IPA Webdesk
Election panel reshapes Bengal bureaucracy ahead of polls
Election Commission of India moved quickly to overhaul key administrative posts in West Bengal hours after the Model Code of Conduct came into force, signalling an assertive effort to reinforce neutrality in the state’s election machinery as campaigning intensifies ahead of the assembly polls. Among the most significant changes,...
High court keeps excise appeal with Sharma
Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and several co-accused in the Delhi excise policy case failed to secure a transfer of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s appeal after Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya of the Delhi High Court declined their request to move the matter to a different bench....
Rahul Gandhi seeks Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer the Bharat Ratna on Kanshi Ram, the Dalit political pioneer who founded the Bahujan Samaj Party, arguing that the country’s highest civilian honour should recognise his role in reshaping social justice politics and empowering marginalised communities. Gandhi...
Trump presses allies to guard Hormuz oil route
Pressure from Washington on allied governments intensified after US President Donald Trump said he had demanded that about seven countries deploy naval forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime corridor carrying roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil. Trump’s remarks came as the conflict involving Iran...
Owaisi attacks Maharashtra conversion bill
Sharp political debate has erupted after the Maharashtra government introduced a sweeping anti-conversion law in the state assembly, drawing fierce criticism from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who warned that the proposed legislation could criminalise genuine religious conversions and undermine the constitutional right to privacy. Owaisi described...
High court stresses prayer rights without permits
Allahabad High Court has underscored that ensuring peaceful prayer for every religious community is a responsibility of the state, observing that individuals or groups may offer prayers at designated places of worship or on private property without requiring prior permission from authorities. The observation came during proceedings involving restrictions...
Centre lifts NSA detention on Wangchuk
Government authorities have revoked the preventive detention of climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act with immediate effect, bringing an end to months of incarceration that had drawn nationwide attention to the Ladakh protest movement and the use of stringent security laws against civil...
Tharoor backs India’s outreach to Iran
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for opening diplomatic dialogue with Iran as tensions intensify across West Asia, arguing that India must take an active role in encouraging de-escalation while protecting the interests of millions of citizens living in...
Iranian missiles strike US aircraft at Saudi base
Missiles launched by Iran have struck a key air facility in Saudi Arabia, damaging several United States aerial refuelling aircraft and raising concerns about a widening regional confrontation linked to the ongoing war between Tehran and a coalition led by Washington and Israel. Five United States Air Force refuelling...
Maharashtra tables strict law against coercive conversions
Maharashtra’s government has introduced the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 in the state assembly, proposing stringent legal action against religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, inducement or marriage, signalling a major legislative move that could reshape the debate around faith, personal liberty and state regulation of religious...
Hormuz transit signals cautious relief for India
Safe passage for vessels linked to India through the Strait of Hormuz appears to be taking shape amid escalating tensions in West Asia, though officials in New Delhi remain guarded about confirming the development. Ship-tracking data and maritime intelligence reports indicate that several India-connected vessels have crossed the strategic...
TMC delegation denied presidential audience
A request by the Trinamool Congress for a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu has been declined by the President’s Secretariat, which cited a “paucity of time” in its response, according to party figures familiar with the communication. The Trinamool Congress delegation had sought an appointment to brief the President...
PUCL urges government to speak on Iran conflict
Civil liberties organisation People’s Union for Civil Liberties has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the government to end what it describes as an “unconstitutional silence” over military action against Iran and to clarify its position on the escalating conflict in West Asia. The appeal...
Tehran denies special passage for India tankers
Confusion surrounding maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has deepened after Tehran rejected reports that it had opened the strategic waterway exclusively for India-flagged oil tankers amid escalating tensions across West Asia. Iranian officials said no special arrangement had been granted to vessels flying the Indian flag, countering...
Lokpal challenges relief granted to Moitra
Legal battle surrounding the cash-for-query allegations against Trinamool Congress parliamentarian Mahua Moitra has reached the Supreme Court after the country’s anti-corruption ombudsman challenged a Delhi High Court ruling that had set aside its decision allowing the Central Bureau of Investigation to file a chargesheet against her. Lokpal of India...
LPG supply turmoil fuels anger nationwide
Mounting disruption in liquefied petroleum gas supplies has sparked sharp criticism of government authorities and oil marketing companies, with households, hotel owners and distributors warning that shortages are spreading while official assurances continue to project stability. Growing frustration has emerged across several regions as consumers report difficulty booking cylinders...
UN resolution against Iran gains broad backing
India joined more than 135 nations in supporting a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Iran’s attacks on Gulf states and Jordan, signalling a widening international push to halt escalating hostilities in West Asia and protect key regional infrastructure and shipping routes. The Bahrain-led resolution was adopted by the...
Commercial LPG shortage strains eateries and fuels black market
A tightening supply of commercial liquefied petroleum gas cylinders across several cities has triggered mounting concern among restaurants, street vendors and households, as the war in West Asia disrupts fuel supply chains and raises fears about cooking gas availability in India. Hotels, eateries and small food businesses in cities...
