Congress released a second list of candidates for the Kerala assembly election, naming 37 more nominees and taking the party?s total to 92 out of 140 seats. The list, however, reportedly sparked sharp internal debate in Delhi. Sources say Rahul Gandhi was displeased with how tickets were finalized and argued that the selection should not be left solely to state leaders. His view was that caste equations, recent performance, and ground-level feedback must weigh more than internal lobbying. The list was reportedly cleared after a late-night meeting at party president Mallikarjun Kharge?s residence, where leadership went line by line until the final hours.
In the middle of the Gulf crisis, India received a rare piece of good news. Two LPG tankers carrying the Indian flag are expected to transit the Hormuz Strait, after earlier vessels were allowed through following diplomatic engagement. The ships had been anchored in the Gulf, but ongoing talks between New Delhi and Tehran appear to be creating limited windows for passage. Officials indicate more Indian-flagged tankers may be cleared in the coming days.
On the domestic governance front, the Supreme Court was informed that NCERT will re-draft a controversial chapter on judicial corruption in a Class 8 textbook. A special committee headed by former Justices Indu Malhotra and Aniruddha Bose, along with former Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, has been formed to rewrite the chapter. The assurance prompted the court to pause further proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court rejected bail for a CGST IRS officer accused of seeking a ?1.5 crore bribe, citing strong digital evidence including a recorded WhatsApp call. In Uttarakhand, the High Court also reprimanded an accused who sought protection while facing serious charges, calling the petition an abuse of legal process.
Internationally, the U.S. announced a voluntary return program for undocumented immigrants, offering free airfare and ?2.5 lakh equivalent to those who register through an official app. The move is intended to encourage orderly departure and reduce enforcement burdens.
In West Bengal, CPI(M) has unveiled a youth-centric strategy, promising jobs and more young candidates to revive its base before the assembly polls. The party says rising unemployment and migration are central to its campaign message.
