The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to provide details on the disposal of appeals by tribunals concerning deletions from West Bengal's electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The court emphasised the need to track the progress of these appeals, which were set up to address irregularities. It also clarified that grievances regarding the denial of PDS benefits due to voter deletion should be taken up with the Calcutta High Court.
Former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai has been appointed by the apex court as the sole mediator in the high-stakes Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute involving Reliance Industries. This appointment comes as Justice Desai has also been a prominent figure in leading committees for drafting Uniform Civil Code (UCC) legislation across several Indian states, including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the withdrawal of all cases against the Kurmi community filed by the previous TMC government. He also pledged to include Kurmali and Rajbanshi languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and reactivate the Kurmi Development Board, allocating Rs 50 crore for community development.
By-elections across several Indian states, including Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, concluded peacefully with high voter turnouts. The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam recorded 76% polling, while Tamil Nadu's Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly Constituencies saw 83.86% and 78.53% respectively. Puducherry's Thattanchavady registered 78.83%, and West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies had nearly 79% turnout.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted search and seizure operations at 13 locations across Tripura, West Bengal, and Maharashtra in connection with an alleged fake government tender racket. The probe targets a suspended IAS officer and co-conspirators involved in a money-laundering investigation, with victims defrauded of over Rs 44 crore.
Haryana's Under-11 table tennis players showcased a strong performance at the second National Ranking Table Tennis Championships in Panchkula, with Sreeja Aggarwal, Mahi Kumari, and Phalgun Gupta securing spots in the girls' semifinals. The tournament also saw competitive matches in the boys' U-11 category, with players from Maharashtra and West Bengal advancing.
Following a tragic stampede at the Chorebagan Durga Puja in north Kolkata that killed 19 and injured 24, police have detained 12 people, including event organisers. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has promised strict action against those responsible for crowd mismanagement and announced an SIT investigation into the incident.
The Supreme Court clarified on Wednesday that it has not yet made a final ruling on the legality of the Election Commission's "logical discrepancy" category used for scrutinising voter details during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The court noted that its previous permission for this exercise in West Bengal was only an interim arrangement and its Bihar SIR decision was not a final determination of all related issues.
Kochi police have arrested Abdul Hai Molla and seized over 30 kg of ganja, valued at approximately Rs 50 lakh, as part of the anti-narcotics drive Operation Toofan. Molla, from West Bengal, is suspected of transporting the ganja from Odisha to Kerala for wholesale distribution.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said that hearings of applications for citizenship under the CAA will soon be over, and so far the state has issued certificates to 23,000 people out of 2.30 lakh applicants.
An educational institute in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district has been shut indefinitely and its hostel vacated following a violent clash between two student groups over organising Vishwakarma Puja. The incident at the University Institute of Technology, Burdwan University, led to injuries, property damage, and allegations of outsider involvement, prompting police intervention and an ongoing investigation.
Haryana's Nishchay set a new national record in the U18 discus throw at the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai on Monday, winning gold with a throw of 66.75m and surpassing the previous record set in 2010.
Title holders Services and former champions West Bengal registered dominant victories in Group A matches of the final round of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy on Monday.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra was allegedly pelted with eggs by BJP workers during a visit to Nadia district's Tehatta area, despite police presence. Moitra invoked a recent Supreme Court observation regarding her apprehension of such attacks, questioning police inaction and alleging contempt of court. The BJP has condemned the act but denied involvement.
Kolkata Police have summoned Avery Sen, daughter of former West Bengal minister Indranil Sen, for questioning in connection with the Durga Puja preview pass scam and the alleged unauthorised use of the UNESCO name and logo. This follows the arrest of Indranil Sen and the questioning of his wife, Madhuchhanda Sen, as investigators trace financial transactions linked to the case.
The Election Commission replaced the inspector-in-charge of Nandigram police station, Ajay Kumar Mishra, with Debashis Sarkar a day before the bypoll, following complaints from opposition parties alleging Mishra's closeness to the ruling party. This move comes amidst heightened political scrutiny and concerns raised by opposition leaders regarding the fairness of the election process in Nandigram, a constituency with significant political history in West Bengal.
Delhi Police have arrested two men for impersonating a corporate director and defrauding banks of Rs 22.56 lakh through fraudulent RTGS instructions. The investigation led to the recovery of assets worth Rs 2.5 crore, including gold, cash, and a Thar, and helped solve six other similar cases of financial fraud.
The ruling BJP in West Bengal has suspended 22 functionaries, including several mandal presidents, over allegations of extortion and indiscipline. This action follows public warnings from the party leadership against adopting an 'extortion culture' and comes ahead of a visit by BJP's central in-charge for West Bengal, Sunil Bansal, to review the party's organisation and the new government's functioning.
A 38-year-old man from West Bengal was arrested in Gurugram for allegedly committing an obscene act against his 17-year-old stepdaughter. He was traced to Malda district after fleeing following the registration of an FIR under the POCSO Act.
A new Rs 6,000 crore integrated phenol and acetone plant, India's largest, has been inaugurated in Haldia, West Bengal. Developed by Adperma Private Limited, a subsidiary of Haldia Petrochemicals Limited (HPL), the facility aims to reduce India's reliance on imported industrial chemicals and boost the domestic specialty chemicals sector. West Bengal's Chief Minister announced a new industrial policy following the inauguration.
Trinamool Congress MLA Paresh Ram Das was arrested from Kolkata airport on Monday in connection with multiple cases including rape, extortion, and post-poll violence. He had been absconding and was apprehended by Baruipur Police while attempting to board a flight to Mumbai. He will be produced in court on Tuesday.
Activists Prashant Bhushan, Anjali Bharadwaj, Yogendra Yadav, and Neha Bora have raised serious questions about the Election Commission's decision-making process for the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. They allege contradictions in the EC's statements, lack of transparency regarding decisions, concerns over centralisation of the electoral database, and unauthorised changes to Form 6, calling for greater accountability and disclosure of records.
AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey and West Bengal Minister Indranil Khan offered their perspectives on the Indian football team's 6-1 defeat against Uruguay. Chaubey highlighted the team's strong start and confidence, suggesting rain disrupted momentum, and stressed the importance of playing top-level opposition. Khan called the match a landmark moment for Indian football exposure but also criticised political interference in West Bengal's football ecosystem.
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's vehicle was surrounded by protesters, who allegedly hurled mud, slippers, and stones, while shouting 'chor' (thief) and 'dakait rani' (queen of thieves) slogans during her visit to Halisahar.
A man identified as Gopal Halder was beaten to death by locals in Sonarpur, West Bengal, after he and two accomplices allegedly broke into a house with a firearm. Halder was reportedly an accused in the homeowner's son's murder case from several years ago. Police are investigating the incident.
Bengaluru police have apprehended Amit Kumar Dubey from Bihar in connection with the murder of advocate Manjunath, who was shot dead in Whitefield on October 19. Efforts are ongoing to trace another accused, Pawan Kumar Dubey.
Ritvik Gupta of Delhi and Ananya Muralidharan of Tamil Nadu have won the U-17 boys' and girls' titles, respectively, at the National Ranking Table Tennis Championships held in Panchkula on Sunday. Gupta secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory, while Muralidharan claimed her title with a 3-1 win.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that the Chorbagan Durga Puja stampede, which killed 19 people, was primarily due to human error. He visited victims' families, assured assistance, and announced an inquiry by a retired judge, with the report expected within three months. The CM also plans to meet puja committees on October 26 to discuss future safety measures.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke met Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in Delhi, thanking her for supporting youth-led protests and extending solidarity with the INDIA bloc's upcoming rally against alleged "vote chori." CJP, however, stated it would maintain its independent identity and not formally join the Sunday protest.
Mamata Banerjee, former West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo, alleged that her party leaders were kept under "house arrest" and prevented from attending a rally in Serampore. She accused BJP workers of blocking routes and the police of inaction, comparing the situation to "atrocities" seen in African countries.
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's residence in Kolkata was allegedly attacked by BJP supporters, leading to clashes and accusations of law and order failure. Mamata Banerjee condemned the incident, challenging the BJP and criticising police inaction, while the BJP denied the allegations, claiming provocation by TMC supporters. An investigation is underway.
Police are investigating the mysterious death of Asish Banerjee, former deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly and a prominent TMC leader, who was found hanging in a party office with a purported suicide note expressing regret over entering politics and denying corruption.
A fresh political row has erupted in West Bengal after a person allegedly involved in Bangladesh's August 2024 student protests was found listed as a voter in Kakdwip, triggering sharp Bharatiya Janata Party-Trinamool Congress exchanges over alleged illegal infiltration and manipulation of the voter list in the state.
Built on around 24 acres of land using red sandstone quarried from Bansi Paharpur in Rajasthan, the Jagannath Temple at Digha, also known as Jagannath Dham, is an "architectural marvel, a mixture of intricate carvings and traditional design," an official said.
West Bengal edged past defending champions Services 4-2 to enter the final of the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy
A man in Hoshiarpur allegedly strangled his wife to death over suspicion of an affair. He initially reported her missing but later confessed to her family members. Police have arrested the husband and recovered the body, with further investigation underway under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Duncan Cruttenden of the United Kingdom and Annie Williams of the United States clinched the men's and women's titles respectively at the 35th Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race in Darjeeling. India's Ramanjit Oberoi and Mexico's Nahila Hernandez won the 100K Stage Race. The event, supported by the Ministry of Tourism, promoted adventure sports and sustainable tourism with participants from several countries.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's interim decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress' name and party symbol. The EC had allotted separate names and symbols to two rival TMC factions ahead of upcoming bypolls, a move Banerjee has strongly criticised as a "black day" for democracy.
A suspected operative of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was arrested in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district, and investigators believe he could be part of an ISI-backed network tasked with collecting intelligence on VIPs including BJP leaders, recruiting operatives and laying the groundwork for possible terror activities in the state.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former West Bengal minister Indranil Sen in a cheating case. Sen is accused of commercialising Durga Puja by selling high-priced preview show tickets through an organisation allegedly linked to him and his family, diverting government funds. The court noted "trappings of corruption" and the Enforcement Directorate is also investigating.
