A Delhi court yesterday extended the detention of opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal in a graft case until April 23, legal news website Live Law reported, a setback to the opposition which needs him to campaign in general elections that begin this week.

A Supreme Court decision to scrap a controversial political funding system has pushed contributions to parties towards “black money”, or illegal funds, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in remarks broadcast yesterday.

Stepping up diplomatic efforts to secure safe release and return of 17 Indians on board the ship seized by Iran, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar last evening spoke to his Iranian counterpart H Amirabdollahian on the matter

The manifesto promises to implement the Uniform Civil Code, construction of more bullet trains, extension of free rations for the poor for another five years, and inclusion of those above 75 years of age to the government's medial insurance scheme

Seventeen Indians are on board an Israeli-linked container ship that was seized by Iran’s military in the Strait of Hormuz today

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, and the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League is among the political parties of at least 25 countries, which have been invited by Bharatiya Janata Party to get a first-hand experience of India’s coming Lok Sabha polls

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal filed a petition with the Supreme Court today challenging a High Court order that upheld his arrest in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged liquor excise policy scam

With India in the midst of national elections, the government has provided Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with a Z-category VIP security cover of armed commandos in view of potential threats, PTI reported today quoting official sources

Top leaders and party workers of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) gathered at Jantar Mantar from 11:00 am yesterday for a day-long mass fasting to protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid homage to Harichand Thakur, the founder of the Matua sect, and lauded the community's rich culture and contributions

India’s opposition Congress party has promised to strengthen economic and cultural ties with Bangladesh and pay greater attention to its immediate neighbours if it is voted to power in the upcoming national elections. “We will enhance economic and cultural relations between India and Bangladesh that are the two most populous countries in South Asia,” the party said in its election manifesto released at its national headquarters in New Delhi yesterday. Top party leaders including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress Presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were present at the event, reports our New Delhi correspondent. The party also vowed to protect minorities while accelerating growth and jobs, reports AFP. Nearly a billion Indians will vote to elect a new government in six-week-long parliamentary elections starting on April 19, the largest democratic exercise in the world. In its manifesto, Congress promised to protect “linguistic and religious minorities”. “The plurality of religions represents the history of India,” it said. “History cannot be altered.” Party leader Rahul Gandhi -- the son, grandson and great-grandson of prime ministers -- said the upcoming election was “fundamentally different” from any other in India’s history. “It is between those who want to end India’s constitution and democracy and those who want to save it,” he said. The Congress manifesto, titled a “justice document”, offered “concrete guarantees unlike Modi’s empty promises”, said lawmaker and lead author P Chidambaram. The party has promised to address India’s “massive unemployment” on a “war footing”, adding that it would earmark half of all government jobs for women. Young people voted for Modi in droves when he was first elected a decade ago after he said he would create 10 million jobs a year. But a recent International Labour Organization (ILO) report warned that India was hamstrung by a “grim” crisis, with unemployment on the rise Congress proposed an unconditional annual cash transfer of Rs 100,000 ($1,200) “to every poor Indian family”, without precisely defining who would qualify.

India’s Supreme Court put on hold a lower court’s order that effectively banned Islamic schools in the country’s most populous state, lawyers involved in the case said yesterday, giving a breather to thousands of students and teachers in the system.

Cooch Behar, the crucial north West Bengal district in India, became subject to strong opposing political views yesterday as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held rallies within 30 km of each other.

The Indian Air Force today said it plans to activate Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on highways across the country

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is seeking re-election from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming national elections, has filed his nomination papers along with the mandatory affidavit which says he owns assets valued at Rs 20.4 crore, the Indian media reported today

At least 13 Maoist insurgents were killed in a clash in central India, police said yesterday, taking the rebel toll in the long-running conflict to 50 this year.

As many as 23 Indian opposition politicians who crossed over to the BJP since the time it came to power in 2014 have got reprieve from federal agencies investigating corruption cases against them, The Indian Express reported yesterday.

India’s Congress leader Rahul Gandhi yesterday filed his nomination papers for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala for the upcoming elections.

India's Border Security Force was today asked by the country's Election Commission to keep strict vigilance along the international borders with Bangladesh for any illicit activity, especially 72 hours before polling, as part of a plan to ensure free, fair and peaceful national elections beginning on April 19