National News
Organisational rejig, bureaucratic reshuffle before SIR, poll process viewed as part of Trinamool’s 2026 gameplan
New Delhi, Oct 28: With Assembly elections expected in West Bengal by May-June next year, every move made by Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee will be under public scrutiny. Thus, the large-scale bureaucratic reshuffle carried out by her government hours before the Election Commission announced the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the country, is suspected to be linked with the upcoming polls.
As is the ongoing organisational rejig seen as a move to strengthen a party facing incumbency, with alleged corruption, indiscipline, and infighting – sometimes leading to physical altercations – charges after about 14-and-a-half years in power.
The administrative order involves hundreds of officers being relocated or reassigned across several districts which the government described as routine, claiming that many of them had completed three years at their postings, requiring a move.
Technically, it is a norm at preventing any single officer from becoming a long-term local power broker. But in this case, the decision is being considered in certain sections as redeployment of key officials to place administrators with proven loyalty, competence, or responsiveness in critical districts before the SIR process begins.
Trinamool leaders have publicly criticised the Election Commission’s decision to conduct SIR in West Bengal, arguing the exercise risks wrongful deletion of legitimate voters and could be used to target specific communities for political advantage.
They framed the process as “politically-motivated” and warned of protests if valid electors were removed. They questioned the impartiality of the process and linked the timing of the exercise to heightened political stakes ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
However, the poll body clarified that as per law, electoral rolls have to be revised before every election or as per requirement, where SIR has been done eight times from 1951 till 2004, with the last taking place over two decades ago in 2002-2004.
Some changes, like frequent migration resulting in voters getting registered at more than one place, names of those deceased, including fraudulent entry of foreign nationals, among other, cannot be made in electoral rolls in the usual revision process. Such an exercise requires door-to-door visits at the booth level.
Reports – both administrative and media – have shown a demographic change in West Bengal, especially in districts bordering Bangladesh, due to decades of influx through porous borders and alleged political complicity.
Economic dominance and population growth among Muslims are allegedly altering local life, triggering tensions, as was reflected in this year’s violence in Murshidabad over the Waqf Amendment Bill.
Ruling party leaders publicly claim their absolute dominance in such areas, with poll results indicating the trend. There have been reports of certain immigrants holding voters’ identity card and participating in the poll process, without citizen status. Such voters can be identified through the process of SIR; though oversight or deliberate interference on ground level cannot be totally ruled out.
Meanwhile, in recent months, the Trinamool has undertaken widespread organisational changes at the district level to balance veteran leaders and emerging younger leaders.
The reshuffle aims to reduce factionalism, impose stricter controls, and future-proof the party machinery for securing a fourth term in power.
There also appears an attempt at a strategic recalibration from the “old vs. new” debate to a mix of prominent longstanding figures with younger faces in organisational committees and lists of future poll candidates.
The efforts involved restructuring, sometimes even abolishing, district presidents in favour of small, handpicked core committees. In Birbhum, Kolkata North, for example, district-level leadership has been moved from a single strongman to collective committees.
The party’s organisational moves may be viewed as a strategy to recentre control, reduce factionalism, and improve candidate quality – changes expected to influence party decision at considering tickets for the 2026 Assembly polls.
Crime
Assam road rage accused arrested, not linked to BJP: Himanta Sarma

Guwahati, July 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the accused in the recent road rage incident in Guwahati has been arrested and clarified that the individual has no association with the BJP.
The Chief Minister’s statement came amid social media posts claiming that the accused was a BJP youth leader after a video of the alleged assault surfaced online and triggered widespread outrage.
“The accused has been arrested and is not associated with the BJP,” Sarma said in a post on social media platform X.
Reiterating the state government’s zero-tolerance policy towards such incidents, the Chief Minister asserted that strict legal action would be taken against anyone involved in acts of violence on public roads.
“Road rage has no place in Assam. Anyone who indulges in such acts will face the full force of the law,” Sarma added.
The clarification came after several social media users, including public commentators, shared a dashcam video purportedly showing a confrontation between two motorists in Guwahati.
The video allegedly captured a car owner being assaulted following an altercation on the road, prompting calls for immediate action against the accused.
The incident sparked a political debate after claims circulated online that the accused was linked to the ruling BJP.
However, the Chief Minister dismissed those allegations, stating that the accused was not affiliated with the party. Police have already arrested the accused in connection with the incident. However, officials are yet to release detailed information regarding the charges invoked or the circumstances that led to the confrontation.
The viral video has generated widespread public concern over incidents of aggressive driving and road rage in urban areas. Netizens and civil society members have urged authorities to ensure swift prosecution of those responsible and to strengthen enforcement against violent behaviour on the roads.
The Assam government has repeatedly maintained that law and order violations will be dealt with firmly irrespective of the background or affiliation of those involved.
Further investigation into the incident is underway, and police are expected to record statements of witnesses and examine the video footage as part of the probe.
Business
Kutch Copper Ltd’s ‘Adani Copper’ becomes London Metal Exchange-registered brand

Ahmedabad, July 7: Kutch Copper Limited (KCL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, has earned London Metal Exchange (LME) certification for ‘Adani Copper,’ according to a statement issued by the company on Tuesday.
“Approval by the world centre for the trading of industrial metals validates KCL’s manufacturing excellence and responsible sourcing practices against strict global benchmarks, enabling Adani Copper cathodes to be delivered with warrants eligible for issuance against LME Copper futures contracts from July 10, 2026,” the statement said.
For the Adani Group, LME’s listing of Adani Copper as a Good Delivery brand for ‘Copper Grade A’ contracts places the brand alongside the world’s leading copper brands, conferring international recognition and market credibility on the Group’s entry into the metals sector and its emergence as a globally competitive producer of refined copper.
“Copper is the backbone of the global energy transition. Achieving LME brand status places Adani among the world’s leading copper producers and strengthens India’s role in building a resilient, responsible supply chain for this vital metal. Kutch Copper’s world-class infrastructure and ESG standards make this recognition both timely and well-deserved. It will enhance the global acceptance of Adani Copper. Apart from reinforcing India’s growing stature in the international metals industry, the registration is a landmark step towards self-reliance in refined copper,” Adani Enterprises’ CEO, Natural Resources, and Kutch Copper Ltd Managing Director Dr Vinay Prakash said.
An LME-brand certification is a rigorous process involving superior quality assurances — covering chemical composition, shape and weight — alongside strict responsible sourcing protocols. The LME listing enables Adani Copper cathodes to be placed on warrant in LME-approved warehouses, strengthening financing flexibility as LME-listed metal is recognised as a highly liquid asset that can be used as collateral. For the LME, the addition of Adani Copper broadens the exchange’s deliverable base with high-quality cathode from a major new production hub, deepening the liquidity and geographic diversity of the global copper market.
The $1.2 billion Kutch Copper facility with production capacity of 0.5 million tonnes — one of the world’s largest single-location custom copper smelting complexes, designed with state-of-the-art technology, advanced process automation, and sustainability-led design principles embedded across operations — strengthens domestic supply, reduces the nation’s dependence on imported copper, and advances India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ ambitions in a metal central to electrification, renewable energy and the energy transition, the Adani Group statement added.
National News
Driver arrested after fatal hit-and-run that killed scooty rider in Northwest Delhi

New Delhi, July 7: Delhi Police arrested the driver of a Mercedes car in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a 29-year-old scooty rider near the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the Outer Ring Road in northwest Delhi, officials said on Tuesday.
The accident took place on July 5 near the Foot Over Bridge at the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the GTK Bypass stretch towards ISBT. Police said they received information about a road accident in which a scooty rider had sustained serious injuries. The victim was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The deceased was identified as Deepak, a resident of Mangolpuri in Delhi.
According to Delhi Police, the investigation gained momentum after a PCR caller informed officers that a Mercedes car bearing registration number HR-51BT-6304 had hit the scooty before fleeing the spot.
“The vehicle was traced, and after serving notice under Section 133 of the Motor Vehicles Act to the registered owner, it was revealed that Ansh Pratap Singh was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident,” Delhi Police said.
Based on the findings of the investigation, police registered FIR No. 436/2026 at Jahangir Puri Police Station under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), dealing with rash or negligent driving and causing death by negligence.
“The accused driver was identified and arrested. Further investigation is in progress,” Delhi Police said.
Police are also examining the circumstances leading to the accident and collecting additional evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements, to establish the sequence of events.
The arrest comes after investigators tracked down the luxury vehicle using its registration details provided by the eyewitness who alerted the police through the PCR helpline. Officials said further legal proceedings will be carried out as the investigation continues.
Delhi Police have not yet disclosed whether the accused was under the influence of alcohol or whether any additional charges may be invoked, stating that the investigation is still underway.
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