Several parts of India are expected to experience changing weather conditions on Thursday, October 29, as Cyclone Arnab and associated weather systems influence rainfall across different regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Delhi-NCR is also likely to experience rain accompanied by thunderstorms, along with a fall in temperatures. Meanwhile, parts of eastern India are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, making the latest weather forecast important for residents and commuters.

According to the report, rainfall alerts cover several regions across eastern, central, northern and southern India. The intensity and timing of rainfall are expected to vary from one state to another.

Delhi-NCR weather forecast for October 29

Delhi and the National Capital Region are expected to see a change in weather, with rain and thunderstorms forecast over the coming days. Temperatures are also likely to fall, bringing cooler conditions during the morning and evening.

The report puts Delhi’s maximum temperature for October 29 at around 26 degrees Celsius and the minimum at approximately 17 degrees Celsius. Rain is also forecast for October 30, when temperatures could remain around 26 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Air quality remains another concern in the capital. The report cited Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) readings showing elevated AQI levels at several monitoring stations, including Patparganj at 291, Sirifort at 290 and Pusa at 285. These readings indicate poor to very poor air quality across the reported locations.

Uttar Pradesh may see rain, thunderstorms

Uttar Pradesh is among the states expected to experience unsettled weather on October 29. The forecast indicates the possibility of heavy rainfall in parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds.

Wind speeds of 40-50 kmph are mentioned in the report for affected areas. Western Uttar Pradesh may also experience rainfall and thunderstorms, although conditions may differ across districts.

Residents should follow local weather alerts, particularly where thunderstorms, lightning or strong winds are forecast.

Bihar weather update

Bihar is expected to receive widespread rainfall between October 29 and October 31, according to the report. Heavy rain is possible at isolated locations on Thursday, with thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds also forecast.

The intensity of rainfall may vary across the state. Residents should keep track of official weather advisories as conditions develop.

West Bengal rainfall forecast

Parts of West Bengal may continue to experience heavy rainfall under the influence of Cyclone Arnab.

The report identifies East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia among the districts where heavy rain is possible until Friday morning. Heavy rainfall is also forecast in the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar until Saturday morning.

These are forecasts, and the actual distribution and intensity of rainfall may vary by location.

Odisha under heavy rainfall alerts

Odisha is among the states facing significant rainfall concerns associated with Cyclone Arnab. The report identifies Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur as districts receiving particular attention from the authorities.

The report also describes preparations to move people from low-lying and landslide-prone areas to relief camps. It states that schools and anganwadi centres in 16 of the state’s 30 districts were scheduled to remain closed on October 29.

An IMD red alert for extremely heavy rainfall is reported for Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam, with winds of 50-70 kmph also forecast in affected areas.

Jharkhand issues school closures amid rain

Rainfall linked to Cyclone Arnab has also affected Jharkhand. According to the report, authorities in West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Simdega ordered schools to remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

The IMD has issued rainfall alerts for several districts, including Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega, Gumla, Lohardaga, Seraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum.

The report also identifies orange alerts for districts including Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum. Residents should consult local administration updates for district-specific instructions.

State-wise weather forecast for October 29

The NDTV report provides the following broad outlook for rainfall across India:

These categories reflect the broad forecast summarised in the report. They should not be interpreted as uniform conditions across every district within each state.

What residents should keep in mind

People in areas forecast to receive heavy rain should monitor official IMD bulletins and local administration advisories. During thunderstorms, it is advisable to avoid exposed locations and take shelter in a safe building. Residents in low-lying or landslide-prone areas should follow evacuation instructions issued by local authorities.

For Delhi-NCR, changing weather does not automatically mean that air pollution will improve everywhere. Residents should check current local AQI readings rather than relying on rainfall forecasts alone.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at the Congress on Wednesday after the party failed to win any seats in Legislative Council by-elections held across four states. Referring to the use of ballot papers in the elections, the Prime Minister questioned the party’s performance in the contests.

The by-elections covered 28 Legislative Council seats across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Congress contested 12 seats, including four that it had previously held, but failed to secure a victory in any of them, according to the reported results.

The setback was particularly notable in Karnataka, where Congress is in power but did not win any of the four Legislative Council seats contested in the state.

What PM Modi said about the MLC election results

In a post on X, Modi referred to the elections held across the four states and highlighted that ballot papers had been used for voting.

“MLC elections in 28 seats across 4 big states – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka. Elections held using ballot papers. Guess how many seats Congress won?” the Prime Minister wrote.

He accompanied the post with a monocle emoji, adding a mocking tone to his question about the party’s performance.

The reference to ballot papers came amid the Congress’s broader objections to electronic voting machines and its demands for a return to paper ballots. Modi’s post drew attention to the party’s failure to win any of the seats it contested in these particular elections.

Congress draws a blank across four states

The Legislative Council by-elections covered constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka.

Congress contested 12 of the 28 seats but could not secure a win. Four of the seats it contested had previously been held by the party.

Karnataka emerged as a significant setback for Congress, which governs the state. The party failed to win any of the four seats contested there.

The overall outcome provided the context for Modi’s remarks, which linked the election results to the use of ballot papers rather than electronic voting machines.

Why the ballot paper reference matters

Congress has raised concerns about the use of electronic voting machines and called for a return to ballot papers. Modi’s post drew a contrast between those demands and the party’s performance in elections conducted using paper ballots.

However, the results of these Legislative Council by-elections relate to the specific seats contested across the four states. They do not, by themselves, establish any broader conclusion about the integrity of other elections or the merits of different voting systems.

The Prime Minister’s remarks were a political swipe at Congress following its performance in the MLC bypolls.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed five states to transfer officials directly involved in election-related duties ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The directive applies to Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where the terms of the existing legislative assemblies are due to expire next year.

In a letter dated October 27, 2026, the Commission instructed the chief secretaries and chief electoral officers of the five states to implement its transfer and posting guidelines. The exercise covers officials posted in their home districts and those who have completed, or are due to complete, three years in a district during the past four years, subject to the prescribed cut-off dates.

The Commission has also set November 30, 2026, as the deadline for submitting compliance reports on the action taken.

Which officials will be covered by the transfer rules?

The guidelines cover district-level administrative officers directly connected with election management, including District Election Officers, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, Additional District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, tehsildars and Block Development Officers.

Divisional commissioners and municipal commissioners are also covered by the directive.

In the police department, the rules apply to specified officers from the rank of inspector and sub-inspector to senior officers, including those at the range level. The guidelines also cover designated officers in the excise and transport departments.

The Commission’s instructions are intended to ensure that officials directly involved in conducting elections do not remain posted in their home districts or continue in districts where they have served for an extended period.

Three-year tenure rule and cut-off dates

The Commission has prescribed different cut-off dates for calculating the three-year tenure in the five states.

For Goa, Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand, the cut-off date is March 31, 2027. For Uttar Pradesh, it is May 31, 2027.

Officials who have completed three years in a district during the preceding four years, or who will complete that period by the applicable cut-off date, are covered by the transfer requirements.

The guidelines also specify that promotions to posts within the same district will be counted while calculating the three-year tenure. Services rendered at the state headquarters during the preceding four years are not to be included in the calculation, even if the headquarters is located within the same revenue district.

Officials cannot return to previous election postings

The Commission has also directed that designated election officials must not be posted back to, or allowed to continue in, the Assembly constituency or district where they served during the previous Assembly election or a subsequent by-election, as applicable.

This provision covers District Election Officers, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers and specified police personnel.

The rules form part of the Commission’s instructions governing the posting of officials responsible for election-related work in the five states.

November 30 deadline for compliance reports

The chief secretaries and directors general of police of the five states have been directed to submit compliance reports to the Election Commission by November 30, 2026.

The reports are intended to communicate the action taken by the respective state administrations to implement the transfer guidelines.

The directive comes ahead of the scheduled end of the current Assembly terms in the five states in 2027. The terms of the Goa, Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand Assemblies are due to expire in March, while the Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s term ends in May.

The transfer instructions mark a step in the Election Commission’s preparations for the next round of Assembly elections in these states.