Delhi LG Inspects Vasant Park After Kalkaji Horror, Orders Removal of Dark Spots

A full-blown political war has erupted over internal cracks within the Election Commission regarding the SIR exercise. The opposition, led by Congress, has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging electoral manipulation, while workers staged demonstrations and clashed with police in several state capitals. The INDIA bloc is reportedly preparing an impeachment motion in Parliament, while a petition filed in the Supreme Court seeks to declare all SIR decisions illegal and prosecute key poll officials. In response, the BJP defended the CEC, commending the removal of alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators from voter rolls. Meanwhile, the Election Commission issued a clarification maintaining that its platform is decentralised, secure, and accessible only to authorised personnel.

A major political row has erupted over the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision exercise, with opposition parties taking to the streets to demand the resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. While the Bharatiya Janata Party defended the poll panel, stating the process aims to remove bogus voters, National Democratic Alliance allies including the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Telugu Desam Party, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha have called on the commission to clarify concerns to protect public trust. Election Commission sources stated that decisions regarding the revision were approved unanimously across states, even as political parties threaten nationwide protests.

Delhi Police detained several activists and civil society members, including student leaders and prominent political activists, during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The protest, organized against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, saw demonstrators raising slogans and demanding the arrest and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. According to Delhi Police, the gathering was unauthorized as no prior permission had been sought or granted to assemble at the site. The demonstration was halted shortly after it began, following reports regarding internal disagreements among election commissioners over revisions to electoral rolls and forms.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is set to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he is expected to focus on counter-terrorism, geopolitical conflicts, and the interests of the Global South. During a briefing, Jaishankar dismissed a question on alleged cross-border terrorism posed by a Pakistani reporter, retorting that a terrorist country was asking him that question. The minister also voiced grave concern over repeated attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Announcing a group of friends with Liberia on seafarer safety, he stressed that violence against merchant mariners must end.