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Actor-activist Prakash Raj hit back at allegations that protests against the government and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were funded by foreign sources to destabilise India.

Delhi Police sent Cockroach Janata Party leaders Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka to Tihar Jail on five days of judicial custody for entering Jantar Mantar following its denotification as a designated protest site.

This episode of The News Today covers the intensifying political confrontation over the Special Intensive Revision exercise of electoral rolls and ongoing demonstrations targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

An INDIA bloc delegation met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a memorandum demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and a return to ballot papers instead of EVMs. Opposition leaders raised concerns over electoral processes and alleged irregularities in recent elections. According to the delegation, the President asked them to provide evidence supporting their claims, which they agreed to submit. The opposition also plans to approach the Supreme Court with its memorandum, while preparations are underway for further protests in Delhi over electoral integrity and the Election Commission's functioning.

The Donald Trump administration has suspended several major Indian IT companies, along with Microsoft and Adobe, from sponsoring green cards for foreign workers, Vice President JD Vance said. The companies named include Infosys, Cognizant, Wipro, Tata and HCL. Vance said an investigation found instances of companies filing for permanent residency for foreign workers while also conducting layoffs in the US. The administration said the firms will remain barred from sponsoring green cards until they meet new guidelines and demonstrate compliance. The move marks a further tightening of US immigration and employment rules affecting Indian technology professionals.

Opposition leaders in New Delhi faced detention for a second consecutive day during street protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with INDIA bloc Members of Parliament, were detained by Delhi Police following a protest at Akashwani Bhavan in New Delhi.

Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das said the Mumbai protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process reflected strong public support. Speaking to India Today, Das said Shivaji Park was "full" and "overflowing with people" and announced plans for demonstrations in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal before returning to Delhi. He said the party would continue raising questions over voting rights and criticised restrictions on protest venues. Meanwhile, similar demonstrations in Delhi saw over 1,000 detentions, while the Election Commission announced a special voter enrolment drive.

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv averted a midair disaster after an altercation inside the cockpit resulted in Indian pilot Captain Smit Machhar being stabbed multiple times by his Omani co-pilot, who attempted to seize control of the aircraft.

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit, causing the Boeing aircraft to drop thousands of feet before crew members and off-duty pilots subdued the attacker.

The Congress Working Committee has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging large-scale voter list manipulation through the Special Intensive Revision exercise and claiming the deletion of over thirteen crore names.

Nationwide protests by opposition parties against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls lead the day's political developments, with the BJP defending the exercise. Former judges Justice Sanjiv Banerjee and Justice Gupta examine the constitutional validity of the electoral revision and the burden of proof placed on voters. The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of five rape cases reported in Delhi over five weeks and directed authorities to conduct safety audits of public spaces. The court also addressed concerns over street lighting and police patrolling. Reports from Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata and Bengaluru highlight women's concerns over safety. In Punjab, Lovely Professional University suspended classes and examinations following student protests over sexual assault allegations. In corporate news, Noel Tata has proposed merging operating entities with Tata Sons to address non-banking financial company regulations. In sports, Indian shooter Esha Singh secured a silver medal at the Asian Games.

The News Today reports on the political controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision exercise.

This news report details the political confrontation following reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi submitted fourteen formal objections against decisions by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding the nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, centralized voter data systems, and modifications to Form 6. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and P. Chidambaram demanded the resignation or impeachment of the Chief Election Commissioner and sought a parliamentary committee review. The Bharatiya Janata Party countered the allegations by citing Articles 324 to 326 of the Constitution and statutory appeal provisions. RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj and former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa analyzed the centralization of voter list modifications, with Lavasa calling for the cancellation of Phase 3 of the revision exercise. The broadcast also reports on the student suicide case at IIT Bombay involving Sahil Wakode, legal observations against media trials, and the bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Washington.

Reports indicate internal divisions within the Election Commission of India, with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally recording objections to decisions taken under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.