Residents resist CJP protest at Shivaji Park

Residents at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park have opposed the Cockroach Janta Party’s planned October 2 demonstration, urging authorities to prevent the gathering after confrontations between locals and CJP organisers.

The dispute intensified ahead of the Gandhi Jayanti protest, which CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said would proceed at the Dadar ground despite Mumbai Police refusing permission. Local residents have submitted objections to the police and civic authorities, citing disruption to traffic, noise, public access and emergency services.

A video circulating on social media showed residents arguing with CJP coordinators near Shivaji Park and objecting to the proposed gathering. Some residents insisted that political demonstrations should be held at designated protest venues such as Azad Maidan rather than at the ground, which is surrounded by homes, schools and hospitals.

Accounts of the confrontation differ on timing. Accounts placed exchanges between residents and CJP members on Tuesday and Wednesday, while another account described local opposition on Thursday. The available footage establishes the confrontation but does not independently resolve the timing of every exchange.

Members of the Shivaji Park Advanced Locality Management group said they were not opposing the democratic right to protest but objected to the repeated use of the area for large political gatherings. They said such events could restrict movement, worsen congestion and make access difficult for senior citizens and emergency vehicles.

Mumbai Police had already rejected CJP’s request to demonstrate at Shivaji Park. Police cited restrictions governing gatherings at the ground, its status as a silence zone, the absence of required civic permission and concerns about traffic, noise and access to nearby hospitals. Organisers were advised to consider an alternative venue.

Dipke, however, said the organisation would continue with its programme and announced a “Jail Bharo” agitation if participants were prevented from protesting. CJP said its demonstration would begin at Gate No. 6 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park and would form the opening stage of a wider campaign in other cities.

The organisation is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and has raised allegations concerning electoral-roll revisions and the functioning of the Election Commission. It has also sought changes to the process for appointing the chief election commissioner and greater transparency in electoral administration.

CJP’s allegations remain disputed. The Election Commission has defended its procedures and rejected claims that decisions concerning electoral-roll revisions were improperly taken. Opposition parties have separately raised questions over voter rolls and the Special Intensive Revision process, making election administration a focus of political contestation.

Dipke said on Thursday that CJP intended to remain independent of opposition-party protests and would take its campaign beyond Mumbai, with demonstrations planned in other parts of the country before a proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi later in October.

The Shivaji Park dispute has meanwhile centred increasingly on the venue rather than solely on CJP’s demands. Residents have argued that the ground’s role as a recreational and sporting space, together with the concentration of residential buildings and medical facilities around it, makes large demonstrations particularly disruptive.

One resident seen in footage of the confrontation said protesters were free to demonstrate elsewhere but should not use Shivaji Park, describing it as a ground used by children. Another pointed to nearby hospitals and schools and argued that Azad Maidan was better suited for demonstrations.

CJP representatives disputed the resistance they encountered. Pranav Ahire, a member present during one confrontation, questioned whether everyone opposing the group was genuinely a local resident. No independently verified evidence has emerged establishing that those confronting CJP workers were acting on behalf of another organisation.

The Mumbai unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has publicly backed residents opposing the demonstration. That support added a political dimension to a dispute residents have framed primarily around neighbourhood access, safety, noise and the permitted use of the ground.

Supreme Court declines TMC plea over frozen accounts

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to intervene in the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction’s challenge over four debit-frozen bank accounts holding about Rs 804 crore, leaving the dispute before the Calcutta High Court and asking it to accelerate the hearing.

A bench of Justices M. M. Sundresh and P. B. Varale refused to interfere with the High Court’s interim order denying the faction permission to operate the accounts. The judges expressly refrained from examining the merits of the dispute and declined to exercise the Supreme Court’s discretionary jurisdiction under Article 136 of the Constitution.

“We refrain from going into the merits. We are not inclined to exercise our jurisdiction under Article 136. We request high court to expedite the hearing,” the bench said.

The ruling concerns four accounts maintained with Indian Bank that were debit-frozen following a criminal investigation by the West Bengal Police. The investigation arose from a complaint lodged by TMC MLA Biswanath Das amid an internal dispute over control of the party.

The Supreme Court also took note of proceedings before the Election Commission, which has passed an interim order freezing the TMC’s name and election symbol while rival claims over the party remain unresolved. The bench observed that the larger question of entitlement to the money in the accounts could not be separated from the dispute over which faction is entitled to represent the party.

The amount involved in Thursday’s proceedings is about Rs 804 crore, not Rs 440 crore. The Rs 440.42 crore figure relates to a separate set of three HDFC Bank accounts frozen by the Enforcement Directorate in July as part of a money-laundering investigation. The Supreme Court proceedings on Thursday concerned four Indian Bank accounts frozen by the state police.

The Calcutta High Court had on August 27 declined to grant interim permission to the Banerjee-led faction to operate the four accounts. It held that granting the requested relief at that stage would undermine an earlier arrangement under which the party was permitted to meet essential day-to-day expenditure.

Before the Supreme Court, the faction challenged the refusal of interim relief and questioned the basis on which the police had frozen the accounts. Its case included objections to alleged procedural deficiencies in the first information reports underpinning the action.

The party told the court that the restrictions had severely affected its operations. During proceedings on the frozen accounts, it submitted that it required at least Rs 12.15 crore a month to sustain organisational activities. The opposing side maintained that an existing court-supervised arrangement already allowed necessary routine expenditure.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing in the matter, drew the court’s attention to the continuing internal party dispute and the criminal investigation. The complainant’s counsel also argued that the earlier arrangement for ordinary expenses meant additional interim access to the accounts was unnecessary while the substantive issues remained before the High Court.

The dispute over the four accounts is distinct from litigation concerning the three HDFC accounts containing Rs 440.42 crore. Those accounts were initially subjected to restrictions connected with a state police case before the Enforcement Directorate separately froze them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The Enforcement Directorate has said its investigation concerns alleged transfers of about Rs 160 crore from TMC accounts to Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd and a related entity between April 2023 and June 2026. Investigators have alleged that funds were routed through linked transactions involving the acquisition and use of an Embraer Legacy 600 business jet and an AgustaWestland 109SP helicopter. Those allegations remain under investigation.

The High Court had earlier created a mechanism allowing limited expenditure from certain party accounts under the supervision of retired High Court judge Justice Subrata Talukdar. The arrangement required designated signatories to submit cheques for essential administrative and legal expenses for verification and countersignature.

Ujjain mosque damaged during road-widening operation

A portion of Ujjain’s Shahi Masjid was damaged on Thursday during dismantling work linked to a road-widening project for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2028, with district authorities saying nobody was injured.

Ujjain Collector Roshan Kumar Singh said the affected section at Chhatri Chowk fell within the area required for the project and sustained damage while it was being removed. He said the operation was proceeding peacefully with cooperation from local representatives and residents, while officials continued to monitor the site.

Singh urged people to rely on authentic information and warned that legal action would be taken against anyone spreading rumours, misleading claims or false information through social media or other channels. The appeal followed days of heightened security around the mosque after protests over the road project.

The damage occurred while workers were dismantling a minaret affected by the widening plan. During the operation, part of the structure fell onto another section of the mosque, damaging its outer area. Authorities said all workers were safe and that remedial work was being undertaken.

Police remained deployed around Chhatri Chowk and adjoining areas as the administration sought to prevent a fresh confrontation. Officials maintained communication with representatives of different religious communities and local residents during the operation.

The work is part of a wider programme to improve access through central Ujjain before Simhastha 2028, when the city is expected to receive a large influx of pilgrims. The disputed stretch forms part of a route connecting the Gopal Mandir area towards the Mahakal temple and the Kshipra river.

The Shahi Masjid issue had triggered clashes on September 28 when protesters gathered near the site as work to remove the affected portion was due to proceed. Stones were thrown at police during the confrontation, and security personnel used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Police subsequently detained several people and maintained a substantial presence around the area.

The legal dispute over the project also moved through the Madhya Pradesh High Court. On September 9, a single judge at the court’s Indore bench dismissed petitions challenging notices issued by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation for removal of the portion obstructing the proposed road alignment.

The civic body told the court that the road was being widened to 15 metres and argued that the work was necessary to handle traffic during major religious events, including Simhastha. It said structures along much of the route had already been removed and maintained that the project was being implemented in the larger public interest.

The petitioners, who administer the mosque and described it as registered Waqf property, challenged the municipal action and raised objections to the proposed removal. They subsequently filed appeals against the single-judge ruling.

Those appeals were disposed of by a division bench on September 28 after the petitioners informed the court that the dispute had been settled with the municipal corporation. The bench, comprising Justices Subodh Abhyankar and Jai Kumar Pillai, recorded the settlement and said assurances given by the corporation in its response and interim notice would remain binding on it.

The High Court’s September order recorded the corporation’s position that the route is an important Peshwai and Shahi Sawari corridor used by large numbers of devotees during festivals. The corporation argued that widening was needed to reduce congestion. The court rejected the petitions at that stage, while subsequent appeals ended after the parties concerned placed their settlement before the division bench.

The settlement came on the same day as the confrontation outside the mosque. The administration later proceeded with the removal work under tight security, with members of the local community participating in dismantling portions affected by the project.

The road expansion is among infrastructure works being undertaken across Ujjain for the 2028 gathering. Municipal authorities have said the programme includes widening routes used by pilgrims and improving movement through congested parts of the city.

Shivakumar alleges mass voter deletion conspiracy in Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has accused the BJP and JD of conspiring to remove millions of eligible voters from the state’s electoral rolls through bulk objections filed during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday, Shivakumar alleged that pre-filled Form 7 applications had been supplied to party workers and submitted to booth-level officers across several constituencies. He said voters from minority communities, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, backward classes and economically weaker sections were being disproportionately targeted.

Shivakumar put the scale of the alleged exercise at between 50 lakh and 60 lakh additional voters and demanded an immediate criminal investigation. He later went to the office of Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar with Cabinet colleagues, submitted a memorandum and began a sit-in seeking registration of cases against those responsible.

The Chief Electoral Officer subsequently directed electoral registration officers in all 224 Assembly constituencies to initiate legal proceedings where an inquiry establishes that applicants knowingly made false statements or declarations while filing claims or objections. The circular referred to reports of bulk Form 7 applications and allegations that some were not genuine, but did not attribute the alleged filings to any political party.

Under Election Commission rules, Form 7 can be used by an elector in a constituency to seek deletion of another person’s name on specified grounds, including death, permanent shifting, duplicate enrolment, being under age or not being a citizen. Objections require scrutiny by the electoral authorities and do not automatically result in deletion.

Shivakumar alleged that large numbers of forms carried voters’ names, addresses and Electoral Photo Identity Card numbers before details of the objectors were entered. He questioned how such information had been assembled and called for an investigation into where the forms were printed, who supplied the electoral data and whether it had been accessed without authorisation.

His memorandum sought constituency-wise and booth-wise scrutiny of unusually large batches of Form 7 applications, particularly those filed between September 22 and 24. It also asked officials to examine the identities of people filing multiple objections, their relationship with the voters concerned and applications that were returned or withdrawn.

The Chief Minister cited thousands of applications in constituencies including Belagavi North, Mudigere, Bhalki, Babaleshwar and Narasimharaja. He also alleged that large batches had been filed and later withdrawn in Ballari and Vijayapura after questions were raised about their validity. The precise statewide number of allegedly improper applications has not been independently established.

Shivakumar displayed copies of forms that he said demonstrated the pattern and alleged that some BJP workers had submitted dozens or hundreds of objections in their own names. He also accused JD functionaries of participating in the exercise. Both allegations remain subject to investigation.

Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra rejected the charge of wrongdoing and said his party’s workers were entitled to bring suspected irregularities in electoral rolls to the Election Commission’s attention. He argued that election officials, rather than political parties, ultimately determine whether a voter’s name should remain on or be removed from the rolls.

Vijayendra also alleged irregular additions to electoral rolls during the revision exercise and said requests for verification were legitimate where party workers suspected ineligible enrolments. The Election Commission’s Form 7 procedure requires supporting grounds and gives electoral registration officers responsibility for deciding objections after the prescribed process.

Shivakumar said the alleged bulk objections had surfaced while the state was already dealing with exclusions and discrepancy notices during the revision. He demanded that officials identify people responsible for any fraudulent filings, examine allegations of forged signatures and determine whether booth-level staff had faced pressure.

Police complaints over alleged irregularities involving Form 7 have been lodged in parts of Karnataka. In Bhalki, a case was registered after allegations that signatures were forged and mobile numbers were improperly entered on applications, adding a criminal-investigation dimension to the wider dispute over the revision process.

Gandhi challenges EC over Belagavi voter deletions

Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Election Commission and the BJP of involvement in an alleged attempt to remove nearly 15,000 voters from electoral rolls in Karnataka’s Belagavi region. The Times of India

Gandhi said a surge of Form 7 applications seeking deletion of names had been submitted over September 22, 23 and 24. He alleged that Muslims, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes were disproportionately targeted because many voters from those communities did not support the BJP. The New Indian Express

The Congress leader claimed the applications reflected a wider method of manipulating electoral rolls through centrally operated software and bulk filings. He accused BJP functionaries and election officials of colluding in the process. The allegations have not been established by an independent investigation, and the Election Commission had not issued a specific public response to Gandhi’s claims by Thursday night.

Gandhi also questioned why Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer had not registered an FIR over the broader allegations, saying Congress leaders had approached the official seeking criminal action. He repeated his demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and called for an investigation into Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The New Indian Express

The accusations followed a dispute in Belagavi over bulk Form 7 applications, which are used to object to an entry in an electoral roll or seek deletion of a name under prescribed grounds. Filing an application does not by itself remove a voter: electoral registration authorities are required to examine objections and follow the stipulated process before deleting an entry.

Belagavi Market police registered an FIR on September 30 against BJP functionary Ravi Patil and about 20 to 25 others after a booth-level officer complained of an alleged attempt to seek deletion of 198 voters through Form 7 applications containing false information and forged documents. The Times of India

The complaint concerned voters at polling parts 195 and 196 in Veerabhadra Nagar and alleged that Muslim voters whose names were validly on the rolls had been targeted. Police are investigating the allegations. The registration of the case does not establish the guilt of those named. The Times of India

Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan had earlier said no voters had been deleted on the basis of objections submitted at the polling station, an important distinction from claims that names had already been erased. The local controversy began after allegations that people linked to political workers sought signatures from a booth-level officer on a large batch of deletion applications. Hindustan Times

A separate political dispute has centred on Belagavi South BJP MLA Abhay Patil. Congress leaders accused him of seeking removal of 2,598 voters, while Patil rejected that characterisation and said he had sought verification of voters identified in a booth-level agent’s report. He maintained that names should be deleted only if verification found the voters ineligible. The Times of India

The Belagavi allegations surfaced during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which has become a major point of confrontation between the opposition and the Election Commission. Opposition parties have questioned the scale and methods of deletions, while the Commission has maintained that electoral-roll revisions are governed by law and prescribed procedures. Reuters

The Election Commission has also ordered a review of voter-roll software and procedural changes following concerns over exclusions during the revision exercise. Its measures include efforts to identify eligible voters left out of rolls and changes intended to make verification easier for people whose entries have been questioned. Reuters

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Cabinet colleagues staged a protest outside the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Bengaluru on Thursday, demanding criminal investigation of alleged bulk Form 7 filings. Shivakumar said authorities should determine who prepared and submitted the applications and whether identities or signatures had been misused. The Economic Times

Gandhi presses Election Commission over Form 6 changes

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned who within the Election Commission authorised changes implemented by Tata Consultancy Services to the online Form 6 voter-registration process, demanding disclosure of the officials who ordered and approved the alterations.

Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, raised the questions in a post on X as scrutiny continued over an additional declaration linked to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. He asked who instructed TCS to make the changes, who signed off on them and whether the technology company had been subjected to pressure.

The intervention followed the Election Commission's removal of the SIR-linked declaration from the online Form 6 on its ECINET portal in states where the intensive revision has been completed. The declaration remains available for states where the exercise is continuing.

Form 6 is the statutory application used by citizens seeking enrolment as new voters. During the SIR process, an additional declaration sought information on whether an applicant, a parent or a grandparent appeared on electoral rolls prepared during an earlier intensive revision.

The dispute centres on the distinction between the statutory Form 6 prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and the additional declaration required during an SIR. The Election Commission has maintained that Form 6 itself was not changed and that the SIR requirement was introduced as a separate declaration accompanying the approved form.

Gandhi challenged that explanation on Thursday, focusing on how the workflow was altered and who exercised authority over the technical implementation. His questions placed TCS, which provides technology services for the election system, at the centre of his demand for an account of the decision-making chain, although he did not provide evidence that the company independently determined the change.

The controversy gained momentum after Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were reported to have objected to the addition on legal and procedural grounds. The disputed online section required applicants to respond before they could complete submission, even though the section itself was not labelled mandatory.

The two commissioners' objections were based on the position that amendments to statutory electoral forms require action by the Union Law Ministry. The Election Commission subsequently said differences of opinion among commissioners were part of institutional deliberations and that decisions taken by the three-member body were ultimately unanimous.

Election Commission officials have also said SIR orders covering different phases of the revision listed Forms 6 and 8 with an additional declaration and had been approved unanimously by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Sandhu and Joshi. Form 8 is used for specified corrections and shifting of residence in electoral records.

On September 26, the Commission announced that during periods when an SIR was not under way, forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules would be used. Four days later, the additional declaration disappeared from the ECINET Form 6 workflow for states where final SIR rolls had already been published.

The Commission's citizen services portal continues to distinguish between the standard Form 6 and a declaration form in connection with the ongoing SIR process. The portal identifies Form 6 as the application for new voter registration for people aged 18 or above, including those who will reach voting age within the prescribed qualifying period.

Congress has used the Form 6 dispute as part of a broader challenge to the Election Commission over the conduct of electoral-roll revisions. Party leaders have demanded greater disclosure of internal decisions and questioned whether procedural safeguards were followed. The Commission has rejected allegations that its processes are designed to favour any political party and has said electoral-roll work is conducted under the applicable legal framework.

Gandhi's questions did not allege that TCS had itself devised the disputed requirement. Instead, he sought to establish which Election Commission authority directed the company's technical work and whether the instruction had gone through the required approval process.

Charity watchdog examines London mosque over violent sermons

Britain’s charity regulator is examining concerns about a London mosque after videos on its YouTube channel promoted physically disciplining disobedient wives and described execution as a punishment for gay sex under Islamic law.

The National Secular Society has referred Hackney Islamic Community Centre, also known as Masjid Daar Al-Hadeeth, to the Charity Commission for England and Wales over three lectures posted online in 2023. The campaign group says the material raises questions about whether the charity is meeting its legal duties and operating for public benefit.

The commission confirmed it had opened a regulatory compliance case to assess concerns about alleged sermons and social-media content linked to the centre. It said all charities, whatever their purpose, must operate for public benefit and provide a safe and trusted environment, and that its assessment would determine any further regulatory next steps.

The centre is a registered charity whose stated purposes include advancing the Islamic faith, maintaining a mosque and community centre, and supporting education for Muslim children and adults. Charity Commission records show that the organisation reported income of £191,097 and expenditure of £171,539 for the year ending March 31, 2025.

One of the videos features Islamic teacher Yasin Munye discussing what he describes as “major sins”. He includes a wife disobeying her husband, leaving home without permission and refusing sexual intimacy without an excuse.

Munye tells listeners that a husband should first advise his wife and then avoid intimacy with her. He goes on to say a husband can “discipline them physically as well” through “lightly hitting them to show them who is in charge”. The statements have been cited by the National Secular Society in its complaint to the regulator.

The same lecture addresses sexual conduct between men. Munye calls gay sex “one of the most evil acts” and a “crime”, and says both participants are executed under his interpretation of Sharia law. He then describes differing historical views among scholars about methods of execution.

Those statements describe religious punishments rather than the law of England and Wales. Same-sex sexual activity is lawful in Britain, while assaulting a spouse is subject to criminal law. Domestic abuse legislation also recognises controlling or coercive behaviour and other forms of abuse between intimate partners.

Another video highlighted by the National Secular Society concerns “sihr”, or witchcraft. Munye says witchcraft is real and praises Saudi Arabia for executing people accused of the practice. The campaign group argues that material of this kind could contribute to discrimination or abuse and is incompatible with the public-benefit obligations attached to charitable status.

A separate lecture cited in the complaint features scholar Abu Sa’ad Muhammad Al-Iraqi discussing domestic relationships. He describes it as an “unfortunate reality” that women in Britain may contact police after being struck by their husbands, according to the recorded material.

Megan Manson, head of campaigns at the National Secular Society, said it was “alarming” that a charity could host lectures promoting violence against women, denying women the ability to refuse sex and condoning capital punishment for gay men and people accused of witchcraft.

She called for a review of advancement of religion as a charitable purpose, arguing that charities should not receive public advantages while disseminating ideas that could fuel discrimination, division or abuse.

The centre has undergone a change in legal structure. Companies House records identify Hackney Islamic Community Centre as a charitable incorporated organisation, with charity number 1217558. The Charity Commission register also retains records for the earlier organisation, charity number 1117069, which was registered in November 2006.

The earlier charity’s official register entry says its work includes religious instruction, community engagement and supplementary education. It lists five trustees and 12 volunteers, and says its reporting was up to date. The register also records previous names including Masjid Imam an-Nawawi, the name used by the organisation when the disputed videos were published.

Supreme Court rebukes UP Police over investigation lapses

The Supreme Court has sharply questioned the Uttar Pradesh Police over alleged irregularities in a criminal investigation, warning that persistent failures could prompt the court to consider transferring investigations across the state to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva made the unusually severe oral observations on Wednesday after examining the handling of a case in which a motorcycle rider was allegedly apprehended at the scene and handed to police, yet the first information report identified the rider as “unknown”.

The judges questioned how the public could retain confidence in the police if investigations were conducted in such a manner. “In everything you have an agenda. How will people trust you if this is how you proceed with matters?” the bench observed during the hearing.

The court went on to say it might be better for the CBI to take over investigations handled by the Uttar Pradesh Police if such conduct continued. “We might as well disband the UP Police. This nonsense has to stop at some point,” the bench said.

The remarks were oral observations made during proceedings and did not amount to an order disbanding the police force or transferring all criminal investigations to the CBI.

The court’s immediate concern centred on the discrepancy between the circumstances described by the complainant and the way the FIR was initially recorded. The complainant, who appeared before the court in person, maintained that the motorcycle rider had been caught at the spot and handed over to police officers. The bench asked why, in those circumstances, the FIR had nevertheless been registered against an unidentified rider.

The judges also scrutinised the subsequent course of the investigation. The complainant submitted that the rider’s name was introduced after judicial intervention and that he was later given a clean chit. Questions were also raised during the hearing about the motorcycle’s registration details, including the complainant’s contention that the vehicle did not carry a number plate when it was seized.

The bench expressed particular concern about the possibility that leaving a suspect unnamed despite his alleged apprehension could permit later changes to the identity of the person shown as accused. Its questions focused on the integrity of the investigative process and the effect such practices could have on public confidence.

“Toeing the line is one thing but bending over backwards. And this kind of cover-up job? Less said the better,” the bench remarked while examining the police response.

The court was also dissatisfied with the affidavit placed before it by the Uttar Pradesh Police, describing the response as “completely uninspiring”. It directed the police officer concerned to remain present at the next hearing and provide a better explanation of the circumstances surrounding the registration of the case.

The officer has specifically been asked to explain why the FIR was registered against an unknown motorcycle rider when, according to the material before the court, the rider had been apprehended at the spot. The court noted that the police affidavit itself disclosed the rider’s name as Tushar and sought an explanation for why the name had initially been left blank and was added later.

The proceedings arose from a challenge brought by the complainant after the case moved through the lower courts. Accounts of the hearing indicate that the underlying dispute involved allegations against the rider and questions about the manner in which police recorded and investigated the complaint.

Counsel associated with the Uttar Pradesh side disputed characterisations that the court’s adverse oral remarks should be treated as findings against the state police, maintaining that the bench had heard the petitioner’s allegations and sought a further affidavit. The state authorities will have an opportunity to place their explanation before the court.

Sonia Gandhi applauds Mamata at INDIA bloc meeting

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee drew applause from Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at an INDIA bloc press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday as opposition leaders sought to project unity over their campaign against the Election Commission. Moneycontrol

Banerjee declared that the alliance would “fight” and “win”, saying it would work to restore democracy and protect the Constitution. Gandhi, seated beside her, was seen nodding during the remarks, thumping the desk in approval and, when Banerjee finished speaking, patting her on the back before the two shook hands. Moneycontrol

The exchange followed a roughly three-and-a-half-hour meeting of opposition parties at the Constitution Club, where leaders agreed on a programme of protests centred on their allegations of irregularities in electoral rolls and demands concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Banerjee said the INDIA bloc remained united and demanded Kumar’s immediate removal. India Today

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that the alliance would organise “Save Democracy” marches at district level from October 2 to 8. Opposition MPs are also scheduled to march to the Election Commission on October 6, while alliance leaders plan to seek a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu during the second week of October. Web India News

The opposition parties have demanded the use of electoral rolls prepared before the Special Intensive Revision for forthcoming elections, a return to ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines, an effective appeals mechanism for people excluded from voter lists and safeguards against wrongful deletion of eligible voters. The Economic Times

Banerjee used her address to level serious accusations against Kumar and the Election Commission, alleging manipulation of the electoral process. Those allegations remain political claims and have not been established as fact. She warned that opposition parties would launch a wider movement if Kumar did not step down. India Today

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also framed the dispute as a defence of democratic institutions and the Constitution. He said democracy was bigger than any individual and described leaders of the opposition grouping as collective defenders of the Constitution. Uniindia

The meeting brought together representatives of several opposition parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and other alliance constituents. Some prominent leaders were absent, although their parties were represented in several cases. Web India News

The visible interaction between Gandhi and Banerjee attracted attention because the two leaders sat together through the meeting and again at the joint press conference. Banerjee was seen asking Gandhi to take a seat near Kharge before sitting beside her. The Congress later circulated a video of Gandhi applauding Banerjee’s remarks. Moneycontrol

The meeting also exposed continuing political disagreement over the opposition’s charges against the Election Commission. The Bharatiya Janata Party rejected the INDIA bloc’s allegations and criticised its planned protest campaign. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused opposition parties of attacking the Election Commission after electoral defeats and characterised the October demonstrations as an attempt to protect political families rather than democracy. The Indian Express

The opposition, however, maintained that its campaign concerned the integrity of electoral rolls and the independence of institutions. Kharge said participating leaders had decided to act together after extensive discussions and that the protest programme would be pursued in a coordinated manner. Web India News

Banerjee’s appearance alongside senior Congress leaders also provided a prominent display of cooperation between the Trinamool Congress and Congress within the national opposition platform. The parties remain political competitors in some contexts, but both participated in Wednesday’s joint strategy session and endorsed the broader protest programme announced after it.

Kharge said the alliance would take its concerns to the public through rallies beyond district marches. The opposition’s announced programme extends from street demonstrations to institutional representations, with the Election Commission and the President among the authorities it intends to approach. Uniindia

Maharashtra contractors approach Gandhi over Rs 1 lakh crore dues

Contractors from Maharashtra have approached Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking his intervention over what they say are unpaid state government bills of about Rs 1 lakh crore, asking the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to raise the matter in Parliament.

A delegation that met Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the financial strain had become acute for contractors executing public works across Maharashtra. The representatives said roughly Rs 40,000 crore was owed to small contractors, leaving many struggling to meet expenses and service borrowings.

The contractors also blamed Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who served as chief minister from June 2022 until December 2024, for what they described as excessive sanctioning of works before the 2024 Assembly election. They alleged that tenders and work orders were issued far beyond available budgetary provisions as the then government sought electoral advantage.

Those allegations have not been established independently, and the contractors' assertion that Maharashtra is heading towards bankruptcy is their assessment of the state's finances rather than an official finding. Maharashtra's budget documents for 2026-27 project a fiscal deficit of Rs 1.50 lakh crore, equivalent to 2.8 per cent of gross state domestic product, within the 3 per cent annual limit recommended for states by the Sixteenth Finance Commission.

The state's outstanding liabilities are projected at 20.4 per cent of GSDP at the end of 2026-27, while the budget estimates a revenue deficit of Rs 40,552 crore, or 0.7 per cent of GSDP. Those figures point to fiscal pressures but do not substantiate the contractors' bankruptcy characterisation.

The dispute over unpaid bills predates Wednesday's meeting. Contractors' organisations have repeatedly complained since 2024 that government departments were approving projects without matching financial provision and were delaying payment for completed work. Their demands have included clearance of arrears and a requirement that new works be sanctioned only when adequate funds are available.

By early 2025, the Maharashtra State Contractors Association and State Engineers Association were putting aggregate unpaid bills at close to Rs 1 lakh crore. They launched a stop-work agitation that February after saying repeated representations to the government had failed to secure sufficient payments.

At that stage, association president Milind Bhosale said dues included about Rs 46,000 crore from the Public Works Department, Rs 18,000 crore connected with the Jal Jeevan Mission, Rs 8,600 crore from the rural development department and Rs 19,700 crore from the water conservation department. The figures were claims by the contractors' organisations rather than audited government arrears.

The scale of the dispute has continued to affect contractors during 2026. Bhosale said in August that government debt to contractors stood at about Rs 86,000 crore and argued that smaller firms were facing severe financial stress because payments remained blocked. He also contended that the Public Works Department had awarded works exceeding its annual budget before the 2024 election.

Contractors had raised funding concern before the 2024 election. Their associations announced a protest that October over bills then estimated at Rs 40,000 crore, arguing that departments should not award fresh contracts without financial provision. They also opposed combining smaller works into large tenders, saying the practice disadvantaged small firms and engineers.

The arrears subsequently became a wider issue as associations said delayed payments were affecting public works and employment linked to contracting businesses. Their February 2025 stoppage covered projects associated with public works, rural development and water supply programmes across the state.

The current state government is led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with Shinde serving as one of the deputy chief ministers. Fadnavis said in January that his government had stopped urban development projects worth about Rs 40,000 crore because of cost overruns, adding that the decision had been taken in consultation with Shinde.

EC limits Form 6 declaration to SIR periods

The Election Commission of India has withdrawn the additional Special Intensive Revision declaration from online Form 6 in states and Union Territories where the electoral roll revision exercise has concluded, leaving new applicants to complete only the statutory voter-enrolment form.

The change has been implemented on the ECINET application and portal and on the websites of the respective Chief Electoral Officers. The additional declaration remains available where the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, is still under way.

The Commission had decided at a meeting on September 26 that the declaration attached to Form 6 was specific to the SIR process. Its official statement said forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would be used during non-SIR periods. The meeting was attended by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

Form 6 is the statutory application used by eligible citizens seeking inclusion in an electoral roll. During SIR, the additional declaration sought information connecting an applicant, or the applicant's parents or grandparents, with electoral rolls prepared during an earlier intensive revision. Where the revision has finished, that separate requirement no longer accompanies the online enrolment process.

The administrative change draws a clearer distinction between the standard enrolment procedure and requirements applied specifically during an intensive revision. The Commission has maintained that Form 6 itself was not amended and that the declaration was an additional SIR-specific requirement.

Questions over the declaration had arisen within the Commission. Joshi had objected to changes concerning the statutory Form 6 on the ground that a form prescribed under the 1960 Rules could not be altered without an amendment to those rules. Sandhu concurred with that position. Sandhu subsequently objected when the SIR declaration was incorporated into the online Form 6 workflow on ECINET and sought its removal.

The Commission's September 26 statement said the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court. It simultaneously clarified that the statutory forms under the 1960 Rules would apply outside an SIR period. The withdrawal from completed-SIR jurisdictions puts that distinction into effect on the digital registration system.

The change does not abolish the declaration across the country. Prospective voters in states and Union Territories where SIR remains in progress may still encounter the additional declaration as part of the enrolment process. The applicable requirement therefore depends on whether the intensive revision is continuing in the jurisdiction concerned.

The Commission has also ordered a review of ECINET, its digital election-management platform. A committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT has been tasked with checking that the system complies with electoral laws and rules and reporting to the Commission.

The September 26 decisions also addressed how officials should handle voters issued notices during an ongoing SIR because they were unmapped or had logical discrepancies in their records. Booth Level Officers are to visit such voters' homes, collect documents and upload them to ECINET for decisions by Electoral Registration Officers. Personal hearings at ERO or Assistant ERO offices are not ordinarily required, with hearings in exceptional cases preferably conducted online.

District Election Officers were also directed to establish adequate help desks or special camps for people in night shelters, labourers, poorer residents and homeless people where required. These measures were announced as part of the same Commission meeting that clarified the status of the Form 6 declaration.

The Commission said field officers have role-based access to ECINET according to their statutory powers. It also decided that new initiatives involving information-technology modules and portals would be discussed in the Committee of Officers before receiving Commission approval.

For applicants in jurisdictions where SIR has ended, the immediate procedural position is simpler: an eligible person applying for fresh inclusion on the electoral roll uses Form 6 as prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The separate SIR declaration is no longer displayed alongside that online application.

Jaishankar flags major food crisis from global conflicts

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has warned that the world could face a “major food crisis” within months as wars disrupt grain and fertiliser supplies, intensifying pressure on already strained Global South economies.

Speaking at the Asia Society in New York on Monday, Jaishankar said the Ukraine and Iran-Gulf conflicts had produced a “devastating impact” on developing economies, with food, fuel, fertiliser and finance coming under simultaneous pressure.

“We are already looking at major significant fertiliser shortages,” he said, adding that some major grain exporters were facing difficulties in shipping supplies. “So there is gonna be a major food crisis probably, you know, in the coming months.”

Jaishankar also pointed to the prospect of a strong El Niño weather pattern as an additional threat to agricultural production. He described the combined pressures as “very very stressful” for the Global South, where many economies have less fiscal room to absorb higher import costs or shield consumers from price increases.

His warning comes as international agencies are recording mounting strains across agricultural commodity and input markets. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said this month that disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict have severely affected fertiliser markets, while pressure on Black Sea trade routes has complicated grain movements.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu told a ministerial meeting in New York on September 24 that the Gulf normally supplies 30 to 35 per cent of global urea, half of sulphur exports and 20 to 30 per cent of ammonia. He said 1.5 million to 3 million tonnes of monthly fertiliser trade had been delayed, while diammonium phosphate prices had risen 26 per cent.

The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for energy and fertiliser shipments, has been a particular source of vulnerability. Qu said tanker movements through the waterway had fallen by more than 90 per cent amid the conflict. Under normal conditions, the strait carries 20 to 30 per cent of internationally traded fertiliser, according to FAO.

The agency has warned that fertiliser scarcity can feed through to harvests with a delay because farmers must apply nutrients at specific stages of the crop cycle. Missed deliveries can force growers to cut application rates, potentially reducing yields and tightening food supplies later in 2026 and into 2027.

Food prices are already showing renewed pressure. FAO’s Food Price Index averaged 133.3 points in August, up 1.9 per cent from July and 2.5 per cent from a year earlier. The agency attributed the increase partly to adverse weather, the Middle East conflict and logistical disruption around Black Sea trade.

International wheat, maize and rice export prices generally increased in August. US hard red winter wheat quotations were 41.1 per cent above their level a year earlier, while US maize export prices were 20.7 per cent higher, FAO data showed. Ukrainian grain trade continued to face logistical bottlenecks.

Jaishankar said energy markets were another immediate concern because supplies remained tight and political actions affecting oil flows could add to market complications. Higher energy costs can also raise fertiliser production and transport expenses, magnifying the effect on agriculture and food prices.

He linked the pressures to a broader “4F” challenge — food, fuel, fertiliser and finance — confronting developing countries. Conflict-driven uncertainty, he said, also encourages capital to move towards safer destinations, leaving Global South economies facing tighter financing conditions alongside higher commodity bills.

The World Bank said in June that global food and nutrition security remained fragile, with fertiliser prices during the first five months of 2026 running 35 per cent above the same period of 2025. Multilateral development banks subsequently pledged greater cooperation to strengthen fertiliser supply chains, including investment in production, processing, storage and transport.

Bangladesh illustrates the exposure of import-dependent economies. The World Bank approved emergency financing in June to support fertiliser imports for rice production after fuel and input-price shocks squeezed farmers and finances.

NCERT textbook details Mughal treatment of Sikh Gurus

The new NCERT Class 9 Social Science textbook says the Mughal state’s treatment of Sikh Gurus had “few comparisons in history”, attributing the persecution to what it describes as rigid religious and discriminatory practices.

Understanding Society: India and Beyond — Part 2, released on Tuesday, places the assertion in a chapter titled “Resistance and Resilience”, covering developments between 1000 and 1700 CE. The National Council of Educational Research and Training’s account focuses particularly on Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh while tracing the Sikh community’s response to Mughal authority.

The textbook says the “valour and sacrifice” of the Gurus for their faith became defining features of Sikhism and that their martyrdoms strengthened a conviction that persecution should be met with “firm resistance and resilience”. It says Mughal intervention in Sikh affairs increased from the beginning of the 17th century as the Gurus’ socio-cultural influence grew.

The chapter states that Mughal emperor Jahangir ordered the execution of Guru Arjan Dev after allegations that the fifth Sikh Guru had supported the emperor’s rebellious son, Khusrau Mirza. NCERT describes the execution as a significant turning point that contributed to changes in the organisational and political direction of the Sikh community.

It also records the detention of Guru Hargobind at Gwalior Fort under Jahangir and says Sikhs gathered outside the fort in large numbers to pay their respects. The book connects subsequent developments to the emergence of a more organised response to political pressure.

On Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, the textbook says Emperor Aurangzeb ordered his execution in 1675 and describes his martyrdom as a turning point in the history of the subcontinent. The chapter argues that persecution and political pressure encouraged collective organisation and, when considered necessary, armed resistance.

That account leads into Guru Hargobind’s establishment of the Akal Takht as a seat of temporal authority and the concept of miri-piri, combining spiritual and worldly authority. The textbook then traces the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 and the development of armed Sikh groups that later formed confederacies.

The treatment of Sikh history forms part of a broader restructuring of the Class 9 history syllabus under the National Curriculum Framework. The new volume gives substantial attention to resistance against the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal expansion, including the actions of Rajputs, Ahoms, Marathas, Sikhs and Jats.

The chapter begins its historical narrative by saying the subcontinent experienced successive phases of invasions from the seventh century, driven by territorial expansion and religious motives. It also says the economic attraction of fertile river plains contributed to invasions. Its treatment of medieval history emphasises struggles for sovereignty, alliances, confederacies and the defence or restoration of political and cultural institutions.

NCERT’s presentation also acknowledges differing relationships between regional powers and the Mughals. While Mewar is presented through its resistance to Mughal authority, the textbook notes that the Kachhwahas of Amber entered cooperative arrangements with the Mughal state. It discusses Maharana Pratap, the Ahom resistance culminating in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671, and Maratha campaigns associated with Shivaji.

The book also covers Jat resistance in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab, linking it to taxation, exploitation and Aurangzeb’s religious policies. It refers to Gokul Jat’s rebellion in 1669 and a later uprising led by zamindars of Sinsani and Sogar.

Part 2 follows the first volume of Understanding Society: India and Beyond, released in June. Together, the volumes replace the earlier subject-wise Class 9 Social Science books as NCERT implements textbooks aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.

The revised approach marks a change from the previous Class 9 history course, which included the French Revolution, socialism in Europe, the Russian Revolution, Nazism and Hitler’s rise. Those themes are no longer the starting point of the new Class 9 volume.

Congress presses CEC exit and SIR suspension

The Congress Working Committee on Tuesday demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s immediate resignation, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and restoration of 13.30 crore names that the party claims have been removed during the exercise.

The party’s highest decision-making body adopted resolutions at a meeting in New Delhi, escalating its confrontation with the Election Commission over the SIR and alleged irregularities in voter registration. Congress also demanded the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the electoral process had been compromised. The government and the Bharatiya Janata Party have rejected opposition allegations of electoral manipulation.

The CWC said Kumar had forfeited “all moral and institutional authority” to continue as Chief Election Commissioner. Its resolution called for an immediate halt to the SIR, citing what it described as serious concerns over the integrity and transparency of electoral rolls being prepared through the process and questions about its constitutional validity.

Congress further demanded immediate restoration of 13 crore 30 lakh names it says were removed from electoral rolls. The figure is a party claim and does not, by itself, establish that all those deletions involved eligible voters or were improper. Electoral-roll revision normally includes removal of names for reasons including death, relocation, duplication and failure to establish eligibility under prescribed procedures.

The resolution argued that a revision process placing the burden on citizens to prove eligibility, conducted without adequate safeguards and resulting in what Congress called arbitrary mass disenfranchisement, could not be reconciled with constitutional guarantees of equality and universal adult suffrage.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who chaired the meeting, also set out demands for greater transparency in electoral-roll management. He called for full disclosure of additions, deletions and modifications; notification to voters whose names are removed and an opportunity to appeal; timely provision of electoral data to political parties; transparent investigation of disputed changes; and greater openness in Election Commission decision-making.

The dispute has sharpened after accounts of internal differences within the Election Commission over aspects of the SIR. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were reported to have recorded objections on multiple occasions concerning procedural decisions, including changes connected with Form 6, which is used for voter enrolment.

The Election Commission has maintained that differences of view and observations are normal in institutional deliberations and that its orders have legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures. It has also said correspondence involving the two commissioners concerned an officer on deputation rather than policy or information-technology matters.

The CWC nevertheless alleged that decision-making had become excessively concentrated and accused the poll body of failing to address opposition concerns adequately. It said Congress would continue challenging the SIR through political mobilisation, Parliament and the courts.

Kharge said the controversy raised questions about the credibility of electoral administration and argued that voters must be told when their names are deleted and given an effective avenue for redress. Congress has sought to link those demands to its broader campaign alleging manipulation of voter lists in several states.

The meeting was attended by senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K. C. Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh. The resolutions followed weeks of opposition pressure over the SIR and the functioning of the Election Commission, with Congress seeking a coordinated response from other opposition parties.

The INDIA opposition grouping was due to meet on Wednesday to discuss a common strategy on the Election Commission and the roll revision. Congress leaders have indicated that parliamentary action, including another effort concerning the CEC’s removal, could form part of those discussions.

Omar Abdullah escalates jibe over honour for CEC

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has mocked a BJP call for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to receive the Padma Bhushan, saying he should instead be awarded the Bharat Ratna and eventually made President.

Abdullah made the sarcastic remarks while speaking to reporters in Srinagar on Tuesday, as political arguments over the Election Commission’s functioning and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls continued.

“Padma Bhushan? Why stop there? Give him the Bharat Ratna!” Abdullah said. Referring to the next presidential election, he added that Kumar could then be made President because, in his words, he had “done so much for the BJP”.

The remarks were a response to West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, who had publicly defended Kumar and said the Chief Election Commissioner deserved “at the very least” the Padma Bhushan. Bhattacharya praised the conduct of this year’s West Bengal Assembly election and the revision of electoral rolls, arguing that voters had been able to cast ballots without intimidation.

Abdullah rejected that assessment and alleged that the Election Commission had effectively “gifted West Bengal to the BJP”. His statement was political criticism rather than an established finding about the conduct or outcome of the election.

The National Conference leader also urged the Election Commission to examine concerns about its internal functioning rather than dismiss them. He said the controversy was not based solely on accusations made by opposition parties and argued that the commission should address questions raised about decision-making within the three-member body.

“The Election Commission should do some soul-searching,” Abdullah said, adding that it should improve its functioning and try to prevent circumstances that generate allegations about its independence or procedures.

The dispute intensified after disclosures that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on multiple occasions concerning electoral-roll decisions, including voter registration, deletion and restoration, Form 6 requirements and management of the electoral database.

The Election Commission has pushed back against suggestions that those disagreements meant its final decisions lacked collective approval. It has said differing views and observations are normal within a multi-member constitutional institution and maintained that key decisions were ultimately taken unanimously.

The institutional dispute reached the Supreme Court on Wednesday, when the court agreed to hear a petition questioning Kumar’s functioning and the legality of aspects of the SIR. The petition alleges that powers belonging to the commission collectively were exercised unilaterally. Those allegations remain to be adjudicated, and the matter is listed next week for hearing.

A full commission meeting involving Kumar, Sandhu and Joshi was held at Nirvachan Sadan on Saturday. The poll body subsequently announced measures relating to the Special Intensive Revision and its procedures, while reiterating its position that institutional deliberations should not be equated with formal dissent from final decisions.

The controversy has nevertheless widened politically. Opposition parties have demanded greater scrutiny of Kumar’s leadership and of the SIR process, while BJP leaders and allies have defended the Election Commission and accused its critics of undermining confidence in the constitutional body.

Bhattacharya’s proposal for a Padma Bhushan came against that backdrop. He credited Kumar with overseeing what he described as a peaceful election in West Bengal and supported the revision of voter lists, saying it had removed names that should not have remained on the rolls. Opposition parties have disputed claims surrounding the revision and questioned aspects of the exercise.

Abdullah’s intervention sharpened the exchange by turning the proposed civilian honour into a broader attack on what he portrays as excessive BJP praise for the Chief Election Commissioner. His reference to the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, and the presidency was plainly sarcastic.

The Chief Minister also addressed other issues while speaking to reporters. Asked about External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s assessment of ties with China, Abdullah said Jaishankar was not wrong to point to an improvement compared with the period following the Galwan confrontation.

Gandhi urges Congress colleagues to trust his campaign

Rahul Gandhi has urged Congress leaders who remain sceptical of his campaign over alleged electoral irregularities to place greater trust in his political assessment, telling the party’s top decision-making body that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah recognise Congress as the principal alternative to the BJP.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha made the remarks during Tuesday’s closed-door Congress Working Committee meeting in New Delhi, according to people familiar with the deliberations. Gandhi is learnt to have told colleagues that some CWC members had not fully backed him and should “start believing” in him.

Gandhi referred to an earlier meeting with Modi and Shah in which, according to his account to the CWC, he was asked whether he had a problem with the BJP. He said he replied that he was doing what was best for his party. Gandhi told colleagues that Modi and Shah responded that if the BJP lost power, Congress would replace it.

The account of that exchange has not been publicly confirmed by Modi or Shah. Gandhi used it internally to question why some Congress leaders remained doubtful about his “vote chori”, or vote theft, campaign when, as he characterised the conversation, the BJP’s two most senior leaders regarded Congress as its eventual successor in government.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge intervened during the discussion to assure Gandhi that the party leadership stood behind him on the electoral issue. Gandhi responded that colleagues should not fall too far behind, while Kharge said the entire party would walk with him, according to accounts of the meeting.

The exchange came as the CWC escalated its confrontation with the government and the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The committee demanded the resignations of Modi, Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the revision exercise and restoration of names it says were removed from voter lists.

Those demands are political claims and have been rejected by the BJP, which has accused Congress of attacking constitutional institutions when election outcomes do not favour it. BJP general secretary Smriti Irani questioned whether Congress was selectively challenging the Election Commission while accepting its functioning in states where opposition parties had performed well.

The Election Commission has also defended its procedures. It has said differing views and observations among election commissioners are a normal feature of institutional deliberations, while maintaining that its orders have legal sanction and follow established procedures.

Gandhi told the CWC that the party’s sustained focus on alleged electoral manipulation had altered the political atmosphere over the past two years. He argued that questions raised by Congress over elections in Haryana, Karnataka and Maharashtra, initially met with scepticism by some within the party, had gained wider attention.

He also urged Congress to combine “virodh”, or opposition, with “pratirodh”, or resistance, from Parliament to the streets. His intervention was intended both to reinforce the party’s campaign against alleged electoral malpractice and to address internal doubts over the political course he has pursued.

The CWC resolution echoed Gandhi’s position, saying concerns he had raised had developed into a broader demand for transparency and accountability. It accused the Election Commission and the government of compromising electoral integrity, allegations both institutions contest.

The immediate dispute has intensified following disclosures that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on multiple occasions to aspects of the voter-roll revision process. The Election Commission subsequently announced measures addressing several concerns, including a review of voter-roll software and procedural changes intended to make verification easier for voters.

Congress leaders also discussed how to carry the campaign forward. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra favoured building public pressure over the demand for Kumar’s resignation, while Kumari Selja argued that the party should prepare its next steps if the Chief Election Commissioner remained in office.

Curative plea targets Supreme Court poll-law split

A curative petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking recall of its September 23 split ruling on challenges to the 2023 law governing appointments to the Election Commission, alleging a conflict-of-interest concern involving Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.

The petition, filed by Jaya Thakur and others, seeks a fresh hearing before an appropriate bench. It argues that Justice Sharma ought to have disclosed that his son, advocate Siddharth Sharma, has served as standing counsel for the Election Commission of India before the Madhya Pradesh High Court since July 2024, and should have recused himself.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's advocates database lists Siddharth Sharma as counsel for the Election Commission, with his engagement dated July 10, 2024. The curative plea says the professional association created a "reasonable apprehension of bias and propriety" because the constitutional authority represented by the judge's son was connected to the litigation before him.

The petition does not allege that Justice Sharma decided the case for an improper reason. Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, who certified the matter as fit for curative jurisdiction and settled the petition, said he had "no doubt" that the judge decided the case on its merits. He nevertheless said the principle that justice must also be seen to be done made recusal appropriate.

Justice Sharma and Justice Dipankar Datta had delivered differing opinions on September 23 on whether petitions challenging the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023 should go before a five-judge Constitution Bench.

Justice Datta held that a larger-bench reference was unnecessary, while Justice Sharma concluded that the challenge raised a substantial question of constitutional interpretation requiring consideration by a Constitution Bench. Despite their disagreement, both judges directed that the papers be placed before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to consider constituting a bench of appropriate strength.

Justice Datta's opinion also examined the composition of the selection committee, observing that the presence of a Cabinet minister nominated by the Prime Minister raised a question about perceived neutrality because ministers are bound by collective responsibility. Justice Sharma took the view that Parliament's exercise of its power under Article 324, and the constitutional implications of replacing the court-devised interim arrangement, presented questions that should be authoritatively considered by at least five judges. Neither opinion finally determined the validity of the 2023 Act.

The underlying petitions challenge provisions including Section 7 of the 2023 Act. The law provides for a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet minister nominated by the Prime Minister to recommend appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.

That arrangement replaced the interim mechanism laid down by a Constitution Bench in the 2023 Anoop Baranwal judgment, under which the selection committee consisted of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India until Parliament enacted a law. Petitioners contend that replacing the Chief Justice with a Cabinet minister weakens the institutional independence required of the Election Commission. The Union government has defended Parliament's authority to prescribe the appointment mechanism.

The curative petition also questions how the larger-bench issue arose. It says the Union government's counter-affidavit filed in May 2026 contained no objection to the constitutional challenge being heard by a two-judge bench, and says the Attorney General raised the objection under Article 145 during oral arguments on May 14.

Thakur's plea relies on the Supreme Court's decision in Rupa Ashok Hurra versus Ashok Hurra, the case that established the narrow curative jurisdiction intended to prevent a miscarriage of justice after ordinary remedies have been exhausted. It argues that non-disclosure of a judge's connection with a party can justify curative intervention where circumstances create an apprehension of bias.

Ujjain mosque removal proceeds after court-backed settlement

Removal of part of Ujjain’s Shahi Masjid has continued under heavy security after its management reached a settlement with civic authorities over a road-widening project linked to preparations for the 2028 Simhastha pilgrimage.

Members of the mosque committee began dismantling the affected section themselves after talks involving the local administration and the city Qazi. District Collector Roshan Kumar Singh said the work was voluntary, while committee representative Fahim Sikandar said the community was cooperating with the widening project after efforts to preserve the entire structure failed to produce an agreement.

The development followed a tense confrontation on Monday, when a crowd opposing the removal gathered near the mosque and stones were thrown at police. Police used tear gas and force to disperse protesters. Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma said 15 people had been detained and cases registered as investigators examined CCTV footage, drone recordings and social-media activity.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore bench subsequently disposed of appeals challenging the action after being informed that the mosque’s representatives and Ujjain Municipal Corporation had settled their dispute. The court said assurances given by the corporation would bind the civic authority and directed the parties to adhere to the arrangement.

A lawyer representing one of the Muslim parties, Kuldeep Pathak, said the administration had initially sought removal of about 9.5 feet of the structure but the settlement reduced the affected portion to about three feet. Earlier accounts from community representatives had indicated that the precise extent remained under discussion as dismantling began.

The dispute concerns the widening to 15 metres of the road between Kanthal Chouraha and Gopal Mandir, a route authorities say must accommodate substantially heavier pilgrim traffic during Simhastha 2028. The project forms part of the Ujjain Development Plan 2035 and requires removal or alteration of structures within the planned alignment.

Mosque representatives and residents had resisted the proposed demolition, arguing that the religious structure should be protected and alternatives considered. Imam Mohammad Ibrahim has said the mosque dates to 1390, making it 636 years old, although the claimed age has not been independently established through an archaeological finding cited in the court proceedings.

Large numbers of Muslims gathered at the mosque on Sunday and some remained overnight as negotiations continued. The city Qazi, Khalil Qureshi Rehman, later said the dispute had been resolved through mutual agreement and urged residents not to gather at the site or respond to rumours.

The controversy had already reached the High Court earlier in September. A single-judge bench rejected petitions against the municipal notices, finding that the widening was being undertaken under statutory authority and that the action could not be considered discriminatory merely because it affected a religious property.

The court recorded the corporation’s submission that portions of 10 temples and another mosque had already been removed along the same road and that action connected with the wider development programme had affected about 80 religious structures. It also noted that nearly all structures obstructing the approximately 1.5-km stretch had been removed, apart from the Shahi Masjid and a structure opposite it.

Petitioners had argued that removing portions of the mosque would violate constitutional protections and affect its prayer hall, minaret and associated religious space. The corporation maintained that widening was necessary to manage congestion and the movement of the large numbers of devotees expected for Simhastha.

The dispute also acquired a political dimension. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi opposed the proposed removal and described the earlier gathering as a peaceful protest, while critics of the state government questioned why the road alignment could not be adjusted to protect the mosque. The administration has rejected suggestions of discriminatory treatment, pointing to removals affecting properties and religious structures belonging to different communities.

Authorities maintained a substantial security presence around the old-city area following Monday’s violence. Police said they were also scrutinising online material for alleged rumours and provocative posts, while the administration and religious leaders appealed for calm.

Reddy remarks on religious slogans draw BJP criticism

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP after contrasting religious and political identities in northern and southern India and questioning the party’s emphasis on the slogan “Jai Shri Ram”.

Speaking at the Conclave 2026 in New Delhi on Monday, Reddy asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders frequently invoked Lord Ram but did not similarly chant “Har Har Mahadev”, a slogan associated with Lord Shiva. He also sought to link religious preferences with regional and economic distinctions.

“Both Mahadev and Ram are our deities,” Reddy said before asking why Modi did not say “Har Har Mahadev”. He said BJP leaders routinely used “Jai Shri Ram” from political platforms and questioned why the Shiva invocation was not heard with comparable frequency.

Reddy went further, describing people of the south as “Dravidians” and those of the north as “Aryans”, and saying southern people were devotees of Shiva while northern political leaders were devotees of Ram. He also characterised Shiva as the deity of poor people and Ram as the deity of the rich, tying the comparison to his political attack on the BJP.

The remarks prompted objections from the BJP, which accused the Congress chief minister of attempting to create divisions among communities and regions for political purposes. Party critics argued that worship of Ram and Shiva cuts across geographical, linguistic and economic boundaries and rejected Reddy’s attempt to frame the two traditions through a north-south divide.

Reddy’s comments came during a wider discussion about differences in political culture between northern and southern states. He said student politics and routes into mainstream parties operated differently in Telangana, citing his own experience and the movement of politicians between ideological organisations and established parties.

The chief minister also argued that the country’s political and economic tensions should not simply be characterised as a contest between north and south. Instead, he accused the Modi government of creating what he described as a “Gujarat versus the rest of India” situation by directing investment and major projects towards Gujarat.

He cited infrastructure and investment demands from Telangana, including the Hyderabad Metro expansion, the Regional Ring Road, national highways and semiconductor projects, while arguing that the state had not received adequate support from the Centre. The BJP has repeatedly rejected opposition accusations that the Union government discriminates against states governed by rival parties.

Reddy also used the Delhi event to renew his criticism of a future delimitation exercise based on population. Southern states have raised concerns that population-linked redistribution of Lok Sabha seats could reduce their relative parliamentary influence after decades in which several of them achieved lower population growth.

Illustrating his argument, Reddy referred to the existing representation of Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha seats and Uttar Pradesh 80. He said a proportional expansion without safeguards could widen the numerical gap and argued that states which controlled population growth should not be disadvantaged in parliamentary representation.

The chief minister separately attacked the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and called for a nationwide campaign against the exercise. He alleged that the process could be used to remove voters opposed to the BJP before the 2029 general election. The Election Commission has maintained that electoral-roll revisions are intended to ensure accurate voter lists and remove ineligible or duplicate entries.

Reddy also spoke about education, skills and employment policies in Telangana. He highlighted the state’s Young India Skills University and the upgrading of Industrial Training Institutes into Advanced Technology Centres, saying the government was seeking to improve employability and prepare young people for skilled work.

He said demand for blue-collar skills would grow and pointed to potential employment opportunities in countries including Japan, Germany and South Korea. Learning foreign languages such as German and Japanese, he said, could help Telangana’s young workers compete for jobs overseas.

Kolkata school alerts police over religious curriculum parcel

Kolkata police are investigating a registered parcel sent to state-run Jadavpur Vidyapith containing Islamic religious books and a letter asking the school to introduce Islamic teaching and religious texts into its curriculum.

Headmaster Parthapratim Baidya approached Jadavpur police after examining the package, which reached his office on September 24. An FIR was lodged at Jadavpur police station on September 25, and investigators are seeking to establish who dispatched the parcel and why it was sent to the school.

The package contained religious material, including a copy of the Quran. The accompanying letter sought the inclusion of Islamic teaching and the study of religious texts in the syllabus, according to details provided by the headmaster.

Baidya said the school had not promoted religious dogma among its pupils and stressed that it followed an inclusive approach to education. He said teaching the tenets of one particular religion to students would be inconsistent with that approach.

The headmaster also voiced concern that the parcel could have been intended to create trouble, though he did not identify or accuse any individual. He said determining the circumstances surrounding the delivery, including the identity and intentions of the sender, was a matter for the police investigation.

Police are examining the origin of the registered parcel and attempting to verify the identity of the person named as its sender. Investigators are also reviewing CCTV footage from the school and surrounding areas as part of efforts to reconstruct how the material reached the institution.

One line of inquiry is whether the person whose name appeared on the parcel and letter actually sent the material or whether that identity was used by somebody else. No finding on that question has been announced, and police have not publicly attributed responsibility for sending the package.

Baidya said the material was not immediately examined on September 24 because school officials were occupied with other work. He opened it the following day, saw the letter and books and then took the contents to the police station, where he submitted information in writing and handed over the material.

He said the unusual nature of the request, rather than the presence of a religious book by itself, prompted him to contact police. The school teaches pupils to respect all faiths, he said, adding that he would have viewed a religious book differently had it simply been presented as a gift.

The headmaster said he had not encountered a similar episode during his teaching career and regarded the matter as sensitive because it involved a school with a large student population. The institution is located close to Jadavpur University in south Kolkata.

Baidya also informed the state secondary education authorities about the episode, extending the school's response beyond the police complaint. Officials have not announced any separate administrative action over the request, leaving the criminal inquiry as the principal process.

School authorities have asked investigators to trace the source of the communication and establish why Jadavpur Vidyapith was selected to receive it. The inquiry is therefore focused both on verifying the sender and on determining whether the delivery was an isolated act.

The episode also raises a legal distinction relevant to state-funded education. Article 28 of India's Constitution says no religious instruction shall be provided in an educational institution wholly maintained out of state funds, while providing separate rules for institutions administered by the state but established under an endowment or trust requiring religious instruction.

The constitutional provision also says a person attending a state-recognised or state-aided educational institution cannot be required to take part in religious instruction or worship conducted there without consent, with guardian consent required for minors.

No change to Jadavpur Vidyapith's curriculum has been announced, and the school has treated the letter as an unsolicited request rather than an educational proposal under consideration. Its response has centred on reporting the delivery and preserving the parcel and its contents for investigation.

Security cordon reinforced around Meerut mosque after video

Security was tightened around a mosque in Meerut’s Kesarganj Mandi area on Tuesday after a social media video showed a Hindu outfit leader announcing plans to recite the Hanuman Chalisa near the place of worship, police said.

Additional personnel were deployed outside the mosque, patrols were intensified and surveillance was increased in the locality as a precaution against any disturbance. Police said they were also monitoring social media activity connected with the proposed programme.

Superintendent of Police Vinayak Gopal Bhosale said maintaining law and order was the priority and nobody would be permitted to take the law into their own hands. Police appealed to residents to remain peaceful and ignore rumours or unverified information circulating online.

The video featured Pinky Chaudhary, identified as the national president of a Hindu outfit, announcing that he planned to reach Meerut and recite the Hanuman Chalisa near the mosque on Tuesday. Another person, Lalit Sharma, was also associated with the video, according to accounts of the announcement.

Police moved to strengthen the security arrangements after the clip circulated widely, bringing renewed attention to an existing dispute over construction at the mosque. Officers maintained a visible presence around Kesarganj Mandi while stepping up patrols through the surrounding commercial area.

Zubair, the mosque’s mutawalli, or caretaker, approached the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police and submitted a complaint seeking action over the announcement. He also asked the authorities to ensure that peace and public order were maintained around the mosque.

The immediate dispute has its roots in construction work on the upper portion of the building. Police said work on the mosque’s upper floor had been stopped about a month earlier following objections from traders in the locality. The traders had complained that construction was being undertaken without the required permission.

Meerut Police had said earlier that the local station house officer visited the site and contacted people responsible for the mosque before work described as renovation on the third floor was stopped. Those involved were advised to approach the city administration over the matter.

The construction issue subsequently drew representations from traders and political figures. Meerut MP Arun Govil wrote to District Magistrate V K Singh this month after receiving a representation from the Meerut Merchant Association, Kesarganj Mandi. Govil sought an inquiry into allegations that work had proceeded without prior administrative permission and requested action in accordance with the law if violations were established.

Those allegations concern the legality of the construction and have not been treated by police as grounds for allowing any group to disturb public order. Authorities have instead focused on keeping the dispute within administrative and legal channels while preventing confrontations at the site.

Local traders have also expressed concern that the arrival of people from outside the area could disturb the atmosphere in the market. Their concerns added to the police decision to maintain an enhanced presence around the mosque after the video emerged.

Kesarganj Mandi is a busy trading locality, making crowd control and the uninterrupted functioning of the market an immediate consideration for the administration. Police precautions on Tuesday centred on the mosque and adjoining streets rather than any wider restrictions across Meerut.

The Hanuman Chalisa is a Hindu devotional hymn dedicated to Hanuman. Public recitations are common, but the announced choice of a location close to the mosque placed the proposed event within the context of the unresolved construction dispute and prompted police intervention before any gathering could develop.

Officials did not announce permission for the proposed recitation. Their statements instead stressed preventive deployment, patrols and monitoring, with officers instructed to maintain order and respond to any attempt to create a confrontation.

Supreme Court keeps Bengal SIR hearing on schedule

The Supreme Court has declined to advance its hearing on appeals linked to West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, keeping the matter for October 5, a day before Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana rejected the request for an earlier hearing on Monday after counsel raised concerns that thousands of electoral-roll appeals affecting voters in the two constituencies remained unresolved.

Counsel told the court that the matter had earlier been expected to come up on September 29 but was no longer on that day’s cause list and was instead being shown tentatively for October 5. Polling in Nandigram and Rejinagar is scheduled for October 6.

“These are only by-elections. That is all,” Chief Justice Kant said while declining the request. The bench indicated that it would take up the matter on October 5.

The request for urgency focused on appeals against decisions concerning inclusion and exclusion of names following the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, undertaken in West Bengal. Counsel submitted that more than 18,000 appeals connected with the two poll-bound constituencies remained pending and argued that affected electors risked losing another opportunity to vote.

The lawyer told the bench that some of the people concerned had already been unable to participate in the Assembly elections while their electoral status remained unresolved. The submission was made to press the case for judicial consideration before voting in the two constituencies.

The request did not ask the bench to decide the merits of the SIR challenges on Monday. It concerned only the timing of the next hearing, with counsel seeking enough time before polling for the court to address the unresolved appeals and their electoral consequences.

The wider pendency before the appellate tribunals is substantially larger. Figures placed by the Election Commission of India before the Supreme Court show that 38,31,429 appeals had been filed following the revision exercise. Of these, 1,26,194 had been decided, leaving 37,05,235 pending when the data were furnished.

The Commission’s figures show that 22,21,118 appeals were filed by people challenging the exclusion or deletion of their names from the electoral rolls, while 16,10,311 challenged the inclusion of names. The data were submitted after the Supreme Court sought details on the scale and disposal of appeals before the tribunals.

The appellate mechanism was established under the Supreme Court’s supervision to deal with disputes generated by the revision. The Election Commission constituted 19 single-member appellate tribunals, headed by former chief justices and judges of high courts, for West Bengal’s 23 districts. The tribunals began functioning in April.

The Supreme Court had earlier directed that electors dissatisfied with decisions made during adjudication of claims and objections could approach the appellate tribunals. The system was intended to provide judicial scrutiny of decisions affecting whether names remained on, were restored to, or were removed from the electoral rolls.

The scale of pending cases has since become a central issue before the court. The Election Commission has suggested increasing the number of tribunals to accelerate disposal, telling the court that the existing arrangement faces a large volume of appeals. Its filing proposed expanding the mechanism in a manner corresponding to the state’s parliamentary constituencies.

The October 6 bypolls have brought the pace of adjudication into sharper focus because unresolved appeals could affect whether individual applicants are on the rolls used for polling. The court, however, did not accept that the approaching by-elections required the scheduled hearing to be brought forward.

The matter forms part of continuing proceedings over the SIR and the adjudicatory framework created to handle disputes arising from it. The Supreme Court has sought periodic information on the functioning of the tribunals and the number of cases disposed of, while hearing applications connected with the revision.

Dhulia says ECI cannot determine citizenship

Former Supreme Court judge Sudhanshu Dhulia has said determining citizenship falls outside the Election Commission of India’s remit, stressing that the Supreme Court has settled the question in several judgments.

Dhulia, speaking at an Idea Exchange event, said citizenship remained a prerequisite for registration as a voter but the poll body was not the authority empowered to decide a person’s citizenship. He said that responsibility lay with the Union Home Ministry, reiterating a position he had voiced while sitting on a Supreme Court bench hearing challenges to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar in July 2025.

“This is the law laid down by the Supreme Court in several earlier judgments: this is not the Election Commission of India’s job,” Dhulia said. “But a voter has to be a citizen of this country. The problem is the enormous conditions that have been imposed.”

His remarks have renewed attention on the legal boundaries of the ECI’s powers as the commission carries out a large-scale revision of electoral rolls. The exercise has generated disputes over documentation, inclusion and deletion of names, and the procedures used to establish whether applicants satisfy statutory eligibility requirements.

The Representation of the People Act, 1950, makes citizenship a condition for electoral registration. Section 16 disqualifies a person from registration if that person is not a citizen of India, while electoral registration authorities have powers to maintain and revise the rolls. The legal dispute centres on how far those powers extend when doubts about citizenship arise and which authority can conclusively determine citizenship status.

Dhulia’s comments echoed the distinction he drew from the bench in July 2025. Sitting with Justice Joymalya Bagchi on a vacation bench, he declined to halt the Bihar revision at that stage but questioned the documentation requirements and suggested that the commission consider Aadhaar, voter identity cards and ration cards while updating the rolls.

At the event, Dhulia emphasised that his role in those proceedings was limited. He said he had sat as a vacation judge for only a day or two and that the substantive arguments on the validity of the revision were heard later by another bench. His bench had dealt principally with interim issues concerning documents.

The Supreme Court subsequently ruled in May 2026 on challenges arising from the Bihar exercise. The court noted that Aadhaar does not constitute proof of citizenship or domicile, while recognising its statutory use for establishing identity. It also recorded that an earlier interim order had directed the commission to treat Aadhaar as an additional document of identity for considering inclusion or exclusion from Bihar’s revised electoral roll.

Questions over citizenship and electoral registration have reached the Supreme Court before. In the 1995 Lal Babu Hussein case, the court examined Election Commission directions concerning people suspected of being non-citizens and stressed procedural safeguards. It held that electoral authorities dealing with citizenship questions for the limited purpose of the electoral law had to examine them carefully under the Constitution and the Citizenship Act, while ensuring affected people received a proper opportunity to respond.

Dhulia also addressed concerns over the functioning of the three-member Election Commission. Asked about objections reportedly recorded by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi to steps taken by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, he said it would be serious if decisions had been taken only by the CEC. He cautioned, however, that the other side had not been heard and that it was too early to reach a conclusion.

The Election Commission has maintained that final decisions relating to the electoral-roll revision were unanimous and has announced procedural changes intended to ease difficulties faced by voters during verification. These include steps concerning document collection and the handling of voters whose records require further scrutiny.