In a partial modification of its earlier order, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has put on hold the transfer of five IPS officers from West Bengal who were slated to be sent to Tamil Nadu and Kerala as election observers.

The decision comes just hours after the commission had directed the immediate deployment of 15 IPS officers from the state to assist in poll-related duties in the two southern states.

According to sources in the commission, the stay applies to five officers ~ Akash Magharia, Amandeep, Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Muralidhar Sharma and Wakar Raza ~ whose transfer orders have been temporarily suspended.

The remaining 10 officers named in the earlier notification will, however, have to proceed as directed and join election duties in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The original directive, issued late Wednesday night, had instructed all 15 officers to report immediately for election-related assignments outside the state.

The list included Akash Magharia, Alok Rajoria, Amandeep, Abhijit Banerjee, Bhaskar Mukhopadhyay, C Sudhakar, Dhritiman Sarkar, Indira Mukhopadhyay, Muralidhar Sharma, Mukesh, Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Priyabrata Roy, Sandeep Karra, Rashid Munir Khan and Wakar Raza.

However, in a subsequent development, the commission decided to keep the transfer orders in abeyance for the five officers.

Sources indicated that, for the time being, these officers will continue in their present or recently assigned roles within the state.

Among them, Muralidhar Sharma is currently serving as the Commissioner of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, while Wakar Raza holds the post of Commissioner of Siliguri Police.

Both are expected to continue in their respective positions for now.

The other three officers ~ Akash Magharia, Amandeep and Praveen Kumar Tripathi ~ had recently been reassigned by the state government following their removal from previous posts.

Akash Magharia, who was earlier the Police Commissioner of Howrah, had been appointed as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Amandeep, the former Superintendent of Police of Birbhum, was posted as Special Superintendent in the IB. Praveen Kumar Tripathi, who had served as Barrackpore Police Commissioner, was subsequently appointed as Inspector General in the State Task Force (STF) by the state administration.

Sources said they will continue in these roles until further instructions.

The ECI’s recent actions regarding the transfer and deployment of senior police officers in West Bengal have triggered a political controversy.

The ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) has questioned what it described as the commission’s “activism” in the state ahead of the elections.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already expressed strong dissatisfaction over the removal and reassignment of senior officials and had written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar raising concerns over the process.

In her letter, she alleged that such decisions were taken without prior consultation with the state government or seeking its views.

Banerjee also pointed out that, traditionally, in cases where the removal of officials holding key positions was deemed necessary during elections, the commission would seek a panel of three names from the state government and then select one officer from that list.

She claimed that this established convention had not been followed this time.

With the latest partial rollback, uncertainty continues over the deployment of senior officers from West Bengal, even as the broader tussle between the state government and the Election Commission of India shows no signs of easing ahead of the crucial assembly polls.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office is likely to publish the first set of names from the additional voter list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, with indications that the updated roll may be released as early as Friday.

The development comes amid heightened administrative preparedness and concerns over possible law and order issues once the revised names are made public.

In view of the gravity of the situation, the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Sujoy Paul, held a meeting with Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh, Director General of Police Siddha Nath Gupta, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nanda to assess the prevailing security scenario in the state.

The meeting began at 10 a.m. on Thursday and continued for about half an hour. The schedule of the meeting had been known since Wednesday, and proceedings commenced as planned.

The timing of the review is being seen as significant, as it comes just ahead of the anticipated publication of the additional voter list after the SIR exercise.

The Election Commission of India had earlier released a revised voter list on 28 February, though it was acknowledged to be incomplete.

According to official data, 6,44,52,609 voters were marked as ‘eligible’ in that list, while as many as 60,06,675 names were kept under the ‘under consideration’ category.

Sources indicate that the process of adjudicating these pending names has gained momentum in recent days. As of Wednesday, decisions had been taken on approximately 23.3 lakh such cases.

More than 700 judicial officers have been appointed by the Calcutta High Court are currently engaged in scrutinising these entries.

Officials in the CEO office have suggested that, if the current pace is maintained, the disposal of all pending names could be completed before the elections.

However, apprehensions remain in certain quarters that a number of names may be excluded when the first list of adjudicated voters is published.

This has raised concerns about potential law and order disturbances in some parts of the state following the release.

Against this backdrop, the high court’s proactive review of the security situation underscores the administration’s alertness.

Authorities are closely monitoring developments to ensure that any fallout from the publication of the updated voter rolls is effectively managed.

Trinamul Congress chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to begin her election campaign in north Bengal after the Eid festival, party sources said on Thursday.

Ahead of the tour, she has personally spoken to several party candidates and senior leaders to address grievances arising from ticket distribution for the Assembly elections scheduled on 23 April.

According to party leaders, Miss Banerjee spoke to Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb, the party’s candidate for the Siliguri Assembly seat, and later contacted four-time Rajganj MLA Khageshwar Roy late on Wednesday night in an effort to pacify him. Mr Roy had expressed strong dissatisfaction after the party nominated athlete Swapna Barman from Rajganj instead of the sitting MLA and had earlier issued a 48-hour ultimatum.

Following his conversation with the Chief Minister, Mr Roy held a Press conference on Thursday announcing that he would work for the party and extend support to Miss Barman. “I apologised to Mamata Banerjee over the phone. What I had said earlier was an emotional outburst after learning that I had been denied the ticket,” he told reporters, adding that the party chief had assured him of a suitable role in the organisation.

Similar discontent surfaced in other constituencies. Former minister Tajmul Hossain, who had represented Harishchandrapur, publicly criticised the party after being denied nomination. The TMC has fielded Motibur Rahaman, who had contested the 2021 Assembly election from the seat on a BJP ticket. Mr Rahaman began his campaign on Thursday from his village and later canvassed in areas considered strongholds of Mr Hossain.

Meanwhile, the BJP has intensified its campaign against TMC candidate Paresh Adhikari in Mekhliganj over his alleged involvement in the School Service Commission teachers’ recruitment scam and the controversial appointment of his daughter, whose service was later terminated. Mr Adhikari dismissed the issue, saying he had won the 2021 election by a comfortable margin despite the controversy and remained confident of victory in 2026. He also claimed that the Chief Minister would soon campaign in Cooch Behar.

Mr Adhikari further alleged that public dissatisfaction with the BJP over the ongoing SIR exercise and alleged harassment of citizens would influence voting patterns in the region.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Miss Banerjee sharply criticised the Election Commission of India, accusing it of unfairly targeting West Bengal by transferring more than 50 senior officials, including top IAS and IPS officers, even before the formal election notification. She described the moves as politically motivated, questioned the delay in publishing supplementary electoral rolls, and warned that the actions were weakening the state’s administrative machinery. Asserting that Bengal would not bow to intimidation, she said the state would resist any attempt to undermine its democratic rights.

Amid the ongoing election atmosphere in West Bengal, body of a Trinamul Congress (TMC) worker was recovered from North 24-Parganas on Thursday morning, triggering tension in the area.

The deceased has been identified as Mashiur Kazi (38), a resident of Gangnia village under Chapatala panchayat in Deganga. His blood-soaked body was found lying by the roadside at Jhujurgachha village under Haroa police station limits. According to local sources, villagers first spotted the body wrapped in a blanket early in the morning and immediately alerted the police. Eyewitnesses claimed that there were multiple injury marks on Kazi’s body. They further alleged that both his hands had been severed at the wrists and one of his legs appeared to be broken.

A team from Haroa police station rushed to the spot, recovered the body and sent it to Haroa Rural Hospital for post-mortem. Police officials suspect that Kazi was hacked to death with sharp weapons, though the exact cause of death will be confirmed after the autopsy. Family members of the deceased alleged that Kazi had received a phone call on Wednesday, following which he left home. He did not return thereafter, and repeated attempts to contact him over phone proved futile.

The family said they were informed by police about the recovery of his body on Thursday morning. Motaleb Kazi, the victim’s elder brother, alleged that the assailants had mutilated the body in a bid to prevent identification. He claimed that apart from sevearing both hands, the attackers had inflicted multiple injuries and even poured acid on the face. The family has alleged possible political motive behind the killing and demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment for those responsible.

Police have initiated an investigation to ascertain the motive and identify those involved in the brutal murder.

The Congress and Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal on Friday formalised a seat-sharing agreement for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, with the opposition alliance allocating 11 constituencies to the regional outfit as part of a push to consolidate anti-BJP votes before the April 9 vote.

The deal marks a concrete step in the Congress-led effort to build a broad opposition coalition against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government in the 126-seat assembly. Talks are simultaneously underway with the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), the CPI(M), and CPI(Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, signalling that the final alliance picture is still taking shape, even as the campaign window narrows rapidly.

Under the agreement, Raijor Dal will field candidates in Digboi, Dhing, Manas, Tezpur, Sissiborgaon, Bokakhat, Sivasagar, Dalgaon, Kaliabor, Margherita, and Mariani. The two parties have also agreed to run “friendly contests” in Goalpara East and Gauripur, where both will field candidates without treating each other as adversaries.

The seat-sharing formula reflects a deliberate attempt to maximise the opposition’s collective reach in an area the BJP cannot afford to take for granted.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati that the demand for a united opposition was coming from voters themselves.

He said the proposed coalition would push for inclusive development, protection of land rights, and a vision for a “new Assam”.

Polling is scheduled to take place on April 9 and counting on May 4.

A 46-year-old man has died of dengue in Durgapur, creating a stir in the area during the ongoing poll season.

The deceased, Manoj Kumar Das (46), was a resident of Ward 9 in the secondary area of the Durgapur sub division. According to officials from the Durgapur Municipal Corporation’s dengue survey team, he was admitted to a hospital at the later stage of the illness.

Das was admitted to Durgapur Sub-Divisional Hospital with a high fever and passed away on 15 March. He worked at a private clinic in Panagarh. According to family members, he was bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth, following which he was rushed to hospital, where he was later diagnosed with dengue.

Following the incident, Durgapur Municipal Corporation administrator Anindita Mukherjee, along with civic health and sanitation staff, visited the area. Civic workers carried out fumigation and distributed bleaching powder. Medical camps and health check-ups are set to be conducted, and sanitation workers have been deployed to clean drains in the locality. Awareness programmes have also been initiated in adjoining areas.

The dengue-related death in the steel city during the election period has caused widespread concern.

Anindita Mukherjee also met the bereaved family during her visit and assured them of all possible support. The Chief Medical Officer of Health of West Burdwan in Asansol has been informed of the incident.

Snehashis Chakraborty has been nominated as the Trinamul Congress candidate for the fourth time. The party released its list of candidates last Tuesday, fielding him once again from the Jangipara Assembly constituency.

On Wednesday morning, Chakraborty launched his campaign by offering prayers at the Rajballavi Temple in Rajbalhat, Jangipara, accompanied by his son.

However, voices of discontent have emerged from Furfura Sharif over his nomination for a fourth consecutive term. Chakraborty, though, appeared unperturbed and expressed confidence in his victory.

The incumbent MLA said: “I begin my campaign for every election by offering prayers at the temple. This time as well, the campaign has commenced with a prayer.”

“Throughout the year, the TMC has stood by the people and worked for their welfare. However, once an election is announced, it becomes necessary to reach out to the public directly. People expect the candidate to visit them at least once. This campaign, aimed at connecting with residents of the constituency, is what I have begun today,” he added.

He further said: “Prior to 2011, West Bengal was governed by the Left Front, and the state suffered from underdevelopment. Over the past 15 years, Mamata Banerjee has ushered in significant progress. From the development of Furfura to overall infrastructural improvements in Jangipara, people are benefiting from various government schemes. Any pending work will be completed.” Party workers and supporters accompanied him during his tour of the area, celebrating with the beats of traditional drums.

Pirzada Toha Siddique of Furfura Sharif, however, expressed dissatisfaction with Chakraborty’s functioning while speaking to the media. He alleged that the leader had followed a “divide and rule” approach by encouraging factionalism between communities to suppress joint protests against what he described as unsatisfactory performance. He further claimed that funds allocated for the development of Furfura Sharif had not been utilised properly and warned that the negative impact of this would have to be faced.

Responding to the criticism, Chakraborty remained unfazed. He said that under the special initiative of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, extensive development work had been carried out in Furfura Sharif as well as across the Jangipara Assembly constituency. He added that if the TMC returns to power with a decisive mandate, more development projects would be undertaken. He also alleged that during the 34 years of Left Front rule, Furfura Sharif had been neglected and deprived of development.

Allegations of assault on a CPI-M worker have been levelled against the Trinamul Congress, as unrest erupted once again over wall writing campaigns. The CPI-M claims that Trinamul workers attacked one of its members, while the Trinamul has denied the charge. In a counterclaim, the Trinamul alleged that CPI-M workers were encroaching on walls designated for them and whitewashing them. The incident has caused a stir in the Saptagram area.

The clash occurred in Bansberia, within the Saptagram Assembly constituency of Hooghly district, reportedly over wall-writing on the premises of the Ganges Jute Mill.

Anirban Sarkar has been nominated as the CPI-M candidate for the Saptagram Assembly seat. According to the party, its workers were writing campaign slogans when Trinamul members arrived and demanded that the writings be erased. When the CPI-M workers refused, the Trinamul members allegedly turned aggressive and assaulted them. It is further alleged that one CPI-M worker was severely beaten.

Mohammad Sahid, a Trinamul councillor of Bansberia Municipality, said: “Even before the election schedule was announced, CPI-M workers began encroaching on various walls in Bansberia and applying whitewash. We did not object at the time. Later, however, they started whitewashing walls specifically designated for the Trinamul. They encroached on walls bearing slogans in support of our Lok Sabha candidate, Rachana Banerjee. Our workers merely told them to confine their writing to walls under their control. A minor verbal altercation followed; there was no physical assault.”

CPI-M candidate Anirban Sarkar said: “Our workers were writing slogans when Trinamul members arrived and assaulted them. One worker was specifically targeted and beaten. This shows the Trinamul is unwilling to allow a peaceful electoral process. They have begun creating obstacles from the very start of campaigning, including wall-writing activities. We now have serious concerns about whether people will be able to exercise their franchise freely. I strongly condemn the incident and will inform the party leadership as well as lodge a complaint with the Election Commission of India.”

India has strongly rejected criticism of the Waqf Amendment Act 2025 by a United Nations special rapporteur, calling the observations “factually incorrect” and reflective of “hostility” towards the country.

Speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gaurav Kumar Thakur, Counsellor at India’s UN Mission, dismissed the claims made by Nicolas Levrat, the special rapporteur on minority issues, regarding the law.

India Says Law Aimed at Transparency and Inclusion

Thakur said the Waqf Amendment Act is a “progressive” reform designed to enhance transparency, promote gender equality, and improve the work administration.

He added that the legislation empowers minority Muslim sects such as Bohras and Agakhanis by safeguarding their “right to preserve the interests of their own community by establishing their own worship places”.

UN Rapporteur Flags Concerns Over Religious Autonomy

In his report, Levrat claimed that the Waqf Amendment Act could undermine the ability of Muslim communities to own and operate places of worship. He also noted consultations with the Indian American Muslim Council in New York, as part of his assessment.

UN special rapporteurs are independent experts who present their views in a personal capacity, and their findings do not necessarily represent official positions of the UN.

India Questions Sources of Report

India criticized the basis of the report, alleging that it relied on inputs from organisations with “political agendas” aimed at portraying the country negatively.

“The tone and content of his comments reflect a clear perceived hostility towards India”, Thakur added. His assertions are “factually incorrect and based on a poor grasp of its background and history”, Thakur said on Tuesday at a session of the Human Rights Council on Tuesday in Geneva.

Commitment to Minority Rights Reiterated

Reaffirming India’s stance, Thakur said the country remains committed to protecting and empowering ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities while upholding its pluralistic character.

He emphasized that India’s Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens and provides specific protections to minorities, including the right to establish and manage educational institutions.

Key Provisions Focus on Women and Representation

The Waqf Amendment Act 2025 also introduces measures to improve representation and gender inclusion. It mandates the inclusion of at least two Muslim women in the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards, while also safeguarding women’s inheritance rights.

Additionally, the law ensures broader representation of different Muslim sects in Waqf bodies, aiming to make their governance more inclusive and accountable.

The Trinamul Congress has reposed faith in youngsters, giving them tickets, making them first time candidates for the state polls.

Names like Debangshu Bhattacharya from Chinsurah, Tausif Rahman from Basirhat (North) and Trinankur Bhattacharya from Noapara are some of the names which come to the fore. The party has fielded 103 new candidates.

Tauseef Rahman from Basirhat (North) in North 24-Parganas is young, vibrant and enthusiastic about his candidature. He says he has learnt a lot from TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

But it is a big “responsibility” he says. “There is pressure to fulfill the faith reposed in me by the TMC chairperson and national general secretary. I’m very confident of doing well, including Sandeshkhali. We have to work very hard and with all honesty. My first aim would be to build a small 50-bed clinic or hospital for the local people at Basirhat (North) as people now have to travel far for treatment. The idea and blueprint has already been shown by our national general secretary through Sebaashray camps,” he said.

“After meeting Abhishek Banerjee my whole thought process and dynamics for politics has changed. He has shown how selflessly and positively he works for the people. We have to work with integrity and maintain dignity at all times. If we cannot serve people at this age, then we need not be in politics,” said Tauseef.

Another youth leader is Debangshu Bhattacharya, who contested for Lok Sabha from Tamluk in 2024.

The state TMC IT cell head takes pride in being one of the four TMC candidates, who are below 31. The young Turk has lots of dreams. He has started #newChinsurah, campaign in his social media, which explains his desire to develop the Assembly constituency anew. “It would include solving people’s issues, solving their problems and making them happy. I’m in the process of studying the area and the people’s demands. The goal is to create a new Chinsurah in five years,” said Debangshu, adding, “I am grateful to Abhishek Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee for trusting in me.”

After contesting as a LS candidate with seven Vidhan Sabha constituencies, fighting for just one is easy for him. “I feel a lot more confident this time. Chinsurah has a very cultured, educated electorate, which makes my job of canvassing for votes easier,” added the youth leader.

President of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad, Trinankur Bhattacharya, is a first-time contestant from Noapara in North 24-Parganas. He too pays gratitude to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee for his candidature. “I will work with all honesty and faith so that the people do not give up their hope on the young generation. I have been involved with the people here in Noapara for the last 18 years. Mamata Banerjee has always said that my work should be my identity. I will try to follow in her footsteps,” said the student leader.

Ritabrata Banerjee, a TMC MP in the Rajya Sabha, will contest from Uluberia East in Howrah. Ritabrata says he is a non-partisan person and will be working as per the organisational requirements.

Switching to his new role Ritabrata said: “There is nothing personal for me. I have served the tea belt with dignity, have been the state president of INTTUC and have worked as an MP in the Rajya Sabha. In Parliament you need a different skill set and in Assembly polls, you need different skills. This election is to decide what Mamata Banerjee has done for the people of Bengal.

The INTTUC leader has already started speaking to the people in his new constituency, Uluberia East.

Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation chairperson Sabyasachi Dutta, has been assigned a new Assembly constituency of Barasat this time. A two time MLA from New Town Rajarhat, he is not new to Barasat either. “I will be working with the party set up in Barasat. I’ve been part of the Barasat organisational set up till now and will be talking to MP Kakali di (Ghosh Dastidar),” he said.

Sabyasachi Dutta was made the TMC Barasat organisational district chairperson in June, last year.

Trinamul Congress has written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner against Dilip Ghosh, candidate from Kharagpur Sadar for the BJP and former state BJP president, for threatening the people residing in Kalighat and Chetla areas, flouting the Model Code of Conduct and demanded action against him.

Mr Ghosh made a statement after some BJP workers were found pelting stones at the residence of Dr Shashi Panja on Chittaranjan Avenue on Saturday when Mr Narendra Modi was addressing a rally at the Brigade Parade ground.

Mr Ghosh said that similar attacks can take place at Kalighat and the residence of Madan Mitra, Trinamul Congress MLA from Kamarhati.

Though he did not take the name of Mamata Banerjee, everyone knows that she is a resident of Kalighat.

In Bengali, he said that the BJP workers are ready and they would beat up Trinamul Congress workers across the state.

In the letter Trinamul Congress said the threat is a cognizable criminal offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The threatening of named individuals with grievous physical injury constitutes criminal intimidation under Section 351 of the BNS.

It may be mentioned that earlier Mr Ghosh had been cautioned by senior BJP leaders including the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for making derogatory statements against Trinamul Congress.

The former MLA from the Trinamul Congress, Tapan Chatterjee was stripped of his security cover on Wednesday after he was denied nomination by the party on Tuesday.

Chatterjee was the MLA, Purbasthali (Uttar). The party has fielded Dr Basundhara Goswami as his substitute and his security cover was withdrawn on Wednesday.

“Those who joined TMC in 1998 get no respect here, instead those came from CPI-M or BJP are valued more,” Chatterjee claimed, adding he’d rather “take a break, maybe retire from politics”, than contesting elsewhere. On losing security cover, Chatterjee said: “I’m an ex-MLA now.” His former party ally (ex-panchayat chief) meanwhile has joined the Aam Jana Unnayan Party. Pankaj Ganguly, district president of AJUP said: “Chatterjee was cooperating with us.”

India’s release of the Tunisian Oscar-nominated film ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ has been blocked, according to a report by Variety.

The film, which tells the heart-wrenching story of a five-year-old girl killed during the Israel-Gaza war, was all set to release in India. But the country’s ratings board, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), stepped in, halting plans just weeks before the Academy Awards.

Also Read: Oscars 2026: Full list of winners at the 98th Academy Awards

Distributor speaks out

Manoj Nandwana of Mumbai-based Jai Viratra Entertainment, the film’s Indian distributor, told Variety that he was warned the movie could “break up” India-Israel relations if released.

Nandwana, who had submitted the film in February aiming for a mid-March premiere, pushed back hard: “The India-Israel relationship is so strong that it’s idiotic to think this movie will break it.”

Despite his protests, the CBFC didn’t budge. Nandwana pointed out that the film has already released in countries like the US and UK, which also maintain diplomatic ties with Israel.

Yet, the board remains firm on censoring it in India.

The story behind the film

Written and directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ recreates tragic events of January 2024 when Hind Rajab and her family tried to escape bombings in Gaza City.

What makes this film especially haunting is that it uses real audio of Hind’s panicked phone calls to emergency operators. Actors play operators responding to her cries for help.

The film’s stark realism earned it nomination for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. It competed against films like ‘It Was Just an Accident’, ‘The Secret Agent’, ‘Sentimental Value’.

While it didn’t win, critics hailed it as a gripping, gut-wrenching portrayal of civilian life under war.

India, Israel, and politics in the spotlight

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has openly supported Israel. After the October 7 attacks, India was among the first to issue statements in favour of Israel. Modi’s two-day official visit to Israel in February 2026 included signing several key agreements.

The CBFC has a history of pulling politically sensitive films. Earlier, the critically acclaimed ‘Santosh’ also faced a ban due to concerns about its depiction of misogyny, Islamophobia, and violence in the Indian police.

Even when scheduled for a later streaming release, it remained banned.

India has reiterated that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) will be held in abeyance till “the global epicentre of terror” Pakistan mends its ways.

Pakistan “must uphold the sanctity of human life before talking of upholding the sanctity of treaties”, India’s Permanent Representative P Harish said on Thursday at an event held in the UN to mark World Water Day.

“India has always been a responsible upper riparian state”, he said. “But responsibility is a two-way street. Pakistan must unconditionally abjure terrorism as an instrument of its state policy”.

Harish was responding to Pakistan’s raising of the IWT as if it were an aggrieved party, impinging on a high-level event commemorating International Water Day, which focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring access to safe water and sanitation for all.

India signed the IWT “in good faith, in a spirit of goodwill and friendship”, but “Pakistan violated this spirit by inflicting three wars and thousands of terror attacks on India”, he said.

“Tens of thousands of innocent Indians became victims of Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks”, he said.

India put the IWT signed with Pakistan in 1960 in abeyance after the Pahalgam religion-based terrorist attack last year by The Resistance Front, an outfit linked to the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

“Our patience and magnanimity did not change Pakistan’s ways. Eventually, we were compelled to announce that the Treaty will be held in abeyance until Pakistan, the global epicentre of terror, credibly and irrevocably ends its support for all forms of terrorism”, Harish said.

Moreover, a revision to the territory was needed because of “fundamental changes over the last 65 years” due to technology, demographic and ecological changes, which Islamabad refused to discuss, he said.

“All our efforts to discuss modifications to the Treaty with Pakistan were rebuffed”, he said.

On the theme of the meeting held earlier in the week, because the World Water Day celebrated on March 22 falls on a Sunday this year, he said India placed a high priority to the sustainable development goal of universal access to safe water and sanitation.

“Through the Jal Jeevan Mission, India is implementing one of the world’s largest programmes to provide piped drinking water to rural households”, he said.

Launched in 2019, the Mission has so far brought safe tap water to 81.76 per cent of rural households – a total of 158 million.

“Community participation is a cornerstone of this effort, with village water committees, many of them led by women, playing a key role in planning, monitoring and maintaining local water systems”, Harish said.

“Here at the United Nations, our collective efforts can be most impactful when they focus on areas that unite us, like strengthening national capacities, particularly in developing countries, promoting technological innovation and advancing scientific cooperation”, he added.

Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Delhi-NCR, bringing much-needed relief from rising temperatures, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast more showers and issued a yellow alert for rain and thunderstorms on Friday.

The intermittent rainfall over the past two days has significantly eased the warmer conditions that had prevailed in the city. According to the latest data, the Safdarjung observatory has recorded 9.4 mm of rainfall so far this month, nearing the normal monthly average of 12.6 mm.

With the recent spell of rain, March has turned out to be the wettest in the last three years. The last instance of higher rainfall during this month was recorded in 2023, when precipitation reached 50.4 mm.

On Friday morning, rainfall was recorded at multiple weather stations across the national capital. Safdarjung and Lodhi Road both recorded 8.2 mm of rainfall, while Ridge reported 8.6 mm. Palam received 6.2 mm, and Ayanagar recorded 7.2 mm of rainfall till 8 a.m.

Rainfall activity on Thursday also varied across different parts of the city. Safdarjung recorded 8.2 mm, while Palam received 6.2 mm. Lodhi Road and Ridge reported 8.2 mm and 8.6 mm, respectively, and Ayanagar saw 7.2 mm. Other areas, including Pitampura (5.5 mm), Pusa (11.0 mm), Mayur Vihar (3.0 mm), and Janakpuri (12.5 mm), also witnessed light to moderate showers.

The maximum temperature in the city settled at 26.8 degrees Celsius, marking the lowest level recorded so far this month. The IMD had issued an orange alert for the city until late Thursday evening, indicating the need for preparedness against potentially disruptive weather conditions, including impacts on transport and daily activities.

Cloudy skies and intermittent rainfall continued to provide relief on Wednesday as well. Safdarjung recorded only trace rainfall between 8.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m., while Ayanagar received 0.5 mm by 2.30 p.m. and 0.7 mm by 5.30 p.m.

The weather department had earlier predicted thunderstorms, hailstorms, and moderate rainfall accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 kmph across Delhi-NCR, including Noida, Dadri, and Greater Noida. Similar weather conditions are expected to persist on Friday, with light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms likely to continue.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality showed slight improvement following the rainfall, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the ‘moderate’ category at most monitoring stations across the city.

Anand Vihar (178), Ashok Vihar (117), Aya Nagar (90), Bawana (122), Burari Crossing (366), CRRI Mathura Road (111), Cantonment Area (124), Chandni Chowk (116), DTU (81), Dwarka-Sector 8 (120), IIT Delhi (86), Narela (108), Nehru Nagar (123), R K Puram (124), Wazirpur (135).

After his second visit to Delhi this month, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami asserted that discussions on seat-sharing are progressing “smoothly” among the parties in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by his party in Tamil Nadu.

Indicating a critical moment towards the single-phase assembly elections scheduled to be held on April 23, the AIADMK leader said that an official announcement on the seat-sharing between alliance parties will be made in the coming days.

“Discussions on seat-sharing are progressing smoothly among the parties in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. An official announcement detailing the constituencies allocated to each party will be made within four days,” Palaniswami, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Tamil Nadu assembly, told reporters here.
He further ruled out the possibility of an alliance with actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

“No talks have been held with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam,” Palaniswami said.
This comes after the TVK chief, during an Iftar party in Mamallapuram, said that his party will never compromise on its “secular” credentials and will form a government led by them, suggesting to contest the upcoming assembly polls independently.

“We are the people’s team. They tried a lot, but it didn’t work out. Now they took a fake campaign that we will be going to this alliance and that alliance. I want to tell clearly that we are always with secular and social justice, and we will not compromise on it. The government will be led by us. Whoever spreads rumours, don’t believe it. We can achieve our target for sure,” Vijay said earlier on Wednesday.

Vijay’s TVK is set to make his political debut in this election with his party, with competition from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) that includes Congress, Vijayakanth’s DMDK, among others, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK, including BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).
In this four-cornered contest, the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) is also a crucial player, with the regional party contesting on all 234 assembly constituencies alone.

The ECI on Sunday announced that Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The current tenure of the 234-member state assembly ends on May 10.

In the 2021 assembly polls, the ruling DMK won with 133 seats while AIADMK emerged victorious on 66 seats. Congress stood at 18 seats. The state witnessed a voter turnout of 76.6 per cent.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday ruled out being in contention for the Chief Minister’s post in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, saying he was not even contesting the polls.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Tharoor said the question of a CM face was not for any individual to weigh in on.

“I genuinely think that in these matters, the matter is not for any individual to express any views. The system is that the high command will consult the elected MLAs and make a decision. The elected MLAs ideally should provide somebody from within themselves, and that would probably be the way to go,” he said.

On seat projections, Tharoor said the UDF would win between 72 and 75 seats; just clearing the majority mark of 71 in the 140-seat assembly. He, however, acknowledged party colleagues on the ground were projecting 85 to 100.

Tharoor mounted a sharp attack on the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front, accusing it of 10 years of misgovernance and claiming strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the ruling alliance. He said Kerala, once held up as a development model, had been reduced to a debt trap.

“LDF has represented 10 years of misgovernance, and there is a strong anti-incumbency against them, and we represent the most credible alternative for change, whereas the NDA is not seen in Kerala, certainly not yet, as a viable alternative government. I believe very seriously that Kerala has really hit rock bottom in recent years. We are a state that used to be called a model state, the Kerala model. Now the Kerala model has become a debt model. We are immersed in debt,” the Congress leader said.

He further said, “Our state government runs out of money even to pay salaries by September. They’re borrowing money. They are paying more money on debt servicing, that is, paying interest on loans and on pensions and salaries, than they’re paying on development projects. Young people are leaving the state in large numbers because there are no job opportunities.”

He further alleged that the LDF had systematically funnelled government contracts, including for cultural programmes and official events, to contractors linked to the CPI(M).

Shashi Tharoor on BJP

On the BJP, he was dismissive, describing the party as “pretty much non-existent” in the state and saying it would not be in a position to play kingmaker even if it managed to win one or two seats.

“The BJP currently is a zero-seat party in the assembly. Now, they might have an opportunity to get to one or two or three, and if they do, they’ll declare a great victory and be happy. But they’re not going to be large enough to be a kingmaker in the assembly. Parliamentary elections are a different story, because people are voting for the national government, and their opinions tend to be divided more between UPA and NDA, whereas in the assembly it is mainly between UDF and LDF.”

Tharoor also expressed surprise at the Election Commission’s decision to schedule polling on April 9, leaving parties with barely three weeks to campaign from the date of announcement on March 17. He noted that the constitutional deadline allowed elections to be held as late as May 8.

“We have been given a very short window by the Election Commission. I was a bit shocked because under the constitution, the new assembly has to sit in Kerala by May 23, which means the election could have been any time up to about May 8. They have, to everyone’s surprise, announced it for April 9, which means that from the day of the announcement, which was March 17, we have barely a little over three weeks. So everything is being telescoped.”

“I am surprised that the election commission has done that. Obviously, there are some people suggesting that this is meant to benefit incumbents in those states that are going to the polls on the 9th, which are Assam, where the BJP is the incumbent, Puducherry, where the BJP ally is incumbent, and Kerala, where a Congress opponent is the incumbent, the CPM, the left front. But be that as it may, I’m not going to ascribe motives to anybody,” added the Congress leader.

He said he would fly to Kerala on Friday and begin campaign work directly from the airport.

Kerala votes on April 9 in a single phase. Counting will take place on May 4. Congress released its second list of 37 candidates on Thursday, a day after putting out its first list of 55 names that included Kerala Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph from Peravoor and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan from Paravur.

In the 2021 elections, the LDF won 99 seats – the first time since 1977 that a ruling alliance in Kerala secured back-to-back terms. The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA lost its only assembly seat.