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Polling for the Bankipur Assembly by-election began at 7 am on Thursday with 3.80 lakh voters deciding the fate of 26 candidates. Prashant Kishor makes his electoral debut against the BJP, which has held this seat since 1995. Kishor alleged that the BJP was "fearing defeat" after police detained his supporters.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor questioned the government's plan to expand the Lok Sabha to 850 seats. In an opinion piece on 30 July, he said, “No established democracy does,” referring to such massive legislatures. The NDA government previously fell short of votes for a similar bill in April this year.
Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor accused the BJP of using police to intimidate his supporters before Thursday’s Bankipur bypoll. Kishor said police detained 16 workers without giving reasons. "The BJP is using the police against JSP supporters, which reflects its fear of losing the Bankipur bypoll," he told reporters.
Russia has launched international search proceedings against Telegram founder Pavel Durov, accusing him of complicity in terrorism. The FSB claims the platform failed to remove channels linked to extremist groups and Ukrainian intelligence. With elections approaching, authorities say over 1.53 lakh crimes involving Telegram occurred in Russia since 2022.
Voting began on Thursday, July 30, 2026, for the Manjalpur byelection in Gujarat. Citizens are casting votes to choose between BJP candidate Satish Govindbhai Patel and Congress nominee Bhikhabhai Rabari. The seat fell vacant after the death of MLA Yogesh Patel. Officials said all arrangements are ready for fair polling today.
Uttar Pradesh recorded 25% below-normal rainfall between June 1 and July 29. The state got 258.6 mm of rain against the normal 342.8 mm. Farmers are worried as many districts face a severe shortfall. This dry spell has affected soil moisture and crop sowing across several rain-fed agricultural regions today.
Three NSUI workers climbed a water tank in Jaipur on Thursday morning to protest against police lathi-charge at Jantar Mantar. Vijay Pal Kudi, Viyona Jat and Koshin Khan raised slogans against the government. They said, "Our agitation would continue until our demands are accepted." Officials are trying to persuade them.
Karnataka will challenge the Cauvery water release order, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Wednesday. The state government will move the Cauvery Water Management Authority after the committee ordered releasing 3,500 cusecs daily. "The rain god has not been kind to us this time," Shivakumar said regarding the drought.
BJP MPs Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Bansuri Swaraj on Wednesday urged Delhi women to register for the Lakshmi Yojana. The scheme starts August 1 and offers Rs 2,500 monthly to eligible women. However, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal criticised the rule excluding women with more than three children from getting this financial help.
The Indian embassy in the US fact-checked the New York Times for using a misleading headline about Pakistani Kashmir. The publication reported on violent clashes in Mirpur on Tuesday morning. India maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and rejected the newspaper’s incorrect geographic description.
Donald Trump halted air strikes on Iran on July 24th after weeks of conflict. The tension started when Iran attacked tankers on July 6th. Now, Omani officials are trying to broker a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Many hope this plan brings a short-term peace to the region.
Voting began at 7 a.m. on Thursday (July 30, 2026) for the Datia bypoll in Madhya Pradesh. Officials said 2,20,344 voters will decide the fate of 21 candidates across 291 polling stations. "Voting started peacefully and in an orderly manner," said Collector Swapnil Wankhede. Votes will be counted on August 3.