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Over 27.1 million voters in Kerala will head to the polling booths on Thursday, capping a frenetic campaign by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the state assembly elections. The votes will be counted on May 4. The electorate comprises 13.2 million men, 13.9 million women, 273 transgenders and over 242,000 overseas voters across 140 constituencies. Chief electoral officer, Rathan U Kelka ...Read More >
Voting for all constituencies will take place in a single phase on April 9 As Assam heads to the Assembly elections on April 9, all eyes are on Dispur and Jorhat. With changing loyalties and internal rivalries, the two seats have attracted considerable attention. Dispur: Three-Way Contest Amid Defections In Dispur, once a Congress stronghold, the election has turned into a three-way contest. Pradyut Bordoloi , former Congress MP from Nagaon, is representing the BJP. He joined the party in th ...Read More >
Assembly elections 2026 LIVE updates: Voting for high-stakes Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will begin at 7am today. In Kerala, 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates for its 140-member Legislative Assembly in a tight contest between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). In Assam, polling for 126 seats will be held today where over 2.5 crore electors are eligible t ...Read More >
IEVP-2026 was inaugurated a day ago by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The visit aims to provide international observers with an opportunity to witness and understand India's electoral processes. After arriving in the state, the delegation got divided into three groups, with each visiting distribution centres and control rooms across Kamrup Metropolitan and Kamrup districts to observe ground-level election preparedness. They later visited the Webcasting Monitoring Centre located wit ...Read More >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 9 (ANI): Asaam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday cast his vote in the ongoing polling for the 126-seat state assembly elections. Sarma, who is the NDA candidate from Jalukbari, cast his vote at the polling station number 15. He was accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma and children. Speaking to ANI, CM Sarma's wife said, "It is a 100% sweep." Before casting his vote, CM Sarma also worshipped at the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, along with his ...Read More >
GUWAHATI, April 9: Foreign delegates under the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) visited polling stations in Assam on Thursday to observe the voting process in the single-phase Assembly election, including mock polls, security arrangements and the use of election technology. Officials said the foreign delegates appreciated the voter-friendly facilities at polling stations, such as drinking water, ramps, wheelchairs, and other arrangements-ensuring ease of voting for people from ...Read More >
Puducherry [India], April 9 (ANI): Congress State President and Thattanchavady Assembly candidate V. Vaithilingam on Thursday cast his vote in the ongoing Puducherry elections and expressed confidence in his party's prospects. Speaking to ANI, Vaithilingam said, "Today's polling has been favourable, particularly for Congress. The DMK alliance is also performing well. We are confident that we will form the government on 4 May." Also Read | Badlapur Shocker: Tea Stall Owner Assaults Customer Wit ...Read More >
Kannur (Keralam) [India], April 9 (ANI): Keralam Assembly speaker AN Shamseer cast his vote at Polling Booth No. 74, during the ongoing assembly polls. Additionally, Congress MP from Kannur, K Sudhakaran, also cast his vote at Kizhunna South UP School, Polling Booth No. 157. Also Read | Assembly Elections 2026 Voting: Puducherry Leads With 86.92%, Assam at 84.42%, Keralam 75.01% by 5 PM in High-Stakes Polls. Earlier in the day, Keralam Leader of Opposition (LoP) VD Satheesan cast his vote for ...Read More >
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will chair a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on April 10 to discuss and firm up the grand old party's view on the women's reservation bill with senior leaders. The CWC meeting has been convened in the wake of the Centre extending the Budget session from April 16-18 to pass key changes to the women's reservation bill that grants a 33 per cent quota to women in the Lok Sabha and state Assembli ...Read More >
Agartala, Apr 9 (PTI) An estimated 79.84 per cent voter turnout was recorded as polling for the byelection to Dharmanagar Assembly constituency in North Tripura ended at 5 pm on Thursday, officials said. The voting was peaceful, they said. Despite inclement weather, voters came out in large numbers in all the polling booths and exercised their democratic rights without any disturbance, officials said. "Polling for the byelection in all 55 booths began at 7 am amidst tight security. Voters wer ...Read More >
Panaji (Goa) [India], April 9 (ANI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday urged lawmakers to rise above personal and political interests, emphasising the importance of diligently and with integrity fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people they represent. He highlighted that elected representatives are entrusted with the mandate to translate public expectations into concrete actions, strengthen democratic institutions, and ensure governance that is transparent, inclusive, and respons ...Read More >
The counting of votes will take place on May 4 Chennai: The NDA is hoping for a second straight term in Puducherry, where 30 seats are up for election today. The pitch, though, has been queered by the entry of the fledgling TVK, which has set up multi-cornered contests in many seats. Here are 10 points on Puducherry elections * The constituents of the ruling NDA in Puducherry are the AINRC (All India NR Congress), BJP, the AIADMK, and the LJK (Latchiya Jananayaka Katchi). The Opposition INDI ...Read More >
Puducherry [India], April 9 (ANI): Congress State President and Thattanchavady Assembly candidate V. Vaithilingam on Thursday cast his vote in the ongoing Puducherry elections and expressed confidence in his party's prospects. Speaking to ANI, Vaithilingam said, "Today's polling has been favourable, particularly for Congress. The DMK alliance is also performing well. We are confident that we will form the government on 4 May." He added that the polling process has been smooth and voters have e ...Read More >
New Delhi- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the proposed amendments to the Women Reservation Act are not just a legislative exercise but a reflection of the aspirations of crores of women across India, urging all MPs to come together to support this significant move. In a signed article posted on his website narendramodi.in, the prime minister also said that the initiative is an affirmation of a principle that has long guided India's civilisational ethos that society progresse ...Read More >
Panihati (West Bengal): BJP leader Smriti Irani on Thursday accompanied Ratna Debnath, the mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, as she filed her nomination as the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Panihati in West Bengal. During the occasion, Irani launched a sharp attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress, raising concerns over women's safety, alleged corruption, and incidents of violence, while asserting that justice would be ensured. Addressing reporters, Irani said, "I am here today ...Read More >
Kannur (Keralam) [India], April 9 (ANI): Keralam Assembly speaker AN Shamseer cast his vote at Polling Booth No. 74, during the ongoing assembly polls. Additionally, Congress MP from Kannur, K Sudhakaran, also cast his vote at Kizhunna South UP School, Polling Booth No. 157. Earlier in the day, Keralam Leader of Opposition (LoP) VD Satheesan cast his vote for the Assembly elections being held today and urged people across the state to participate actively in the democratic process. He asserte ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 9 (ANI): BJP Telangana President Ramchander Rao on Thursday welcomed the Union Cabinet's approval of the 33 per cent Women's Reservation Bill, calling it a landmark step towards enhancing women's representation in governance. Speaking to ANI, he said that women across the country would be happy with the decision, describing it as one of the finest measures taken by any nation. Also Read | Operation Him Setu: Indian Army Rescues 1,321 Tourists and 84 Locals ...Read More >
Puducherry [India], April 9 (ANI): Jose Charles Martin, founder of Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi and candidate from the Kamaraj Nagar constituency, cast his vote along with his wife during the Puducherry Assembly Elections 2026 at a polling station in Reddiarpalayam. Speaking after voting, Martin termed voting as both a duty and an honour. "Casting our vote is both our duty and a matter of honour. I have fulfilled my duty and went to cast my vote along with my wife," he said. Also Read | Araria D ...Read More >
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor asserted that the Kerala Assembly elections are a direct contest between the ruling LDF and the Congress-led UDF, dismissing the BJP as a non-factor. Senior leader AK Antony also predicted a "clean sweep" for the UDF, criticizing the BJP as a "non-Kerala" party. Voters are deciding the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor cast his vote in the Keralam Assembly elections on Thursday in Thiruvananthapuram, asserting that the electo ...Read More >
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said when his party comes to power, it will dismantle the "discriminatory system" under which Central Armed Police Forces personnel are denied opportunities for leadership, and ensure that they are granted their rights and privileges. On the Valour Day of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Gandhi said the Congress and he hold CAPF personnel in the highest esteem and firmly believe that advancement within their own Force, access to top leadership ro ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 9 (PTI) A petition filed in the Supreme Court has sought direction to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to issue new Aadhaar cards only to citizens up to the age of six years, and frame stringent guidelines for its issuance to adolescents and adults, to stop infiltrators from masquerading as Indian citizens. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay has also sought a direction to the authorities to install display boards at common se ...Read More >
New Delhi, Apr 9 (UNI) A surge in voter enthusiasm marked the high-stakes Assembly elections on Thursday, with turnout figures by 3 pm touching a striking 75.91% in Assam, 62.71% in Kerala and 72.40% in Puducherry. Over 5.3 crore electors turned out in large numbers, reflecting robust participation as they cast their votes to shape the political future of the two states and the union Territory. Polling commenced at 7 am and is set to continue until evening across 140 constituencies in Kerala, ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 9 (ANI): BJP Telangana President Ramchander Rao on Thursday welcomed the Union Cabinet's approval of the 33 per cent Women's Reservation Bill, calling it a landmark step towards enhancing women's representation in governance. Speaking to ANI, he said that women across the country would be happy with the decision, describing it as one of the finest measures taken by any nation. Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rao said the move reflects recognition of ...Read More >
Mumbai, Apr 9 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the opposition had an opportunity to get its demand of registration of an FIR in Ajit Pawar plane crash fulfilled in exchange of withdrawal of the Congress candidate from the Baramati assembly bypoll. He said there was a chance before the opposition parties to "unmask" the BJP. Raut was responding to reporters' query about the Congress' withdrawal of its candidate, Akash More, from the bypoll to the Baramati assembly segme ...Read More >
New Delhi, April 9: The voter turnout in Kerala Assembly elections was recorded at 62.71 per cent and in Puducherry at 72.40 per cent as of 3 p.m. on Thursday, according to data shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Meanwhile, Assam recorded a robust voter turnout, reflecting strong public participation in the democratic process. According to the estimated polling trends available until 3.00 p.m., the state recorded a voter turnout (VTR) of 75.91 per cent, signifying a high degree of ...Read More >
Guwahati, April 9: As polling progressed in the Assembly elections on Thursday, Assam recorded a robust voter turnout, reflecting strong public participation in the democratic process. According to the estimated polling trends available until 3.00 p.m., the state recorded a voter turnout (VTR) of 75.91 per cent, signifying a high degree of electoral participation across various constituencies. The turnout figures suggest that voters in Assam are coming out in significant numbers despite the usu ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 9 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Telangana State Secretary Bandaru Vijayalaxmi on Thursday said that the Women's Reservation Bill will enable more women to take on leadership roles, citing examples from India's history and current governance. Speaking to ANI, Vijayalaxmi said, "Surely, because we have seen in the history of Bharat what kind of kingdoms were ruled when women took up the throne. Even in many positions today--like the President of India, D ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday he is pushing a bill to fast-track a law guaranteeing at least one-third of lawmakers are women, and potentially expanding seats by two-fifths. If passed, the measure would sharply increase the number of women candidates and elected representatives, potentially reshaping legislative debates and policy priorities. Modi said that parliament will hold a special session on April 16 "to discuss and pass an important bill that advances wom ...Read More >
The Election Commission of India (ECI) published data by districts for the post-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) adjudication process for six million electors in West Bengal on Tuesday. The fate of all but 22,163 of the 6,006,675 electors who were put through the adjudication process has been decided: 45% of those under adjudication have already been found ineligible as voters. These electors will not be able to vote in the forthcoming elections, although there is still a possibility that they m ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], April 7 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met the Foreign Affairs Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Denzil Douglas, at Hyderabad House in the national capital, as both sides marked a key diplomatic milestone with the opening of the High Commission of St. Kitts and Nevis in New Delhi. According to the official X post by Jaishankar, the meeting focused on discussing "development projects, health cooperation, digital capacities and disaster response." In a ...Read More >
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