Hearings under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were underway in West Bengal, focusing on 'unmapped' voters who are unable to establish linkage with the 2002 electoral roll. Many people are being asked to prove their citizenship.
All along, we were told SIR was an essential exercise carried out as part of the Election Commission's regular duties. But now that the ideological mentor of the ruling party has declared that SIR is a means of detecting infiltrators, one understands the unseemly haste with which it is being carried out, notes Jyoti Punwani.
Bangladesh Cricket Board maintain they were willing to play the T20 World Cup in India but were overruled by the government, forcing their exit from the tournament.
A Hindu businessman in Bangladesh died after being brutally attacked, raising concerns among minority groups about increasing intimidation and violence.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accuses West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of facilitating illegal immigration from Bangladesh, leading to demographic changes. He promises to end infiltration if BJP wins the upcoming elections.
A first-year student of a law college in south Kolkata was allegedly "gang-raped" inside the institution by an alumnus and two senior students of the institution, a police officer said on Friday.
'The pandemic has led to an immense disruption in the world's political, financial, military and geopolitical situation. The pandemic was a warning.'
West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday suspended its Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir, who had triggered a storm with the proposal to build 'Babri Masjid' in Murshidabad district.
Lionel Messi's much-hyped visit to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday lasted 22 minutes, just enough to underline everything that is wrong in Indian football and the state administration's mismanagement.
Bangladesh refused to send its national cricket team for the T20 World Cup in India, effectively paving the way for Scotland to take its place in the tournament roster after the ICC dismissed the country's demand for a change of venue.
The Election Commission is set to publish the draft electoral rolls for West Bengal on Tuesday following the completion of the statewide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. The publication of the draft rolls will mark the end of the enumeration phase and the beginning of a far more contentious stage - claims, objections and hearings that will stretch into February 2026.
Spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur slams KKR for buying Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman
Chatterjee had quit the TMC in November 2018, resigning as minister, mayor and district president, citing personal reasons.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Aziz said he is a registered voter of the Kolkata Port assembly constituency and that his name is Atish Aziz.
The second phase of the Systematic Integration of Rolls (SIR) in West Bengal is causing distress among elderly, disabled, and vulnerable voters, leading to political accusations ahead of the assembly polls.
The violence, which erupted over the setting up of a shop in Maheshtala under Rabindranagar police station in South 24 Parganas district, quickly escalated, turning the area into a virtual battlefield.
According to experts, the ban will not result in revenue loss for the BCCI or the IPL broadcasters.
2025 had some interesting performances on OTT series and films. Deepa Gahlot picks the Top 10 Male OTT Performances.
A Trinamool Congress councillor in West Bengal protested being listed as deceased in the draft electoral rolls by walking into a crematorium, highlighting concerns about voter list accuracy ahead of state elections.
Governor C V Ananda Bose, meanwhile, urged citizens not to be swayed by "provocative statements and rumours" and asked the state to ensure there was 'no disturbance anywhere'.
Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan expressed disappointment over the controversy surrounding Chief Minister Nitish Kumar removing a doctor's naqab. The incident sparked a political row, but the governor defended Kumar's intentions. The doctor's family expressed disappointment with the media coverage and denied reports of anger towards the Chief Minister.
Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list commenced in nine states and three Union territories on Tuesday, amid objections from several parties with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leading the anti-SIR offensive in West Bengal with a rally in Kolkata and alleging 'silent, invisible rigging' through the exercise.
Developed to meet the growing transportation needs of modern India, the fully AC Vande Bharat sleeper train would offer passengers an "airline-like travel experience at economical fares," a statement issued by the PMO stated.
This is the third time the Thiruvananthapuram MP has skipped the party meeting.
A political slugfest broke out between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress on Monday after the latter accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of insulting Bankim Chandra Chatterjee by calling him 'Bankim da', prompting a counter-attack from the saffron party, which accused West Bengal's ruling party of defiling the state's cultural legacy for a decade.
Kabir told reporters that "nearly 3 lakh people will gather across 25 bighas near Moradighi on Saturday", adding that religious leaders from several states had confirmed their presence.
Ghosh's elder son, Biswajit, claimed that this was a planned attempt to murder his father, and alleged that Shahjahan pulled strings sitting in jail to carry out the crime.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of sabotaging her helicopter ride to Bongaon, alleging political conspiracy. She claims the cancellation forced her to travel by road, allowing her to connect with more people. Banerjee also addressed concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A series of deaths and health-related incidents involving staff deployed for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in multiple states has triggered alarm, even as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission, calling the ongoing exercise 'chaotic, coercive and dangerous'.
The application claimed that since the inception of the SIR process in the state, the EC has issued instructions to officers at the ground level through "informal and extra-statutory channels", such as WhatsApp messages and oral directions conveyed during video conferences, instead of issuing formal written instructions.
Real Kashmir Football Club is heartfelt and strong performances keep it afloat, but it's a missed opportunity to tell a wholesome tale, notes Norma Godinho.
The central government has provided armed security to West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer following potential threats related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
A massive fire that tore through a budget hotel in the congested Mechuapatti area of Burrabazar in central Kolkata on Tuesday night claimed at least 14 lives and left 13 injured, triggering a political blame game and calls for accountability.
Bangladesh has summoned its Acting Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata for urgent consultations following protests over attacks on Hindu minorities. The mission in Kolkata has witnessed multiple protests over the past week by political parties and religious groups condemning the reported atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. In a related development, the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, Tripura, suspended all visa and consular services on Tuesday, citing security reasons. The decision followed an incident where protesters breached the mission's premises on Monday to protest the arrest of Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka.
A Trinamool Congress delegation on Friday alleged before the Election Commission top brass that around 40 SIR-related deaths had occurred in West Bengal so far, a charge junked by the poll authority.
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
Over 25 years, societies evolve and tastes change. Cinema absorbs and reflects this transformation. Picking only 25 films from the first quarter of the century is tough.
The movement has taken the shape of an unusual reverse migration, which officials and they themselves link directly to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls underway in West Bengal.
In 2025, OTT series were entertaining enough, even though most were in the crime genre.
Lionel Messi's much-anticipated 'GOAT Tour to India 2025' just got bigger with Hyderabad added as the new southern leg stop to ensure fans in the region are not "deprived" of seeing their idol following the cancellation of Argentina's proposed friendly in Kerala.
