West Bengal?s Trinamool Congress has renewed its attack on the Election Commission after senior administrative and police officers were transferred following the poll schedule announcement. The EC removed the chief secretary, home secretary, state police chief and Kolkata police commissioner, saying the officials would have no election-related responsibilities. TMC called it a hurried, politically motivated move, while the BJP and Left parties defended the decision as necessary for free and fair elections.
In transport news, the much-hyped Namo Bharat rapid rail faced a technical setback. A signaling failure reduced train speeds to about 50 km/h on the Delhi?Meerut corridor, forcing delays of 10?15 minutes at several stations. Crowding and commuter frustration grew, and the issue quickly went viral on social media, adding to pressure on railway leadership.
In Odisha, Congress alleged that BJP-linked operatives attempted to bribe MLAs with ?5 crore each ahead of the Rajya Sabha election. The party said eight MLAs were shifted to a Bengaluru hotel to avoid cross-voting, and police arrested two individuals in the case. Senior leaders named a local facilitator and alleged that a BJP-backed independent candidate was behind the effort.
The Allahabad High Court, meanwhile, reprimanded the Uttar Pradesh government for restricting mosque attendance in Sambhal to 20 worshippers during Ramadan. The court rejected the state?s law-and-order justification, stating it is the government?s duty to manage security without curbing lawful religious practice.
In Delhi, the High Court granted relief to the CBI in the liquor policy case by continuing a stay on trial-court remarks criticizing the agency and directing an inquiry into its officers. The court issued notices to Arvind Kejriwal and 23 others, and set the next hearing for April 9.
Election politics remained heated as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned the announced polling dates, claiming they favor the BJP. She pointed out that Assam, Kerala and Puducherry are scheduled to vote on April 9, while Tamil Nadu votes on April 23 and West Bengal in two phases. Shashi Tharoor also noted that Kerala?s date appeared unusually early.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the state?s new Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, aimed at preventing conversions by coercion or inducement. He said the bill protects women from exploitation, and includes penalties of up to seven years in jail and a ?1 lakh fine for violations.
