‘Cockroach’ party leaders released as Delhi braces for second day of protests

NEW DELHI, Oct 11: Delhi braced for a second day of youth protests demanding the resignation of India’s election chief on Sunday, as a court ordered the release of the “cockroach” movement founder, Abhijeet Dipke, and two other senior leaders.

Dipke, ⁠the founder of the ⁠Cockroach Janta party (CJP), and ​the other leaders were detained when their plane landed in Delhi on Saturday, as the movement planned to gather thousands of people at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi.

Indian authorities on Saturday deployed a sweeping crackdown across Delhi and detained thousands of protesters as the youth “cockroach” movement sought to intensify a nationwide campaign against a contentious voter list revision that has fuelled anger at the prime minister, Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government and election authorities.

Police detained more than 2,000 people to thwart ‌Saturday’s protest. Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel continued to be deployed across the city on Sunday although metro stations reopened and mobile ‌internet services were back up.

Most detained on the first day of protests were released on Saturday night, police said.

Opposition parties and critics of Modi’s government criticised what they said was the high-handed use of force against the protesters.

The UN human rights office expressed concerns over mass detentions before and during the protests.

UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said: “We call on the authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is ​fully respected and fulfilled.” He urged ‌authorities to engage in “meaningful dialogue” to address the “broadly held” concerns ‌expressed.

India’s foreign ministry said the UN’s approach was “selective” and its statement constituted “an unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of India”.

The protests are calling for the resignation of the chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, over a revision of voter lists that critics say disproportionately benefits Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), which has been in power for ​more than 12 years.

Sporadic protests have been going on across India since the Indian Express newspaper in late September reported Kumar’s two deputies raised several concerns internally about voter list revisions, registration procedures and digital systems.

India's Supreme Court orders review of Delhi barricades, seeks response on alleged police excesses

NEW DELHI, Oct 11: The Supreme Court on Sunday directed authorities to review all barricading across Delhi, ensure normal functioning of Metro and rail services unless restrictions are necessary to maintain public order, and keep internet services undisturbed in accordance with the law.

The bench also ordered that free movement of people and traffic be permitted, subject to public-order and traffic requirements, and said lawyers must not be obstructed from discharging their duties.

The special hearing followed Saturday’s protests over demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and allegations of police excesses, illegal detentions and restrictions on peaceful demonstrations.

Multiple petitions raised concerns over the detention of political leaders, lawyers, journalists and citizens, alleged assaults on advocates and mediapersons, internet restrictions and the closure of 45 Metro stations. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal sought interim relief, including the resumption of trains to Delhi and an end to restrictions beyond Jantar Mantar.

The court said authorities would have to respond to allegations of excessive force and illegal detentions. All matters will be heard again on Tuesday. India Today News Desk brings you the key developments from the hearing, with inputs from our legal reporters inside the court.

Rahul Gandhi says President Murmu sought proof of ‘election chori’ after INDIA bloc submits memorandum against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

NEW DELHI, Oct 10: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said Thursday night that President Droupadi Murmu did not deny Opposition MPs’ charge about ‘vote chori‘ and irregularities in the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls.

Speaking to reporters outside Rashtrapati Bhavan – after a nearly hour-long meeting between a delegation that included Gandhi and Trinamool boss Mamata Banerjee and the President – the Congress leader said: “We took a memorandum to the President… We said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have conspired to destroy Indian democracy. The president in no way denied what we said.”

“(She) in no way questioned what we said… and in no way argued what we said. She accepted our statement and then said we need to bring her proof.”

“I said the proof of ‘vote chori’ is known to the whole country. State after state has been stolen. 24 elections have been stolen. Yet, the President wants proof. The same group of people will take proof when she is ready to accept it.”

“I expected the President of India to deny that ‘vote chori’ is taking place. I expected the President to say ‘India has free and fair elections’,” he said.

Other members of the delegation are Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, and CPM’s MA Baby. Earlier, INDIA bloc sources said that if they did not get an appointment with the President, they would protest outside Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The meeting late Thursday came after three consecutive days of street-level protests by the Opposition coalition, starting with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s nine-hour sit-in protest at Akashvani Bhavan on Tuesday.

Over the past three days, the Opposition has stepped up its campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner through protests that have led to dramatic scenes in the national capital.

On Tuesday, the INDIA bloc’s march to the Election Commission was blocked. But a surprise sit-in by Rahul Gandhi and his sister and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Akashvani Bhavan added a twist.

The next day, an INDIA bloc lunch at Sagar Ratna in Janpath became a prelude to a Jantar Mantar march. Both protests ended with the detention of Opposition leaders, but caught national attention. On Thursday too, INDIA bloc leaders met for lunch – this time at Connaught Place’s Moets – and were then bussed to Rajghat, keeping up the tempo.

And now, their meeting with the President will add another headline, as a week of the Opposition’s agitation on the streets of the national capital draws to a close.

Veteran Actor Nana Patekar Cremated With State Honours At Pune Farmhouse

PUNE, Oct 8: Veteran actor Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours amid the chants of "Nana Amar Rahe" (Long Live Nana) at Donje farmhouse, Pune on Thursday. Nana Patekar had said that he would like to be cremated at his farmhouse, according to his associates.

Nana Patekar's son Malhar lit the pyre.

Film celebrities including Jackie Shroff, Sajid Nadiadwala and Anil Sharma were present at his funeral, along with several political dignitaries. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also arrived at the actor's native village to pay his last respects.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to Nana Patekar at Pune airport before leaving for Mumbai.

Nana Patekar died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Goa. He was 75.

According to NDTV sources, Nana Patekar - who was at home with his nephew Prasad Patekar - had been complaining of a headache since last night. The actor was later found unconscious, following which he was rushed to the hospital. Information shared by Manipal Hospital said that the doctors tried to revive him for almost 45 minutes after he was brought in, but there was no response.

The actor was declared dead at 5:20 am.

Born on January 1, 1951, in Maharashtra, Nana Patekar became known for his intensity, dialogue delivery, and ability to portray complex, unconventional characters. A recipient of three National Film Awards, he was known for his work in films such as Natsamrat, Wajood, Parinda, Ab Tak Chhappan, and Yeshwant, among others.

He made his Bollywood debut in the 1978 film Gaman. During the early 2000s, Nana Patekar received praise for his performances in Shakti: The Power (2002), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Apaharan (2005), and Taxi No 9211 (2006). He also received widespread praise for playing the gangster 'Uday Shetty' in the comedy Welcome (2007) and its sequel Welcome Back (2015).

Nana Patekar was also a recipient of the Padma Shri, which was awarded to him in 2013 for his contribution to cinema and the arts.

The actor was last seen publicly four days ago in Goa's Dona Paula, where he attended and addressed the Samraat Club International installation ceremony.

Nana Patekar, 75, dies of cardiac arrest

PANJIM, Oct 8: Veteran actor Nana Patekar died on Thursday morning after suffering a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Goa. The actor was 75 when he breathed his last.

While talking to local media, Malhar Patekar, son of Nana Patekar, confirmed that the veteran actor passed away on October 8 at the age of 75. He was found unconscious at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. He was rushed to the Manipal Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival due to a heart attack.

The veteran actor was declared dead at around 5:20 am. Doctors at a private hospital attempted to revive him for about 45 minutes. However, they were unsuccessful.

Over a career spanning several over four decades, Nana Patekar has worked extensively in both Hindi and Marathi cinema, while also trying his hand at writing and direction. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2013 for his contribution to cinema and the arts.

He made his Hindi film debut with Muzaffar Ali’s Gaman in 1978 and gradually established himself as an actor capable of making an impression even in relatively small parts. During the 1980s, Nana appeared in films such as Aaj Ki Awaaz, Ankush, Pratighaat, Andha Yudh, Mohre and Salaam Bombay!. His work in Salaam Bombay! (1988), directed by Mira Nair, brought him greater recognition.

However, it was his performance as gangster Anna in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Parinda (1989) that became the major turning point in his career. His portrayal of the volatile crime lord earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He made his directorial debut with Prahaar: The Final Attack, in which he also played an Army officer. Nana continued to take on varied roles in films such as Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Angaar and Tirangaa. In Angaar (1992), his portrayal of Majid Khan earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Villain. His biggest recognition of the decade came with Krantiveer (1994), in which he played Pratap Narayan Tilak, a troubled man who transforms into a force against corruption and injustice. The performance won him the National Film Award for Best Actor.

Nana followed Krantiveer with another acclaimed phase of his career. In Agni Sakshi (1996), he played a psychologically complex character in a story centred on an abusive and obsessive husband. The performance earned him his second National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The actor was last seen in the movie Subedaar. Released on Prime Videon in 2026, the film also featured Anil Kapoor and Radhika Madan in lead roles.

Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Detained During Sit-In Against Gyanesh Kumar; Released

NEW DELHI, Oct 6: Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera and others were briefly detained at Delhi's Akashvani Bhavan as they staged a sit-in seeking CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation on Tuesday. However, they were released after being taken to a police station at the city's Kingsway Camp.

The march by Opposition parties is against the alleged irregularities in poll body decisions, particularly the Special Intensive Revision exercise or the clean-up drive of electoral rolls. The last march from Parliament building to ECI was on August 11, 2025, against SIR.

The protests began on October 2, with Opposition parties and civil society groups giving a call to gather over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

As Opposition MPs staged a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan, the ECI issued a statement, clarifying that no party sought a meeting before 4pm. It also objected to the requested venue for the meeting - Parliament House Annexe, saying all meetings should ideally take place at the Election Commission.

"While the Election Commission was considering the aforementioned meeting request from the Hon'ble MPs after 4pm, the Delhi Police DCP informed the Commission that the requested meeting was to involve a group of 240 MPs and was proposed to be held at the Parliament House Annexe. The Election Commission deemed this request unusual and unacceptable, as protocol dictates that such meetings take place within the premises of the Election Commission of India," a part of the statement read.

Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were briefly detained during their march to the Election Commission office. Later in the day, they were again detained at Akashvani Bhavan, where they were staging a sit-in.

The BJP has dismissed the march, with Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan calling the protest another attempt to “relaunch Rahul Gandhi.” The former MP CM also accused the Congress of wanting to “spread anarchy” across the country.

The Delhi Police also issued a statement on Tuesday night, saying they got to know through social media that Opposition MPs were planning a march from the Parliament at 10:30am today, and that no application for permission was made.

“The protesters broke through the first barricade put up by the police and advanced to the second barricade near NITI Aayog. Police repeatedly made announcements informing the protesters of the restrictions in force under Section 163 BNSS and appealed to them to disperse peacefully. Despite this, the protesters did not comply with police instructions and stayed on,” the statement read.

‘No amount of whataboutery can justify mass disenfranchisement’: SC Justice Ujjal Bhuyan amid SIR row

NEW DELHI: Any exercise that leads to the disenfranchisement of millions of Indian citizens, making them “second class citizens in their own country” by denying them the right to vote, is “intrinsically arbitrary”, Supreme Court judge Ujjal Bhuyan said on Sunday, delivering a scathing constitutional critique of mass voter exclusion amid the controversy over the Election Commission’s special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

“No amount of whataboutery can justify it,” said Justice Bhuyan, warning that such a process would strike at the very heart of the Constitution and amount to “a negation of the constitutional order which we have adopted under the Constitution of India”.

The Constitution, he underlined, does not envisage two classes of citizens — those with voting rights and those without them.

The judge’s remarks at the valedictory address of the 19th NALSAR-Justice BR Sawhney Memorial Moot Court Competition in Hyderabad on Sunday come as the SIR exercise faces mounting legal and political scrutiny, with the deletion of lakhs of names from electoral rolls, questions over the grounds for issuing verification notices and a huge backlog of appeals raising concerns over the risk of eligible voters being denied their franchise.

Justice Bhuyan warned against any administrative exercise that undermines the constitutional guarantee of adult suffrage. He argued that the right to vote is not a mere statutory entitlement but a constitutional right integral to citizenship and the democratic order.

“Theoretically, citizenship and franchise are intertwined; one cannot be divorced from the other,” he said.

In Delhi, petitioners have told the court that 47.56 lakh names were excluded from the draft electoral roll published on August 31, while another 33.13 lakh electors were identified for notices on grounds of “no mapping” or “logical discrepancies”. On September 22, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant sought the Election Commission’s response to pleas challenging the process and questioned the basis on which such notices were being issued. Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked the poll panel to examine whether notices were being generated mechanically, while the Chief Justice sought clarity on the meaning of “logical discrepancy”. The Commission assured the court that no voter would be deleted without following the prescribed process.

In West Bengal, the problem has extended beyond exclusion to the ability of affected voters to secure timely relief. The Election Commission informed the Supreme Court in September that 22.21 lakh of the 27.16 lakh electors deleted through adjudication had appealed against their exclusion. Another 16.10 lakh appeals challenged the inclusion of voters, taking the total to 38.31 lakh. More than 37 lakh appeals remained pending, prompting the Commission to propose increasing the number of appellate tribunals from 19 to 42. The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up the matter on October 5.

Against this backdrop, Justice Bhuyan traced the constitutional promise of universal adult franchise to the freedom struggle and the Constituent Assembly’s decision to trust every adult Indian with an equal vote, irrespective of literacy, wealth, property or social standing.

The framers, he said, adopted universal suffrage despite the enormous administrative challenge and widespread illiteracy in the country. The decision was an act of faith in ordinary Indians and marked the first step towards achieving equality in a society deeply divided by caste and economic status.

Invoking BR Ambedkar’s closing speech in the Constituent Assembly, Justice Bhuyan recalled the warning that India would enter a life of contradictions, with political equality coexisting with social and economic inequality. The principle of “one man, one vote and one vote, one value”, he said, was a facet of equality and the very essence of the Constitution.

A billionaire and a rickshaw puller have votes of equal value, he said. So do a socially privileged temple priest and a person compelled to work as a manual scavenger. Universal adult franchise was the Constitution’s transformative promise that every citizen would have an equal voice in choosing those who govern.

Justice Bhuyan located that promise in Articles 325 and 326 of the Constitution. While Article 325 mandates a single general electoral roll for every constituency and bars exclusion on grounds only of religion, race, caste or sex, Article 326 provides for elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies on the basis of adult suffrage, subject to constitutionally recognised disqualifications.

The emphasis, he said, was on “every citizen of India”. Unless a citizen is disqualified on grounds recognised under Article 326, the person is entitled to be registered as a voter.

The right to vote, he said, may not have been recognised as a fundamental right, but the Supreme Court has repeatedly acknowledged its constitutional character. Citing the court’s judgments in People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India and Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India, he said the franchise was central to free and fair elections, which have themselves been recognised as a basic feature of the Constitution.

Importantly, the judge said the constitutional limits on restricting the franchise applied not only to legislation but also to administrative action.

“If this is true for a legislation, it is equally true, if not more, for any administrative exercise,” he said, cautioning against irrational or unreasonable curtailment of the right to vote.

He also invoked the Supreme Court’s judgment in Lal Babu Hussain Vs Electoral Registration Officer (1995) which laid down safeguards for deletion of voters’ names. Except in the case of a dead voter, he said, a name once entered on the electoral roll cannot be deleted without notice and an opportunity of hearing.

The right to vote, he said, cannot be detached from the identity of a citizen. “It will be like taking out the soul from the body,” he said.

Justice Bhuyan ended his address with a warning that left little room for compromise on the constitutional principle at stake.

“Article 326 cannot be tinkered with at all, “No authority can do it; no court can condone it. No one is above the Constitution.”

He invoked constitutional lawyer Nani Palkhivala’s reminder that freedom cannot be inherited through the bloodstream: every generation must defend it if it is to survive.

“And what is the worth of a citizen without her voting right,” he asked.

Months Ahead Of State Polls, Congress Names New Chiefs For Punjab, UP

LUCKNOW/CHANDIGARH: In a major organisational reshuffle months ahead of state polls, the Congress has named two new chiefs of its Punjab and Uttar Pradesh units. In Punjab, it has gone with hockey legend Pargat Singh, while in Uttar Pradesh, Aradhana Misra Mona has been tasked with leading the party into next year's polls.

Mona, a three-time MLA from UP's Rampur Khas, is the daughter of Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari. She replaces Ajay Rai, who had been at the helm of the Congress's UP unit since 2023.

Both she and her father are seen as close to Akhilesh Yadav, whose Samajwadi Party has welcomed the leadership change and called for a coordinated campaign in the upcoming polls.

Mona thanked Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Gandhis for placing their trust in her and exuded confidence that her party will win the 2027 elections.

"We will take on the government over the BJP's failures, be it the SIR issue, unemployment, law and order, or inflation. In 2027, the BJP will be ousted, and an INDIA alliance government will be formed in Uttar Pradesh," she said.

Several changes also reflected in the Congress' organisational lineup in UP, with Lok Sabha MP Imran Masood being named as the working president, and Devendra Nishad and Alok Prasad appointed as vice presidents of the state unit.

Besides, Chaudhary Virendra Singh has been chosen as the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Uttar Pradesh, a crucial position once held by Mona.

The outgoing chief, Ajay Rai, has extended his best wishes to the newly appointed office-bearers.

Pargat Singh's elevation to the top party post in Punjab came amid rising infighting in the Congress's state unit.

Two days earlier, Amarinder Raja Singh Warring had resigned as the Punjab Congress chief after a heated battle with former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi - an infighting that saw Pargat Singh as largely neutral.

Unlike an entirely fresh lineup in UP, the state chief's appointment has been the only change announced for Punjab.

The other choice that Congress had for the post was Vijay Inder Singla, a former Union minister. A Hindu Bania face, he currently heads the party's election management committee.

The Congress, however, went with Pargat Singh, a Jat Sikh face who was with the Shiromani Akali Dal 10 years ago. Warring, too, is a Jat Sikh, a prominent and politically influential community that gave Punjab most of its chief ministers.