Month: August 2025

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged on Sunday that Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has two EPIC numbers, each with a different address and age.

Addressing a press conference here, Yadav presented two different EPIC numbers which he said belonged to Vijay Sinha.

“We conducted research…You can call it a revelation or a fraud, that is up to you and the people of Bihar. This voter list, which has been uploaded after the SIR (Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll), in which it is clearly visible that Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has two EPIC numbers and his age is also different in both the places, so there is fraud in the voter card as well as in the age,” he said.

Yadav claimed that the two EPIC numbers belong to Lakhisarai and Bankipur, respectively.

“He has voter cards from two places, one is from Lakhisarai and the other is from Bankipur assembly constituency. This is of the Bankipur Assembly seat, in which his age is 60 years, and you can see his age is 57 years in Lakhisarai in the draft voter list after the SIR. The public should know who is doing fraud. Lakhisarai Assembly EPIC No is IAF3939337 while Bankipur Assembly EPIC No is AFS0853341,” the RJD leader said.

He added, “In January’s list, Bankipur was mentioned in his affidavit. When the BLO went to Lakhisarai, he would have signed, and when the BLO went to Bankipur, he would have signed there too, that is why his name has appeared in separate voter lists from both places.”

Attacking the SIR exercise, Tejashwi demanded an FIR be registered against Sinha.

“Either Election Commission’s SIR exercise in Bihar is fraud, otherwise the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Vijay Kumar Sinha is committing fraud…An FIR should be filed against him,” the RJD leader said.

This development follows after the Patna Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) requested RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to submit the details of the EPIC card he mentioned in the press conference on August 2.

Addressing the electoral officer’s notice, Tejashwi said, “People talk about sending me to jail, and I also get to know about the notice through the media. When do I get the notice? It was handed over to me on August 7. The notice that came on the 7th in the evening, and the speed post came on August 8 in the morning, and we sent our reply the next day. Before we could respond, the media trial began, and the media got to know about it before us and the date was also given as August 16.”

“Now my question is, will the Election Commission send a notice to the Patna district administration and the Lakhisarai district administration to Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha? What action will be taken against Vijay Kumar Sinha? If an attempt is made to take action against us, will action be taken against the Deputy Chief Minister, as well?” he asked.

Attacking the BJP, Tejashwi alleged, “The BJP is destroying democracy and the Constitution. With evidence, we will put our view in the court.”

The Patna ERO on Wednesday again requested that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav submit the details of the EPIC card.

In a letter, the Patna Electoral Registration Officer said that despite earlier requests, the desired documents and a copy of the EPIC card had not been submitted for verification.

“The details of the EPIC card mentioned by you in the press conference on 02.08.2025 were requested for thorough investigation, but till now, the desired documents and a copy of the EPIC card have not been provided from your level. Therefore, it is requested again that details should be made available to the undersigned by the afternoon of 08.08.2025 so that it can be thoroughly investigated,” the letter said.

ERO had on Sunday asked the RJD leader to provide the details of the EPIC card he mentioned during his press conference, so that the matter can be thoroughly investigated.

The row began when Tejashwi first alleged that his name was not there in the new draft voter list released on August 1 and later he alleged that his EPIC number had been changed. (ANI)

Himachal Pradesh’s ongoing monsoon season has claimed 219 lives so far, with 112 fatalities caused by rain-related incidents such as landslides, flash floods, drowning, lightning strikes, and electrocutions, and 107 deaths reported in road accidents, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

The cumulative report for the period from June 20 to August 9 shows that the rains have caused extensive damage to public and private property, livestock, crops, and essential infrastructure across the state. Over 1,98,881 lakh rupees in total losses have been recorded.

Mandi district has been the worst hit in terms of fatalities and infrastructure damage, recording 23 rain-linked deaths and losses worth over Rs 1,164 lakh. Kangra followed closely with 25 such deaths, while Chamba reported nine and Kullu and Hamirpur 10 each.

The SDMA said 315 people have been injured during the season, while 876 livestock deaths, including over 25,700 poultry birds, have been recorded. Damage includes 262 fully damaged and 240 partially damaged houses, as well as over 1,900 disruptions to water supply schemes and massive losses in agriculture, horticulture, power, roads, health, and education infrastructure.

Authorities have urged caution, warning that heavy rainfall forecasts in the coming days could worsen the situation in several districts.

Meanwhile, District-wise reports from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) show that Mandi remains the “worst-hit” in terms of road connectivity, with 214 routes blocked, followed by Kullu with 91. “A landslide at Jhed (Khanag) has blocked National Highway-305, with light motor vehicles being diverted via Kandugad.”

Kullu also reported the highest number of power outages, with 50 DTRs disrupted, while Mandi recorded the “largest hit” to water supply infrastructure, with 367 schemes affected.

Authorities have advised residents to “remain alert” as fresh spells of heavy rainfall are expected in several districts over the next 48 hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more rainfall across Himachal Pradesh till at least August 12, raising concerns of further disruption and casualties.

“The scale of damage this monsoon has been unprecedented. Restoration work is being carried out round the clock, but people are advised to remain vigilant, especially in landslide-prone and riverbank areas,” a senior official from the State Disaster Management Authority earlier said. (ANI)

The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to a summit in Alaska between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a White House official told The Hill’s sister network NewsNation.

It remains unclear if Zelensky will attend the meeting as details are yet to be finalized, The Hill reported.

Trump announced on Friday that he will meet with Putin in Alaska next week to discuss ending the over three-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine. The president has not ruled out hosting a meeting involving both Eastern European leaders, despite earlier Kremlin opposition, The Hill added.

“The President remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin,” a senior White House official told The Hill’s NewsNation on Saturday.

The possible invitation follows Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff’s recent meeting with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, their fifth summit this year. This meeting came just two days before the president was set to impose new sanctions on Moscow.

During the talks, Putin reportedly proposed a complete ceasefire, which would involve Ukraine withdrawing its military from the Donetsk region, allowing Kremlin control of both Donetsk and Luhansk, The Hill reported.

Trump said on Friday that some territorial swapping would take place for “the betterment of both” countries.

Zelensky responded on Saturday morning, dismissing the idea of ceding land to Russia. “Of course, we will not give Russia any awards for what it has done. The Ukrainian people deserve peace,” he said.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Zelensky’s top adviser Andriy Yermak, Vice President Vance, and European national security advisors met in Kent, England, to discuss the ceasefire proposal.

“The UK’s support for Ukraine remains ironclad as we continue working towards a just and lasting peace,” Lammy wrote after the meeting, The Hill reported. (ANI)

Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), inaugurated ‘Agnishodh’ – the Indian Army Research Cell (IARC) at IIT Madras, marking a significant step towards self-reliance in defence technology.

The initiative aims to upskill military personnel in emerging fields such as additive manufacturing, cybersecurity, quantum computing, wireless communication and unmanned systems, fostering a tech-enabled force.

The collaboration will also extend to the IIT Madras Research Park, including partnerships with AMTDC and Pravartak Technologies Foundation. On the occasion, Dwivedi addressed the faculty and students on “Operation Sindoor – A New Chapter in India’s Fight Against Terrorism,” highlighting it as a calibrated, intelligence-led operation reflecting a doctrinal shift.

He underlined the role of indigenous technology and precision military action in reinforcing India’s proactive security posture. He also lauded the IIT faculty for their contribution to nation-building through academic excellence.

During an address at IIT Madras, he said, “In Operation Sindoor, we played chess. We did not know what the enemy’s next move was going to be, and what we were going to do. This is called the grey zone. Grey zone means that we are not going for the conventional operations. What we are doing is just short of a conventional operation. We were making the chess moves, and he (enemy) was also making the chess moves. Somewhere we were giving them the checkmate and somewhere we were going in for the kill at the risk of losing our own but that’s life is all about.”

Speaking on the Operation, the COAS said, “What happened on 22 April in Pahalgam shocked the nation. On the 23rd, the next day itself, we all sat down. This was the first time that RM (Defence Minister Rajnath Singh) said, “Enough is enough”. All three chiefs were very clear that something had to be done. The free hand was given, ‘you decide what is to be done.’ That is the kind of confidence, political direction and political clarity we saw for the first time. That is what raises your morale. That is how it helped our army commanders-in-chief to be on the ground and act as per their wisdom.”

“On the 25th, we visited the Northern Command, where we thought, planned, conceptualised and executed the seven targets out of the nine that were destroyed, and a lot of terrorists were killed. On April 29, we met the Prime Minister for the first time. It is important that how a small name Op Sindoor connects the whole nation. That is something which galvanised the whole nation. That is the reason the whole nation was saying why have you stopped? That question was being asked and it has been amply answered,” Dwivedi added. (ANI)

India on Saturday welcomed the understanding reached between the United States and the Russian Federation for a meeting in Alaska on August 15.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said that the meeting holds the promise of bringing to an end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and opening up the prospects for peace.

He also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that ‘This is not an era of war’

“This meeting holds the promise of bringing to an end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and opening up the prospects for peace. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said on several occasions, ‘This is not an era of war’,” the spokesperson said.

“India, therefore, endorses the upcoming Summit meeting and stands ready to support these efforts,” he added.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday, August 15, 2025, in Alaska. The meeting is expected to focus heavily on efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump made a post on his Truth Social account. “The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he said.

Speaking earlier at the White House during the signing of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace accord, Trump also hinted at progress on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Asked how far the negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine peace efforts had progressed, Trump replied, “We are getting very close to a deal. Working with European nations, who are terrific people and leaders, is a pleasure through NATO…In all fairness to President Zelensky, he is getting everything he needs, assuming we will get something done. I will be meeting very shortly with President Putin. It would have been sooner, but I guess there are security arrangements that unfortunately people have to make.”

“…It’s very complicated. But we’re going to get some [territory] back, and we’re going to get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both, but we’ll be talking about that either later, or tomorrow,” he added. (ANI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday backed Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s recent allegations of large-scale “vote theft” during elections, asserting that the Election Commission is being “operated through the BJP office”.

“We had been saying this for a long time now that vote theft has indeed happened across the country, and that EC is operated through the BJP office. What Rahul Gandhi has shown are not empty claims. He has unearthed ‘vote theft’…” Thackeray told the media.

He urged the Election Commission to engage in an open debate with Gandhi instead of issuing rebuttals.

“I think instead of challenging, EC should debate with Rahul Gandhi…The information we have gathered is from their website itself. So, is their website and records incorrect?” he asked further.

Earlier today, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-SCP chief Sharad Pawar said two people had approached him ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, claiming they could guarantee 160 out of 288 seats.

Speaking to the media, Pawar said that he arranged a meeting of these people with Rahul Gandhi, but ultimately both of them decided to turn down the offer, saying, “This is not our path.”

“I remember that before the Maharashtra Assembly elections were announced, two people came to meet me in Delhi…They told me that out of 288 seats in Maharashtra, we guarantee you 160 seats. I was surprised, to be honest, I had no doubts about the Election Commission,” Pawar said here.

“After that, I arranged a meeting with those people and Rahul Gandhi. Whatever they wanted to say, they said in front of Rahul Gandhi. But Rahul Gandhi and I were of the opinion that we should not pay attention to this; this is not our path,” he added.

The allegations, raised nine months after the Assembly elections results were announced, come amid Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleging “vote chori” (vote theft) across the country, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) ‘colluding’ with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Congress leader has also specifically raised concerns over the alleged addition of lakhs of voters in Maharashtra just months before the state polls in 2024, alleging the votes helped the Mahayuti coalition come into power.

At a press conference on August 7, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were “choreographed” by the EC to benefit the BJP, which he said appeared “immune to anti-incumbency.”

Citing internal analysis, Gandhi said the Congress expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine. He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 1,00,250 votes. (ANI)

Actress Shehnaaz Gill’s upcoming Punjabi film ‘Ikk Kudi’ is finally arriving in theatres on September 19. The actress took to her social media handle and shared the update.

“#IkkKudi, har ek ladki ki kahani. Coming to cinemas near you on 19th September,” she wrote on Instagram, unveiling the film’s title and release date.

Shehnaaz also announced that her film will have a worldwide release under the banner of Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

The filmmaker himself shared the news on his Instagram story.

According to the post, ‘Ikk Kudi’ has been written and directed by Amarjit Singh Saron. Shehnaaz, along with Saron and Kaushal Joshi, are producing the film.

It is made under the banner of Raaya Picturez, Amor Films, and Shehnaaz Gill Productions.

With Shehnaaz Gill in the lead, the film is expected to bring a female-centric story of a young girl and her struggles with getting married. The makers also dropped a poster of ‘Ikk Kudi’, showing the actress in a confused state.

In no time, fans flooded the comment section with congratulatory messages and expressed excitement over her next acting role.

Shehnaaz announced the film in November last year, dropping pictures from the first day of shooting. “Starting a new journey today and immensely proud and happy to announce that today we commence the shooting of my Punjabi film with my dream team,” she wrote in the post.

In the pictures, she was seen posing with veteran actor Nirmal Rishi while dressed in a simple salwar kameez.

Over the years, Shehnaaz Gill has worked in films like ‘Honsla Rakh’, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’, and ‘Thank You For Coming’. She originally rose to fame with her stint on Salman Khan’s ‘Bigg Boss 13’, where her connection with late actor Sidharth Shukla received much love. (ANI)

The death toll in Himachal Pradesh due to monsoon rains has risen to 219 with 112 people losing their lives in rain-related incidents and 107 fatalities reported in road accidents, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

As per the cumulative report issued by the SDMA as of August 9, Mandi district has suffered the highest toll in rain-linked disasters, with 23 deaths, followed by Kangra (25), Chamba (9), Kullu (10), and Kinnaur (7).

The road accident fatalities have been highest in Mandi (20), followed by Shimla (15) and Solan (11).

The state has also reported extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods, including 832 houses damaged, 37 shops and factories destroyed, and over 27,000 hectares of crops affected.

The cumulative damage to public and private property has been estimated at over Rs 1,98,881 lakh. This includes a loss of Rs 1,145.27 lakh in the Jal Shakti Vibhag sector, Rs 1,933.68 lakh in PWD, Rs 1,045.05 lakh in urban development, and heavy damages to agriculture, horticulture, power, health, and education infrastructure.

Animal and bird deaths have also been significant, with 1,591 livestock and 25,755 poultry birds lost.

The officials said restoration work is underway across affected areas, but continued heavy rain is hampering efforts to fully restore roads, power, and water supply schemes in several districts.

Districts like Mandi, Kullu, and Solan continue to report major disruptions. Restoration efforts are underway, and the administration has urged people to avoid travel to vulnerable hilly areas.

The SDMA has called for continued public vigilance and strict adherence to advisories, especially with more rain forecasted in several parts of the state.

Earlier in the day, an incident of cloudburst was reported in the Sharod Nala area of Kullu as per the information received from the Central Water Commission, Mohal.

According to the Assistant Engineer, PWD Manikaran, and DPCR Kullu, the water level in Barogi Nala, adjoining Sharod Nala, has risen due to rainfall.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh warning of continued rainfall activity in Himachal Pradesh, with heavy rain expected in many parts of the state over the next few days. The IMD has issued an Orange Alert for August 11 and 12 in three districts and a Yellow Alert for the remaining districts. (ANI)

One of the most adored Bollywood siblings, Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan celebrated Raksha Bandhan on Saturday with great enthusiasm.

The ‘Sarzameen’ star took to his Instagram handle and shared pictures from their Raksha Bandhan gathering, speaking volumes of their strong and caring bond.

In his caption, Ibrahim made a heartwarming promise of taking care, loving, and supporting his elder sister, Sara. He wrote, “Dear sister @saraalikhan95, I promise in this lifetime to always take care of you, always stand by you, always support you. I promise to give you love, strength and everything I can , even if I can’t . Forever and ever your little bhai Jaan. Love you the most, happy Rakhi. #strongertogether.”

The pictures featured the brother and sister in traditional outfits as they celebrated Raksha Bandhan at home. One of them shows Ibrahim flaunting his rakhi, while another one highlights an adorable moment.

Sara Ali Khan reshared the post on her Instagram story, calling Ibrahim the “best brother.” She wrote, “To the best brother in the world. You are my strength already in more ways than you know.”

Every year, Sara Ali Khan celebrates Raksha Bandhan by tying rakhis to her brothers, including Ibrahim, Taimur, and Jeh. Pictures from last year’s celebrations included some precious moments between the siblings at Saif Ali Khan’s residence.

On the work front, Ibrahim Ali Khan was recently seen in Kayoze Irani’s ‘Sarzameen’, also featuring actors Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kajol. The actor essayed a never-seen role and has received praise for his screen presence.

The film is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

Coming back to Raksha Bandhan 2025, many Bollywood siblings have celebrated the day, including the likes of Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni; Ananya Panday and Ahaan Panday; Arjun Kapoor and Anshula, Janhvi, and Khushi; Sanjay Dutt and his sisters, and more. (ANI)

The Election Commission on Saturday reiterated that it has not received a single claim or objection from any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls in Bihar.

“So far, after over a week since the beginning of the Claims & Objections period, not even a single claim or objection has been submitted by any political party,” EC said.

The window to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors on draft electoral rolls opened on August 1.

However, the EC has received 7,252 claims and objections directly from the electors with respect to the draft roll till today, said the ECI in a daily bulletin on the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar.

Forms received from new electors on attaining 18 years of age or above are 43,000.

As per the rules, the claims & objections are to be disposed of by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (ERO/AERO) after the expiry of 7 days.

As per SIR orders, no name can be deleted from the draft list published on August 1, without passing a speaking order by the ERO/AERO after conducting an enquiry and after giving a fair and reasonable opportunity.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has sparked a political row, with the opposition INDIA bloc alleging that the revision process could lead to the deletion of a large number of voters.

They have been protesting in the Parliament, demanding a discussion over the Bihar SIR, since the start of this year’s monsoon session.

Earlier, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday levelled serious allegations of “vote theft” against the EC. He alleged that the elections are “choreographed”.

Presenting Congress’ research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Gandhi alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes.

Addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi said that Congress won other seats while the BJP swept Mahadevapura. (ANI)