Election Commission Row Sparks War of Words Between BJP and Congress

The Bharatiya Janata Party and opposition parties have traded sharp allegations over the Election Commission of India. BJP leaders accused Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of attacking constitutional institutions after facing electoral rejection, asserting that decisions by the poll body were unanimous. Meanwhile, opposition parties questioned the impartiality of the Election Commission, raising concerns over internal functioning, Form 6, and the Special Summary Revision process. The Congress and other opposition leaders alleged that the poll body is working under pressure, demanding resignations and questioning the credibility of recent electoral processes.

A severe sell-off triggered a manic trading session as the Sensex plunged over 900 points and the Nifty slipped below 22,850, wiping out nearly six lakh crore rupees in market value. The crash was driven by escalating US-Iran tensions following the US rejection of a ceasefire proposal, alongside Brent crude surging towards 107 dollars per barrel. Surging US ten-year treasury yields crossing 5.2 percent and the rupee sliding to 95.89 against the dollar added further pressure. Across the board, all 30 Sensex stocks and 48 Nifty stocks traded in the red, with the India VIX surging over 14 percent.

The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of the recent rape and assault incidents in Delhi, including the Kalkaji rape case and the assault of a minor inside a sleeper bus. A bench headed by Justice Pardiwala observed that the right to live with dignity and free from fear is a fundamental right. Drawing parallels to the 2012 Nirbhaya incident, the apex court noted that these cases highlight a stark failure of law enforcement and administration. The court underscored that public spaces such as parks, roads, and buses cannot be allowed to turn into zones of high risk due to preventable administrative deficiencies like poor surveillance, non-functional streetlights, and inadequate police patrolling. Emphasising that statements of solidarity by administrative and political authorities are insufficient without concrete accountability, the bench demanded measurable action and issued notices to the Delhi administration, police, and relevant authorities.

A Special Investigation Team has apprehended the prime accused in a multi-crore fake cancer medicine network upon his arrival at Bengaluru airport from Azerbaijan. Identified by authorities as a repeat offender, the accused previously operated a spurious drug distribution network before setting up a front business in Chennai under his wife's name. Investigators revealed that the syndicate supplied counterfeit and relabelled medications to numerous hospitals and clinics across Bengaluru. Following sustained pressure and an active lookout notice, the suspect returned to India, where he was immediately secured by police. Custodial interrogation is underway to identify the complete supply chain and uncover all entities involved in distributing spurious pharmaceuticals.