The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced that Bihar will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote Counting on November 14 setting the stage for a high-stakes battle between the ruling NDA government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the opposition alliance comprising the RJD, Congress, and other parties.

With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect across the state.

Key Election Dates

• Phase 1: November 6 — polling in 121 constituencies
• Phase 2: November 11 — polling in 122 constituencies
• Counting on November 14

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the ruling NDA currently holds 138 seats, while the opposition alliance controls 103.

A New Political Force Emerges

This election introduces a third front — Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party — which is expected to make the contest more dynamic.
Adding to the pre-election buzz, the Election Commission has recently concluded a Special Intensive Review (SIR) of voter lists, which Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar described as a “shuddhikaran” (purification) process.

Voter Statistics

According to the CEC, 7.42 crore voters will be eligible to vote across 90,712 polling stations, all of which will be webcast-enabled to ensure transparent polling.
The state has 3.92 crore male and 3.5 crore female voters. Nearly 14,000 voters are aged 100 years or above, and around 14 lakh will be first-time voters.https://himalayanexpress.in/

Voter List Purification and Deletions

Kumar revealed that approximately 69 lakh names have been deleted during the SIR of electoral rolls. However, he declined to specify how many deletions were due to non-citizenship issues.

“A breakup cannot be given in a decentralised set-up. The Electoral Registration Officer prepares the voter lists, which can be appealed before the District Magistrate or Chief Electoral Officer,” Kumar explained.

He added that most deletions were due to deaths, migration, or unproven citizenship, and that this data had already been shared with political parties.

Election Reforms and Transparency Measures

In response to political demands, the CEC announced that counting of postal ballots will now be completed before the last two rounds of vote counting.
Calling the upcoming Bihar elections the “mother of all elections”, Kumar said the Commission will implement 17 new initiatives, which may later be replicated nationwide.

“Thanks to the SIR, the upcoming Bihar elections could be the most transparent in India’s electoral history. Bihar will show the way to the rest of the country on voter list purification,” Kumar stated confidently.

Clarification on Voter Identification

When asked about the identification of women voters wearing burqa or ghunghat (veil), Kumar affirmed that the Election Commission’s verification guidelines would be strictly followed inside polling booths to ensure transparency and respect for privacy.https://himalayanexpress.in/

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh on a writ petition filed by activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, challengingSonam Wangchuk’s Detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and seeking his immediate release.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria heard the plea but refused to pass any interim order directing authorities to share the grounds of detention with Wangchuk’s wife. The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 14.

“Something has been done for now,” observed the bench during the proceedings.

Background of the Case

Wangchuk, a renowned innovator and environmentalist, was detained under the stringent National Security Act on September 26, two days after violent protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status resulted in four deaths and over 90 injuries.
Authorities have accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence.

Under the NSA, both the Centre and State governments can detain individuals to prevent acts deemed “prejudicial to the defence of India.” The law allows detention without trial for up to 12 months, though it may be revoked earlier. Wangchuk is currently lodged in Jodhpur Jail, Rajasthan.

Arguments Before the Court

Appearing for Wangchuk’s wife, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal urged the apex court to direct authorities to provide her with the grounds of detention, stating that without them, the order could not be effectively challenged.

In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the detention grounds had been served on the detenue himself, adding that there was no legal obligation to share them with his spouse.

“At this stage, we will not say anything,” Justice Kumar remarked, while noting Mehta’s submission that he would consider the feasibility of providing the detention grounds.

Mehta further alleged that the petitioner was attempting to create unnecessary “hype” over claims that Wangchuk was denied medical care and access to his wife.

The Supreme Court directed the authorities to ensure Wangchuk’s medical needs are met as per prison regulations.

Details of the Petition

The habeas corpus petition, filed through Senior Advocate Vivek Tankha and Advocate Sarvam Ritam Khare, sought an order directing the Ladakh administration to produce Wangchuk before the Court forthwith.https://himalayanexpress.in/

Angmo also challenged the invocation of NSA, calling the Sonam Wangchuk’s Detention“illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional.”
The plea argues that the detention violates Wangchuk’s fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 22 of the Constitution.

It further seeks directions to the authorities — including the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ladakh UT Administration, Deputy Commissioner of Leh, and Jodhpur Jail Superintendent — to grant her immediate access to her husband, both telephonically and in person

“Wangchuk, an internationally acclaimed innovator, environmentalist, and social reformer, has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods to highlight Ladakh’s ecological and democratic concerns,” the plea states.

The Supreme Court will next hear the matter on October 14.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday began his 25th year as the head of a government, asserting that improving the lives of people and contributing to the progress of this great nation have been his constant endeavour.

He noted in a post on X that he had taken oath on this day in 2001 as Gujarat’s chief minister for the first time.

“Thanks to the continuous blessings of my fellow Indians, I am entering my 25th year of serving as the head of a Government. My gratitude to the people of India,” Modi said.

He added, “Through all these years, it has been my constant endeavour to improve the lives of our people and contribute to the progress of this great nation that has nurtured us all.”

After spearheading the BJP to victory in three consecutive assembly polls in Gujarat, he has led the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance to win in three successive national elections.

As an incumbent, Modi has never faced an electoral defeat and holds the record as the longest head of a government, including as chief minister for more than 12-and-a-half years, among all prime ministers. (AGENCIES)

Gold prices on Tuesday jumped Rs 651 to hit a fresh peak of Rs 1,20,900 per 10 grams in the domestic futures market, buoyed by strong global cues amid the prolonged US government shutdown and growing bets of rate cuts by Federal Reserve at its upcoming meeting.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), the yellow metal futures for December delivery appreciated by Rs 651, or 0.54 per cent, to hit a record high of Rs 1,20,900 per 10 grams.

The February 2026 contract for gold futures increased by Rs 648, or 0.53 per cent, to hit a lifetime high of Rs 1,22,231 per 10 grams.

“Gold prices rose to an all-time high on US economic and political uncertainties and expectations of further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve,” Manav Modi, Analyst – Precious Metal Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, said.

Meanwhile, silver futures gained Rs 281, or 0.19 per cent, to trade near their record high of Rs 1,47,800 per kilogram. The white metal had hit its peak of Rs 1,47,977 per kg on Monday.

The March 2026 contract for silver futures advanced Rs 327, or 0.21 per cent, to Rs 1,49,500 per kg, after touching a lifetime high of Rs 1,49,605 per kilogram in the previous session.

Globally, Comex gold futures for December delivery breached the key USD 4,000 per ounce mark for the first time, by rising nearly 1 per cent on Tuesday.

However, silver futures for December delivery were quoting marginally lower at USD 48.43 per ounce.

Analysts said the ongoing US government shutdown has disrupted key federal programmes and delayed the release of crucial economic data, including the September jobs report. The absence of official US macroeconomic indicators, coupled with rising expectations of two Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, has further strengthened demand for the yellow metal.

“Additionally, sustained gold buying by global central banks also continues to power the record rally in the precious metal prices,” an expert said.

The latest data from the World Gold Council (WGC) showed that central bank gold buying rebounded in August, with global reserves rising by 15 tonnes during the month.

According to data from the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the country’s gold holdings totalled 74.06 million fine troy ounces at the end of September, up from 74.02 million in the previous month, as the central bank expanded bullion purchases for the 11th straight month.

Manav Modi of Motilal Oswal Financial Services said traders will closely watch comments from several Federal Reserve officials later in the day for further cues on the monetary policy outlook.

“Focus this week will also be on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech on Thursday for fresh insights on the US economy and the Fed’s path forward on interest rates,” he added. (Agencies)