NC Statehood Move Sparks Assembly Ruckus As BJP Opposes Autonomy Reference

Speaking to India Today during a Congress protest in Dehradun, Pratap Nagar MLA Vikram Singh Negi accused the central government of undermining Indian democracy through electoral manipulation. Following allegations raised by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Negi demanded the resignation and dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He asserted that governments were formed in multiple states and parliamentarians won through vote theft, calling for fresh elections and the revocation of laws passed by them. Negi claimed around 13 crore voters are being impacted by false complaints and raised concerns over reports of 95,000 votes being deleted in Uttarakhand, calling it an assault on voting rights.

A birthday outing for a 17-year-old girl turned into a horrific ordeal after she was allegedly gang-raped inside Delhi's Astha Kunj Park following a visit to Kalkaji Temple. Three men—identified as Asif, Hemant Singh, and Mukesh Singh—posed as policemen, assaulted her male friend, confiscated their phones, and dragged her to a secluded spot at knifepoint and gunpoint. Investigators revealed the accused allegedly washed their clothes to destroy evidence, and their phones have been sent for forensic examination. Following the crime, the Delhi Development Authority announced tighter security measures across its parks, including enhanced lighting and restricted night access. However, an on-ground inspection revealed glaring lapses, including broken infrastructure and a complete absence of functional streetlights in the area.

Speaking to India Today's To The Point, former Election Commission of India joint director and chief of protocol Dr. Mohammad Amin addressed reports of internal dissent within the poll body. Commenting on disagreements between election commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. Amin emphasized that all commissioners enjoy equal constitutional standing, explaining, "they have all equal right. Like the Supreme Court judges, they have the power enjoying, and here is also all are the equal." He stated that decisions cannot be taken unilaterally by the Chief Election Commissioner, noting that "one cannot, uh, uh, any veto power even have." Dr. Amin criticized commissioners writing to the Cabinet Secretary, pointing out that their constitutional reporting authority is the President of India. Defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, he described it as a necessary measure for cleaning electoral rolls and maintaining voter list security through a centralized digital architecture.

A major political showdown has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress over alleged internal dissent within the Election Commission of India. Speaking on To The Point, Congress National Spokesperson Adil Singh Boparai claimed that the controversy is not merely about dissent or disagreement, but represents a serious institutional breakdown. Demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, Boparai alleged that unilateral decisions were made regarding statutory Form 6 without proper authorization, stating: 'This is an act of fraud and forgery, and it must be called that.' Responding to the allegations, BJP National Spokesperson Radhika Khera dismissed the opposition's claims as political posturing, noting that administrative file notes and deliberations are normal government procedures rather than dissent. She defended the commission's institutional credibility and criticized the Congress for raising allegations ahead of elections.