The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly objected to political leaders using phrases like “Vote Chori” to allege electoral malpractices. Sources said the poll body views such language as an attack on the dignity of Indian voters and the integrity of election officials.

According to sources, the Commission says the “One Person, One Vote” principle has been firmly in place since the first general elections of 1951-52, and any allegation of duplicate voting must be backed by verifiable evidence.

“If anyone has any proof of any person actually voting twice in any election, it should be shared with ECI with a written Affidavit rather than colouring all the electors of India as 'Chor' without any proof,” ECI sources said.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Wednesday that the Congress won 10 Assembly seats in the state by a margin of 100 to 1,000 votes.

"If there were any faults in the EVMs, the Congress would not have won these seats," he added.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the public should not be misled on this issue, adding that Congress members should explain this to their leader Rahul Gandhi and get him treated as "there is no cure for lies".

He was interacting with the media after the Tiranga Yatra in Kurukshetra.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday called upon the Prajapati community to strengthen their traditional art by integrating it with modern technology.

He urged them to move forward by adopting new techniques, making use of government schemes and enhancing the quality and appeal of their products in line with market demand.

The Chief Minister was addressing a state-level function organised here for the distribution of entitlement certificates to families belonging to the Prajapati community.

The Election Commission (EC), in its routine bulletin on the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in Bihar, said on Wednesday that none of the political parties have filed any objection or complaints so far, regarding inclusion or exclusion of electors from the voters list.

More than 17,000 individuals approached the poll panel directly to register their complaints, EC further informed in its bulletin.

A total of 74,525 new electors have requisitioned the poll panel for inclusion of their names in the voting list. Out of these, six individuals who turned 18 after the publication of draft rolls on August 1, have submitted their forms through Booth level Agents (BLAs).

The BJP on Wednesday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claims on purported eviction of Bengali-speaking migrant workers from a colony in New Delhi have been busted by her party's MP in Parliament.

The BJP's information technology cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, said that in the Lok Sabha, June Maliah, the actress-turned-politician and MP from the Medinipur constituency, had asked a question about the “evictions” of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj, in the House.

The truth, as revealed in the government reply, is that no eviction drive took place, there was no water supply cut and not a single complaint was filed with the Delhi Jal Board, except for one social media post, Malviya said in a social media statement on X on Wednesday morning.

The records of the voters' lists of around a hundred polling booths in West Bengal, post the last Special Intensive Revision carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2002, are not available.

The 2022 list is supposed to be the basis for carrying out the SIR by the Commission this year. Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that the matter would be brought to the notice of the ECI and permission would be sought to use the draft voters’ list for 2003 as the basis of the fresh SIR.

The sources said that, in the case of certain booths, the records of the 2002 post-SIR were not available at all. In some cases, the lists have been damaged in such a way that it is impossible to upload them to the Commission's server.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Manipur Budget for 2025–26, authorising an amount of Rs 30,969,44 (Rs 35,103.90 crore presented in March) amid uproar and "surprised No" from the members of the Opposition who kept on creating din in the House.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Bill under Article 356.

Despite persistent disruptions from opposition benches, the House first cleared the budget and the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, through voice vote.

FM Sitharaman termed the legislative exercise a "constitutional necessity", urging members to engage in meaningful debate.

However, the Opposition continued to raise slogans, prompting BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair, to repeatedly appeal for order.

The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai, on Thursday recommended the appointment of a judicial officer as a Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge.

The recommendation for the appointment of judicial officer Ramesh Kumari was originally initiated by the Chief Justice of the P&H High Court in consultation with his two senior-most colleagues.

"The Supreme Court Collegium has on 07th August, 2025 approved the proposal for appointment of Ms. Ramesh Kumari, Judicial Officer, as a Judge of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana," said a statement uploaded on the website of the apex court.

Madhya Pradesh Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said on Wednesday that the preparations for traditional Simhastha mela 2028 in the religious city Ujjain has been speed-up.

The Minister made this statement after attending a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at his office.

"With divine grace of Lord Mahakal, the holy of city of Ujjain is moving towards a divine chapter. Preparation for Simhastha has begun and the city has started adorning itself with devotion, services, and development," Vijayvargiya said on social media platform X.

The Minister told that decisions are being taken step-by-step keeping the safety of devotees as well as sadhus and sanyasis from all 18 Naga Akharas from across the country.

He said that the development works are being carried out in a swift manner.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (RS), wrote to Deputy Chairman Harivansh, requesting an urgent discussion on the issue of the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.

The letter, dated August 6, 2025, specifically highlights the ongoing Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and to be carried out in West Bengal, Assam and other states as a matter of "fundamental importance in our democracy."

The Congress leader's move is aimed at bringing attention to a topic he believes is crucial for the fairness of future elections and the representation of all sections of society. In the letter, Kharge points out that Opposition parties have been seeking an urgent discussion on this matter since the first day of the current session.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday reached the cloudburst-hit Uttarkashi region and met the families of those affected by the devastating mudslide, triggered by flash floods. He assured the affected families of all possible assistance in this difficult hour and also sought to comfort them by embracing and hugging them.

Taking to X handle, Uttarakhand CM wrote, “In Dharaali (Uttarkashi), I met with the families of those affected by the disaster and assured them of all possible assistance in this hour of crisis. This disaster has caused immense grief to many families, and we understand their pain.”

“Our government stands fully with the affected families. Disaster management and relief operations are being conducted swiftly. Our priority is to search for every missing person and provide complete support to the affected families,” he added.

In a stormy session of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the House passed the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2024, through a voice vote, despite sustained protests and disruptions from Opposition members demanding a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar.

The proceedings, which resumed post-adjournment at 2 p.m. with Sandhya Rai in the chair, quickly descended into chaos as Opposition MPs raised slogans and created a ruckus, stalling normal legislative business.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal formally moved the Bill, which seeks to overhaul the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958 and align India’s maritime laws with international conventions such as MARPOL and the Wreck Removal Convention.

At least seven Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were suspended in Bihar by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday, for alleged dereliction of duty and refusal to follow the stipulated guidelines.

The BLOs were suspended by the Patna District Election Officer cum District Magistrate, with immediate effect.

The reasons cited for the BLOs' suspension include their absence from duty, ignorance of standard procedure and arbitrary decision-making, and no consultation with senior officials.

Three BLOs from Mokama and four from Fatua Assembly constituency have been suspended with immediate effect.

In a major decision with significant political and social implications, the Bihar Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Tuesday, approved a proposal to reserve 84.4 per cent of teacher recruitment posts for the residents of the state.

The move comes months ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, reflecting a clear push to prioritise local candidates in the state's education sector.

The decision was part of the Bihar State School Teacher Appointment, Transfer, Disciplinary Action and Service Condition (Amendment) Rules, 2025, which was among the 36 proposals approved in Tuesday's Cabinet meeting.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed a statutory resolution extending President’s Rule in Manipur for a further six months, effective from August 13, 2025.

The resolution, tabled by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, was adopted through a voice vote amid persistent sloganeering and disruptions by Opposition members demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh presided over the session, which saw repeated appeals for order.

“Please go to your seat and say 'no'”, he urged Opposition MPs, reminding them that the resolution was a constitutional obligation under Article 356 and had to be disposed of within the mandated timeframe.

Satyapal Malik, who served as the 10th Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir state passed away on Tuesday after a protracted illness at the age of 79.

The veteran leader died around 1 p.m. at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, where he was undergoing treatment.

Born on July 24, 1946, in Hisawada village in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, Malik passed his B.Sc. and LL.B degrees from Meerut University.

He began his political career with Bharatiya Kranti Dal, followed by Janata Dal, Indian National Congress, Lok Dal, Samajwadi Party, and finally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Malik first came to prominence as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1977.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stated on Tuesday that the Supreme Court does not have the authority to determine who is a "true Indian" and asserted that Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has always shown respect for the Indian Armed Forces.

This comes a day after the apex court reprimanded Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the Indian Army and his claim that over 2,000 sq km of the Indian territory had been occupied by China.

Referring to the Supreme Court's remarks, Priyanka Gandhi said, "With all due respect to the judiciary, it is not for them to determine who is a true Indian and who is not. The Justice will not decide that. Another thing is that Rahul Gandhi has always respected the Army and our soldiers. His respect towards the Army is clearly reflected in every statement and speech."

Controversial Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, convicted for rape and murder, on Tuesday again came out of the high-security jail in Haryana’s Rohtak city. This is his third release this year, and 14th since his conviction in 2017.

The last parole was just three months ago, and this time it is for 40 days.

His release is said to coincide with his birthday, which falls on August 15. Earlier, he was granted furlough for 21 days in April and parole for 30 days in January.

Ram Rahim will stay in his Sirsa dera, the third time to stay there since his 2017 conviction in rape cases.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday following persistent protests by Opposition members demanding an immediate debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

At 2 p.m., when the House reconvened with Jagdambika Pal in the chair, the uproar persisted. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed disappointment, noting that the government had agreed to allocate two days for discussion on the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 -- both listed for consideration.

“This is a crucial moment for Indian sports, especially as we prepare to bid for the 2036 Olympics,” Rijiju said.

“Yet the Opposition is choosing disruption over dialogue,” he said.

The Congress party has postponed its protest event, led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, to August 8 in view of the demise of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren. The protest was originally scheduled to be held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on August 5.

Speaking to reporters at Freedom Park on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D.K. Shivakumar made the announcement. “The scheduled programme stands committed; it is only postponed by three days due to the demise of our honourable leader and former CM Shibu Soren, who had a long-standing association with the Congress party. He was one of the key leaders of our INDIA bloc,” he said.

The Opposition Aam Aadmi Party on Monday announced its decision to oppose the education bill on school fee fixation, with Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Atishi assailing the government for delaying its tabling in the House by four months.

Addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Assembly’s Monsoon Session, Atishi alleged that the delay in tabling the bill is a ploy to give private institutions a free hand to fleece parents in the current academic year.

Atishi demanded that until the Delhi School Education Bill 2025 is finalised, it should be referred to a select committee of the Assembly for fixing its contours after collecting feedback from parents.

The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his alleged remarks insulting the Indian Army.

During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi had allegedly said, “Chinese troops are thrashing Indian Army soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh,” referring to the December 9, 2022, face-off in the Tawang sector.

A Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi expressed disapproval of Rahul Gandhi’s claim that 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory had been occupied by China, adding that “if he were a true Indian, he would not have said all this.”

“How do you know that 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory were occupied by the Chinese? Were you there? Do you have any credible material? If you were a true Indian, you would not say all this. When there is a conflict across the order, is it unusual to have casualties on both sides?” the Justice Datta-led Bench asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Rahul Gandhi.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav expressed deep sorrow and paid tribute to former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren, who passed away on Monday morning in a Delhi hospital after a prolonged illness.

“Today, Shibu Soren passed away. He was a great leader of Dalits and Adivasis. It is a matter of deep sorrow, and we pay our heartfelt tribute to him,” said Lalu Yadav.

Shibu Soren, the towering tribal leader and father of current Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, breathed his last at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi at 8.56 a.m., according to a statement issued by the hospital.

“He died after a prolonged illness. He was suffering from a kidney ailment and had also suffered a stroke a month and a half ago. He had been on life support for the past month,” the hospital said.

On the eve of formal launch of E-Vidhan system, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday that the historic initiative for transparency and efficiency comes at a time when her government has fully digitised file work in the Secretariat.

"It is a matter of pride that for the first time in history the Delhi Assembly session from August 4 to 8 will be conducted in a paperless mode. This will help the House emerge as a model Assembly functioning with the E-Vidhan," CM Gupta told reporters.

She said the adoption of E-Vidhan in a very short time is a big achievement made possible by the financial help offered by the Centre and its coordination with the Delhi government.

"The development is an example of policy and administrative reforms being taken in the city, along with the infusion of technology," she said, adding that the state government has also taken big strides in using e-files and e-signatures in the Secretariat.

In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle, Delhi Lt. Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has issued transfer and posting orders for 23 senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Services (DANICS) officers across various departments.

The order, issued by the Services-I Branch of the Services Department, was approved by the Delhi L-G and comes into effect immediately.

According to an order dated August 1, 2025, several top officials have been given additional responsibilities or moved to new departments.

Sandeep Kumar, a 1997 batch IAS officer and currently Principal Secretary (Vigilance), will now also hold additional charge as Principal Secretary (IT), apart from his existing roles in Environment and Forests and Administrative Reforms.

Addressing the annual Legal Conclave titled 'Constitutional Challenges – Perspectives & Pathways', Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday, launched a fierce attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) accusing it of enabling electoral fraud. He said the grand old party has “conclusive evidence” of this fraud by the poll panel and he claimed that the institution has “disappeared” and no longer functions independently.

In his speech before over 1,500 delegates, including senior Congress leaders and legal professionals, LoP Gandhi stated that the Congress party has obtained “conclusive evidence” of voter list manipulation and large-scale electoral malpractice.

“My allies would say to me, 'yes, we can see that cheating has happened. But we don’t have proof.' And now, I say with absolutely no doubt that we have proof,” he declared.

Hours after realtor and former Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary Ranjit Singh Gill joined the BJP, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Saturday conducted raids at his residence in Chandigarh.

Gill, who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from Kharar, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday night.

The induction ceremony was held at the residence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini here.

On the question of inducting Gill into the BJP at the residence of Haryana CM in night and in the absence of party's state unit leadership, he replied, "Since no senior Punjab BJP leader was available in Chandigarh and Chief Minister Saini returned to Chandigarh at 9.30 p.m. from Delhi, the programe of Gill's joining was kept at his residence."

 A Delhi court on Saturday issued a notice to businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in connection with the Shikohpur land deal case.

The Rouse Avenue Court took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the high-profile money laundering case and issued notices to a total of 11 individuals, including Vadra.

Vadra's argument will be presented on August 28, which is also the date set for the next hearing in the matter.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday released the draft voter list for Bihar, following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Citizens now have the opportunity to verify their names on the list and file claims or objections until September 1.

The Commission has clarified that any voter or political party can add missing names, delete an ineligible entry, correct incorrect details, and claim.

Starting August 1, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar, along with all 243 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across the state, will begin inviting claims and objections from voters and recognised political parties.

The process will continue till September 1, including weekends and public holidays.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday dismissed the plea of actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut for quashing the summoning order against her by a local court in Bathinda in a defamation case over her farm protest remark against an elderly woman farmer.

"There are specific allegations against the petitioner who is a celebrity, that false and defamatory imputations by her in the retweet have dented the respondent's reputation and lowered her in her own estimation, as also in the eyes of others. Therefore, filing of the complaint to vindicate her rights cannot be termed mala fide," Justice Tribhuvan Singh Dahiya observed.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced the schedule for the 17th Vice Presidential election, with polling to be held on September 9.

The election is being held to fill the vacancy in the Vice President's office following a notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs dated July 22. The new Vice President will serve a full five-year term from the date the office is assumed.

According to the schedule shared by the poll panel, the notification for the election will be issued on August 7, last date for making nominations is August 21, date for the scrutiny of nominations on August 22, last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is August 25, the date of poll (if needed) on September 9 (between 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.) and the date of counting (if needed) on the same day of polling.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's livelihood promise to Bengali migrant workers returning from BJP-ruled states seems to have left the state administration in a fix.

Sources in the state secretariat envision too many hurdles in implementing the Chief Minister's job and livelihood assurance if Bengali migrant workers start returning to the state in large numbers in response to her call.

The first hurdle is the non-availability of any authentic database on the exact number of migrant workers from West Bengal, as well as any figure on their state-wise distribution.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday launched a month-long door-to-door cleanliness campaign from Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) Kashmiri Gate, aiming to improve sanitation and workplace conditions across the national Capital.

The campaign will be conducted across all districts of Delhi and involve active participation from government officials, civic agencies, and local communities.

Leading by example, the Chief Minister personally took part in the cleanliness drive by sweeping the premises at the ISBT, where she also inspected the condition of the offices and public facilities.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced the completion of preparations for the upcoming Vice Presidential election.

In a press note issued, the Election Commission confirmed that the updated list of the Electoral College has been finalised as per constitutional and legal provisions.

As per Article 324 of the Constitution, the ECI is constitutionally mandated to conduct elections for the office of the Vice President of India. Further, under Article 66(1), the Vice President is elected by an Electoral College that includes members from both Houses of Parliament - elected and nominated members of the Rajya Sabha, as well as elected members of the Lok Sabha.

The Commission clarified that it has completed the task of preparing and maintaining the latest Electoral College list, as required by Rule 40 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections Rules, 1974.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday said the sacrifice and courage of revolutionary Shaheed Udham Singh would always inspire people.

He recalled that Udham Singh avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 by killing Michael O'Dwyer, then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab.

"Udham Singh was hanged in London on July 31, 1940. This act of bravery remains an everlasting inspiration for the entire nation and a beacon of patriotism," said the Chief Minister, while addressing a public meeting at Sunam, the birthplace of Shaheed Udham Singh, in Punjab's Sangrur district.

Earlier, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes at the Shaheed Udham Singh Memorial. He also planted a sapling at the memorial and visited the Udham Singh Museum, where he saw photographs, letters, and memories associated with the martyr. He recorded his thoughts in the visitor's book.