Government sources have clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship in India, a stance consistent for the past 12 years and rooted in the Passport Act 1967. This clarification, reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and public figures.
It is because dealing with a regulatory system that is largely headed by retired IAS officers then becomes relatively easy, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Amid the passport row, Shashi Tharoor has proposed legal changes to simplify proof of Indian citizenship.
The Supreme Court closed a plea by Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar, who died from a snakebite, challenging the cancellation of the Ponda assembly bypoll by the Bombay High Court.
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 power struggle in Tamil Nadu's main opposition party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, appears set to go on for a long time with sidelined leader O Panneerselvam (OPS) approaching the Election Commission and the influential Edappadi K Palaniswami camp refusing to budge.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to hold a dharna in Kolkata against alleged arbitrary deletions in the state's electoral rolls, marking a return to her roots as a street fighter and signalling a key political battle ahead of Assembly elections.
Maharashtra BJP MLC Pravin Darekar announced the launch of 'Devabhau' and 'Chhava' cooperative taxi services in Mumbai, aiming to counter private aggregators and benefit drivers directly, but the scheme has drawn sharp criticism from social activist Anjali Damania and the Opposition Congress over the proposed use of Mumbai Bank funds and its political branding.
The Election Commission on Thursday justified the decision to deny permission to Narendra Modi's rally in Varanasi city and came to the defence of the district magistrate whose removal is being demanded by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Through his commitment to democratic norms, debate, dissent and constitutionalism, Jawaharlal Nehru helped ensure that parliamentary democracy took deep root in independent India. Utkarsh Mishra evaluates Nehru's 17 years as India's first prime minister, examining his role in nation-building, democratic institution-building, economic planning, scientific advancement and foreign policy.
India has strongly criticised Pakistan for its alleged brutality and human rights abuses in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), following reports of police violence against protesters. New Delhi has called on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable, while Pakistan's own human rights body has also expressed alarm over the situation.
The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) has named Jyotiprakash Chatterji as its new president, a development that follows the merger of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebel Lok Sabha faction with the party. This announcement by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a key figure in the dissident camp, comes amidst speculation about the party's leadership after its founder stepped down. However, details about Chatterji and the party's internal workings remain unclear, with some existing members expressing unawareness of the change.
The BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal has not merely redrawn the electoral map but overturned the operating logic of politics in the state, breaching the TMC's entrenched fortress despite a decade-and-a-half of dominance, minority consolidation, and a sustained "outsider" narrative.
The Election Commission on Saturday night transferred Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Brij Lal and Principal Secretary (Home) Kunwar Fateh Bahadur after major opposition parties accused the two officials of working as "agents" of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party. BSP slammed the EC's decision, claiming the removal of Lal and Bahadur would "shatter the sense of security among Dalits and the downtrodden that they would be able to exercise their franchise in a free manner
The Madras High Court has restrained TVK MLA R Srinivasa Sethupathi from voting, including in the upcoming confidence motion, due to a petition challenging his one-vote victory.
The West Bengal cabinet has approved the formation of two panels headed by retired judges to investigate alleged institutional corruption and atrocities against women and children during the previous TMC regime.
The Congress-led UDF has swept back to power in Kerala, sparking celebrations and discussions about forming the new government. Senior leaders are vying for the Chief Minister's post, while the defeated CPI(M)-led LDF grapples with the reasons for their loss after 10 years in power.
Days after Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar undertook an hours-long trek to a remote polling station in Uttarakhand, the poll panel on Tuesday decided to double the remuneration of polling officials going to such booths as early as three days before voting day.
Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer has ordered a thorough verification of nearly 1 million voter deletions following complaints of wrongful removals, particularly concerning deceased voters and those who may have shifted residences.
The delimitation in Assam has quietly changed the political scene, raising questions about whether new constituency boundaries helped the BJP by spreading out Muslim-majority voters.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging the Election Commission's decision to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal. The court is also addressing concerns about disenfranchisement and citizenship issues related to the revision process.
'In the (election) affidavit, he had declared Rs 1,400 crores as his assets. He has educational institutions, real estate, malls, etc.'
In the first case of action against a politician for 'paid news' syndrome, the Election Commission on Thursday disqualified a woman MLA from Uttar Pradesh for three years for incorrect statement of election expenditure incurred on 'news items' in two Hindi dailies.
Elections for municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra are scheduled for December 2, according to the State Election Commissioner. The schedule for other local bodies will be announced later.
Pakistan's election commission has expressed its inability to hold general elections within three months due to legal, constitutional and logistical challenges, according to a media report on Tuesday.
A referendum on the implementation of a reform package in Bangladesh saw a 60.26 per cent voter turnout, with the 'yes' vote winning a clear majority, the Election Commission announced.
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.
A Delhi court has granted bail to Sukesh Chandrasekhar in an ED case related to the AIADMK's 'two leaves' election symbol, citing his detention exceeding half the maximum sentence under the PMLA.
The Election Commission on Tuesday said it has not yet taken a decision on the letter of Law Minister Salman Khurshid regretting his controversial remarks on the minorities sub-quota issue.
The Supreme Court has directed the establishment of independent appellate tribunals, led by former high court judges, to address appeals related to voter list exclusions in West Bengal, while also cautioning against undermining judicial officers involved in the process.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria said it would issue whatever orders or clarifications are required in the matter.
The Election Commission has issued a notice to LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan, contesting from Perambra, following a complaint about a recorded announcement from a campaign vehicle alleging communal campaigning by the IUML.
Initial vote counting in the Kerala Assembly elections indicates a significant lead for the Congress-led UDF, suggesting a potential shift in power.
The Election Commission has issued a notice to LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan following a complaint by the UDF regarding a recorded announcement from an LDF campaign vehicle, which allegedly made communal remarks against the IUML. The UDF claims the LDF is running a communal campaign, similar to a previous controversy during the 2024 general elections.
The Supreme Court of India resumed hearing petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, addressing the use of Aadhaar and concerns about voter deletions.
Haryana Congress MLAs will visit 'mandis' to assess and support farmers facing difficulties in wheat and mustard procurement, following a decision made at a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Delhi.
Courts cannot be the only hope for those fighting hate speech. Countering its effects on the ground takes more effort. With our political parties unwilling to put in that amount of effort, it's left to citizens to do so, points out Jyoti Punwani.
The Indian Parliament is expected to extend its budget session to introduce a bill increasing Lok Sabha seats to 816, reserving 273 for women, and amending the women's reservation law.
The West Bengal cabinet has decided to discontinue assistance-oriented schemes based on religious categorisation for Imams, muezzins and purohits from June. The cabinet also approved the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly support to women from June 1, and granted in-principle consent for their free travel in state-run buses.
