Daily Briefing: EC receives forms of 90% of Bihar's electors; diplomatic win for India as US designates TRF as terrorist organisation
We are back with the seventh edition of Expresso on Culture, bringing you Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, India's G20 Sherpa, and former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant as guests on the panel this time to explore yet another intersection between culture and governance. While Saxena shares that governance is tough in Delhi, Kant identifies two issues, which he says, plagued the national capital: encroachment and freebies. Here's what the duo has to say as they engage in an insightful conversation with The Indian Express National Opinion Editor Vandita Mishra!
With that, let's move on to the top 5 stories from today's edition:
🚨 Big Story
The Election Commission has received enumeration forms of 90.12 per cent of Bihar's electors ahead of the July 25 deadline for its special intensive revision (SIR) of the state's electoral roll, and that over 36 lakh were found 'not at their addresses'. As of Friday, the EC said 7.11 crore forms had been received so far and 6.85 crore of them had been digitised. Moreover, as many as 36.86 lakh electors (a little over 4.67% of total voters) had been found to be 'probably' deceased, permanently shifted or enrolled at multiple places. It said 6,978, or 0.01% of the electors, were 'not traceable'.
Setting the tone for the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Bihar Assembly election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that a Central employment scheme providing Rs 15,000 to youth in their first private sector job will be rolled out from August 1. The PM's comments appear to be a counter to nullify the Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) jobs pitch, which was cited for its success in the 2020 Assembly elections.
⚡ Only in Express
With the talk of a train arriving in Mizoram's Sairang station, residents find themselves dreaming of a journey. A 51-km railway line is set to connect the Mizoram capital to the Indian Railways' grid for the first time. With that, Aizawl becomes the fourth northeastern capital after Guwahati, Agartala and Itanagar to be linked to the Indian Railways' grid. The operations on the line are expected to begin by September. Dheeraj Mishra travels along the new line, a project with deep strategic value for a landlocked state, where the arrival of the train is marked by both hope and a sense of foreboding.
💡 Express Explained
The United States' decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation is a diplomatic win for India and a message to Pakistan, but its impact on the ground remains to be seen. The decision comes three months after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists and a local ponywala. The TRF claimed responsibility for the attack on social media channels, however, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) concluded during its investigation that all three attackers were Pakistani nationals. As lines between terror outfits blur in Vallet, we explain the on-ground challenges.
✍️ Express Opinion
In our Opinion section today, Sujan R Chinoy delves into the mending ties between India and China after prolonged estrangement caused by the bloodletting at Galwan in 2020. As both countries deliberate on the need for early de-escalation in the border areas to facilitate normalisation of ties, Chinoy writes: 'The positive signs in India-China relations are encouraging. The deep deficit of trust, however, calls for sustained efforts. The two sides must move forward with realistic expectations. The road ahead is arduous. Yet, forging a stable and cooperative relationship between the two Asian neighbours is a goal worth pursuing.'
🎞️ Watchlist
Wondering what to watch this weekend? We've got you covered! Vir Das' sixth stand-up special for Netflix, Fool Volume, combines his trademark self-effacing delivery with his signature ambition. In his review, Rohan Naahar writes: 'In Fool Volume, Das gazes inward; he glances at the world around him, and then, he gets down to business. The show isn't so much about a comedian finding his voice again as it is about a middle-aged Indian man finding a new voice.'
That's all for today. Have a lovely weekend!
Until next time,
Ariba
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
21 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Kerala cabinet pays tribute to VS, makes note of key interventions
VS was also recognised for his interventions in key areas such as environmental protection, gender equality, and human rights. His contributions in both legislative and administrative roles were remembered, including his tenure as a legislator representing Ambalapuzha, Mararikulam, and Malampuzha, and his term as chief minister from 2006 to 2011. He later served as the Chairman of the Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission from 2016 to 2021. The cabinet remarked that his death marks a significant loss to Kerala's progressive and democratic movements. Other decisions The cabinet approved the creation of a deputy collector post for Disaster Management in the districts of Wayanad and Idukki-two of the most disaster-prone regions in the state. The posts will be established by abolishing one office attendant and one typist post in the respective district revenue department. The cabinet also approved the transfer of 28 acres of land in Melthonnakkal and Andurkonam panchayats for the second phase of Digital University Kerala campus. The land, originally part of the 507 acres notified for Technopark Phase IV (Technocity), will be handed over on a freehold basis. Digital University Kerala will be responsible for all future land acquisition and resettlement (LAR) liabilities. An allocation of Rs 21.81 crore has been sanctioned to Technopark to facilitate the transfer.
Hindustan Times
21 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Should EC let dead people be in poll rolls, asks CEC
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday defended the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls, questioning whether the Election Commission should allow deceased persons, permanent migrants and duplicate voters to remain registered amid opposition allegations that the exercise would disenfranchise crores of legitimate voters. Should EC let dead people be in poll rolls, asks CEC Kumar's strident defence came as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi escalated his attack on the poll panel, claiming his party possessed definitive proof of electoral fraud in Karnataka and threatening consequences for election officials. Speaking in Parliament premises, Gandhi declared: 'Not 90 per cent, when we decide to show it to you, it is a 100 per cent proof.' He alleged the Congress had discovered thousands of unauthorised voter entries for people aged 50, 60 and 65 in a single Karnataka constituency, alongside deletions of legitimate voters above 18. 'We just looked at one constituency and we found this. I am absolutely convinced that constituency after constituency this is the drama that is taking place,' Gandhi said, claiming similar manipulation was occurring during Bihar's SIR exercise. 'I want to send a message to the Election Commission: If you think you are going to get away with it, you are mistaken. We are going to come for you,' Gandhi warned. The CEC, in his remarks aimed generally at political criticism with respect to the exercise in Bihar, invoked constitutional principles, asking whether the Election Commission should 'get misled by some people' and 'pave the way for some to cast fake votes in the name of deceased voters, voters who have migrated permanently, voters who have got their votes registered at two places, fake voters or foreign voters, going against the Constitution, first in Bihar, then in the entire country.' 'The Constitution of India is the mother of Indian democracy,' Kumar stated, arguing that authentic voter lists prepared through transparent processes formed 'the foundation stone for fair elections and strong democracy.' 'Perhaps the most appropriate time for this essential thinking for all of you has now arrived in India,' he added, urging citizens to think beyond political ideologies. In a Thursday press note, the Commission revealed that 99% of Bihar's electors had been reached in the revision exercise, with forms from 72.1 million voters—91.32% of the total—already received and digitised. But BLOs and BLAs reported significant irregularities, the panel claimed. Nearly 2.2 million on the rolls were deceased, 3.2 million had migrated permanently, 700,000 registrations were duplicate and another 100,000 were untraceable voters. Despite door-to-door verification, roughly 700,000 electors were yet to submit their forms – the deadline for which was set for July 25. The Commission shared booth-level lists of problematic entries with all political parties on July 20, allowing claims and objections until September 1, 2025. The draft electoral roll will be published on August 1 and distributed to all 12 recognised parties in digital and printed formats. An ECI spokesperson dismissed Gandhi's Karnataka allegations as 'unwarranted' and 'baseless,' noting that Congress had filed no appeals with the District Magistrate or Chief Electoral Officer under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Of 10 election petitions filed in Karnataka, none came from losing Congress candidates despite available legal remedies under Section 80 of the RP Act, 1951. 'ECI is wondering as to why such baseless and threatening allegations are being made against the CEC—and that too now?' the spokesperson questioned. Kumar advised that if an election petition had been filed, Gandhi should 'wait for the verdict of Hon'ble High Court,' otherwise refrain from making 'baseless allegations.'
Hans India
21 minutes ago
- Hans India
Rahul alleges voter list fraud, warns EC of Oppn action
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of enabling voter list fraud and warning that the opposition will not allow the Commission to go unchallenged over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament after proceedings were adjourned, Gandhi said, 'I want to send a message to the Election Commission: if you think you will get away with this, you are wrong. We will take action against you.' He alleged large-scale manipulation during the revision of electoral rolls in a constituency in Karnataka, claiming that the ECI had permitted fraudulent additions and deletions of voters. According to him, the irregularities include the removal of eligible young voters and the suspicious inclusion of thousands of new voters aged 50, 60, and even 65. 'Today we have 100 percent proof that the Election Commission allowed fraud in one seat in Karnataka. We've examined just one constituency and found this. I'm sure the same thing is happening in others too,' he said, though he did not provide evidence publicly. The opposition, including Congress and the Samajwadi Party, has strongly opposed the SIR process. They allege it is being used as a tool to disenfranchise marginalized communities ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Critics claim the process is unfairly deleting legitimate voters from the rolls. 'This is a very serious issue,' Gandhi added. 'The Election Commission is not functioning as a neutral constitutional body. Their latest statement is absolute nonsense. They are not doing their job.' Outside Parliament, Gandhi joined other opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and DMK leader TR Baalu, in protesting against the Election Commission and the BJP-led NDA government. The MPs carried posters reading 'SIR is murder of democracy' and 'Nyay, Nyay, Nyay', voicing their disapproval of the ongoing voter verification drive. In response, the Election Commission defended the SIR exercise, saying it is essential for maintaining the integrity of the electoral rolls. The Commission, in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, asserted its right to verify citizenship and remove ineligible voters in the interest of electoral purity. The ECI also urged political parties to rise above partisan interests, stating, 'The Constitution of India is the foundation of our democracy. Should the Election Commission, under pressure from certain groups, ignore constitutional duties and allow fake votes in the names of deceased, migrated, or duplicate voters?' The clash between the opposition and the poll panel continues to escalate, with Bihar's 243-seat assembly election looming on the horizon. As political temperatures rise, both sides appear determined to shape the narrative around voter legitimacy and electoral fairness.
