Highest-ever voter turnout since Independence in Bengal, Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI, April 23: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday lauded the voters of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for the highest-ever voter turnout in both states since independence.

While West Bengal, which saw polling for 152 assembly seats in phase 1, recorded a mammoth turnout of 91.91 per cent so far, Tamil Nadu was also not far behind with 84.80 per cent of ballots cast, according to the latest ECI data.

“Highest-ever percentage of polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu since Independence. The ECI salutes each voter of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu,” Gyanesh Kumar said after the polls closed.

The high turnout figures are generally seen as an active electoral exercise as polling drew to a close amid tight security arrangements across constituencies.

Several districts in West Bengal recorded voter turnout of over 90 per cent. Dakshin Dinajpur led with 94.85 per cent, followed by Cooch Behar at 94.54 per cent, Birbhum at 93.70 per cent, Jalpaiguri at 93.23 per cent, and Murshidabad at 92.93 per cent. The figures show consistently high voter participation across the state, with all major districts comfortably above 90 per cent.

Tamil Nadu also recorded a strong turnout across key districts, with Karur leading at 92.48 per cent, followed closely by Salem at 90.42 per cent, Dharmapuri at 90.02 per cent, Erode at 89.97 per cent and Namakkal at 89.63 per cent.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 85.2 per cent while Tamil Nadu recorded 76.6 per cent. The numbers reflect an overwhelming voter turnout across districts, reinforcing both states' consistent trend of high electoral participation.

Polling for the 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and 152 constituencies in West Bengal began amid tight security on Thursday. Polling in the remaining 142 constituencies in West Bengal is slated for May 29, and counting of votes will take place on May 4.

US national arrested after a satellite phone found in his luggage at Srinagar airport

SRINAGAR, April 19: A US national and his companion were detained at the Srinagar International Airport on Sunday after a satellite phone was recovered from their luggage during routine screening.

The individuals were questioned by airport security and later handed over to the police for further investigation. The police later confirmed that one of the individuals, a US national whose bag the satellite phone was found in, had been arrested.

The use of satellite phones is prohibited in India without prior government approval. Devices such as Thuraya and Iridium phones are subject to strict regulation, and unauthorised possession can lead to detention, arrest, and seizure under the Indian Telegraph Act and other security rules.

According to official guidelines, travellers must obtain written permission from the Department of Telecommunications before carrying or using satellite communication devices in the country.

India enforces stringent telecom restrictions due to security concerns, and both foreign nationals and Indian citizens have faced action in the past for carrying satellite communicators.

A US-based ophthalmologist was stopped at Puducherry airport last May, after an Iridium satellite phone was found in her possession. She was prevented from boarding a flight to Hyderabad, and a police investigation was initiated.

Authorities have also reported previous detentions involving foreign nationals, including a Chinese citizen and a British executive, for carrying unauthorised satellite devices at airports and hotels across the country.

To curb such violations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed airlines operating flights to India in January last year to inform passengers about the ban through in-flight announcements, overseas offices and onboard publications.

Foreign governments have also taken note of the strict regulations around satellite phones in India. Travel advisories issued by the US and the UK warn citizens that carrying satellite phones or similar GPS devices into India could lead to hefty fines of up to ₹2 crore, confiscation of equipment, or arrest.

Women's quota bill fails to get two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI, April 17: The Constitution Amendment Bill to tweak Women's Reservation Bill was defeated in Lok Sabha after the government failed to get a special majority in the Parliament on Friday evening.

While 298 members voted in favour of the government backing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 230 members from the opposition voted against the proposed law.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the bill failed to get two-thirds majority in the house and adjourned the proceedings.

"The Constitution (131st Amendment) Amendment Bill did not pass as it did not achieve a 2/3 majority during voting in the House," Birla told the house.

Two other bills, meant for delimitation and increasing the number of seats in the Lok Sabha, were not put to vote in the Lower House after the 131st Amendment Bill failed for get two-thirds majority. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the government would no longer pursue the two related pieces of legislation, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Delimitation Bill, 2026.

The voting in the Lok Sabha comes after two days of marathon debates, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other members spoke.

While the NDA camp, led by PM Modi, Shah and Kiren Rijiju argued in favour of the two-thirds reservation for women, the opposition members questioned the intention behind the law, with Rahul Gandhi saying it had “nothing to do with women empowerment”.

The defeat has triggered due to attempts by a united Opposition, with the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House, Rahul Gandhi, reaching out to TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee to consolidate votes against the motion.

The ruling BJP, led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at the opposition and called the mandate an “insult to the Nari Shakti”.

“Today, a very strange scene unfolded in the Lok Sabha. The Congress, TMC, DMK, and Samajwadi Party did not allow the passage of the essential Constitution Amendment Bill for the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Rejecting the bill that would grant 33% reservation to women, celebrating it, and raising victory cries over it is truly reprehensible and beyond imagination,” Shah wrote on X.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the Opposition’s conduct “reflects a consistent resistance to women’s advancement”, adding that the quota bill introduced by the government was aimed at increasing the participation of Matrashakti in national interest.

After the motion was defeated, a meeting of NDA floor leaders began in Parliament on Friday with several senior leaders of the alliance in attendance.

Union Ministers JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Meghwal and Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present at the meeting, along with BJP National President Nitin Nabin.

Among other leaders attending the meeting were Shrikant Shinde, Anupriya Patel, Jayant Chaudhary, HD Deve Gowda and Upendra Kushwaha.

Nitish Kumar resigns; Samrat Choudhary set to become next Bihar CM

PATNA, April 14: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stepped down on Tuesday, amid hectic political developments in the State. Earlier in the day, Kumar held his last State Cabinet meeting. He informed his Cabinet colleagues about his decision to dissolve the Council of Ministers, a constitutional requirement before tendering his resignation.

Meanwhile Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary is set to become the next CM of Bihar after he was elected as the BJP’s leader of the Legislature Party in the State.

For the first time, the BJP is set to have a Chief Minister in the State. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new government on April 15 at Lok Bhawan.

Pawan Khera claims Himanta Sarma's wife holds 3 passports, Assam CM to sue him

NEW DELHI, April 5: A political controversy erupted in Assam on Sunday after the Congress accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, Riniki Sarma, of holding passports from three countries and owning significant assets overseas.

Shortly after, the Assam Chief Minister hit out, dismissing these allegations as unfounded and politically driven.

"Today’s press conference by Pawan Khera reflects the deep frustration and panic within the Congress party. As Assam moves decisively towards a historic mandate, such desperate and baseless attacks only expose their sinking ground," Sarma wrote on X.

Terming Khera’s allegations ‘malicious, fabricated, and politically motivated,’ Sarma said that both he and his wife would file criminal and civil defamation suits against Pawan Khera within 48 hours, asserting that Khera would be held accountable for his statements.

At a press briefing earlier today, Khera presented documents he claimed were obtained from associates abroad. Khera stated that Riniki Sarma holds valid passports from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Antigua and Barbuda.

He further alleged that she owns properties in Dubai and a company registered in Wyoming, United States, with a budget of USD 34.67 billion, including plans to enter the hotel industry.

Khera further questioned the Chief Minister's adherence to Indian electoral laws, highlighting that these assets were not disclosed in Sarma's election affidavit.

He asked whether Riniki Sarma holds Indian citizenship and a passport, emphasising that India does not permit dual citizenship.

The Congress leader called for the arrest and disqualification of Himanta Biswa Sarma from the forthcoming Assembly elections. He alleged that the undisclosed international assets suggest corruption and possible attempts to relocate abroad should the election results be unfavourable.

Khera requested intervention from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urged the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the claims.

In response, the Assam Chief Minister accused Congress of conducting a “desperate and baseless” campaign to mislead Assam's citizens. On X, he pointed out alleged inconsistencies in the documents shared by Congress, citing digital tampering and glaring errors in the passports and related identification papers.

Sarma highlighted discrepancies such as surname mismatches, publicly available images presented as biometric photographs, and irregularities in the UAE, Egyptian, and Antigua and Barbuda passports.

He noted that the UAE ID showed a nationality discrepancy, the Egyptian passport contained spelling mistakes and incorrect references, and the Antigua and Barbuda passport had conflicting expiry dates. Additionally, a QR code on a title deed was described as invalid and not linked to authentic records.

Centre-state clashes weaken constitutional fabric: Justice BV Nagarathna

PATNA, April 4: A sharp rise in legal confrontations between states and the Union government risks undermining India’s constitutional design, Supreme Court judge Justice BV Nagarathna said on Saturday, cautioning that such disputes erode the spirit of cooperative federalism and weaken institutional balance.

Delivering the First Dr Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on ‘Constitutionalism beyond rights: Why structure matters’ at Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) in Patna, Justice Nagarathna stressed that a “mature federation” must prioritise dialogue and negotiation over litigation, warning that the growing tendency of governments to rush to courts reflects deeper structural concerns.

“Increase in conflict between the States of the Union or between the Centre and the States does not augur well for the nation,” she said, adding that such disputes “create a dent in constitutional form of governance and thus must be avoided.”

In one of the most pointed observations of her address, the judge remarked: “A mature federation ought not rush to courts as adversaries; instead it should turn to dialogue, negotiation, and mediation. When States begin filing suits against one another, or against the Centre, it reflects not strength, but a weakening of cooperative federalism.”

Similarly, she also underlined the responsibility of the Union government in maintaining federal equilibrium, stating that the Centre must view states as coordinates and not subordinates. “No doubt, the Constitution of India is said to be federal in structure and unitary in spirit. Yet, the vertical separation of powers between governments - centre and State - is not a hierarchy or of priority. It is a constitutional arrangement of co-equals,” she added.

Her remarks come at a time when the Supreme Court is increasingly being drawn into politically charged Centre-State and inter-governmental disputes. The court is currently seized of a clutch of petitions by Opposition parties challenging the Election Commission’s special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging large-scale disenfranchisement, while also hearing a high-stakes petition by the Enforcement Directorate against the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over the alleged obstruction of I-PAC raids, a case the court itself described as raising issues that “strike at the rule of law.”

At the same time, continuing litigation over the powers of Governors, particularly in matters such as assent to Bills and appointments of vice-chancellors, has kept the faultlines between elected state governments and constitutional authorities under the scanner, even prompting a presidential reference to the court on the scope of such powers.

Supreme Court judge Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Patna High Court chief justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo and vice-chancellor of CNLU Faizan Mustafa also attended the event.

Justice Nagarathna’s lecture went beyond federal tensions to situate these concerns within the broader framework of constitutionalism and institutional design. Justice Nagarathna spoke at length about the doctrine of separation of powers, describing it as a foundational principle that ensures that no single organ of the state overreaches its mandate.

She highlighted how constitutional institutions are designed not merely to function independently, but to “check, balance, and, where necessary, restrain each other,” thereby preserving democratic accountability. Any weakening of this delicate equilibrium, she suggested, risks upsetting the rule of law.

Her address also touched upon the importance of institutional integrity and constitutional morality, noting that governance structures derive legitimacy not just from legal authority but from adherence to constitutional values. In this context, she stressed that the judiciary, legislature, and executive must operate within their defined spheres while respecting the roles of one another.

Tremors felt in Delhi, parts of North India as earthquake jolts Afghanistan

NEW DELHI, April 3: Tremors were felt across Delhi and parts of north India after a strong earthquake struck Afghanistan, sending brief waves of panic among residents.

According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), an earthquake of upto 5.9 magnitude hit the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region and the Hindu Kush area on Friday.

The quake occurred at a significant depth, with estimates ranging up to around 177 km, which often allows seismic waves to travel farther distances, which explains why tremors were felt across northern India.

It is suspected that there could be damage to poorly-made buildings, however, there were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties.

The earthquake’s epicentre was located near Darawan in Afghanistan, at Latitude 36.398 North and Longitude of 70.878 East.

Residents in Delhi-NCR and nearby regions reported feeling mild shaking, with some stepping out of homes and offices as a precaution. Mild earthquake tremors were experienced across other parts of north India as well, from Kashmir to Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The shaking, which was felt at around 9:46 pm, lasted only a few seconds. People in Pakistan's capital Islamabad also felt tremors, reported Reuters.

People in several areas said they noticed sudden vibrations, especially in multi-storey buildings. A resident in Chandigarh said he felt a noticeable jolt for a short duration, while another person living on a higher floor in Zirakpur said they considered stepping outside but the tremors subsided quickly.

In a related development, the National Center for Seismology recorded a separate, smaller earthquake of magnitude 3.8 in Tibet at a shallow depth of 10 km. Authorities continue to monitor the situation, while further details from the affected regions in Afghanistan are awaited.

Modi chairs security meet amid West Asia crisis; reviews fuel, energy supply

NEW DELHI, April 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a key meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review measures taken by various ministries/ departments amid the West Asia crisis. This was the second CCS meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on the matter.

During the meeting, Modi reviewed supply diversification for LPG and LNG, as well as fuel duty reduction and power sector measures to ensure that essentials remain stable.

In a release by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) after the meeting, the government said efforts to globally diversify sources of energy, fertilizers and other supply chains were being taken.

The cabinet secretary briefed the members about the action taken to ensure supply of petroleum products, particularly LNG/LPG, and sufficient power availability. Interventions across agriculture, fertilizers, shipping, aviation, logistics and MSME's were discussed to face the challenges emerging out of the crisis, the PMO statement said.