Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the ruling party of orchestrating "vote theft," urging citizens to participate in a major rally scheduled for November 1 in New Delhi. The call to action follows widespread public outrage and protests over the controversial Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which has reportedly purged over 130 million names from draft lists. Critics and opposition members claim the sweeping administrative exercise is allegedly designed to disenfranchise eligible voters and sway outcomes in favor of the current leadership.

Institutional and environmental disruptions have further compounded the domestic tension. In the capital, Jamia Millia Islamia University transitioned all classes online following violent clashes between security guards and students demanding the reinstatement of campus union elections. Meanwhile, weather authorities in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha issued severe cyclone warnings, prompting the closure of educational institutions and the postponement of high-profile state visits as a powerful storm brews over the Bay of Bengal.

The country has also been rocked by industrial accidents and localized unrest. A series of explosions at an illegal firecracker workshop in Bihar claimed five lives, including three children, highlighting persistent safety enforcement failures. In Arunachal Pradesh, violent demonstrations erupted against a proposed hydropower project, resulting in a torched police station and severe infrastructure damage. Concurrently, law enforcement agencies reported major crackdowns on international narcotics networks, seizing substantial assets across multiple northeastern states.

Source: www.dw.com