Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked by a man during a Jan Sunwai at her residence on Wednesday. Police identified the accused as 41-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya from Rajkot. He handed over papers before suddenly slapping the Chief Minister. Gupta is safe but in shock, doctors said. Delhi BJP leaders called it a political conspiracy, while opposition parties strongly condemned the incident. Witnesses said the man shouted before striking. Police have taken him into custody and are investigating his motive. Leaders urged strong action, calling the assault on the Chief Minister shameful and unacceptable. (PC: India Today)

The INDIA opposition bloc has named retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy as its Vice President candidate. Born in 1946 in present-day Telangana, Reddy studied law at Osmania University and became an advocate in 1971. He served as a government pleader, legal adviser, and later as judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1995. In 2005, he became Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court and was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2007, retiring in 2011. He also served briefly as Goa’s first Lokayukta. The election is on September 9, where he faces NDA’s candidate, CP Radhakrishnan. (PC: NDTV)

Opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc and beyond accused the Election Commission (EC) of bias and evasion. At a press conference in Delhi, they alleged voter list fraud and demanded action against past election commissioners. Trinamool Congress filed a case in Calcutta High Court over EC’s request for block-level activist data. Rahul Gandhi, on his Vote Adhikar Yatra, claimed voter rights were stolen in Bihar. Congress and CPM criticized EC’s impartiality, while leaders like Akhilesh Yadav and M.K. Stalin questioned the EC’s silence on key issues. The opposition urged a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and fresh elections, citing compromised democratic integrity. (PC: The Hindu)

Opposition parties may move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Parliament’s Monsoon Session. The move comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others accused the Election Commission of “vote theft” during polls. Gyanesh Kumar rejected the charges, calling them an “insult” to the Constitution. He asked Gandhi to submit an affidavit or apologize. Gandhi refused, saying the data proving irregularities came from the EC’s website. He accused the poll body of bias, noting no affidavit was sought from BJP leaders making similar claims. The issue has triggered a heated political confrontation. (PC: PTI) 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP and committing “vote chori” ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. AAP leader Anurag Dhanda said the poll body’s “theft” has been exposed and claimed it is blaming political parties to hide its failures. He added that teachers were being used in BJP rallies instead of serving education. AAP, which left the INDIA bloc last month, is still backing Congress on the issue of voter list manipulation. The Election Commission has rejected the allegations, calling them baseless and insisting the revision process is transparent. (PC: India Today)

The BJP has named Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as the NDA’s candidate for Vice President. The decision was made at the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting on Sunday. If elected, he will succeed Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned last month citing health reasons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Radhakrishnan for his years of service and grassroots work in Tamil Nadu. Radhakrishnan thanked the PM and NDA for the nomination. Several allies, including Chirag Paswan and Chandrababu Naidu, have backed him. The Vice Presidential election will be held on September 9. The Opposition INDIA bloc has not yet announced its candidate. (PC: India Today)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission and the BJP of carrying out a major electoral fraud during his Vote Adhikar Yatra in Bihar. Speaking at a rally in Aurangabad, he claimed that citizens’ constitutional rights were being taken away. Gandhi alleged that many people told him their names were deleted from the voter list. He said, “We are not afraid of the Election Commission. Bihar will fight for votes and the Constitution.” Gandhi also questioned new election rules, claiming they were designed to allow vote theft. He vowed to fight for people’s rights and show their strength. (PC: India Today)

The Election Commission of India has given Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seven days to back his “vote chori” claim with an affidavit or issue a public apology. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said without proof, the allegations of double voting and “vote theft” are baseless. He called Gandhi’s remarks an “insult to the Constitution” and said such terms weaken trust in democratic institutions. Kumar added that the commission stands firmly with all voters, without discrimination. Gandhi, however, questioned why only he was asked for an affidavit and not BJP leaders. The controversy comes during the electoral roll revision process. (PC: India Today)

The Election Commission of India held a press conference to address allegations of "vote theft" and "voter manipulation" raised by opposition parties, particularly in relation to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar asserted that the claims were baseless, stating that it's impossible to steal votes in a system involving millions of officials and agents. The CEC emphasized that the electoral roll revision is a transparent process with multiple tiers of verification and that political parties have ample opportunity to raise objections during the designated period. He also stated that anyone with concerns should provide an affidavit with evidence, a request that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had previously declined. The ECI also released a district-wise list of the 6.5 million voters whose names were deleted from the draft electoral rolls, complying with a Supreme Court directive to ensure transparency. (PC: Tribune)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will begin the ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar on August 17, 2025, to raise awareness about what the party claims is an assault on citizens’ voting rights during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Former Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh stated that Gandhi is expected to remain in the State for over two weeks until the yatra concludes. The campaign aims to mobilise public opinion, highlight alleged irregularities in voter lists, and reinforce the Congress’s stance on safeguarding democratic and electoral rights. (PC : The Hindu)