Op-Eds Opinion

No Contest, No Choice: How Maharashtra’s Local Polls Betray Democracy

By BPN News Desk January 3, 2026

The recent round of local body elections in Maharashtra has revealed something deeply unsettling. Dozens of municipal seats were decided without a single vote being cast. Candidates walked into office unopposed, not because they were universally loved or widely trusted, but because no one dared or bothered to challenge them. On paper, elections were held. […]

National Politics

Amit Shah Sets BJP Target of 22 Seats in Kolkata Region

By BPN News Desk January 1, 2026

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers to aim for winning 22 of the 28 Assembly seats in and around Kolkata in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Shah made the statement during organisational meetings with party leaders and cadres in the state, stressing the importance of strengthening the BJP’s […]

State News West India

BJP, Shiv Sena Finalise Seat Share for BMC Polls

By BPN News Desk December 30, 2025

The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena have finalised their seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, marking a key step in preparations for one of India’s most politically significant civic polls. Under the arrangement, the BJP will contest 137 seats, while the Shiv Sena will field candidates in 90 seats of […]

East India State News

Assam Draft Electoral Rolls Drop 10.56 Lakh Names

By BPN News Desk December 28, 2025

The Election Commission of India has released the draft electoral rolls for Assam following a Special Summary Revision exercise, leading to the deletion of 10.56 lakh names from the voter list. The revision was carried out as part of preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections and aimed at cleaning and updating the state’s electoral database. […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Maharashtra Local Body Elections and the Cost of a Vote

By BPN News Desk December 21, 2025

Reports and rumours of up to ₹15,000 being paid for a single vote during Maharashtra’s local body elections initially sounded excessive, even by Indian electoral standards. But once the results were declared, with margins in several places collapsing to one vote, two votes, or a handful of ballots, the picture became harder to dismiss. This […]

National

Over 58 Lakh Names Dropped From Bengal Voter Draft

By BPN News Desk December 16, 2025

More than 58 lakh voter names have been removed from the draft electoral roll in West Bengal following the publication of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) list by the Election Commission, officials said. The revision exercise comes ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections and is aimed at updating and cleaning the voter database. […]

International

Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Ready For Elections Soon

By BPN News Desk December 10, 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the country is prepared to hold national elections within the next two to three months, provided security conditions are met. The remarks came after questions from former US President Donald Trump, who suggested Ukraine must demonstrate its commitment to democracy. Voting during wartime remains difficult Elections

Op-Eds Opinion

Koyta Raj in Pune: How Fadnavis and Pune Police Let a City Fall to Teenaged Blades

By BPN News Desk November 28, 2025

Pune was once proud of being India’s cultural capital, the academic hub, the IT magnet, the city where families felt safe. Today, it is a city where mothers pray their children return home without crossing paths with a teenager holding a koyta. That is the transformation Maharashtra’s Home Ministry has gifted us. Not progress. Not […]

National

Indian Parliament Winter Session scheduled for December 1-19, 2025

By BPN News Desk November 8, 2025

The Parliament of India will hold its Winter Session this year from December 1 to December 19, 2025, the government announced on Saturday. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the dates have been approved by President Droupadi Murmu. In a post on social media, Minister Rijiju said the Government is “looking forward to a […]

National Politics

Rahul Gandhi Accuses Modi of Winning Through “Stolen” Elections

By BPN News Desk November 7, 2025

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has publicly accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of coming to power by “stealing elections.” Addressing the youth, especially Gen Z, Gandhi claimed his party possesses substantial evidence of electoral manipulation. He urged younger voters to recognise what he described as serious threats to democracy. Focus on Gen Z and Political Mobilisation