The Election Commission of India has published the final voters list for Assam after a Special Revision, deleting over 2.43 lakh names from the draft roll. The final roll comprises nearly 2.49 crore voters, a decrease of 0.97 per cent from the draft roll.
'We can never trust the BJP when it comes to elections.'
Speculation around leadership change and a Cabinet reshuffle has intensified after the Congress government completed three years in office on May 20.
West Bengal's Bharatiya Janata Party government has moved to institutionalise its "detect, delete and deport" policy by directing all district administrations to set up "holding centres" for suspected illegal foreigners and foreign prisoners awaiting repatriation -- a step that appeared to give administrative shape to one of the party's most potent political themes in the state.
The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Election Commission on a plea by Trinamool Congress MPs alleging irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
Punjab's AAP president, Aman Arora, has criticised Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu for alleged misconduct and objectionable behaviour towards police personnel in Dhuri, while Bittu accuses the AAP government of misusing the police to target BJP workers.
Stepping up political pressure ahead of the assembly elections, the Congress-led Opposition bloc in Assam has lodged an FIR against state Bharatiya Janata Party President Dilip Saikia, accusing him of directing BJP MLAs to delete Opposition voters during the ongoing Special Revision of electoral rolls.
An assistant returning officer in Samastipur, Bihar, was suspended and a case registered against him after VVPAT slips were found on the roadside. The Election Commission initiated an inquiry after a video of the incident went viral.
The 2026 election appears to have reinforced a new political formula in Assam: Strong organisation, continuous grassroots engagement, effective alliance management and welfare-based voter outreach.
Building a party from scratch and leading it to electoral success is an entirely different challenge.
The Election Commission of India has invited all national and state political parties to provide suggestions by April 30 on any unresolved issues related to the electoral process. This call for feedback comes amid allegations of electoral roll manipulation, with opposition parties demanding a discussion in Parliament on the issue. The EC has also proposed an interaction with party presidents and senior members to further strengthen electoral processes.
In a state known for high political literacy and ideological mobilisation, the Congress' inability to quickly settle on a leader after securing a massive mandate has fed a narrative that the party remains excessively dependent on Delhi, deeply faction-ridden and vulnerable to internal sabotage
VCK chief Thol Thirumavalan announced that his party has decided to join the TVK-led cabinet in Tamil Nadu, with Vanni Arasu nominated for induction. The decision follows an invitation from TVK and reflects VCK's long-standing philosophy of sharing power.
Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of importing voters for the Assam elections and plotting similar interference in West Bengal, raising concerns about electoral integrity and potential cultural restrictions.
Thirty-five BJP MLAs were sworn in as ministers as part of an expansion of the Suvendu Adhikari-led cabinet in West Bengal. The oath-taking ceremony took place weeks after Adhikari was sworn in as chief minister.
The DMK has criticised its ally Congress for supporting Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form the government, calling the decision a 'backstab'. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai accused Congress of being an 'unstable partner' and betraying the INDIA alliance.
The AIADMK is facing a deeper crisis as factions clash over the floor test of the TVK government, with accusations of defying party directives and demands for disqualification under the anti-defection law.
'Shivakumar's relationship with the BJP and the RSS is not adversarial in the way Siddaramaiah's has been.' 'Siddaramaiah has publicly attacked the RSS on record; Shivakumar has made no such statement at any point.' 'He vociferously defended the Karnataka government's celebration of Ram temple consecration with RSS-ish arguments.'
As many as 90,000 electors in Goa have either been found absent, shifted, deceased or possessing duplicate voter cards in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state, a senior official said on Sunday.
'98 lakhs in Bengal, 97 lakhs in Tamil Nadu, 2.83 crores in Uttar Pradesh.'
By asking Vijay to produce letters of majority support before inviting him to form the government, the governor risks overstepping established Constitutional principles, notes Harishchandra.
TVK chief Vijay convened a meeting with newly elected legislators to discuss the election of the legislature party leader and strategies for government formation after securing 108 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election.
The decision came amid rising concerns in the city's red-light districts over difficulties in completing SIR enumeration forms.
Voters in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry are voting in crucial assembly elections.
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal, marking the end of the Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state.
Banerjee is personally present in court room one along with her lawyers. A gate pass was issued in the chief minister's name on Tuesday.
The Election Commission is ramping up preparations for a special intensive revision of voter lists across India, assessing the progress made on mapping current electors with voters as per the last SIR in different states.
The Election Commission has refuted allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that CEC Gyanesh Kumar is protecting 'vote chors,' calling the claims incorrect and baseless.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the Election Commission for allegedly failing to protect judicial officers involved in electoral roll revisions in Malda district. She accused the EC of lacking control over law and order and enabling the BJP's alleged attempts to disrupt the election process.
Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer announces that over 2.4 million voters are untraced after the enumeration stage of electoral roll revision, raising concerns among political parties.
AM Shahjahan and Vanni Arasu from IUML and VCK respectively were sworn in as ministers in Tamil Nadu, increasing the number of allies in the TVK government. This marks the first time representatives from both parties have been inducted into the state cabinet, signifying a shift in Tamil Nadu's coalition dynamics.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged voters to cast their ballots in the upcoming assembly polls as a form of 'revenge' for the deletion of names from electoral rolls, alleging foul play and urging vigilance during the election process.
TVK founder Vijay, upon becoming Chief Minister, approved free electricity units and special forces for women's safety and anti-drug efforts. He pledged a commitment to secularism and social justice, asserting his authority as the sole power centre.
'On the day of the results itself, Vijay personally requested Rahul Gandhi for support from the Congress.'
TMC's Falta candidate Jahangir Khan withdrew from the May 21 re-election, citing Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's promise of a special development package for the area.
The Trinamool Congress government's massive defeat in West Bengal shows "deep anti-incumbency and unpopularity" as out of 35 ministers who contested the assembly elections, 22 have been defeated, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her constituency.
'Vijay did not defeat Dravidian politics from outside. He entered the Dravidian field and claimed ownership of it. 'His argument was not that the room should be destroyed. It was that the present occupants no longer deserved to remain in it.'
This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay met with his predecessor, DMK President MK Stalin, at his residence in Alwarpet, Chennai, ahead of a crucial floor test for the government. The meeting, described as a courtesy call, occurred after Vijay's criticism of the previous DMK regime's debt burden.
The first phase of the Bihar assembly polls recorded a historic turnout of 65.08 per cent, the highest in the state's history, according to the Election Commission.
