlighting concerns about ecological impact, traffic, and financial priorities.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday sought a change in seating arrangement for its MPs in the Lok Sabha, saying their alliance with the Congress has ended and it would not be appropriate for its members to sit alongside those of the Congress.
The Supreme Court, hearing pleas on the Shiv Sena split, observed that a political party retains control over its legislature wing and its valid decisions must prevail, but also advocated for granting 'elbow room' to elected representatives for political decisions if a majority 'genuinely disagree' with party directions.
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deploying its entire machinery, including Union ministers and NDA-ruled state CMs, to defeat her party in the West Bengal assembly elections. She also criticised the BJP's promises to migrant workers and alleged the misuse of central forces during the polls.
'I remember that Indira Gandhi was virtually worshipped as a goddess. The kind of power wielded by Indira Gandhi in the early 1970s was much more than what Modi does today, but in just three years down the line Indira Gandhi faced defeat.' 'So you cannot take people's sentiments for granted. That is a lesson that the BJP should learn.'
What lessons opposition parties need to learn post defeat of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal elections? The election saw spectacular victor of BJP which rose from 3 seats in 2016 to 206 seats in 2026 assembly elections.
West Bengal recorded its highest-ever voter turnout in the 2026 assembly polls since Independence, with a cumulative 92.47 per cent polling in two phases, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday said in the assembly that justice would be delivered in the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case, leaving the victim's mother, a BJP MLA who was present in the House, in tears.
