West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Agarwal, has refuted allegations of potential malpractices at counting centres, assuring that robust security measures are in place. This comes after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised concerns about possible tampering with EVMs.
The West Bengal government has directed all state-run and aided schools to mandatorily include the singing of Vande Mataram during morning assemblies with immediate effect.
Clashes erupted between locals and security personnel in West Bengal's Birbhum district after allegations of EVM malfunctioning triggered tension during the first phase of the state assembly elections.
The appointment of senior IAS officer Rathan U Kelkar as secretary to Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has ignited a political controversy, drawing criticism from the CPI(M), CPI, and BJP.
Speculation about a possible rapprochement or merger between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has exposed deep divisions within the Congress's West Bengal unit, with senior state leaders vocally opposing any alliance with Mamata Banerjee.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda launched a scathing attack on the TMC in West Bengal, accusing it of appeasement politics, shielding infiltrators, and presiding over a corrupt and lawless regime.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) announced plans to make Tamil Nadu its 'flagship EV hub for India', committing over 26,000 crore in investment, enhancing localisation, and creating approximately 2,000 additional jobs over the next five to six years. The company will roll out two new EV models from its Chennai facility this year, including its first mass-market dedicated EV.
The dramatic development marked the culmination of a revolt that began with allegations of forged signatures on a letter proposing a Leader of Opposition and snowballed into an open challenge to the party leadership following the TMC's defeat at the hands of the BJP in the assembly elections.
The appointment of Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer as the Chief Minister's secretary has ignited a political firestorm, raising questions about election credibility and sparking accusations of hypocrisy among political parties.
A Delhi court has deferred its verdict in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, to July 7. Former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and 10 others are accused in the case, facing charges including murder, rioting, and criminal conspiracy.
Legal experts suggest West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should resign following her party's defeat in the assembly elections, or face potential dismissal by the governor.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 12 lakh for the family of Pandav Kumar, a delivery worker from Bihar who was shot dead in Delhi. The compensation includes Rs 8 lakh from the Labour Resources Department and Rs 4 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The incident has sparked political debate in Bihar.
The BJP has announced 11 candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, notably omitting Union ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian, whose terms end soon. This decision, alongside other recent appointments, has fuelled speculation about an imminent Cabinet reshuffle. The list includes new faces and senior party leaders from various states.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said there are some parties that have expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons.
Mamata Banerjee alleges BJP rigged the West Bengal elections and announces plans for a nationwide anti-BJP alliance. She also protests against post-poll violence and arrests of TMC workers.
Unidentified individuals allegedly pelted stones at the residence-cum-office of local BJP leader Virendra Shedge in Indore, causing property damage. A relative of MLA Malini Gaud also reported a similar incident. Police are investigating, linking the events to a prior dispute over a pet dog.
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly witnessed a heated debate over the rising drug problem, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accusing the BJP of politicising the issue. The opposition alleges police involvement in drug trafficking.
A complaint has been filed against a woman who confronted Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan over a traffic jam caused by a BJP rally in Mumbai, police said.
Kerala Police have arrested 13 individuals for allegedly attempting to abduct a passenger arriving from abroad at Karipur airport and rob him of gold and cash. The operation was launched based on a tip-off, leading to the seizure of vehicles and the discovery of a larger conspiracy. Authorities are also investigating the possibility of the passenger carrying smuggled gold.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is serving a 20-year sentence for raping two women disciples.
Eleven students from the Data Center Management course at Young India Skills University (YISU) in Telangana have been hired by Microsoft, marking a significant achievement for the skill-based education initiative.
The Calcutta High Court has granted interim protection from coercive action to Trinamool Congress MLA Paresh Ram Das in connection with six FIRs registered against him. The court directed that the investigation would continue and asked the MLA to cooperate with the investigating agency.
'Even lower middle class parents in cities opt for just one child. A son is a must.'
'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.'
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has voiced its support for V D Satheesan as the potential Chief Minister of Kerala if the Congress-led UDF alliance wins, drawing criticism from SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, who suggests this indicates the IUML would effectively rule the state.
The AAP government in Punjab successfully moved a Confidence Motion in the state assembly, following the defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted the party's strength and national presence during the special session.
Supporters of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and the ruling TMC clashed in West Bengal's Murshidabad district during the first phase of the state assembly polls, leading to police intervention and heightened security measures.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has launched a new political movement focused on 'common man politics,' rejecting personality cults and hereditary power, aiming to position Tamil Nadu as the premier state in India.
Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has declared that removing the BJP from power is her life's mission, alleging election rigging and vowing to support TMC workers. She announced a nationwide anti-BJP programme and protested against post-poll violence and government actions.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has declared that the TMC will proceed with its planned sit-in protest against alleged attacks on party leaders and workers, as well as the Railways' hawker eviction drive, despite the police denying permission for the event.
G Sudhakaran, the pro tem Speaker, stated he has no personal enmity with former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, emphasising that personal grudges have no place in politics.
The Chhattisgarh assembly was disrupted by Congress protests over alleged illegal opium cultivation on a BJP functionary's farm, leading to the suspension of several MLAs.
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 opposition in the Maharashtra assembly has alleged that teak wood smugglers in the Chandrapur district are receiving political protection, hindering efforts to combat illegal logging.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has stated that his government has no information regarding alleged post-poll violence, as claimed by the opposition TMC. He assured that action would be taken after verifying any such charges. The statement came in response to allegations raised in the West Bengal assembly by Leader of the Opposition Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.
A case has been registered against DMK MLA P K Sekar Babu and his supporters under various charges, including attempt to murder, following a clash during the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Harsh Malhotra as the president of its Delhi unit, sparking speculation about an imminent reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers. This move follows the BJP's 'one person, one post' principle and comes as the party prepares for upcoming elections and a review of ministerial performance.
Kerala Minister K M Shaji admitted that distributing welfare pensions from a UDF political office in Malappuram's Pulpatta panchayat was improper, leading to the removal of the responsible official. The incident, which sparked allegations of rule violation, was attributed to unforeseen circumstances and bad weather, with the minister assuring steps to prevent recurrence.
The announced election schedule for five assemblies reveals fewer phases, a condensed voting period, longer gaps between polling days, and a delayed counting process compared to previous elections.
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor has moved to an ashram on the outskirts of Patna to continue his political activities ahead of the next assembly elections. He criticised Nitish Kumar and urged voters to prioritise their own interests.
