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Rahul Gandhi slams EC over more voters being added in 5 months than in 5 years in Maharashtra, says MVA demands voters list of state

Gandhi called for greater transparency from the Election Commission, asserting its duty to provide this information.

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Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expressed significant concerns on Friday regarding the impressive increase in new voters in Maharashtra, particularly noted between the 2024 Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections. He pointed out that a staggering 39 lakh new voters were registered in the mere five months following the Lok Sabha elections.

During a joint press conference with leaders from the INDIA alliance, including Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, Gandhi emphasised the demand from the Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT, and NCP-SS for the Election Commission to release the voters’ list for Maharashtra.

“We have been informing the Election Commission about discrepancies in the Maharashtra elections, and we require the voters’ lists from both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections,” he stated. Gandhi called for greater transparency from the Election Commission, asserting its duty to provide this information.

He warned of a worrying trend, declaring, “We are on the brink of complete destruction of the Constitution, but we are committed to its protection.” Gandhi indicated that the next course of action would involve approaching the judiciary for resolution.

“It is astonishing that the Election Commission is reluctant to provide us with voter lists, which raises suspicions that something is amiss,” Gandhi alleged. Sanjay Raut added, “If the Election Commission is functioning properly, it should respond to the inquiries made by Rahul Gandhi,” suggesting that the EC risks being seen as subservient to the government.

Earlier, during a debate on the Motion of Thanks regarding the President’s address, Gandhi brought up multiple concerns about the legitimacy of the Maharashtra elections, where the BJP-led Mahayuti secured a significant victory. He expressed scepticism that the Election Commission would supply the information requested by the opposition.

Holding a copy of the Constitution, he stated, “Our Constitution is endorsed by the ‘vote of our people,’ and without secure voting, the Constitution holds no value.” He presented distressing statistics regarding the Maharashtra elections, noting that, following the Lok Sabha elections, a number of new voters equivalent to the population of Himachal Pradesh were inexplicably added to the electoral rolls.

Gandhi highlighted that between the Lok Sabha elections in June and the state elections in November, nearly 70 lakh new voters appeared. “In five months, Maharashtra saw a larger influx of voters than it did in five years,” he declared. He illustrated anomalies by citing a specific case in Shirdi, where approximately 7,000 new voters were registered post-Lok Sabha polls.

“I am not making accusations, but rather highlighting that there appears to be an unusual situation where a population comparable to that of Himachal Pradesh has been added to Maharashtra’s voter rolls under suspicious circumstances,” Gandhi said.

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Ram Temple donation theft case chargesheet filed, trustees not named

A chargesheet has been filed in the Ram Temple donation-theft case in Ayodhya. The temple trust’s trustees have not been named as accused.

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A chargesheet has been filed in the case involving alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The chargesheet, however, does not name the trustees of the temple trust as accused.

The development comes after an investigation into several instances of alleged theft of donations at the temple complex. The probe had examined CCTV footage and other evidence related to the incidents.

Chargesheet filed in donation theft case

The chargesheet has been submitted against those accused in connection with the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple.

Importantly, the trustees of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust have not been named as accused in the chargesheet.

The investigation had focused on incidents in which donations were allegedly stolen from the temple premises. CCTV footage was examined as part of the probe into the reported thefts.

Investigation into 105 theft incidents

An earlier investigation had identified 105 instances of alleged donation theft through CCTV footage. The probe examined the incidents and the people allegedly involved in them.

The case had also led to arrests of accused persons named in the FIR. The investigation subsequently examined the role of individuals connected with the incidents.

The filing of the chargesheet marks a further step in the criminal proceedings related to the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple.

Trustees not named as accused

The chargesheet does not name the temple trust’s trustees as accused. This distinction is significant because the filing concerns the individuals against whom the investigating agency has proceeded in the case.

The chargesheet will now form part of the legal proceedings, while the matter will be dealt with through the appropriate judicial process.

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9 Killed, several injured as tourist bus catches fire in Greater Noida

Nine people were killed and several others injured after a sleeper tourist bus travelling from Delhi to Mahoba caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida.

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Nine people were killed and several others injured after a sleeper tourist bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida on Thursday, according to reports.

The bus was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh when the fire broke out. It was carrying around 30 to 35 passengers at the time of the incident.

Bus catches fire on Yamuna Expressway

The incident took place near Dayanatpur village on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida. The blaze engulfed the sleeper bus, prompting passengers to try to escape as the fire spread.

Several passengers reportedly jumped through the windows to get out of the burning vehicle. Nine people died in the incident, while several others sustained injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The exact cause of the fire had not been established at the time of reporting.

Bus was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba

The sleeper bus was travelling from Delhi towards Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh and had approximately 30 to 35 passengers onboard.

The incident occurred late Wednesday night, with the fire breaking out while the bus was on the Yamuna Expressway in the Greater Noida area.

Authorities are looking into the circumstances surrounding the fire. Further details about the cause of the blaze and the injured passengers are awaited.

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LPG Aadhaar authentication mandatory for subsidy from October 1

Biometric Aadhaar authentication will be required for subsidised domestic LPG refills from October 1. Here is what changes for consumers who have and have not completed the process.

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LPG cylinder

Biometric Aadhaar authentication will become a requirement for domestic LPG consumers seeking to book refills at the regulated retail selling price with applicable subsidy from October 1, 2026.

The government has said the measure is aimed at ensuring that subsidised LPG reaches eligible households and at preventing the diversion of subsidised domestic cylinders for commercial and industrial use.

What changes from October 1

Consumers who have already completed biometric Aadhaar authentication will not have to repeat the process. Their LPG refills will continue as before.

For consumers who have not completed the authentication, refill booking at the regulated price with subsidy will be enabled after the authentication is completed.

As of September 19, 2026, 27.43 crore active domestic LPG consumers, or 89.9 per cent of the total, had completed biometric Aadhaar authentication, according to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry.

How to complete Aadhaar authentication

Consumers who have not yet completed the process can do so through several channels.

Authentication can be completed during LPG delivery, at the distributor’s showroom or through the mobile applications of the three state-owned oil marketing companies.

Indane customers can use IndianOil ONE, Bharatgas customers can use HelloBPCL, while HP Gas customers can use HP PAY.

What if consumers do not complete authentication

The government has clarified that consumers who are unwilling or unable to complete biometric Aadhaar authentication can still receive LPG.

However, they will have to register their choice through the available digital channels of their oil marketing company, such as its consumer portal, mobile app, WhatsApp chatbot or IVRS.

Such consumers will be supplied LPG at the applicable market price without subsidy, in 5-kg or 10-kg cylinders, subject to local availability.

Why the government is introducing the requirement

According to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, linking each LPG connection to an Aadhaar-authenticated consumer is intended to prevent diversion of subsidised domestic cylinders and remove duplicate or ineligible connections.

The government has also said the measure is intended to make subsidy delivery more targeted and transparent.

Authentication deadline and progress

Consumers were initially asked to complete biometric Aadhaar authentication by June 30, 2026. The deadline was subsequently extended several times, with September 14 being the final extended deadline mentioned by the ministry.

The nationwide authentication drive has been underway since October 2023. The government said more than 12 crore SMS and WhatsApp messages had been sent as part of the outreach campaign.

The government has urged consumers who have not yet completed the process to do so before October 1.

LPG Aadhaar authentication becomes mandatory for subsidised domestic LPG refills from October 1. Consumers who have already completed biometric authentication need not do it again. Those who haven’t can still get LPG, but at the applicable market price without subsidy.

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