Strong reactions emerge as protests escalate in Ladakh and concerns about voter registration processes are raised.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Leh was set ablaze by protesters who are advocating for statehood for Ladakh and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. This section of the Constitution is designed to provide protections for land and grant a degree of autonomy to citizens living in tribal-dominated areas. The situation escalated as demonstrators clashed with police, resulting in stone-throwing incidents and the burning of a police vehicle. Some of the protesters had been on a hunger strike since September 10, demanding statehood and calling for a complete shutdown in support of their cause. Following the outbreak of violence, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent figure leading the protests, decided to end his hunger strike.
In a separate political development, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised questions regarding the timing of a newly introduced “e-sign” feature by the Election Commission of India. This feature, which facilitates voter registration and the deletion of names from the electoral rolls, requires individuals to verify their identity using Aadhaar-linked phone numbers. Gandhi pointed out that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar rolled out this measure shortly after allegations of “vote theft” surfaced in Karnataka’s Aland Assembly constituency. According to reports, the e-sign feature was not available until Monday, but appeared on the ECINET portal the following day. This introduction comes on the heels of Gandhi’s assertion on September 18 that the Congress had uncovered evidence of a centralized effort to delete voters through software manipulation in the Aland constituency.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the social media platform X, challenging the Sahyog portal established by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre. This portal aims to streamline orders for the removal of online content. The court found that Sahyog is not unconstitutional, but rather serves as an “instrument of public good.” X had labeled the portal a “censorship portal” and contended that the Information Technology Act does not support the existence of such a platform or the requirement for social media companies to designate a nodal officer. Justice M Nagaprasanna upheld the legality of the portal, emphasizing the necessity for regulatory oversight of social media operations in India. He remarked that social media, as a modern platform for ideas, cannot be left unchecked.
In another incident, the Manipur Police have apprehended the primary suspect linked to an ambush that resulted in the deaths of two Assam Rifles personnel on September 19. The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Khomdram Ojit Singh, also known as Keilal, was arrested during a joint operation involving the Imphal West and Bishnupur district police, alongside the 33 Assam Rifles unit. Singh, a resident of Awang Leikinthabi Awang Leikai in Imphal West, is reportedly associated with the banned People’s Liberation Army and has a prior arrest record dating back to April 2007. The ambush occurred when a convoy carrying Assam Rifles personnel was attacked while passing through the Nambol Sabal Leikai village in Bishnupur district, leading to the fatalities.
