Israel Elections: 'Instability Before A Coalition', Warns Dr Shuki Friedman

Likud Party leader and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested Israel's Election Commission to extend voting hours beyond the scheduled 10:00 p.m. closing time. Highlighting high voter turnout from Arab communities, Netanyahu released a video appeal urging his supporters to turn out immediately. In the address, he described the election as a critical emergency, pointing to substantial queues at polling stations in the Arab sector. Netanyahu warned that failing to vote could result in a government involving Arab leaders Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi, asserting that the future of the Jewish state hangs in the balance.

Israel is holding its first parliamentary election since the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks, marking a critical test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party. Voter turnout has surged to record levels, surpassing benchmarks from 1973 and 1988 with 45 percent casting ballots by mid-afternoon. Centrist rivals and opposition parties, including Yesh Atid, are challenging the coalition government amid sharp divides over national security, the war in West Asia, corruption, and the rising cost of living. With 120 seats in the Knesset and a requirement of 61 seats to form a government under Israel's proportional representation system, neither camp is guaranteed an outright majority. Prolonged coalition negotiations are anticipated once counting concludes. Observers note the election carries major geopolitical ramifications, including for US President Donald Trump's administration, as preliminary exit polls and ballot counting prepare to determine whether Netanyahu retains power or faces political defeat.

The Election Commission of India has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that all decisions concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls were unanimous, countering allegations of unilateral action by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

In an exclusive conversation on India Today, former Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul addressed key revelations from his memoir, 'Without Fear or Favour', examining the delicate dynamics between the judiciary and the executive. Justice Kaul clarified his critique of former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud regarding judicial appointments, stating, "We should not have some kind of a pre-approvals from the government." Emphasizing institutional independence, he noted that if judges remain firm and explain their rationale, the government is generally willing to cooperate. He reflected on the void left by late Union Minister Arun Jaitley, whom he identified as an effective bridge of trust between both organs of state. Justice Kaul also addressed caste calculations influencing appointments, the fallout of the struck-down NJAC, bench neutrality in sensitive cases like Rafale, and why judges need adaptation while facing relentless social media scrutiny.