Politics News

The Maharashtra government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations of conspiracy and violence during the Maratha agitation stir in Maharashtra. Nashik Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik will be the head of the SIT. The SIT was formed on the instructions of the Maharashtra assembly speaker after the matter of threats issued to Deputy Chief Minister Fadanvis was raised in the Assembly by BJP MLAs.

In the run-up to the elections for the state assembly and Lok Sabha, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Jana Sena Party (JSP) sealed a seat-sharing pact in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. TDP chief and former Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that his party has 'forged a formidable seat-sharing formula' among its alliance partners.

Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi on Monday filed nomination papers for election to the state legislative council, besides three other candidates of her RJD and one of alliance partner CPI(ML) Liberation. Three candidates of the BJP, including former minister and state unit chief Mangal Pandey, also filed their nomination papers.

More than 10 years after a Supreme Court judgement paved way for introduction of the NOTA button on EVM for polls, the number of voters choosing it still remains low, with the experts dubbing it as a "toothless tiger" with no implications on the results. NOTA (None of the Above) was introduced in India through the Supreme Court's judgement in September 2013. The need to introduce NOTA was felt to discourage the parties from fielding tainted candidates.

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against the State Bank of India (SBI) alleging it "wilfully and deliberately" disobeyed the apex court's direction to submit details of contributions made to political parties through electoral bonds to the Election Commission by March 6. The plea, filed by two NGOs, claimed SBI's application seeking extension of time till June 30 to disclose the details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties has been deliberately filed at the last moment.

About 82 per cent of the total income from unknown sources declared by national political parties in 2022-23 came from electoral bonds, according to a poll rights body. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) also said that the analysis of the national parties' audit reports and donation statements filed with the Election Commission (EC) shows that the sources remain largely unknown.

MPs and MLAs taking bribes to vote or make a speech in the House are not immune from prosecution, the Supreme Court said on ...

The six national parties have declared a total income of nearly Rs 3077 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal, with the BJP getting the maximum share totalling around Rs 2361 crore, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said on Wednesday. The ruling BJP's income forms 76.73 per cent of the total income of the six national parties during FY 2022-23, it said.

The Election Commission on Monday roped in banks and post offices to spread voter awareness as part of its efforts to increase voting percentage in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The poll panel has often expressed concern over urban and youth apathy with many registered voters not turning up at the polling stations to cast ballot in the previous elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast will not be aired for the next three months in line with political decorum in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. In the 110th episode of the programme, he said there is a possibility that the Model Code of Conduct will be enforced in March as it was done during the last polls as well, a reference to the expected announcement of the election schedule sometime next month.

The AAP on Friday claimed the CBI is planning to arrest Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the next few days and will serve him a notice by the evening. While the party did not say in which case Kejriwal is likely to be arrested, it said that this was being done to prevent the AAP from stitching an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the BJP is scared of the two parties coming together.

Russia is a power with an enormous tradition of statecraft and it is turning more towards Asia or non-West parts of the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday, delving into current geopolitical developments and their fall-outs. In an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar, replying to a question on Moscow's growing proximity with Beijing, said it makes sense to give Russia multiple options and that railroading it into a single option and criticising it for that would be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on INDIA bloc, saying members of the opposition alliance believe in instigating people in the name of caste and making them fight. He also said the opposition leaders cannot "tolerate" Dalits and tribal people occupying high posts. He cited the presidential election which was contested by Droupadi Murmu.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and ex-Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar G. Joshi, a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, passed away following a heart attack early on Friday morning. Joshi, 86, was rushed to the Hinduja Hospital in Mahim after suffering a heart attack late on Thursday. 'Sir', as he was popular in political circles because of his teaching background and a stern demeanour, succumbed during treatment around 3 a.m., plunging the state political fraternity into gloom.

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday said it doesn't matter if the Maharashtra government grants 10 per cent or 20 per cent reservation to the community, the quota must be under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category and not separate. Speaking to reporters at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, the activist said he would wait and see if the state government converts its draft notification on 'blood relatives' of Kunbi Marathas into law and then decide on the course of his agitation.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail on Tuesday in a defamation case dating back to August 2018. The District Civil Court in Sultanpur had issued a summons to him 36 hours earlier to appear before it on a defamation case filed by a BJP leader in August 2018. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered its 38th day on Tuesday. The yatra will start from Fursantganj in Amethi district and will move towards Raebareli and Lucknow today.

This was the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha quota. The bill for 10 per cent Maratha quota that the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde has approved on Tuesday is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government.

In response to rumours that Kamal Nath, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and senior Congress leader, might switch to the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader Digvijaya Singh asserted on Tuesday that Kamal Nath's allegiance lies with Congress. He emphasized that Kamal Nath is, and will continue to be, a part of Congress.

, the Election Commission on Monday asked political parties not to use children in campaigning "in any form whatsoever", including for distribution of posters and pamphlets or sloganeering. In an advisory sent to parties, the poll panel conveyed its "zero tolerance" towards use of children in any manner during the electoral process by parties and candidates.

Tamil superstar Vijay, who was recently seen in 'Leo', and is awaiting the release of his upcoming film 'The Goat Life', has decided to quit cinema for his political career. He announced his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, on Friday. The actor said that he will quit cinema after completing two films ('GOAT' and an untitled film) to become a full-fledged politician in Tamil Nadu. His party members will contest in the 2026 elections. The actor recently met Class 10 and 12 students and also offered aid to people affected by the recent floods in Chennai.

Maratha reservation activists celebrated after Manoj Jarange Patil announced the end of the protests as the Maharashtra government accepted their demands. Manoj Jarange Patil will break his fast on Saturday in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He will pay floral tribute to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, after which he will address the gathering.

All eyes were trained on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday, with the JD(U) president appearing to be inching towards his second political volte face in less than three years. For Kumar, who has maintained a deafening silence over the turmoil in the 'Mahagathbandhan', ignoring pleas from allies RJD, Congress and the Left to clear the confusion, it was business as usual.