THE 10th panchayat elections in West Bengal were marred by massive fraud, vote looting, and manipulation at the counting centres, reducing the electoral process virtually to a farce.  These can no longer be called “unprecedented” because such methods of widespread election rigging have characteriSed virtually all Bengal’s local body elections in the past decade. There is almost a consensus now that a major characteristic of the electoral process in Bengal is the incidence of pervasive rigging of elections.

THE CPI(M) Madurai urban and rural district committees jointly organised a special conference on the ‘Protection of States’ Rights’ on July 23, at Madurai. Addressing the conference, CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury said the violence in Manipur is an attack on federalism and plurality of the country unleashed by the BJP has been trying to convert the secular democratic republic of India into a fascist Hindutva rashtra.Yechury said the freedom struggle underlined the need to uphold diversity such as of language, culture and religion.

IN July, Himachal Pradesh experienced substantial rainfall, leading to severe floods and landslides. This rainfall has been unprecedented, with eight districts in the state receiving an unusually high amount of precipitation, a situation never witnessed before. This caused severe floods and landslides, resulting in extensive damage. The government's estimation reveals a staggering loss of Rs 6000 crore during the period from June 24 to July 30, 2023. This figure continues to rise as the ongoing rains persist.

THE unrelenting fury of flash floods in northern and north western states has resulted in a devastating toll on lives, livestock, and livelihoods. Standing crops such as paddy, maize, sugarcane, vegetables, horticulture, orchards, and fodder, have been lost across lakhs of acres. The catastrophe has also led to the loss of cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry, all swept away by the floods.