Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh held a press conference today to address the recent baseless and defamatory allegations made against him by Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia. He was accompanied by AAP Punjab General Secretary Deepak Bali and AAP leader Tarandeep Sunny.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday told mediapersons that “Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas” as mandated by the Central government would not be observed in the state on June 25 this year.

Reacting to the Union government's communique to state governments on the observation of June 25 as the ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’, the Chief Minister said the decision of the Centre in the matter was nothing but a “mockery” of democracy and the Indian Constitution.

The Union Government has decided that June 25 every year would be observed as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas” to honour those who opposed and fought against the injustices during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Late Indira Gandhi in 1975.

In a move to enhance voter convenience, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that will ensure Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) are delivered within 15 days of any update in the electoral rolls.

The reform is part of a series of citizen-centric measures being rolled out by the ECI under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi.

The initiative is geared towards minimising delays, enhancing transparency, and delivering efficient, timely, and trackable voter services.

Under the new SOP, the entire process -- from the generation of the EPIC by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to its delivery at the voter’s doorstep -- will be digitally tracked. Voters will receive real-time SMS updates at every stage of the delivery process.

Jammu and Kashmir cabinet headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss the cabinet sub-committee (CSC) report on reservations in government jobs.

The CSC finalised its report on June 10, and the same will be tabled before the cabinet to take its call on the contentious issue that has constitutional and legal implications.

The report finalised on June 10 by the CSC will be discussed, and a view will be taken on how to proceed on the sensitive issue.

Of the five cabinet ministers in J&K, except the CM, three ministers are members of the CSC.

There has been unrest among the open merit candidates as the reservations under various categories in the UT have reached almost 70 per cent, leaving just 30 per cent of seats for the open merit candidates to compete among themselves when applying for a government job.

The Karnataka government has announced that it is all set to host a grand event to mark International Yoga Day on June 21 this year.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced that International Yoga Day will be celebrated on June 21 at the Vidhana Soudha steps with the theme "Yoga for One Earth, One Health."

Rao further stated that, “This year, about five lakh people will be taught yoga across the state. The government plans to organise 10,000 yoga programmes state-wide, with a large-scale event specifically planned in Mysuru.”

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Governor, and other dignitaries are expected to participate in the event, with an anticipated attendance of five thousand people.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab showcased its strength and popularity in Ludhiana West with a massive roadshow led by AAP Punjab In-charge Manish Sisodia, Punjab President Aman Arora, senior Cabinet Ministers, and Ludhiana West candidate Sanjeev Arora. The roadshow witnessed an overwhelming response from the people, with thousands joining to express their support for AAP.

The event became a visual spectacle as hundreds of bikes and cars joined the convoy, making their way through the streets of Ludhiana West amidst loud cheers, slogans, and a sea of AAP flags. Enthusiastic supporters gathered in large numbers, reaffirming their faith in AAP's leadership and its promise of transparent and people-centric governance.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received another boost ahead of the Ludhiana West by-election. On Tuesday, the Punjab Roadways PUNBUS State Transport Workers’ Union announced its support for AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora in the by-election.

Union President Parminder Singh Bhutta made the announcement, accompanied by State Vice President Sham Chaudhary, Depot President Vikas Maudgil, Depot Cashier Jagdeep Singh, Depot Secretary Arvinder Singh and Advisor Sarabjit Singh.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest demonstration in Bihar’s Patna on Tuesday, and promised that the party will contest all 243 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections.

AAP leaders, led by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, held a sit-in protest at Gardanibagh, Patna, raising issues concerning the treatment of Bihari migrants in Delhi and alleged injustices under BJP rule.

Addressing the media persons in Patna, Sanjay Singh launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of demolishing homes, huts, and shops of Bihari families who have been living in Delhi for decades.

"Bulldozers are being run on the houses of people from Bihar who have been living in Delhi for 40 to 50 years. Despite our repeated requests, the demolitions continue," Singh claimed.

The Monsoon Session of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly will commence on July 14, signalling an important phase in the state's ongoing legislative affairs.

Scheduled to run until July 18, the session will comprise a total of five sittings. This will be the sixth Monsoon Session of the current Assembly and is expected to be the final one held in the existing Assembly building in Raipur, as the new legislative complex in Nava Raipur nears completion. The session is anticipated to be politically charged, with both the ruling and opposition parties preparing to raise critical issues.

The opposition, particularly the Congress party, is expected to mount a strong challenge to the BJP-led government, focusing on what it describes as 17 months of administrative shortcomings. Key issues, including agriculture, fertiliser shortages, law and order concerns, rationalisation of schools and the overall performance of the government since taking office, are likely to dominate the discussions during the session.

Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot has strongly criticised the BJP-led Union government for its alleged reluctance and delay in conducting a caste-based census in the country, calling it a deliberate attempt to evade a long-standing demand rooted in social justice and inclusive policy-making.

Addressing a Press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday, Pilot emphasised that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is the Leader of Opposition as well, has consistently pushed for a comprehensive caste census, raising the issue in Parliament and at various public forums.

“Rahul Gandhi called it an ‘X-ray of the nation’ — necessary to know the exact population of every caste, their geographic distribution, and the social, economic, and educational conditions they live in,” Pilot said.