Now Reading: Today in India: 31 October 2026
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Today in India: 31 October 2026
Amit Shah offers special Parliament session on vote theft. Four killed in Delhi factory fire. Six die in Joshimath helicopter crash. Supreme Court rules consensual sex after breakup is not rape.
Amit Shah offers special Parliament session on vote theft, challenges Gandhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday offered to call a special Parliament session for the Opposition to debate its allegations of vote theft. Speaking at the BJP's Uttar Pradesh working committee meeting in Lucknow, Shah challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to discuss the matter inside the House. He called allegations against the Election Commission baseless and accused the two leaders of seeking ‘drama on the streets’.
6 sources, 1 government-critical, 4 neutral, 1 sensationalist
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18 NC MLAs demand cabinet reshuffle, give 15-day ultimatum
At least 17 National Conference MLAs and an Independent legislator met in Srinagar on Friday and demanded a reshuffle of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s cabinet, three days after the induction of four new ministers brought the council to its maximum strength of nine. The Hindu reports the legislators passed a joint resolution and gave a 15-day ultimatum to party president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah to end what they called ‘coterie culture’ and ‘unilateral decisions’.
6 sources, 6 neutral
Four killed in Mangolpuri shoe factory fire
Four people were killed and two injured after a fire broke out at a shoe factory in Mangolpuri Industrial Area Phase-I in northwest Delhi on Friday night, police said. The Delhi Fire Service sent 20 fire tenders after receiving a call about the blaze at 9.32 pm. Six persons were rescued unconscious and taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where four were declared dead. The remaining two are undergoing treatment.
6 sources, 6 neutral
Joshimath helicopter crash kills all six on board
All six people on board a helicopter that crashed near Joshimath in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Friday have been killed, officials confirmed. The aircraft, VT-HCX operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, was flying from Badrinath to Dehradun when it lost contact at about 1:14 pm over the Joshimath valley in bad weather. The wreckage was located near Chai village in the Hathi Parbat area. The army's 9 Independent Mountain Brigade reached the site by around 3:30 pm and confirmed the deaths.
5 sources, 5 neutral
More from today
G20 meet: Jaishankar stresses diplomacy, flags seafarer attacks
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Atlanta on 30 October that the Global South is disproportionately bearing the consequences of attacks on civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, jeopardising the cost and availability of fuel, food and fertilisers. He stressed the urgent need to preserve freedom of navigation and end attacks under international law, and noted that India and Liberia have launched a joint initiative to safeguard seafarers.
6 sources, 1 government-critical, 5 neutral
Ajay Devgn challenges FDA show-cause notice over Vimal Elaichi ad
Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has moved the Bombay High Court challenging a show-cause notice from the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration over his appearance in advertisements for ‘Vimal Elaichi’, which the FDA alleges is surrogate promotion for banned pan masala. The petition is likely to be heard by a division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh C Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna on November 4.
2 sources, 2 neutral
SEBI eases FPI KYC norms, extends review cycle to eight years
The Securities and Exchange Board of India has eased Know Your Customer norms for foreign portfolio investors, extending the periodic review cycle to eight years for eligible Category I and Category II investors. The revised framework, effective 1 December 2026, replaces the earlier system under which reviews were required every one or three years depending on the investor’s jurisdiction, category and regulatory status.
7 sources, 7 neutral
Pune civic body to fine up to Rs 10,000 for water wastage
The Pune Municipal Corporation will impose a penalty of up to Rs 10,000 for improper use and wastage of drinking water, Standing Committee Chairman Srinath Bhimale announced on Friday. The order, issued by Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur, bans the use of drinking water for swimming pools, private parks, construction and road works, and mandates the closure of vehicle washing centres during water cut periods. Centres using private borewell or well water may operate on three days a week.
2 sources, 2 neutral
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Piprahwa Buddha relics on public view in Arunachal from 31 October
Sacred Piprahwa relics linked to Lord Buddha will be displayed for public veneration at three centres in Arunachal Pradesh from 31 October to 21 November 2026. Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will attend the inaugural ceremony at the historic Tawang Monastery on 31 October at 10:00 AM, while Chief Minister Pema Khandu will be chief guest at a separate function on 1 November.
6 sources, 2 pro-government, 4 neutral
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Supreme Court: consensual sex after breakup not rape
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that physical relations between consenting adults cannot be treated as rape after a breakup, and acquitted a man accused of rape on the promise of marriage. A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan said turning every failed relationship into a rape case is wrong. The court distinguished cases where consent was obtained from the start through deception or false promises from cases where a person regrets past consensual relations after a breakup.
2 sources, 2 neutral
Useful today
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EC extends SIR deadlines in Delhi and five other states
The Election Commission has extended special revision deadlines for electoral rolls in Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana and Nagaland. Delhi will publish its final roll on 22 December, the five states on 30 November. In Delhi, claims and objections can be filed until 25 November, with disposal continuing until 15 December.
6 sources, 1 government-critical, 5 neutral
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Gold steady at Rs 1.46 lakh on Karwa Chauth, silver up Rs 500
Gold prices remained steady in Delhi on Karwa Chauth, Thursday, at Rs 1.46 lakh per 10 grams, according to the All India Sarafa Association. Jewellery and retail sellers stayed cautious about fresh purchases due to high rates. Silver prices rose by Rs 500 to Rs 1,98,500 per kilogram.
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Hero MotoCorp launches Destini 110 Classique Edition at Rs 76,400
Hero MotoCorp has launched the Destini 110 Classique Edition in India at an ex-showroom price of Rs 76,400 in Delhi. The scooter gets dual-tone colour options, new graphics and a 3D Classique badge, but retains the same 110.9cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine producing 8 bhp and 8.7 Nm of torque, paired with a CVT automatic transmission.
3 sources, 3 neutral
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BPSC cancels 1,711 assistant professor posts in Bihar medical colleges
The Bihar Public Service Commission has cancelled its recruitment process for 1,711 Assistant Professor posts in government medical colleges and hospitals across the state. The Bihar Health Department withdrew its earlier requisition, leading BPSC to cancel Advertisement Nos. 04/2025 to 28/2025. BPSC confirmed fresh advertisements based on revised requirements are being prepared but has not announced a release date.
2 sources, 2 neutral
The closing thought
Friday brought three threads that will run into next week. The Mangolpuri fire kills four and will need a safety audit of Delhi's industrial zones. Amit Shah’s offer of a special Parliament session pits the government against a Congress that wants a debate on electronic voting machines but may not accept a House floor fight. The Joshimath helicopter crash, six dead, puts pressure on Uttarakhand’s aviation safety protocols for the Badrinath route. Watch whether the Election Commission answers Shah’s charges in the coming days, and whether the Omar Abdullah government can resolve its 15-day ultimatum from its own legislators.
This digest is refreshed through the day at indianopinion.org/today.
This digest was compiled and written by AI from the day’s Indian Opinion coverage.
