Sex workers in Sonagachi, Asia's largest red-light district, are pleading for relief from stringent voter ID rules that they say are impossible to meet, potentially leading to exclusion from the voters' list.
The woman, Sushma Sanjay Gupta, resides in the Nallasopara area and her name was found half a dozen times in the roll during verification process.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has vowed to remove the BJP from power in West Bengal and then at the national level, accusing the Election Commission of favouring the BJP and criticising the opposition parties.
The Bhabanipur assembly segment is Banerjee's political bastion, where she is locked in a prestige battle against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in what is being seen as a symbolic rematch of Nandigram, where he had defeated her in the 2021 assembly polls.
Election Commission officials clarified that three lakh voters were added to Bihar's electoral roll after the final list was published, following a special intensive revision and applications received until 10 days before the nomination deadline.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan has launched a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that the state has descended into chaos, appeasement and corruption under the TMC's rule.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP after the central government failed to pass a Constitution amendment bill for women's quota in legislatures, accusing the BJP of using the bill as a political ploy to divide the country and Bengal.
'Remember Vijay had never spoke of himself as a Christian when he was a film star.' 'The BJP strategy is they want the Christian minority constituency to move away from the DMK.' 'That is what the BJP wants so that it will be very easy to mobilise Hindu votes.' 'This strategy is to weaken the Dravidian ideology and bring in religion based politics into Tamil Nadu.'
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.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP for not fulfilling its promises, highlighting the continuation of West Bengal's welfare schemes and challenging the BJP to implement similar initiatives in their ruled states.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has accused the TMC government of turning Kolkata into a 'city of slums' and using infiltrators as a vote bank, sparking a strong reaction from the TMC, which accused him of insulting the people of Bengal.
Total number of 722 candidates are in the fray for 126 seats.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed rallies in West Bengal, promising to address infiltration issues, resolve the Gorkha issue, and tackle corruption if the BJP wins the upcoming elections.
'The AIADMK front comes second, and then the TVK.'
Donald Trump has escalated his public feud with Pope Leo XIV, criticising the Pontiff's stance on Iran's nuclear ambitions and domestic issues, while the Pope maintains his focus on spiritual advocacy and global peace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a strong attack on the TMC in West Bengal, accusing them of corruption and syndicate rule, while promising to address atrocities against women if the BJP comes to power.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. She criticised the BJP's chargesheet against the TMC and alleged corruption in the Haldia dock complex. Banerjee also questioned Prime Minister Modi's claim of being the BJP candidate in all West Bengal seats.
'Samrat Chaudhury's limited independent standing within the party, his reliance on the central leadership for his elevation, and his lack of a personal mass base all point toward this outcome.'
Opposition parties have submitted a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
Heaps of burnt voter records were found near former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Subhash Guttedar's residence in Kalaburagi district on Saturday as the SIT intensified its probe into alleged 'vote theft' in the Aland assembly segment during the 2023 assembly elections.
The Allahabad High Court has directed the registration of an FIR against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi concerning allegations of dual citizenship, potentially escalating the legal scrutiny surrounding the opposition leader.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the central government of withholding funds from West Bengal to punish voters for supporting the TMC, while highlighting state-led initiatives to support the population.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP for not fulfilling its promises, highlighting the continuation of West Bengal's welfare schemes and challenging the BJP to match them in their ruled states.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has promised to expel infiltrators from West Bengal and secure the border if the BJP wins the upcoming assembly elections. He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of neglecting North Bengal and favouring Muslims in budget allocations.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar expressed satisfaction over the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, stating that the exercise has 'purified' the voters' list after 22 years. He made the announcement during a press conference in Patna.
BJP leader Sobha Surendran appeared before the District Returning Officer in Kerala to address allegations of offering cash for votes during the recent Assembly polls. The controversy stems from a video allegedly showing money being exchanged, leading to complaints from both Congress and Surendran herself.
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, has criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of crushing democracy and creating a lawless environment in the state. He highlighted political violence, rising debt, and a lack of investor confidence as key issues under the TMC's rule.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the TMC, alleging corruption and 'mafia rule' have created an 'identity crisis' in West Bengal. He urged voters to support the BJP in the upcoming elections, promising a 'double-engine' government for development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee engaged in a war of words during election rallies, with Modi accusing the TMC of supporting divisive forces and Banerjee alleging the BJP plans to divide the state.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby has denied any alliance or discussions with the SDPI for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, refuting allegations made by the UDF.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby has denied any alliance or discussions with the SDPI for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, refuting allegations made by the UDF.
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.
Bhabanipur is set to be the focal point of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, with Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari preparing for a high-stakes political battle. The constituency will witness rival processions and symbolic gestures as both parties aim to assert their dominance.
Opposition MPs in India have moved notices in Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of bias, misconduct, and acting under the influence of the executive.
Senior police officials in West Bengal are visiting police stations to ensure free and fair polling for the upcoming Assembly elections, focusing on maintaining law and order and preventing electoral malpractice.
The State Election Commission will adopt the voters' list of the assembly elections for civic polls, the Bombay high court was told on Tuesday, while hearing a plea by an 18-year-old woman who claimed her application to enrol as a voter after she turned 18 in April 2025 was not accepted.
Bihar recorded its highest-ever voter turnout of 67.14 per cent in the second and final phase of the assembly elections. The election is seen as a referendum on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kishanganj recorded the highest polling percentage at 76.26.
The BJP has released its election manifesto for West Bengal, promising a hardline stance on infiltration, financial assistance for women and unemployed youth, and the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for state employees.
The Election Commission has released the final electoral roll for Tamil Nadu, revealing a significant decrease in the number of voters due to deletions and new additions.
