local body polls

Voting commenced for civic body elections across Himachal Pradesh, covering four municipal corporations, 25 municipal councils, and 22 nagar panchayats. Early turnout reached 14% by 9 am, with preparations also underway for three-phase Panchayati Raj Institution elections later this month.

In the heated arena of Himachal Pradesh's local elections, both Congress and BJP assert their dominance as they navigate the complexities of result interpretation amidst intense rivalries. Even though the municipal councils and nagar panchayat elections were held without party symbols, each party is framing the outcome as a directive from the electorate.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the schedule for crucial Legislative Council elections in Maharashtra. This includes a bye-election for the Nagpur Local Authorities' Constituency and biennial elections for 16 other seats across the state.

In a notable turn of events, RJD's Sonu Kumar Rai has emerged victorious in the Ara-Buxar legislative council by-election, overcoming JD(U)'s Kanhaiya Prasad by a margin exceeding 350 votes. This triumph was met with jubilation from INDIA bloc supporters and enhances RJD's presence in the council to 16 members, marking a significant morale boost for the opposition coalition.