India News

Himanta Biswa Sarma files Rs 500 crore defamation case against Congress leaders

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has filed a Rs500 crore defamation case against senior Congress leaders, accusing them of making false and malicious allegations at a Guwahati press conference.

Published

2 months ago

February 10, 2026

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he has filed a civil defamation case seeking Rs500 crore in damages against senior Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi.

The chief minister accused the three leaders of making false, malicious and defamatory allegations against him during a press conference held in Guwahati last week.

In a post on X on Tuesday afternoon, Sarma said he has approached the court over what he described as baseless accusations levelled against him in the public domain.

“Today, I have filed a defamation case seeking Rs500 crore in damages against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi for making false, malicious and defamatory allegations against me through a press conference,” Sarma wrote.

The legal action follows the Assam Congress’s launch of a website titled “Who Is HBS” on February 4, along with the circulation of a pamphlet accusing the chief minister of corruption, misuse of power and disrespect towards cultural icons.

The website, which sought details of Sarma’s alleged assets, was later allegedly hacked after its launch.

Congress leaders had also claimed that the chief minister and his family owned around 12,000 bighas, or nearly 4,000 acres, of land, alleging that rules were manipulated to convert agricultural land into industrial land.

Sources said the defamation case has been initiated at the Kamrup District Civil Court, with further proceedings currently underway.

Meanwhile, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee on Tuesday lodged a police complaint at Dispur Police Station against the BJP and Sarma, alleging misuse of artificial intelligence to malign Gaurav Gogoi and targeting Muslims through a now-deleted video referred to as the “point blank shot” clip.

APCC senior spokesperson Gopal Sarma alleged that the BJP was engaging in what he described as “the worst kind of colonisation of politics” in Assam ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. He also claimed that an AI-generated video was circulated portraying a person from a religious minority as Gogoi.

Responding to the police complaint, Sarma said he would continue speaking openly and was not intimidated by legal action.

“It is good that they have filed the case. What does communal mean? You all know who I am against,” the chief minister said.

“For me, white is white and black is black. They cannot frighten me. Anyone can file a case against me,” he added.

The video in question, posted on Saturday, was deleted following a political backlash. Sarma had on Monday said he was unaware of the video.

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India News

Turnout crosses 80% in Bengal and Tamil Nadu till 5 PM in key elections

Bengal phase 1 and Tamil Nadu elections witness strong voter turnout, crossing 80% with largely peaceful polling.

Published

7 hours ago

April 23, 2026

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Polling for the 2026 Assembly elections is underway in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, with voters turning out in large numbers across key constituencies.

In West Bengal, voting is being held across 152 constituencies, with around 3.6 crore voters expected to participate in this phase. Security arrangements were tightened, and long queues of voters were seen at polling stations from early morning.

Turnout rises steadily through the day

Voter participation increased consistently as polling progressed. By afternoon, turnout had crossed the halfway mark in both states, indicating steady engagement.

As per latest updates till 5 PM, West Bengal recorded 89.92% turnout, while Tamil Nadu reported 82.24% voter participation.

Large electorate participates in phase 1

In West Bengal, nearly 3.6 crore eligible voters took part in the first phase across several districts, including Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri.

Tamil Nadu is witnessing a three-way contest between the DMK-led alliance, the AIADMK-BJP alliance, and actor Vijay’s entry into the political space.

Sporadic incidents reported

Polling has been largely peaceful, though isolated incidents were reported, including an attack on BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul’s car and a boycott reported in parts of Tamil Nadu.

Despite these disruptions, voting continued without major interruptions, and authorities maintained overall control.

High-stakes political contest

The elections are being closely watched as major political parties compete for power. West Bengal is witnessing a closely fought contest, while in Tamil Nadu, key regional rivals are battling for control of the state Assembly.

The outcome is expected to play an important role in shaping the political landscape of both states.

Education

UP Board result 2026 declared: Class 10 pass rate at 90.42%, class 12 at 80.38%

UP Board 2026 results are out with strong pass rates. Here’s how to check your score and key highlights.

Published

8 hours ago

April 23, 2026

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The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad has declared the UP Board Class 10 and Class 12 results for 2026 on April 23 at 4 pm.

This year, more than 52 lakh students registered for the exams, including over 27 lakh candidates in Class 10 and nearly 25 lakh in Class 12. The examinations were conducted between February 18 and March 12 across around 8,000 centres in the state.

Pass percentage and performance trends

The overall performance remains strong:

Class 10 pass percentage: 90.42%
Class 12 pass percentage: 80.38%

Girls have once again outperformed boys in both classes, continuing the trend seen in previous years.

How to check UP Board result 2026

Students can access their results through official platforms by following these steps:

Visit the official website: upmsp.edu.in or upresults.nic.in
Click on the result link for Class 10 or Class 12
Enter roll number and required details
View and download the provisional marksheet

Alternatively, results are also available via DigiLocker and other digital platforms.

What students should do after results

Students are advised to:

Download and print the provisional marksheet immediately
Collect the original marksheet from their respective schools later
Apply for re-evaluation or compartment exams if required

India News

Voting underway in West Bengal phase 1 and Tamil Nadu as turnout crosses 50% by afternoon

Voter turnout crosses 50% in West Bengal phase 1 and Tamil Nadu as polling continues across key constituencies.

Published

12 hours ago

April 23, 2026

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Voting is underway in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu as the 2026 assembly elections see active participation from voters across both states. In West Bengal, the first phase of polling is being held across 152 constituencies in 16 districts, marking the beginning of a multi-phase election process.

Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, is witnessing single-phase polling across all 234 assembly seats, making it a crucial electoral day for the state.

Polling began in the morning with voters arriving at booths early, and arrangements were in place to ensure smooth voting.

Turnout figures show steady participation

As voting progressed, turnout figures indicated moderate to strong participation in both states.

West Bengal recorded around 62.2% voter turnout by 1 pm
Tamil Nadu saw approximately 56.8% turnout by the same time

Earlier in the day, initial turnout trends showed gradual momentum as queues built up at polling stations.

High-stakes contest in both states

The elections are significant for major political parties in both regions.

In West Bengal, the contest remains largely between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, with several key constituencies drawing attention. Around 3.6 crore voters are eligible to vote in this phase, highlighting the scale of the exercise.

Tamil Nadu’s election features a traditional contest between the DMK and AIADMK alliances, with the outcome expected to shape the state’s political direction.

Security and arrangements in place

Authorities have deployed security personnel and made logistical arrangements to ensure peaceful polling. Reports indicate that voting is largely proceeding smoothly, with monitoring systems in place across sensitive areas.

The election process in West Bengal will continue with the second phase scheduled for April 29, while Tamil Nadu will conclude voting in a single day.