The Chaurabasti area of Shivpur turned into a flashpoint of political violence on Thursday as supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reportedly engaged in a violent face-off.
Thousands of TMC supporters thronged the rally route, waving the party flags, raising slogans and holding aloft colourful posters.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to resolve the long-standing Gorkha issue within six months if the BJP wins the West Bengal elections. He criticised previous governments for failing to address the aspirations of the Gorkha people and promised a solution acceptable to them.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of striking a Rs 1,000-crore deal to unseat the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from power in the state, alleging bribery, manipulation of electoral rolls, and disrespect towards women by central forces.
Booth-level officers in Kerala boycotted work following the suicide of a colleague allegedly due to work strain related to the Special Intensive Revision exercise. Trade unions and political leaders are demanding investigations and changes to the process.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserts the BJP will form a government in West Bengal and address the issue of infiltration, accusing Mamata Banerjee of allowing it for vote-bank politics.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections was disrupted by EVM glitches and overnight violence in several districts. Polling was halted or delayed at multiple booths due to malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines. Incidents of violence were reported in Murshidabad and Cooch Behar, with political parties trading accusations.
Opposition parties in India are demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and national security in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament. They raised concerns about federalism, national security, and the purity of voter lists during an all-party meeting.
West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer reports over 10 lakh SIR enumeration forms identified as 'uncollectable' due to absentee voters, duplicates, deaths, or permanent relocation. The special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is underway with significant BLO involvement.
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 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.
The Supreme Court has strongly criticised the West Bengal government's handling of an incident in Malda district where judicial officers were allegedly attacked. The BJP has accused the TMC of orchestrating the event to obstruct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and protect Rohingyas.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Election Commission's voters' list cleanup exercise, will commence in nine states and three Union territories from Tuesday.
The Supreme Court declined to initiate an inquiry into alleged voter roll irregularities in West Bengal, stating it would amount to a 'fishing inquiry'. The court's decision came after concerns were raised about the addition of a significant number of voters ahead of the state's Assembly elections.
'The nepotism, corruption, bad governance and 15 years of rampant crime that has happened across West Bengal under her rule led to her ouster.'
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
Tamil Nadu's electoral roll has been revised, resulting in the removal of 9.74 million voters following an enumeration exercise. The state's electoral roll now stands at 5.43 crore voters.
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan has accused the Congress party of failing to deliver on its promise to construct houses for victims of the 2024 Wayanad landslide, alleging lack of transparency in funds collected and spreading misinformation about the state government's policies.
rediffGURU Jinal Mehta answers readers' financial planning and health insurance queries
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated the government is ready to discuss the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, but cautioned the Opposition against setting timelines. This comes after the Opposition demanded an immediate discussion on the matter, citing concerns over the safety of BLOs and the importance of the issue for democracy.
The story of Prince Yadav, a swing bowler from Najafgarh, who overcame obstacles to become an IPL sensation with the Lucknow Super Giants, showcasing his journey from tennis ball cricket to dismissing top Indian batsmen.
The Election Commission (EC) clarified that Nobel laureate Amartya Sen is not required to appear for a hearing regarding discrepancies in the spelling of his name in the voter list. The correction will be handled administratively. The EC also issued instructions to ensure timely delivery of notices related to voter list discrepancies.
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.
The BJP achieved a clean sweep in nine districts of West Bengal, securing all 68 seats in these regions during the recent election. This victory marks a significant shift in the state's political landscape, ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule and establishing the BJP's dominance.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged voters to 'take revenge' for the deletion of names from electoral rolls, alleging the BJP is behind the changes. She also addressed concerns about EVM tampering and the deployment of officers to other states.
The Supreme Court has requested the Election Commission to consider extending the deadline for submitting enumeration forms for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala, due to the ongoing local body elections.
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.
Thousands of West Bengal residents whose names were deleted from electoral rolls are awaiting decisions from tribunals, the final recourse after initial appeals were rejected. The fate of around 2.3 million people hinges on these adjudications, raising concerns about voting rights and citizenship.
In a unique initiative to speed up the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls, the Pilibhit administration has announced a set of incentives, including a family safari and lunch, for booth-level officers who fills up the maximum number of digitised forms in their respective assembly constituencies.
The Election Commission has defended its Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in the Supreme Court, refuting allegations of mass deletion of genuine voters as exaggerated and politically motivated.
A Delhi hospital has successfully performed a bilateral hand transplant on a young mother who lost her hands in an accident, thanks to a brain-dead donor's family consenting to the donation.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
If West Bengal does not begin to reclaim its lost pride, the state would have lost -- perhaps irreversibly, this time, notes Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
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.
An article about Praful Hinge's successful IPL debut, his family's reaction, and the role of the MRF Pace Foundation in his development.
The Supreme Court is examining the validity of the Election Commission's decision to conduct special intensive revisions of electoral rolls in several states, focusing on concerns about democratic participation and the burden on ordinary voters.
The highly-anticipated Drishyam 3 teaser has dropped, promising a gripping continuation of Georgekutty's relentless battle to safeguard his family, with Mohanlal returning to face new, unseen threats.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of conspiring to delete 2.7 million voters from West Bengal's electoral rolls, urging support for the Trinamool Congress to protect citizenship rights.
The Election Commission (EC) defended its power to revise electoral rolls and ensure no foreigners are registered as voters before the Supreme Court. The EC argued it has a constitutional duty to maintain the purity of electoral rolls and exclude those not eligible to vote.
