PM Modi dials Bengal Governor, expresses concern over post-poll violence

A World Bank report indicates that India experienced one of the fastest poverty declines globally, lifting 49.6 crore people out of poverty between 2011 and 2023. India's poverty ratio at 4.2 dollars a day dropped from 57.7 percent to 16.1 percent, while extreme poverty plunged from 27.1 percent to 2.6 percent. The decline was attributed to consumption growth, rising employment—notably among women—and expanded social transfers such as food subsidies. However, the report flagged persistent income disparities, noting the top 10 percent earn 13 times more than the bottom 10 percent. The findings triggered a political debate between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress over governance and inequality.

A major political clash has erupted between the BJP and the opposition following the Congress-led bloc's plan to hold a public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The planned proceedings, initially scheduled in Delhi, were deferred to tomorrow. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the opposition of attempting to spread anarchy and deliberate misinformation to defame his government. Modi called for national unity ahead of National Unity Day, honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenged opposition leaders to debate their allegations regarding the electoral process on the floor of the House in a special session of Parliament. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi escalated claims of vote theft, rallying support for an upcoming demonstration at Ramlila Maidan on November 1. Concurrently, the Delhi Drug Traders Association petitioned for the rally's postponement, citing potential disruption to local business during the festive and wedding period.

A political confrontation has broken out over the right to demonstrate after the Opposition claimed an undeclared emergency exists in the country and that they are being barred from protesting. Countering the narrative, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju circulated an archival 2011 video of Kapil Sibal, then Union Law Minister, stating that while citizens have a right to protest, there is no constitutional or fundamental right to protest at a venue of one's choice or block roads. The development comes amidst scrutiny over whether the Opposition is creating disruption through misinformation, alongside questions over their planned mock parliament and public impeachment proceedings.

A helicopter flying from Badrinath crashed in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, killing all six people on board, including the pilot. Joint search teams comprising the police, SDRF, and the Indian Army recovered the bodies and wreckage near a cliff amid inclement weather and poor visibility.