Compiled by
Deepbala Das, Anisha Hazra, Nandita Banerjee
MAJMC Sem 2
National News
𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬/𝐔𝐓:
Assam: Polling on 9th April
Tamil Nadu: Polling on 23rd April
West Bengal: Polling on 23rd April (1st phase), 29th April (2nd phase)
Kerala: Polling on 9th April
Puducherry: Polling on 9th April
Date of Counting: 4th May
Fitch Raises India's GDP Growth Forecast
The global economy is looking pretty shaky lately, but India's financial situation is actually doing the exact opposite. Fitch Ratings just updated their numbers, and they bumped our GDP growth forecast up to 7.5 percent for the fiscal year that ends in March 2026. They had it sitting at 7.4 percent before this. If you read through their analysis, the main reason we're seeing this kind of momentum is simply because regular consumers are still spending money. Combine that with the government constantly funding new infrastructure projects, and it's easy to see why the Indian market is holding up so well while international trade takes a hit.
Source: DD News, March 11, 2026
Widespread Panic Buying Causes LPG Delays
Everything going on in West Asia right now is having some weird ripple effects back home. Basically, people started freaking out and hoarding LPG cylinders. Because of all this panic buying, major cities like Mumbai are dealing with delivery delays that can stretch up to a full week. The booking apps just couldn't handle the sudden traffic and crashed. State government officials are practically begging everyone to ignore what they're seeing on social media. They've made it super clear that our refineries are actually pumping out more gas than normal to keep up, so there is absolutely zero actual shortage happening.
Source: The Times of India, March 12, 2026
Supreme Court Rejects Mandatory Menstrual Leave
The Supreme Court just handed down a massive ruling about workplace rules that surprised a lot of people. They completely threw out a petition that was trying to force companies to give women mandatory menstrual leave across the whole country. The judges didn't just say no; they actually pointed out a pretty huge flaw in the whole idea. Their biggest worry was that if they forced businesses to offer this specific type of leave, it would totally backfire. They argued that companies might quietly stop hiring women altogether just to avoid dealing with the mandate, which would just make gender bias in the hiring process even worse.
Source: The Week, March 13, 2026
Parliament Proposes Weekend Sittings
It is practically unheard of for Parliament to work through the weekend, yet the central government is pushing hard for special sessions on March 28 and 29. Officially, they're claiming this is just to catch up on standard legislative work because so much time got wasted recently. Between the holidays and all the constant yelling and disruptions during the budget session, they are definitely behind schedule. But if you listen to the political gossip, there's supposedly a totally different motive at play here. A lot of insiders think the ruling alliance is carving out this extra weekend time specifically so they can fast-track an amendment related to the women's reservation law.
Source: The Times of India, March 14, 2026
Supreme Court Orders Removal of Controversial Textbook Chapter
Education also ended up in the Supreme Court's crosshairs this week because of a massive controversy over a Class 8 textbook. One of the chapters apparently had an entire section talking about "corruption in the judiciary," and the Court was absolutely not having it. They issued a really strict order telling the Centre, state governments, and universities to immediately pull the material. Once the public backlash started getting intense, the NCERT scrambled to save face. They ended up throwing the Textbook Development Team right under the bus, explicitly blaming Professor Michel Danino and his group for letting the problematic chapter see the light of day.
Source: The Indian Express, March 15, 2026
Regional News (Kolkata and West Bengal)
Kolkata Trio’s Terrifying Ordeal After Drone Attack in Dubai
Three friends from Kolkata had a frightening experience in Dubai when a drone attack occurred near the airport while they were on their way to catch a flight home. Authorities temporarily stopped vehicles and passengers from entering the airport, causing several flight delays and cancellations. After multiple postponements and hours of anxiety, the trio finally managed to board a flight in the evening and safely reached Kolkata, where their families waited with relief.
Source: The Telegraph, March 9, 2026
Secondary School Teacher Interviews to Begin in April
Interviews for secondary-level teacher posts in government-aided schools in West Bengal will begin in April after document verification starts on March 20. Around 40,000 candidates shortlisted from the September 2025 selection test will be called. The West Bengal School Service Commission aims to complete the recruitment process by August 31, following directions from the Supreme Court of India.
Source: The Telegraph, March 10, 2026
LPG Shortage Threatens Biryani and Restaurant Menus in Kolkata
A shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in Kolkata is affecting restaurants and roadside eateries, especially those famous for biryani. Due to supply disruptions linked to the West Asia war and import issues, many eateries fear they may have to reduce menu items or temporarily stop cooking. Some restaurants have already suspended buffets, while others warn that continued shortages could force them to cut production or shut operations until supply improves.
Source: The Telegraph, March 11, 2026
‘New Bengal’ Call from Brigade: Modi Says Fall of Current Government Has Begun
On 14 March 2026, Narendra Modi addressed a massive rally at Brigade Parade Ground. He said the huge crowd shows the people of Bengal want change and claimed that the “real thief” is known to the public. Modi declared that the countdown to the fall of the current government has begun and called for building a “New Bengal.”
Source: ABP Ananda, March 14, 2026
West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 to be Held in Two Phases
The Election Commission announced two-phase voting in West Bengal on April 23 and 29, with counting on May 4. Strict security will ensure violence-free polls. Before the elections, the Chief Minister announced pending DA payments and increased monthly allowances for priests and preachers.
Source: ABP Ananda, March 15, 2026
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Trump wants regime changes in Iran
US President Donald Trump argues that the only way to bring an end to the war is to remove the present Iranian government and military leadership entirely. He believes that the entire system is so controlled that a new Supreme Leader would not have the capacity to remain in power without his support. While, people around the world are seeking peace in the Middle East, Trump is still focusing on regime change in Iran. According to the US president, the military and government of Iran are functioning so closely together that if the government were changed, it would have an impact on the military. This close interconnection between the two means that there would surely be a restart in Iran’s leadership.
Source: The Times of India, March 9, 2026
Khamenei's son Mojtaba takes the throne in Iran & Trump gives a “Wake-up Call”
Mojtaba Khamenei has taken over as the leader in Iran after his father, Ali Khamenei. The long period of his leadership as Supreme Leader in Iran ended in a highly publicized assassination by a joint American-Israeli attack on February 28. The Iranian officials have promised to “obey the commander-in-chief until the last drop of our blood.” President Trump has termed Mojtaba “unacceptable” and stated that he would not last long without American support. When asked about the new leadership in Iran, President Trump responded by saying, “We’ll see what happens.” He further stated, “Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it… We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel.” The conflict continues and the Israeli strikes against Iranian “regime infrastructure” mark a tough start for Mojtaba’s tenure in this conflict.
Khamenei, in his late 50s, has been guiding events from behind the scenes during his father’s tenure and has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Source: CBS News, March 9, 2026
War will end 'soon', nothing left to hit Iran: Trump
US President Donald Trump stated in the 5-Minute phone interview to Axios on Wednesday that “practically nothing left to target” in Iran and the war will soon be over. He added by saying, “Little this and that Any time I want it to end, it'll end!”
The war started nearly two weeks ago due to the US and Israel having struck together against the military power of Iran.
Source: Reuters, March 11, 2026
Khamenei Vows to Keep Strait of Hormuz Closed, Oil Prices Surge
Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has chosen to ignore advice from United States President Donald Trump on the Strait of Hormuz closure. This has the potential to make trade problems worse and push oil prices higher. "The leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used," Khamenei said Thursday in his first public remarks since taking over from his father. The statement was delivered by state media but was not broadcast on television. At the same time, a Thai-flagged container vessel, Mayuree Naree, was damaged near Oman and caught fire. The Omani navy rescued 20 crew members. Oil prices rose again. On Thursday morning, the markets opened around the world, oil prices rose above $100 per barrel before easing back. This week has seen wild fluctuations in oil prices, which rose as high as $117 on Monday.
Source: time.com, March 12, 2026
Iran answers Sharply after Trump’s Warning about 2026 FIFA World Cup Safety
Tensions are rising over the possible participation of Iran’s national football team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup cause, the ongoing War in West Asia is driving instability in the current situation. The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Iran's sports minister Ahmed Donyamali recently said that the team won't travel to the United States for the World Cup due to security concerns. However, Iran hasn't officially pulled out of the tournament. This issue got worse after Donald Trump spoke out. He welcomed Iran to the event but warned players about their “life & safety”. Iran team gave a strong response in return by saying in Social Media, “Certainly, no one can remove the Iranian national team from the World Cup. Rather, the country that should be removed is the one that merely carries the title of “host”, but does not have the ability to ensure security for the teams participating in this event.” the statement.
Source: Hindustan Times, March 13,2026
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