The Election Commission has announced the second phase of its nationwide ‘special intensive revision’ (SIR) of electoral rolls, which will cover 12 states and union territories, including poll-bound West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The revision process will commence after the conclusion of the Bihar Assembly election next month.

The first phase of this exercise took place in Bihar during June and July and was concluded with the publication of the final roll on September 30. According to the Election Commission, the process saw “zero appeals” against alleged wrongful deletions from the voter list.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar explained that under law, voter rolls must be revised before every election or whenever deemed necessary. Addressing the timing concerns raised by opposition parties in Bihar, he stated that these very groups had also been demanding improvements in the accuracy of voter lists.

“SIR has been carried out eight times between 1951 and 2004, with the last such revision happening over two decades ago,” Kumar said. He noted that changing demographics and large-scale migration had led to multiple registrations of voters across different constituencies, necessitating a fresh update.

The Election Commission also cited other reasons for the revision, including the removal of names of deceased persons and foreign nationals who may have been wrongly listed.

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to prepare and publish a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) within ten days to regulate political rallies and public gatherings across the state.

Court directive after Karur stampede tragedy

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan was hearing multiple petitions that sought clear guidelines for granting permissions to political parties and organisations conducting rallies. The matter has been adjourned to November 11, with the court allowing all stakeholders to submit their suggestions before finalisation.

The directive follows the tragic stampede during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur, which claimed 41 lives, including women and children. The incident raised widespread concerns over inadequate safety arrangements, delayed permissions, and poor crowd management at political events.

During the hearing, the court criticised the government’s practice of imposing “25 conditions” for permissions on short notice, questioning the feasibility of such compliance. The Bench also sought clarification on allegations that these conditions targeted specific political organisations.

Tamil Nadu government’s response

The state government informed the court that draft guidelines were already in preparation but highlighted a lack of cooperation from some political parties. It further announced that permissions for rallies will now be restricted to designated venues to avoid traffic disruptions and public inconvenience.

Authorities will also mandate that organisers provide essential facilities such as drinking water and toilets. Until the new SOPs are implemented, these interim rules will remain in force.

TVK, whose rally tragedy prompted the petitions, supported the need for clear norms but urged that police permissions be granted on time. The party claimed that approvals often come just days before events, leaving little room for safety planning. The government assured that the upcoming SOPs will include timelines for permission to prevent such delays.

Vijay meets Karur victims’ families

Coinciding with the court proceedings, TVK chief and actor Vijay met the families of those who lost their lives in the Karur tragedy at Mamallapuram, offering condolences and promising support.

The incident remains under investigation through a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe. Vijay’s statewide campaign, suspended since the stampede, is yet to resume.

A new cyclonic storm, named Cyclone Montha, has formed over the Arabian Sea and is expected to move towards the Andhra Pradesh coast by October 28, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The department has also warned of heavy rainfall in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry over the next few days.

Origin and meaning of Cyclone Montha

The name Montha was suggested by Thailand, one of the 13 nations that contribute to naming tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region. In the Thai language, Montha translates to “fragrant flower” or “beautiful flower.”

How cyclones are named

Cyclones in this region are named by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC), New Delhi — operated by the IMD under the supervision of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Countries including India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Yemen, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates each submit a list of 13 names. These 169 names form a master pool, and the IMD assigns the next name on the list whenever a new cyclone develops.

Landfall prediction and areas on alert

Cyclone Montha is moving northwestwards toward the Andhra coast and is likely to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, on October 28.
The IMD has issued red and orange alerts for 23 out of 26 districts in Andhra Pradesh. Odisha’s districts — Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri — have also been placed on alert for October 28 and 29, with expectations of heavy rainfall.