UPI Everywhere But Cash Rising: What India’s Election Cycles Reveal About Political Cash Networks

By BPN News Desk February 17, 2026

Op-Eds Opinion

Stand at almost any shop counter in India today and you will see the same sign: scan and pay. From metropolitan supermarkets to roadside tea stalls, retailers increasingly prefer digital settlement. They avoid the hassle of change, accounting becomes easier, and payments leave a clean record.

Op-Eds Opinion

Vande Mataram Guidelines Announced Before Bengal Polls, Administrative Reform Or Electoral Messaging?

By BPN News Desk February 11, 2026

The Union government’s directive placing Vande Mataram before the National Anthem at official ceremonies has produced a strangely familiar reaction across the country. Almost nobody is objecting to the rule itself. What people are debating is the moment it arrived. The circular reads like administrative housekeeping, but its arrival reads like political communication. The

Op-Eds Opinion

Mamata Banerjee SIR Challenge and Supreme Court Pushback: Limits of State Resistance in Federal India

By BPN News Desk February 10, 2026

The Supreme Court’s warning that no impediment will be allowed to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was not just another procedural order in an election season dispute. It came after the West Bengal government raised objections to how the voter verification exercise was being conducted. What appeared on the surface as an […]

International

US Embassy Warns of Violence Ahead of Bangladesh Polls

By BPN News Desk January 31, 2026

The United States Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh has issued a security alert ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections and national referendum scheduled for February 12, 2026. The advisory warns that political violence and possible extremist attacks could occur during the election period. Alert Advises Caution The embassy urged U.S. citizens and foreign residents to

Op-Eds Opinion

Why the Supreme Court Had to Step In on UGC Rules and What It Means for BJP in Uttar Pradesh

By BPN News Desk January 29, 2026

The Supreme Court stepping in to stop the new UGC rules was not a routine legal move. It happened because the rules, as written, created real fear and anger among students. The biggest worry was simple and very real: the rules could be used unfairly, especially against students from the general category, while giving them […]

National Politics

Rahul Gandhi Accuses ECI Of ‘Vote Chori’

By BPN News Desk January 25, 2026

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India of no longer acting as a neutral guardian of democracy. He alleged that the poll body has become a key participant in what he termed a “vote chori” or vote theft conspiracy. Claims Linked To Voter Roll Revision Gandhi linked […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Time to Penalise TRP-Driven Election Misinformation

By BPN News Desk January 17, 2026

The controversy over indelible ink during the recent BMC election did not begin with a laboratory report or an official finding. It began on live television. A dramatic on-air demonstration claimed that voting ink could be wiped off completely, instantly casting doubt on the integrity of the electoral process. The claim spread rapidly, triggering political […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Post-2024 Elections Show That Identity Politics Has Hit Its Limit

By BPN News Desk January 17, 2026

India is one of the most socially fragmented countries in the world. Your next-door neighbour can speak a different language, belong to a different caste, follow a different faith, and vote based on a completely different social experience. For decades, political parties treated this diversity as an electoral weapon, slicing society into smaller and smaller […]

North India State News

2.89 Crore Voter Names Removed from UP Draft Rolls

By BPN News Desk January 6, 2026

The Election Commission has released the draft electoral roll for Uttar Pradesh following a Special Intensive Revision exercise, with around 2.89 crore voter names removed from the list. The update reflects one of the largest roll revisions undertaken in the state in recent years and aims to improve the accuracy of the voter database ahead […]

International

Trump Says Venezuela Elections Will Not Be Held Soon

By BPN News Desk January 6, 2026

US President Donald Trump said Venezuela will not hold national elections in the near future, stating that the country needs time to stabilise following recent political upheaval. Speaking to reporters, Trump said elections cannot be conducted “right away” and that Venezuela must first be brought back to basic administrative and economic functioning. Comments Follow