Overview
- Chief Justice S. K. Suryakant’s bench directed the Election Commission to publicly list about 12.5 million West Bengal voters flagged for “logical discrepancy,” display names at local offices, accept documents for longer, issue receipts, and give reasoned orders.
- Bangladesh’s NCP and BNP accused the Election Commission of bias ahead of the 12 February vote, while Sajeeb Wazed alleged the interim government is staging a non-transparent, rigged election.
- The Yunus-led interim government reported 645 incidents involving minorities in 2025 with 71 deemed communal, a classification challenged by BHBCUC leader Kajol Debnath as potentially emboldening offenders.
- In Mumbai’s BMC, Eknath Shinde pressed for a Shiv Sena mayor as a tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray; Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal suggested mid-term state polls could follow, even as the mayoral contest awaits reservation lottery formalities.
- In Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar, security forces continued an operation after Havildar Gajendra Singh died of wounds, and Karnataka suspended DGP Ramchandra Rao over viral videos he calls fake as the chief minister ordered an investigation.