Stories from India

The dates for the 2026 local body elections in Gujarat have been officially announced.

The Election Commission has removed 9 million names from voter rolls, representing 12% of the electorate, during a cleanup of duplicate entries. Local government critics allege the mass deletion is a political purge intended to benefit Nyu Dedi. The move has impacted diverse groups, including Hindu voters such as 22-year-old Rani Munda. Resistance is growing in India as millions of people are being removed from voter lists across multiple states. Critics argue the purge may have political motives, specifically targeting Muslims and those in lower social strata who reside in certain neighborhoods. The government stated it cannot review all cases in time due to the sheer volume of people removed from the lists. The government stated it is unable to review all cases in a timely manner due to the scale of the deletions.

A US Navy vessel intercepted an Iranian-flagged tanker attempting to transfer 2 million barrels of crude oil near the Indian coast. The ship was reportedly heading back toward Iran following the ship-to-ship transfer operation. This incident occurred amidst ongoing maritime tensions and regional blockades.

India's waste management systems are reported to have significant gaps, with nearly half of the generated packaging waste ending up in the environment.

The dates for the 2026 local body elections in Gujarat have been officially announced. Voting is scheduled to take place on April 26, marking a significant step in the region's electoral cycle.

Priyanka Ala has been appointed as the new Collector for Hyderabad following a significant reshuffle of Indian Administrative Service officers in Telangana.

Small food businesses are facing significant financial strain due to surging cooking gas prices, which have quadrupled since the Iran War. Businesses that previously spent 1800 rupees per cylinder now face costs of 7000 rupees, impacting daily operations and profitability.

The Gujarat State Election Commission has announced that local body elections will be held on April 26, 2026. This follows recent administrative preparations for upcoming regional voting cycles in India.

Internet subscriptions in India have more than tripled over the last decade, reaching a total of 970 million users. This surge is primarily driven by a massive increase in smartphone ownership, which has moved from one in three citizens to a much higher majority. The growth reflects significant shifts in social wealth and digital connectivity across the country.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has released operational guidelines for the $10,000 crore Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0. The framework establishes mechanisms for fund deployment, governance, and monitoring to improve capital flow efficiency. This move aims to strengthen the national startup ecosystem through structured investment processes.