The Supreme Court on Wednesday delivered a sharp rebuke to the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, pausing FIRs lodged against officers of the Enforcement Directorate over searches linked to political consultancy I-PAC. The court said the case raises serious questions about interference in investigations and warned that failure to address them could lead to “lawlessness”.

A bench of Justice Prashant Mishra and Justice Vipul Pancholi sought replies from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Personnel and Training, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress government on the ED’s plea. The central agency has also sought the suspension of Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, and a probe by the CBI. The matter will be heard next on February 3.

The ruling follows a standoff between the ED and the Bengal government after the agency conducted searches at premises linked to I-PAC, which manages election campaigns for the Trinamool Congress, in connection with a corruption case.

Court questions obstruction of central probes

Recording its prima facie view, the Supreme Court said the petition raised a “serious issue” concerning investigations by central agencies and possible obstruction by state authorities.

“There are larger questions which emerge and if not answered shall lead to lawlessness. If central agencies are working bona fide to probe a serious offence, a question arises: Can they be obstructed by party activities?” the bench observed.

Earlier in the day, the court also expressed disturbance over scenes of chaos in the Calcutta High Court during a hearing related to the same dispute.

ED alleges interference, seeks action against top cops

The Enforcement Directorate accused the West Bengal administration of interfering with its searches and investigation. Appearing for the agency, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta alleged that evidence was removed from the residence of an I-PAC co-founder and argued that such actions could encourage state police officers to aid and abet obstruction. He sought suspension of senior police officials.

Describing the disruption in the Calcutta High Court on January 9, Mehta called it “mobocracy”, saying a group of lawyers unconnected to the case disrupted proceedings, forcing an adjournment. The bench asked whether the high court had been turned into a protest site, to which Mehta responded that messages had circulated calling lawyers to gather at a specific time.

Banerjee’s counsel defends move, cites election confidentiality

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Mamata Banerjee, questioned the timing of the ED’s presence in Bengal ahead of Assembly elections. He said the last development in the coal scam case dated back to February 2024 and argued that I-PAC handled election-related work under a formal contract with the Trinamool Congress.

According to Sibal, election data stored at the premises was confidential and critical to campaign strategy. He said the party leadership had a right to protect such information.

Representing the Bengal government and the DGP, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi referred to the January 9 disruption but argued it could not justify parallel proceedings in different courts. The bench responded that emotions “cannot go out of hand repeatedly”.

Congress MP and chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Shashi Tharoor has expressed serious concern over the United States’ latest tariff announcement targeting countries that continue to trade with Iran, warning that such measures could severely impact Indian exporters.

Reacting to the decision by US President Donald Trump to impose a 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran, Tharoor said Indian companies would struggle to remain competitive if cumulative tariffs rise to 75%. He noted that India was already at a disadvantage compared to several regional competitors.

Tharoor said he had been troubled by the US tariff regime from the outset, pointing out that India was initially subjected to a 25% tariff while rival exporting nations in Southeast Asia were charged significantly lower rates. According to him, countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh faced tariffs ranging between 15% and 19% on labour-intensive goods exported to the US.

He explained that the situation had worsened with additional sanctions-linked duties. With the existing 25% tariff, another 25% related to Russia-linked sanctions, and a further 25% tied to Iran-related measures, the total burden could rise to 75%. At that level, Tharoor said, most Indian exports would no longer be commercially viable in the American market.

While noting that certain sectors such as pharmaceuticals may continue to export as they are not heavily impacted by sanctions, he warned that other key export categories would be hit hard. Tharoor described the situation as very serious and said it required urgent attention.

The Congress MP also expressed hope that the newly appointed US Ambassador could help facilitate progress on a bilateral trade agreement. He stressed that India could not afford to wait through the entire year for a deal and said an agreement should ideally be concluded in the first quarter of 2026.

Commenting on recent diplomatic engagements between India and the US, Tharoor underlined the need for faster consensus on trade issues. He said that at tariff levels as high as 75%, the idea of a meaningful trade deal loses relevance. According to him, a rate closer to what the UK enjoys with the US, around 15%, would reflect the respect due to a strategic partner.

Tharoor’s remarks come after President Trump announced that any country continuing business with Iran would face a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States, a move that has raised concerns among several trading partners.

Voting is underway today for civic body elections across Maharashtra, covering 29 municipal corporations, with Mumbai and Pune emerging as the main political battlegrounds. The polls, being held after a long delay, are widely seen as a crucial test of political strength and identity ahead of larger state and national contests.

Polling began at 7.30 am for a total of 2,869 seats across 893 wards in the 29 civic bodies. The elections are taking place years after the scheduled term of most municipal corporations ended between 2020 and 2023. Voting will continue until 5.30 pm, while counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 10 am on January 16.

BMC election draws maximum attention

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India’s richest civic body, remains the centre of attention. Unlike other corporations, the BMC follows a single-member ward system, meaning each voter casts only one vote. In the remaining 28 civic bodies, wards have three to five seats, requiring voters to cast multiple votes.

The BMC poll is particularly significant for the Thackeray brothers, Uddhav and Raj, who have come together in its backdrop after two decades. The election is seen as an opportunity for them to reassert their claim as political heirs of Bal Thackeray and revive their influence in Mumbai, a city long governed by the undivided Shiv Sena.

Test of Marathi identity politics

The elections are also being closely watched as a test of the “Marathi Manoos” plank. Rooted in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement of the 1950s and shaped politically by Bal Thackeray, the Marathi identity has remained a defining feature of Mumbai’s politics and a core theme for the Thackeray-led parties, particularly the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

BJP-Shinde alliance and NCP in fray

For Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who split the Shiv Sena in 2022, the civic polls offer a chance to regain lost ground and reinforce his claim as Bal Thackeray’s political successor. His alliance partner, the BJP, is contesting 137 of the BMC’s 227 seats, while the Shinde-led Sena is contesting the remaining 90. The BJP, which won 82 seats in the last BMC election in 2019, is aiming to significantly improve its tally.

Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party is contesting the polls independently after differences with the BJP over leadership issues. The party is hoping to regain influence, especially in Pune, where the undivided NCP had controlled the civic body for a decade between 2007 and 2017.

With high political stakes, delayed polls and shifting alliances, today’s civic elections are expected to offer clear signals about Maharashtra’s evolving political landscape.