THE HEADLINES: –
- Polling ends peacefully for Assembly Elections in Assam, Keralam, and Puducherry; Assam registers over 85 percent voter turnout; Keralam over 78 percent and Puducherry about 89 per cent.
- Campaigning intensifies for Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu with top leaders of various parties holding rallies in support of their candidates.
- India records highest-ever annual solar capacity addition of around 45 Giga Watt in financial year 2025-26.
- Israel says Lebanon is not part of the ongoing ceasefire between US and Iran.
- And, In Asian Boxing Championships, Indian women boxers dominate by clinching 10 medals including four gold in Mongolia.
<><><>
Polling has concluded peacefully for the Assembly Elections in Assam, Keralam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Voters today cast their votes for the 126 seats in Assam, 140 seats in Keralam and 30 seats in Puducherry. In Assam, 85.40 percent polling was recorded. Maximum voter turnout of 95.17 percent was witnessed in South Salmara Mankachar district. More from our Correspondent:-
Despite adverse weather conditions in certain areas, long queues were observed at several polling stations. This marks the highest voter turnout recorded in the last four Assembly elections in the State. Among the districts, South Salmara-Mankachar recorded the highest turnout at 95.13 percent, while West Karbi Anglong registered the lowest at 74.31 percent. In Jalukbari, the constituency represented by Senior BJP Leader and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a turnout of 81.54 percent was recorded. He is contesting against Bidisa Neog of the Indian National Congress. Another closely watched seat is Dispur, where Congress candidate Mira Borthakur and BJP candidate Prodyut Bordoloi are in fray. Jorhat is witnessing a high-profile triangular contest involving Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, Hitendra Nath Goswami of the BJP, and Aam Aadmi Party. Rakesh Doley, Akashvani News, Guwahati.”
In Keralam, 78.05 percent voter turnout was recorded. Maximum 80.89 polling percentage was witnessed in Kozhikode district. We have a report:-
“All three major fronts have claimed high voter turnout in their favour. A total of 883 candidates were in the fray across 140 Assembly constituencies in the state. Chief Minister and CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan contested from Dharmadam, while Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader V. D. Satheesan contested from Paravur. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar was in the fray from Nemom. Other prominent candidates were Union Minister and BJP leader George Kurian, State Minister and CPIM leader K. N. Balagopal, KPCC president Sunny Joseph and former BJP state president K. Surendran. Smithy M Palluruthy, Akashvani News, Thiruvananthapuram.”
Puducherry has scripted history by recording the highest-ever voter turnout in its Assembly elections, reflecting an exceptional display of democratic participation across the Union Territory. In the Union Territory of Puducherry, 89.83 percent voting was recorded. We have a detail report:-
“The turnout of a near 90 percent recorded this year has taken that electoral performance to a new high, setting fresh benchmarks. Among constituencies, Uussudu recorded the highest turnout at 94.39 percent, while Mahe reported the lowest at 77.41 percent. Following the conclusion of polling, Electronic Voting Machines have been sealed and are being moved to strong rooms set up at six centres across Puducherry. 294 candidates now await the people’s verdict in this high-turnout election. Prominent among them are Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Pradesh Congress Committee President V. Vaithilingam MP, BJP State President V. P. Ramalingam, Home Minister A. Namassivayam, Legislative Assembly Speaker R. Selvam, and Opposition Leader R. Siva. Bibin S Nath, Akashvani News, Puducherry.”
In the Bye Elections held in Bagalkot in Karnataka, 68.70 percent voting turnout was recorded while in Davanagere South 68.55 percent voting was witnessed. In Nagaland’s Koridang Assembly Constituency in Mokokchung district, the polling percentage stands at 82.21 percent. In Tripura’s Dharmanagar seat, 80.04 percent voting was recorded. Counting of votes for Assam, Keralam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Union Territory of Puducherry will take place on the 4th of next month.
<><><>
Senior BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing Parivartan Sankalp rallies in Haldia, Asansol, and Suri today, termed the ongoing West Bengal elections as a crusade to restore the state’s former glory. Supporting BJP candidates, the Prime Minister asserted that while the rest of the country progresses rapidly, the Trinamool Congress has pushed Bengal backward. He claimed that after decades of decline under Congress and Left rule, the TMC has further devastated the state through corruption, specifically citing its failure to make Bengal self-sufficient in fish production and the rise of coal and sand mafias in Asansol. Vowing to replace the current atmosphere of fear with trust, he assured that all corruption cases would be investigated, constitutional rights would be upheld, and the Seventh Pay Commission would be implemented for state employees and teachers. The Prime Minister also participated in a massive roadshow in Asansol as part of his campaign trail.
Trinamool Congress Chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asserted that her party will emerge victorious in the upcoming elections despite the BJP’s alleged attempts to capture Bengal by deleting over 90 lakh names from the voter list through SIR. Addressing a public meeting in Minakhan in support of candidate Usharani Mondal, the Chief Minister claimed that names of people from all religions and communities were removed.
Electioneering is in full swing in Tamil Nadu with star campaigners Senior BJP leaders Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Dr. L. Murugan, State BJP’s former leader Annamalai are wooing voters for the NDA alliance. AIADMK leader Edappadi Palanisamy, DMK Chief and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Sengottaiyan, Premalatha Vijaykant, Dr. Anbumani, Kanimozhi and many others are criss crossing the state garnering votes for their parties.
<><><>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that reservation for women in legislative bodies is the need of the hour to make Indian democracy more vibrant and participative. Expressing his thoughts in an Op-Ed, Mr Modi said that any delay in bringing this reservation will be deeply unfortunate. Sharing a video, the Prime Minister said that Parliament has been convened on 16th of this month to discuss and pass an important bill that advances women’s reservation.
<><><>
Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi today launched the 8th edition of Poshan Pakhwada 2026 in New Delhi. The theme for Poshan Pakhwada is – Maximizing brain development in the first six years of life. Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that the Pakhwada is an effort to turn nutrition into a people’s movement. She said that Anganwadi, ASHA and frontline workers are the backbone of this movement, working tirelessly from centres to households.
During the event, the Minister also launched the ‘Home Visit Scheduler’ in the POSHAN tracker app.
<><><>
India has recorded its highest-ever annual solar capacity addition of around 45 Giga Watt in the financial year 2025-26. In a social media post, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said that this achievement reflects India’s unwavering commitment to energy security, sustainable development, and the vision of a Viksit Bharat. Mr Joshi said that Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra have led this extraordinary growth, powering India’s transition towards a cleaner, greener and more self-reliant future.
<><><>
The Israel Defence Forces, IDF said today that it has killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, personal secretary of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in Beirut. Harshi was also the nephew of the Hezbollah chief who heads the Lebanese group backed by Iran.. The development comes a day after the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire agreement. IDF Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said that Israel will continue to strike Hezbollah and use every operational opportunity.
Meanwhile, Reuven Azar, the Ambassador of Israel to India, today reiterated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that Lebanon is not part of the ongoing two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. In an exclusive interview with a news agency, the Israeli envoy said, Israel has made this clear, and the American administration has also confirmed it.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has warned that continued Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon would bring explicit costs and strong responses. We have more from our Correspondent:-
Iran has sharply criticized Israel’s strikes on Lebanon, warning they could undermine ongoing negotiations. President Masoud Pezeshkian called the attacks violation of the initial ceasefire agreement and said continued aggression would render talks meaningless.The Israeli military said it eliminated a close aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem in a strike near Beirut, while also targeting weapons depots, launchers, and command centers across southern Lebanon. European diplomats have called for Lebanon to be included in the broader ceasefire, warning that continued strikes risk collapsing the fragile truce.Iran has also not loosened its control over shipping movements through the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about global energy supplies if tensions escalate further. Vinod Kumar, Akashvani News, Dubai.
<><><>
Joint Secretary in the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Satyaprakash T. L., today said the concerned departments are working in close coordination to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential pharma inputs in the country. During an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi on the West Asia crisis, Mr Satyaprakash said that global supply chains of pharma inputs have been disrupted due to the crisis.
Additional Secretary of Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mukesh Mangal informed that Indian Flagged Vessel named Green Asha carrying LPG has safely reached JNPA earlier today.
<><><>
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar today said that the partnership between India and Mauritius has witnessed remarkable and substantive progress in the span of just over a year. In his statement to media in Mauritius today, Dr Jaishankar highlighted that during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mauritius in March last year, the two governments jointly agreed to elevate bilateral ties to an enhanced strategic partnership.
<><><>
Indian women’s team delivered a historic performance at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026, finishing on top of the medal chart with a total of 10 medals, including four gold, two silver, and four bronze in Ulaanbaatar, Mangolia. India will be looking to finish the tournament strongly tomorrow, with two men boxers in the finals.
<><><>
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN: –
- Polling ends peacefully for Assembly Elections in Assam, Keralam, and Puducherry; Assam registers over 85 per cent voter turnout; Keralam over 78 per cent and Puducherry about 89 per cent.
- Campaigning intensifies for Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu with top leaders of various parties holding rallies in support of their candidates.
- India records highest-ever annual solar capacity addition of around 45 Giga Watt in financial year 2025-26.
- Israel says Lebanon is not part of the ongoing ceasefire between US and Iran.
- And, In Asian Boxing Championships, Indian women boxers dominate by clinching 10 medals including four gold in Mongolia.
<><><>
