Daily Briefing: Verdict day today, all eyes on West Bengal

With that, let’s move on to the top stories from today’s edition:

• Results day today, all eyes on West Bengal
• Idea Exchange w/ Nepal Ambassador to India
• Vinesh Phogat breaks silence

🚨 Big Story

After weeks of intense campaigning and record voter turnouts across West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, the verdict day is finally here! As counting begins, the results are likely to reshape the contours of national politics. If the exit poll projections turn out to be accurate, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to edge past the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. It is also expected to win Assam with a resounding mandate. The BJP will also continue to reinforce its control in Tamil Nadu, while in Kerala, it may not make much headway. In Puducherry, the All India N. R. Congress-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set for a thumping victory, according to the exit poll predictions.

In West Bengal, all eyes are on the strongrooms where the EVMs are stored, guarded by TMC workers until late Saturday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also stationed till midnight outside one of these rooms, alleging attempted EVM tampering. The Election Commission (EC) has turned these rooms into fortresses, with barricades, three-layered security and Central forces on duty. My colleagues Ravik Bhattacharya and Atri Mitra spend a night visiting six strong rooms across North 24 Parganas, Howrah and Kolkata. Here’s what they found.

In our Opinion section today, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay delves into the reasons behind record voter turnout in West Bengal Assembly elections 2026. He writes: “The opacity, hurriedness and insensitivity with which the SIR was conducted in West Bengal was one of the biggest reasons for the unprecedented turnout in the two phases. The figures spoke for themselves, but ironically, they were of use to both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. The entire SIR process, the extraordinary number of deletions, the Supreme Court contributing with its injudicious order not permitting 2.7 million people to vote, was of use primarily to the TMC.”

Over a hundred million votes have been cast following weeks of gruelling campaigns. Five states are now hanging in the balance. Follow this live blog for election results live updates as they pour in through the day.

⚡ Only in Express

“It is over for people in Nepal, of a certain age. Other political parties can revive, provided they go to the villages, to the constituency and convince people that they can do a better job. But, it’s a difficult task…”

In the latest edition of Idea Exchange, the outgoing Nepal Ambassador to India, Shankar Prasad Sharma, delves into the churn in Nepal and the reasons behind the Gen Z uprising last year. In conversation with The Indian Express’ Diplomatic Editor, Shubhajit Roy, Sharma speaks about Nepal’s bilateral ties with India, and navigating the politics of water and boundaries.

📰 From the Front Page

Only a month old Balen Shah-led government in Kathmandu has objected to India and China planning to conduct the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh pass. The Lipulekh pass has been a “contested” territory and Nepal has often questioned moves by India and China to conduct trade and pilgrimages through the pass. India has said that such claims are “neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence”, and it remains open to “constructive interaction with Nepal”.

Speaking up: Wrestling champion Vinesh Phogat Sunday claimed that she was among the victims of sexual harassment by former Wrestling Foundation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and is one of six wrestlers who have filed complaints against him. Sharing a video, the gold medallist went on to share that she was ‘forced’ to make this admission in the middle of a court case because the WFI decided to conduct a crucial ranking tournament in Brij Bhushan’s backyard. Vinesh said there will be a ‘lot of mental pressure’ to compete there. She also warned that if anything happened to her during the competition, they (the government) would be held responsible.

📌 Must Read

Optical imaging breakthrough: Indian startup GalaxEye has launched the first-of-its-kind satellite, Drishti, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, marking a major breakthrough in Earth observation technology. The satellite is the world’s first to combine optical imaging with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), allowing it to capture clear, high-resolution images in all weather conditions, including at night and through cloud cover. By integrating both systems into a single platform, Drishti overcomes the long-standing challenge of merging data from separate satellites taken at different times and angles. The system also uses AI to generate optical-like images when visibility is poor, making it particularly useful for tropical regions like India. The technology has wide-ranging applications, from disaster management and environmental monitoring to defence and surveillance.

⏳ And Finally…

Power-cut victory: Eight-year-old Tamizh Amudhan from Sivakasi delivered a stunning upset by defeating world No. 7 Vincent Keymer in an online Freestyle Friday game, capturing global attention not just for the result but the circumstances. Playing from his dimly lit home during a thunderstorm-induced power cut, the young prodigy competed by candlelight, relying on a laptop running on limited battery and a mobile hotspot for internet. Despite managing only four games before his device shut down, Tamizh’s fearless play and composure stood out, marking him as one of the most exciting young talents in chess. His journey, shaped by family sacrifices and rigorous training, reflects both grit and promise, with this victory emerging as a defining early moment in his career.

🎧 Lastly, don’t forget to tune in to today’s episode of our 3 Things podcast, where we discuss United Arab Emirates’ exit from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OPEC. We also talk about the tragic explosion in Kerala after the Thrissur Pooram festival, as well as the 18-year-old whose body was recovered 20 days after being chased by cow vigilantes.

That’s all for today. Have a wonderful day!

Until next time,
Ariba and Anupama Yadav

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