Himachal Pradesh

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's scheduled visits to Meerut and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh have been postponed amid political controversy and nationwide protests by the INDIA bloc. High-ranking sources within the Election Commission dismissed speculation connecting the deferrals to reports of internal dissent, stating that the decisions were taken days earlier and communicated to local district authorities via email. The poll body maintained that schedule changes are standard operational occurrences influenced by logistics, venue availability, and administrative factors, citing past rescheduling in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh. Addressing claims regarding friction within the multi-member Commission, sources noted that internal discussions, differing viewpoints, and consensus-building represent the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body. The Commission reiterated that final decisions are issued with requisite approval and that routine administrative adjustments should not be conflated with the political showdown surrounding the institution.

A suspected counterfeit medicine racket has been uncovered in Bengaluru, prompting an investigation by a Special Investigation Team and the Drugs Control Department. Investigators suspect expired and rebranded low-cost medicines, including cancer drugs, were supplied at steep discounts to more than ninety hospitals and clinics across the city. A pharmacy owner linked to a raided healthcare facility near Minerva Circle has been arrested. The crackdown follows an earlier raid at a farmhouse in Bengaluru South District, where counterfeit medicines worth five crore rupees, fake labels, and filling equipment were seized. The probe has expanded across Karnataka, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra to trace the supply network.

Discussions on India-Russia bilateral cooperation highlight key technological and strategic sectors, ranging from defence to civilian infrastructure. Panelists examine the changing nature of drone warfare, underscoring the necessity for a substantial inventory and future-proof technologies to counter sophisticated air defence systems. Beyond military hardware, bilateral engagement is expanding into civil aviation, railway coach manufacturing, and agricultural trade, including plans to manufacture civil aircraft in India. The strategic significance of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) is also highlighted as a critical dual-use technology. TBMs are vital for developing underground infrastructure and fortifications in high-altitude border regions across Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. Such underground assets protect ammunition, fuel, and vehicles from drone strikes, enabling rapid military mobilisation along the Line of Actual Control and Line of Control.

A multi-storey paying guest accommodation collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan, resulting in seven fatalities, including five Delhi University students, and injuring five others. The Delhi Chief Minister suspended five Municipal Corporation of Delhi officials, including a deputy commissioner, while police arrested the building owner, Hariram Gupta, alongside his wife and son. The Delhi High Court ordered a high-level probe and directed municipal authorities to inspect all paying guest facilities within a week. Additionally, structural audits were mandated across student hubs such as Mukherjee Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, and Saket. A panel discussion featuring former Urban Development Secretary Dr. Sudhir Krishna addressed systemic municipal corruption, structural violations, and unauthorized constructions in Delhi and Gurugram. The segment also covers an India Today ground report detailing a severe teacher shortage in Himachal Pradesh government schools, where assembly data reveals 150 schools operate without any teachers and over 3,500 rely on a single teacher, prompting recruitment assurances from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Himachal Pradesh is facing a severe shortage of teachers across its government primary schools. The issue was raised in the state assembly, where it was revealed that 12 primary schools in the Pachhad constituency are operating without any teachers. An India Today ground report found that in Kullu district, 314 primary schools are functioning with just one teacher each. At Banogi Primary School, a single teacher has been managing the entire school for two years. In response to the crisis, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has assured that the state government is expediting recruitment processes to address the shortage, even as students in rural areas continue to wait for adequate teaching staff.

Administrative officials in Himachal Pradesh faced scrutiny during a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee review meeting in Mandi over the slow utilisation of MP LAD funds. Out of eleven crore rupees allocated for constituency development, only around fifty lakh rupees had reportedly been spent on the ground. Concerns were raised over bureaucratic delays, lack of progress across multiple departments, and misleading claims regarding project execution. Failure to resolve administrative bottlenecks may lead to a formal report being submitted to the central authorities.

A devastating flood triggered by a glacial collapse in Nepal's Rasuwa region near the Nepal-Tibet border has highlighted major risks of cascading Himalayan hazards. In response to rising threat levels from Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, the National Disaster Management Authority has identified 195 vulnerable glacier lakes across Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. India relies on multiple disaster monitoring systems, including Indian Space Research Organisation satellites for remote sensing and terrain mapping, Met Department weather models providing river sub-basin quantitative precipitation forecasts, and Central Water Commission river gauges offering up to 24-hour advance flood warnings. The National Remote Sensing Centre integrates geospatial data into a national emergency database to provide hazard maps and early warnings. However, the Nepal disaster underscores gaps in monitoring high-altitude ice collapses, where one failure sets off a chain of catastrophic events across the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.

A massive landslide struck the Kodla-Urai road in the Bharmour region of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, causing traffic disruption. A large section of the mountainside collapsed onto the road, bringing debris and rocks down. No vehicles or individuals were caught in the landslide, and no casualties or property loss were reported. Landslide risks remain high due to continuous rainfall.

A political confrontation erupted between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party following remarks by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at the Chhatro Ki Goonj event in Pune. Gandhi criticised the Manusmriti and called for dismantling patriarchy and expanding women’s role in society. BJP leaders responded, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath defending traditional values and party spokesperson Charu Pragya questioning the absence of women ministers in Congress governments in states such as Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate countered the criticism by condemning political sexism and questioning the rhetoric of opposition leaders. The discussions also covered economic concerns, particularly rising domestic sugar prices ahead of the festive season. Analysts and critics cited weather-related damage to sugarcane yields, global supply constraints, market hoarding and the diversion of sugar for ethanol production as contributing factors. The government has imposed stock limits on bulk consumers in an effort to stabilise retail prices.

In a televised discussion moderated by anchor Preeti Choudhry, Congress national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate and BJP national spokesperson Charu Pragya debate women's empowerment, gender equality, and political representation. Shrinate demands equal rights and respect, criticizing the glorification of traditional roles, RSS ideology, and ancient texts such as the Manusmriti. Citing rates of domestic violence, feticide, and sexual assault, Shrinate asserts that women are not second-class citizens. Conversely, Pragya highlights Indian civilizational values and government initiatives including Jan Dhan accounts and the Lakhpati Didi scheme, arguing that equality does not require rejecting cultural identity. Pragya counters opposition claims by noting the lack of female cabinet ministers in Congress-ruled states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh and arguing that Hinduism does not depend solely on the Manusmriti. While Pragya condemns derogatory remarks against women across political lines, Shrinate challenges the ruling party over offensive comments directed at female leaders. The debate illustrates contrasting political approaches to gender reform, social policy, and party accountability.

Here's a two-year report card on Kangana Ranaut as Mandi's MP.

Allegations that pellet guns were used against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters during demonstrations over alleged exam paper leaks have intensified the political row, with medical records reportedly confirming pellet injuries and legal experts seeking an inquiry into police crowd-control measures.

Two parked cars were buried under rocks and debris after a landslide struck the Rajhana area on the outskirts of Shimla on Saturday amid heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh. Dramatic visuals from the site showed the vehicles crushed under massive boulders after a hillside gave way, though no casualties were reported. The landslide came as moderate to heavy rain battered the state, triggering multiple weather-related incidents, including the collapse of a bailey bridge installed last year near Sangla bus stand and floodwater inundating a single-storeyed house while threatening several others in Kinnaur district. The local weather department said Nahan recorded the highest rainfall at 158.9 mm since Friday evening, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for moderate to heavy rain at isolated places in Shimla, Kullu, Chamba, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts.

A Bailey bridge on National Highway-5 in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district collapsed while a gravel-laden truck was crossing it, causing the vehicle to plunge into the Sutlej River. The truck driver sustained minor injuries and was rescued.

A massive landslide hit the Dhalli–Sanjauli bypass road in Shimla, which led to the closure of the road, affecting traffic movement in the area.

What began as a confrontation in Rishikesh soon spiralled into #BoycottUttarakhand, drawing Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and social media into the same storm.

What started with a clash in Rishikesh has now pulled Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh into a heated online debate over tourism, stereotypes, and viral videos.

A huge influx of tourists during the long weekend has led to severe traffic congestion on the Manali-Rohtang route in Himachal Pradesh, with a 50-km journey taking up to eight hours for many travellers.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, marking his first official visit to the national capital.

In an exclusive interview with India Today, former Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani responded to allegations by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and opposition leaders that the recent election was stolen and more.