Voter list controversy in West Bengal
A political storm erupted in West Bengal after the Election Commission (ECI) issued draft rolls under its Special Intensive Revision.
Notices mistakenly sent to public figures like Amartya Sen and Mohammed Shami drew sharp criticism from Trinamool Congress, while the ECI clarified they were system errors due to spelling mismatches, not deliberate targeting.
High Court upholds ruling on lighting of lamp atop hill
The Madras High Court upheld a ruling allowing the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam atop Thirupparankundram hill, rejecting the Tamil Nadu government’s security concerns.
The decision reignited a secularism versus Hindu tradition debate, with the court stressing that rituals must follow archaeological guidelines and be conducted in consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India.
Vijay’s Jana Nayagan postponed worldwide over certification delay
Tamil superstar Vijay’s latest film Jana Nayagan, which was scheduled to release on Jan 9, faces a worldwide delay after a Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) clearance issue.
KVN Productions confirmed the development, adding: “We deeply understand the anticipation, excitement and emotions surrounding this film, and this decision has not been an easy one for any of us. The new release date will be announced at the earliest.”
GDP pegged to grow at 7.4% for FY26 despite tariff heat
The Government on Jan 7 projected economic growth of 7.4 per cent in fiscal 2025-26, underscoring resilience in Asia’s third-largest economy even as global growth slows and financial conditions remain tight amid United States tariff heat.
The Government on Jan 7 projected economic growth of 7.4 per cent in fiscal 2025-26, underscoring resilience in Asia’s third-largest economy even as global growth slows and financial conditions remain tight amid United States tariff heat.
The projection is higher than the Reserve Bank of India’s latest expectation of 7.3 per cent, beating last year’s 6.5 per cent growth.
Nominal GDP, which counts inflation, is expected to grow by 8 per cent in the current fiscal year, against 9.7 per cent last year. These numbers will form the base for the union budget due to be announced on Feb 1.
Indore water contamination: Court steps in
The Madhya Pradesh High Court slammed Indore authorities over contaminated drinking water that led to 17 deaths. Calling it a blow to the city’s clean image, the court warned of possible criminal liability for negligence.
Petitioners allege residents’ repeated complaints were ignored despite court orders for clean water supply.
Government orders action on AI abuse on X
The Central Government has directed Elon Musk’s X to fix its AI tool Grok after it generated altered, sexualised images of women.
The IT ministry ordered content safeguards and demanded a report within 72 hours, warning that failure to comply could strip X of legal immunity under Indian law.
Supreme Court denies bail to student activists
Two prominent student activists have been denied bail after being held in prison for more than five years without trial.
The Supreme Court on Jan 5 rejected pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who were arrested after the 2020 Delhi riots.
Police accused them of conspiracy to incite deadly clashes in the capital that killed 53 people.
India’s green grid vision expands
India is planning a cross-continental green power grid linking it with Southeast Asia, the Gulf, and Europe, reported The Straits Times.
Talks are underway for undersea solar cables to Singapore and energy links with UAE and Saudi Arabia.
“What India envisages is that in 10 to 20 years, eventually East Asia could be connected to the Middle East and Europe, but that interconnection is likely to happen through India,” said Mr Ashish Khanna, director-general of International Solar Alliance, a global intergovernmental organisation launched by India and France in 2015
Buddha gems return to India
Ancient jewels believed to have been buried with the Buddha were unveiled in New Delhi after being repatriated from abroad.
Unearthed in 1898 at Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh, and scattered globally, the 300-piece collection is now reunited after 127 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the event as a cultural milestone.
Oxford apologises over book on Shivaji
Oxford University Press India (OUP) has apologised to Chhatrapati Shivaji’s descendant Udayanraje Bhosale for unverified statements in a 2003 book by American writer James Laine.
The controversial content sparked outrage and vandalism in Pune in 2004. OUP publicly expressed regret and apologised to the Maratha community for the distress caused.
Endangered vultures released in Maharashtra
Fifteen critically endangered Indian vultures were released in Maharashtra’s Melghat Tiger Reserve by the Bombay Natural History Society.
Fitted with satellite tags, the vultures were acclimatised in a pre-release aviary.
The soft release aims to reintroduce them to the wild and track their movement for conservation efforts.
ICC tells Bangladesh to play World Cup in India or forfeit points
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down Bangladesh’s request to shift their T20 World Cup matches outside India. The governing body has insisted that Bangladesh must play in India or forfeit their points.
“The ICC told BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) categorically that there is no security threat in India. The BCB has to prove what threat exactly there is that they are denying to travel to India for the T20 World Cup. The ball is now in their court,” a source privy to the developments told the Hindustan Times on Jan 7.
Bangladesh is scheduled to begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on Feb 7 against two-time champions West Indies in Kolkata.
