Following the conclusion of the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, election commission officials have transferred the sealed EVMs, VVPATs, and other election materials to secure strong rooms at designated counting centres throughout the state.
Recent assembly elections across several states in India saw exceptionally high voter participation, with women voters outnumbering men in turnout percentages, according to Election Commission data.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor cited the Kerala Assembly election results as an example of communal harmony, highlighting instances where voters looked beyond caste and religion.
The Election Commission reports the seizure of cash and contraband worth Rs 80.67 crore in Kerala during enforcement activities related to the recent Assembly elections.
The Election Commission reports a significant increase in seizures of inducements during recent assembly elections, with Tamil Nadu leading in cash seizures and West Bengal in liquor and drugs.
Newly appointed Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon has outlined his plans to strengthen the party in the state, aiming for a majority in the 2027 assembly elections. He criticised the ruling AAP government and promised to address key issues such as crop diversification and law and order.
Senior police officials in West Bengal are visiting police stations to ensure free and fair polling for the upcoming Assembly elections, focusing on maintaining law and order and preventing electoral malpractice.
The LDF has filed a complaint with the Election Commission alleging that UDF candidate Reji Cheriyan engaged in cash-for-vote practices during the Kuttanad Assembly election campaign.
Police in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district discovered and defused 22 crude bombs at a house in the Haroa police station area. Bomb-making materials were also seized, and the house owner is missing as investigations continue ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday saw a massive voter participation during the ongoing assembly elections, with turnout reaching 89.93 per cent and 82.24 per cent respectively by 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
The Allahabad High Court has stayed the conviction and sentence of Nandlal Rai, a BJP worker, in a 2017 murder case, allowing him to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly election. The court cited his right to contest elections and referenced a Supreme Court precedent regarding public representatives.
Last time, assembly polls in West Bengal were held in eight phases -- by far the maximum. In Assam, elections were held in two phases, and in a singular phase in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
The first phase of Panchayati Raj elections in Rajasthan concluded on Thursday with a 63 per cent voter turnout across 16 districts. Despite long queues, some villages boycotted the polls over local administrative issues. These elections are seen as a crucial test for the ruling BJP and opposition Congress ahead of the 2028 assembly elections.
Take a look at the famous faces who exercised their democratic right.
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.
'Their functioning is flawed, they are not accountable, they are opaque, they are non-transparent, they have lost credibility.'
The reference to India's 'Presidential election' appears to be a mix-up with Brazil, which held its first round of presidential elections on Sunday with 125.27 million valid votes.
The AIADMK suffered a significant blow in the recent Madurantakam and Dharapuram by-polls, seeing a sharp decline in its traditional vote base. The party came in a distant third in both seats, which were previously its strongholds, raising concerns about its leadership, strategy, and future in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, especially with the rise of the TVK.
Despite recent electoral losses to the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in both the April Assembly election and October 6 by-polls, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has demonstrated a robust and independent vote bank. Electoral data indicates that the DMK maintained significant voter support, securing its position as the principal opposition party and potentially a key challenger to the TVK in future elections, including the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
DMK President M K Stalin has filed a petition in the Madras High Court challenging the election of TVK candidate V S Babu from the Kolathur Assembly constituency. Stalin alleges grave irregularities during the checking and verification of EVMs and VVPATs, which he claims were not adequately addressed by the District Election Officer. He seeks a declaration that Babu's election is void and a 100% counting of VVPAT slips.
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.
Former Indian hockey captain and Olympian Pargat Singh has been appointed the new president of the Punjab Congress, replacing Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. A three-time MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment, Singh's elevation comes amidst internal party wrangling and is seen as a strategic move to unite factions ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. His journey spans from a decorated sports career to a prominent political figure, having previously served as a minister and consistently winning his assembly seat.
The Election Commission of India has commenced preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in five states, with senior officers visiting Uttarakhand and scheduled to visit Manipur and Punjab soon.
The Congress party has announced a significant organisational reshuffle in its Uttar Pradesh unit, appointing Aradhana Misra-Mona as president and Imran Masood as working president. This strategic move comes ahead of the state assembly elections next year and aims to strike a social balance while strengthening the party's position in the crucial state.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot is set to embark on a five-day visit to Punjab starting October 16, where he will meet families of gang violence victims across 11 districts. This visit aims to amplify their voices and is seen as a strategic move by the Congress to make law and order a central issue against the AAP government in the upcoming elections. Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh also criticised the AAP government over deteriorating security and extortion threats faced by traders.
The Bharatiya Janata Party received nearly Rs 1,473 crore at its central headquarters alone during the last five state assembly elections, more than seven times the Rs 207 crore in net receipts reported by the Congress across its central and state units, according to expenditure statements filed with the Election Commission.
Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has launched her new political party, Jan Neeti Bharat, with the aim of contesting the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and redefining governance by making people central to policymaking and ensuring government accountability.
Tamil Nadu's ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won bypolls in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, strengthening its minority government. Concurrently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured emphatic victories in West Bengal's Nandigram and Muslim-majority Rejinagar, consolidating its post-TMC rule position. The BJP also established a significant lead in Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, and its ally AINRC retained Thattanchavady in Puducherry.
Bengali film actor Koyel Mallick, previously a TMC MP, has joined the BJP and is set to file her nomination for a Rajya Sabha seat, expressing her desire to contribute to West Bengal's development initiatives.
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.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah introduced a resolution in the assembly demanding the urgent restoration of full statehood for the union territory. The resolution, which referenced previous autonomy resolutions, led to intense protests and "ugly scenes" from opposition BJP members, resulting in the adjournment of the House. Abdullah highlighted the unfulfilled promise by the Government of India regarding statehood after delimitation and elections.
The Election Commission has announced a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in 17 states and Union territories, including those facing assembly polls next year. This initiative aims to enrol new voters, correct existing entries, and enhance the accuracy of voter lists, with January 1, 2027, set as the qualifying date.
Tendulkar urged people to use their voting rights, saying that it is their responsibility.
An Independent candidate for the Rejinagar assembly bypoll in West Bengal, Saiful Islam, was arrested in a five-year-old case related to a clash during the 2021 state elections. This follows another bypoll nominee's arrest, highlighting pre-election tensions. The AJUP chief also faces a notice, and a party secretary was arrested with illegal arms and fake currency.
The State Election Commission will adopt the voters' list of the assembly elections for civic polls, the Bombay high court was told on Tuesday, while hearing a plea by an 18-year-old woman who claimed her application to enrol as a voter after she turned 18 in April 2025 was not accepted.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes as BJP members protested a resolution seeking the urgent restoration of statehood. The BJP opposed the resolution, calling it an insult to the Constitution, and moved a motion for the Speaker's removal, leading to disruptions and mock proceedings in the House.
AJUP chief and Naoda MLA Humayun Kabir has hinted at quitting electoral politics and his assembly membership after his arrest during the Rejinagar bypoll. Kabir, who claims the BJP will win Rejinagar due to a "looted mandate," expressed disillusionment with the democratic system and vowed not to attend the state assembly as long as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is in office. He also alleged betrayal by Adhikari regarding his son's bypoll prospects.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has extended an invitation to Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee to rejoin the Congress with her remaining legislators, offering her leadership in West Bengal amidst the TMC's significant internal turmoil and post-election challenges.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that the CBI has completed 90% of its investigation into the murder of his personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, with only the alleged money trail left to be established. Adhikari claimed the murder involved shooters from Uttar Pradesh, a hirer from Bihar, and a "Bhaipo gang" in the Rs 2 crore contract money. He urged voters to seek "revenge" for Rath's death in the Nandigram bypoll.
The Congress party is set to replace Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as the president of its Punjab unit, following organisational feedback from Sachin Pilot and persistent infighting within the state unit. The move aims to unite various factions ahead of the 2027 assembly polls, with former minister Vijay Inder Singla emerging as a frontrunner for the post.
