The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has announced an anti-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) protest in Kochi, Kerala, on November 7. Titled ‘Jantar Mantar @ Kochi’, the demonstration will take place at Rajendra Maidan from 4 pm under the slogan “Save Democracy! Cancel SIR!” The party is demanding the cancellation of the electoral roll revision exercise and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Founder Abhijeet Dipke, along with other party leaders, will participate. The protest follows the detention and arrest of CJP leaders during demonstrations in Delhi last month. 

At least two people were killed after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Delhi's Chawri Bazaar on Thursday morning. Several others are feared trapped under the debris. The incident took place around 9:50 am in Gali Sitara, near Chawri Bazaar Metro station. Six fire units, along with rescue vehicles, were sent to the spot. Rescue teams are searching for survivors. An eyewitness said three or four workers were present at the site. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the government's safety measures and alleged that poor enforcement led to repeated building collapses. The cause remains unknown.  

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has removed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) declaration from online Form 6 across all states. The change was implemented on the ECINet portal on November 4 and 5. Applicants must now submit the SIR declaration separately when applying to join the voter list. The move follows objections from Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, who had questioned the earlier decision. The ECI has also introduced changes to its internal meetings, foreign travel approvals and IT projects. The steps aim to improve transparency and bring greater clarity to its functioning.  

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the 24-hour deadline for producing an arrested person before a magistrate starts from the time of actual detention, not formal arrest. A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Atul S Chandurkar said police cannot delay recording an arrest to avoid the constitutional deadline. The court said anyone held beyond 24 hours without being produced before a magistrate must be released immediately. Necessary travel time to the court can be excluded. The ruling came in a drug smuggling case involving alleged delayed recording of an arrest.  

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has accused PepsiCo India Holdings of misleading consumers by marketing its high-caffeine beverages, Adrenaline Rush and Sting Energy, as “energy drinks”. In its response to the Delhi High Court, the regulator argued that the company knew its products were required to meet standards applicable to caffeinated beverages but continued promoting them under a category without specific food safety regulations. FSSAI also pointed out that PepsiCo complied with mandatory labelling requirements for caffeinated beverages, demonstrating awareness of their regulatory classification. The regulator alleged that the energy drink branding created a misleading impression about the products’ nature. PepsiCo had not responded to the allegations. (PC: AP)  

11 personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Fire Services went missing after two rescue boats capsized in Telangana’s Khammam district on Wednesday. The teams were trying to rescue five fishermen trapped in the overflowing Bethupalli tank. Three firefighters had earlier become stranded after their boat developed a technical problem. They were later rescued. However, both boats carrying the rescue teams capsized in strong currents. NDRF teams have joined the search operation. Drones will also be used to drop life jackets. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed officials to speed up rescue efforts.

The Union Cabinet has approved a two-year service extension for the 75% of Agniveers who would otherwise leave the armed forces after completing their initial four-year tenure under the Agnipath scheme. Chief of Defence Staff General Subramani announced the decision on Wednesday, describing it as an “important day” for Agniveers and the armed forces. The extension introduces a second engagement period, creating an additional pathway for continued military service. Under the original scheme, launched in 2022, only 25% of Agniveers were eligible for permanent absorption into the military after four years. The latest approval marks a significant change to the scheme’s original service structure. (PC: PTI)

The Supreme Court on November 4 issued notice to the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a petition challenging Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. The provision grants the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners immunity from civil and criminal proceedings for actions performed in their official capacity, even after retirement. Filed by activist and lawyer Arun Kumar Agrawal, the petition argues that such blanket protection is unconstitutional and prevents accountability for alleged misconduct. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant sought responses from the concerned authorities. (PC: India Today)

Portal The Election Commission of India (ECI) has removed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) declaration from the online Form 6 voter registration process on its ECINET portal. The decision follows objections from Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, who questioned the legality of adding the declaration without formally amending the statutory form. Applicants in states where SIR is ongoing must now submit Form 6 and the separate SIR declaration independently. The ECI informed the Supreme Court that the separation was implemented on October 21, bringing the online process in line with physical applications. 

The Supreme Court on November 3 ordered a freeze on the November salary of Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and concerned officials for failing to remove encroachments from land reserved for a BEST bus station in Borivali. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant rejected the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s request for an additional 30 days and imposed a ₹5 lakh cost. The court issued a show-cause notice to Bhide over alleged contempt and questioned possible collusion between officials and encroachers. It criticised administrative delays, including the need to translate Marathi documents, and demanded immediate compliance with its earlier directions.