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.
The Tamil Nadu government has appointed film producer K Venkata Narayana as the state's special representative to the government in New Delhi, evoking sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party and other opposition parties on Friday.
The Indian government is reportedly developing new proposals to increase Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent across all states. This initiative aims to address concerns from southern states regarding potential political power reduction due to population-based delimitation, while also facilitating the operationalisation of the women's quota law before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that the Indian government has no involvement or official support for Track 2 discussions on India-Pakistan ties, even when retired Indian officials participate. He clarified that such participants speak in their personal capacities and do not represent the government's views, and New Delhi does not take cognisance of these private events.
Seers in Ayodhya are demanding that bureaucrats be excluded from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust following allegations of donation embezzlement and the resignations of two key members, Champat Rai and Anil Mishra. While some seers call for the trust to be run solely by religious figures to prevent corruption, others defend the integrity of the resigned officials, highlighting a division within the spiritual community regarding the trust's management and accountability.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj has given the Punjab government one month to address objections regarding the anti-sacrilege law, the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, which he claims was enacted without consulting the Sikh Panth and interferes in religious affairs.
A farmer in Maharashtra received a message indicating a one-paisa credit instead of the expected Rs 2,000 under the PM-Kisan scheme, causing confusion. The Agriculture Department later clarified it was a technical error and the full instalment had been successfully processed.
The government on Thursday restored liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies to commercial consumers such as hotels, restaurants and other businesses to pre-crisis levels, and lifted sector-specific restrictions imposed during the recent West Asia conflict, in a sign that energy supply concerns are easing as global markets stabilise.
The murder of a commuter on a Mumbai suburban train has sparked a debate in the Maharashtra assembly, with the Opposition demanding answers on passenger safety. Speaker Rahul Narwekar has directed the government to provide a statement on the incident, investigation progress, and safety measures by June 29. The incident involved the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old during an argument over train doors, with the accused already arrested.
The government will lift restrictions on the sale of petrol and diesel to commercial and industrial consumers from July 1, easing emergency measures imposed to manage fuel supplies.
Less than two months after ending the TMC's 15-year rule in the state, the BJP government is expected to table one of its most ambitious and politically sensitive promises, setting the stage for what could become the first major ideological confrontation of the post-election period.
Sonia Gandhi criticised PM Modi's Israel visit, calling it a "bewildering strategic decision" amid the regional conflict.
The Tamil Nadu government has approached the Supreme Court to challenge a Madras High Court order that permitted the lighting of a ceremonial lamp on the Thirupparankundram hill. The state government cited concerns over public order and potential communal tensions, while the High Court had dismissed these fears as "imaginary" and affirmed the land belongs to the Sri Subramania Swamy Temple, not the Waqf Board.
The West Bengal government plans to introduce two new bills in the Assembly to address public disorder, vandalism, and attacks on police and public servants. One bill will amend the existing Public Order Act, 1972, while the other, titled the Public Safety Control and Anti-Social Activity Bill, will comprehensively strengthen public safety measures. These legislative changes aim to curb incidents of violence and allow for compensation recovery from offenders.
The Indian government has dismissed concerns that the use of E20 fuel could affect the validity of vehicle insurance policies, stating that the ethanol blending programme remains safe, consumer-friendly, and economically beneficial.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
'While higher prices may create some financial burden for patients and caregivers in the short term, uninterrupted access to treatment remains the greater priority.'
A gas leak at a seafood processing facility in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district has resulted in the deaths of nine women, with 69 others hospitalised. The victims, primarily from Odisha and Assam, suffered severe ammonia inhalation symptoms. Authorities are investigating the cause and monitoring the health of those affected.
The Odisha government has officially changed the English spellings of 64 places, including major cities like Cuttack (now Kataka) and Balasore (now Baleshwar), to align with Odia phonetics. This move aims to preserve the state's linguistic and cultural identity by correcting colonial-era anglicised names and standardising official records.
Automobile manufacturers have informed NITI Aayog that they face significant challenges in tracing 20-25-year-old vehicles due to multiple ownership changes, hindering their ability to meet Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets for end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). They are seeking government support, including access to updated Vahan registration records, to locate these vehicles and encourage owners to use authorised scrapping centres.
About 45 km from the tech hub of Bengaluru, the Karnataka government is planning a mega artificial intelligence (AI)-powered city with a budget of more than Rs 18,000 crore. To be spread over 9,000 acres, the project aims to follow the theme "Work, live, play" with technology as its core. At the centre of it are, however, thousands of farmers who are protesting against land acquisition by the government.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and States regarding a plea alleging the misuse of Aadhaar cards as proof of citizenship, domicile, and residential address. The petition argues that despite legal provisions, Aadhaar is being used for purposes beyond identity verification, potentially aiding illegal immigrants, and calls for a comprehensive overhaul of electoral verification processes.
Tamil Nadu's new government, led by C Joseph Vijay, is committed to advancing the ~38,000 crore shipbuilding project with HD Hyundai in Thoothukudi, securing bipartisan support from the Opposition DMK, despite initial industry concerns about policy continuity after the change in leadership.
The Indian government has ratified an 8.25 per cent interest rate on Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) deposits for the financial year 2025-26, with over seven crore contributing members expected to see this credited to their accounts this month.
The Indian government has restricted industrial, commercial, and institutional users from purchasing petrol and diesel from retail petrol pumps, directing them to bulk sale points instead. This move, which can last up to 90 days, aims to address abnormal demand growth and prevent localised shortages caused by a significant price difference between retail and bulk fuel prices.
The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of financial mismanagement and missing donations related to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya. The move follows a request from the Trust itself, amidst escalating political demands for transparency from various parties including the Samajwadi Party and Congress.
The Delhi High Court has questioned the Centre's decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, asking how the rights of 150 million users can be curtailed due to concerns over a few miscreants. The court reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.
A man from Gujarat's Anand district has urged the state government not to deport his Bangladeshi-born wife, claiming that she had embraced Hinduism and that her life could be at risk if she is sent back to her native country.
The Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2026 in Maharashtra has been postponed following a raid in Bhiwandi, Thane, where individuals were found with questions matching the actual exam paper. The Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE) confirmed the breach and initiated a thorough investigation, registering a criminal case. The postponement aims to ensure transparency and allow law enforcement to probe the malpractice racket.
The NDA government has gradually nuanced its position on the issue of demographic challenge.
West Bengal minister Kaushik Chowdhury on Thursday said that around 4,000 EVMs were gutted in a government building fire in Kolkata, as the police launched an investigation following the registration of an FIR in connection with the incident.
Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy has resigned from his ministerial position in the newly formed Shivakumar government in Karnataka, expressing strong displeasure over the portfolio allocated to him. He had sought the Bengaluru Development portfolio but was given Major and Medium Irrigation projects, leading to a significant setback for the new administration.
The Centre on Thursday informed the Delhi high court that the Telegram messaging app was being exploited for illegal activities ranging from cybercrime and financial frauds to terrorism and circulation of leaked examination papers.
As more opposition MPs are now aligning with the ruling NDA, sources in the government indicated that possibilities are being explored to give a fresh push to the delimitation legislation in Parliament.
Olympic silver medallist wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Paralympic bronze medallist high jumper Sharad Kumar have obtained interim relief from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in their petitions for regularisation of their ad-hoc services with the Delhi government. Both athletes, who resigned from previous stable positions, have been serving in temporary roles within the Directorate of Education for several years without regularisation.
Ghaziabad authorities have sealed two illegal madrasas in Indirapuram and Loni, citing lack of registration, NOCs, and inadequate facilities. This action is part of an intensified crackdown on unrecognised institutions, which gained momentum following the recent killing of a teenager in the area.
India on Friday reiterated that it follows a structured bilateral mechanism for the deportation of illegal Bangladeshi nationals and expressed hope that pending nationality verification requests with Dhaka would be expedited, amid fresh allegations by Bangladesh that the Border Security Force (BSF) was attempting to push people across the border.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led online campaign turned protest movement, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government, demanding the resignation or sacking of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests. The CJP, which organised a protest at Jantar Mantar, warned of nationwide agitation if their demands are not met.
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed the deaths of three Indian seafarers who were initially reported missing from the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. India has protested to the US over the attack on the commercial vessel, which the US Central Command stated was due to the vessel attempting to transport oil from Iran, violating a blockade.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange has ended his indefinite fast after talks with Maharashtra government representatives, who submitted a 12-point proposal to him.
