The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered a blackout mock drill to be held in various areas of Ludhiana and Amritsar in Punjab on April 24, Friday, at 8 pm. The drill is being carried out to assess the preparedness of Civil Defence.

The ECI described the language used by Kharge as “intemperate and highly objectionable”, noting that such dehumanising labels undermine the dignity of democratic institutions. The Congress chief has been granted a strict window of 24 hours to clarify his stance.

With more than 3.22 crore electors eligible to cast their votes, the day marks the beginning of a decisive chapter in the contest between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).