🇮🇳 Top 20 Indian Politics News Stories
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Here are 20 major political developments from across India today, covering the Election Commission controversy, Supreme Court decisions, BJP–Congress exchanges, state politics and government affairs. Allegations are attributed to the parties making them.
National Politics & Parliament
1. Opposition Intensifies Campaign Against Chief Election Commissioner
Opposition parties stepped up their campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders have called for an independent investigation into the Election Commission’s decisions. The Commission has denied favouring any political party, maintaining that the revision is intended to remove ineligible and duplicate entries and update voter lists.
2. Cockroach Janta Party Leaders Detained During Delhi Protest
Delhi Police detained leaders and supporters of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party after protesters breached barricades at Jantar Mantar. The demonstrators were demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and opposing the voter-roll revision exercise. The protest came after authorities withdrew Jantar Mantar Road’s designation as an official protest site and identified alternative locations for demonstrations.
3. INDIA Bloc Takes Election Commission Dispute to Supreme Court
Opposition leaders have approached the Supreme Court seeking an independent, time-bound investigation into alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s decision-making and the SIR process. Rahul Gandhi led the political mobilisation, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other opposition figures among those involved. The petition encountered filing defects that need to be addressed before it can proceed.
4. Shashi Tharoor Says Opposition Is Preparing Removal Motion Against CEC
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the opposition was preparing articles of impeachment against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He criticised the legal protections available to election commissioners and argued that the controversy warranted accountability. The proposed move reflects the opposition’s growing effort to shift the dispute from street protests to parliamentary and judicial proceedings.
5. Supreme Court Issues Notice on Legal Immunity for Election Commissioners
The Supreme Court issued notice to the Union government and Election Commission on a petition challenging statutory immunity granted to the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners. The petition raises questions about whether the legal protections could prevent proceedings over alleged misconduct. The case could have implications for accountability mechanisms governing India’s election authorities.
6. Supreme Court Stays Criminal Defamation Proceedings Against Rahul Gandhi
The Supreme Court granted interim relief to Rahul Gandhi by staying trial-court proceedings in a criminal defamation case linked to his 2019 remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The court issued notices to the Maharashtra government and the complainant and sought their responses. The order temporarily pauses the proceedings while the legal challenge is considered.
7. Amit Shah Attacks Rahul Gandhi Over Election Allegations
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised Rahul Gandhi for attributing electoral setbacks to the SIR process rather than examining the Congress party’s political performance. Shah pointed to the BJP’s electoral record and argued that the opposition should reassess its strategy. Congress, meanwhile, maintains that concerns about voter deletions require an independent investigation.
8. Congress and Opposition Leaders Hold Strategy Meeting in Delhi
Rahul Gandhi hosted a meeting with INDIA bloc leaders, opposition MPs and members of civil society as the parties coordinated their response to the Election Commission controversy. The gathering followed major demonstrations in the national capital and the filing of a petition before the Supreme Court. Opposition leaders indicated that their campaign would continue through political and legal channels.
9. BJP Develops Counterstrategy to Opposition Protests
The BJP and the Union government are working on a political and administrative response to the continuing demonstrations against the Election Commission. According to reporting, the party is preparing material defending the SIR process while considering outreach to students and young protesters. Authorities have also identified alternative locations for demonstrations following the change in Jantar Mantar’s status.
10. Student Organisations Join the Anti-SIR Protests
Student activists and youth organisations have become increasingly visible in demonstrations demanding action over alleged electoral irregularities. In Delhi, National Students’ Union of India activists were detained during a protest calling for the CEC’s resignation. Similar demonstrations and political mobilisation have also been reported in other cities.
State Politics
11. BJP Wins Gujarat Civic Elections
The BJP retained control of all three urban local bodies that went to polls in Gujarat. It won 38 of the 44 seats in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation and secured majorities in the Thara and Okha municipalities. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel congratulated the party’s candidates, while the results prompted fresh exchanges between the BJP and Congress over their respective electoral performance.
12. Karnataka Moves to Challenge High Court Ruling on SC/ST Reservation
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said the state government would explore legal options, including an appeal to the Supreme Court, after the High Court struck down provisions increasing reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The enhanced quotas had taken total reservation to 56%, exceeding the established 50% ceiling. The state has also called on the Centre to reconsider the broader legal framework governing reservation limits.
13. Karnataka Orders Review of Police Action Against Protesters
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge ordered a review of police action against protesters detained ahead of a demonstration opposing the SIR process in Bengaluru. The group included students, senior citizens, activists and lawyers. Kharge said peaceful dissent should be protected and that demonstrations should not automatically be treated as a law-and-order threat.
14. Congress Plans to Intensify Its Anti-SIR Campaign in Maharashtra
Maharashtra Congress leaders are preparing to expand their agitation against the voter-roll revision process. Party functionaries travelled to Delhi to consult with senior Congress leaders and discuss the next phase of the campaign. The move reflects an effort to connect state-level political organisation with the wider INDIA bloc campaign.
15. Tamil Nadu Politics: High Court Upholds Acceptance of Six AIADMK MLAs’ Resignations
The Madras High Court upheld the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker’s decision to accept the resignations of six AIADMK MLAs who later joined Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). However, the court clarified that pending disqualification proceedings do not automatically become irrelevant after the resignations. It directed the Speaker to complete the proceedings within two months and publish a timetable for their disposal.
16. New Governors Appointed in Six States
President Droupadi Murmu appointed new governors for six states on October 12, with the changes continuing to attract political attention today. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was appointed governor of Tamil Nadu, while Om Prakash Mathur was named governor of Kerala. Dushyant Gautam, Braj Mohan Ram, Sudha Yadav and Dhal Singh Bisen were appointed to Sikkim, Odisha, Karnataka and Uttarakhand, respectively.
17. L. Murugan Resigns as Minister of State
L. Murugan resigned as a Union Minister of State and Rajya Sabha member, saying he wanted to devote his time to strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu. His decision comes as political parties prepare for the state’s next electoral contests. The resignation signals a renewed focus on party organisation in a state where the BJP is seeking to expand its political presence.
18. Waqf Board’s Uniform Sermon Proposal Sparks Political Row in Jammu and Kashmir
A proposal by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board to introduce uniform sermons in mosques prompted criticism from regional political leaders before the board reportedly stepped back amid the backlash. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the move as unacceptable interference in religious affairs, while PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti also questioned its rationale. The episode has reopened debate about religious administration and government oversight in the Union Territory.
19. AAP Begins Preparing for Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections
The Aam Aadmi Party has said it will contest the 2027 Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections and is strengthening its grassroots organisation. Party state in-charge Rituraj Jha said Arvind Kejriwal was expected to visit Shimla around November 15. The announcement signals the party’s intention to expand its political footprint in a state traditionally dominated by the Congress and BJP.
20. Karnataka Sugarcane Farmers’ Protest Triggers Security Measures
Security was tightened outside Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence in Hubballi as sugarcane farmers intensified their protest. The development followed a meeting between Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and Joshi in New Delhi. The dispute highlights continuing tensions over farmers’ demands and the division of responsibilities between state and central authorities.
