Overview
- The state government annulled the enlarged OBC roster and reduced the West Bengal OBC reservation from 17 percent to 7 percent, citing the Calcutta High Court’s May 2024 ruling that validated only a 7 percent quota.
- The BJP published a dossier alleging 43 properties linked to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and municipal teams placed demolition notices on some addresses, which Mayor Firhad Hakim said he had not authorized and disputed the notices’ provenance.
- The Election Commission ordered re-polling in the Falta assembly seat with roughly double the central force presence, two webcams inside each booth, one outside, webcasting and consideration of drone surveillance to prevent repeat irregularities.
- The CBI corrected an earlier mistaken arrest and detained Rajkumar Singh as a key accused in the killing of Shubhendu Adhikari’s aide, bringing four suspects into custody while investigators traced payments and movements through UPI and toll records.
- The Indian Meteorological Department issued widespread heatwave warnings with record highs (Banda reported about 48°C) while higher‑altitude Jammu and Kashmir saw unusual snowfall, underscoring acute regional weather extremes and public‑health risks.