ECI

The BJP has criticised Rahul Gandhi over his exchange with Elon Musk on X while challenging the SpaceX founder’s remarks on India’s spectrum allocation policy. BJP national vice-president Ram Madhav accused Gandhi of inconsistency, turning the debate over telecommunications policy into a wider political confrontation.

The Samajwadi Party and Congress are signalling competing priorities ahead of seat-sharing negotiations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. While the Samajwadi Party remains the larger Opposition force in the state, Congress is seeking sufficient political space to rebuild its organisation. Despite public signals of pressure and disagreement, leaders from both parties maintain that the alliance remains intact and that the final decision will be taken by their senior leadership.

The BJP won the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly by-elections in West Bengal. The results highlight constituency-level changes and raise questions about opposition strategy and local political competition.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has announced six guarantees for Goa if the party comes to power in the 2027 Assembly elections. The promises include 300 units of free electricity, free bus travel for women, monthly financial assistance of ₹3,000 for women above 18, ₹10 lakh health insurance for every family, a sports ground in every village, and the scrapping of a contentious provision of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act within a month. The announcements outline AAP's proposed priorities on household expenses, healthcare, transport, sports and land-use policy.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh in New Delhi on October 8, 2026, to discuss the state government's efforts to restore peace and normalcy amid continuing ethnic tensions. According to the Chief Minister's Office, Shah said he would visit Manipur later in October. The meeting also highlighted the resumption of the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati bus service and the continuing challenges surrounding inter-community tensions and reconciliation.

Delhi witnessed heightened security and widespread preventive detentions ahead of a planned protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration centres on opposition concerns over voter-list revisions, while authorities say security measures are necessary to maintain law and order.

As the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) returns to the spotlight around the Jantar Mantar protests, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders have taken a more visible role in the campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest highlights the Opposition’s demands over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls and the growing political contest over electoral transparency. Copy excerpt

Delhi is on high alert ahead of the October 10 Delhi Chalo protest at Jantar Mantar. Organisers are challenging voter-list revision and demanding action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

The October 2026 by-elections produced significant results across several states and a Union Territory. The outcomes provide new constituency-level evidence about the performance of regional parties and established political organisations.

The Punjab government has appointed 1992-batch IPS officer Gaurav Yadav as the state's regular Director General of Police (DGP), formalising his leadership after more than four years as acting chief. His tenure will be a minimum of two years from the date he assumes charge, with law and order and action against gangsters among the key policing priorities.

The CBI has registered a corruption case against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Rajbir Singh Ghuman, and five others following directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The investigation concerns allegations of bribery linked to government postings, administrative approvals, tenders, licensing and other official matters. The case has brought renewed attention to alleged corruption links involving individuals associated with the Chief Minister’s Office.

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has approved the implementation of the Model Building Regulations, 2026, to simplify building map and plot approvals in areas governed by industrial development authorities. The Cabinet also approved a scheme to waive interest and penalties on outstanding dues arising under various tax laws up to December 2025. The decisions are aimed at improving ease of doing business, supporting investment and accelerating infrastructure and urban development.