September 25, 2026

A security patrol in Manipur NEW DELHI: The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Afspa), in specified areas of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur for another six months from October 1, according to Gazette notifications issued on Friday.The extension follows a review of the law and order situation in the affected areas of the three northeastern states.The Afspa, which grants special powers to the armed forces, will remain in force in these areas for six months from October 1, unless withdrawn earlier, according to the notification.The government order cited Section 3 of the act, which empowers the Centre to declare specified areas as “disturbed areas.”Which are these ‘disturbed areas’In Manipur, the ministry of home affairs has extended the “disturbed area” declaration across the state, excluding areas under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five districts.The excluded areas are those under Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi police stations in Imphal West district; Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung police stations in Imphal East; Thoubal police station in Thoubal district; Bishnupur and Nambol police stations in Bishnupur district; and Kakching police station in Kakching district.In Nagaland, the Afspa has been extended to nine districts — Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri — which have been declared “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of the Act.The notification also covers areas under the jurisdiction of 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland: Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIn Arunachal Pradesh, the Afspa has been extended to Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts.The order also covers areas under the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, bordering Assam.Among the northeastern states, Afspa has been completely withdrawn from Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura, while it remains in force in select areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland.(With PTI inputs)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against OfficialsAnother Sexual Assault Case from Bihar: 4 Arrested In Samastipur After Video Surfaces OnlineRahul Gandhi Demands Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation, Alleges ‘Vote Chori’ After ECI Rift Emerges’Justice Must Be Served’: Ladakh Marks One Year Since Deadly Leh Violence | Watch123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins
A security patrol in Manipur NEW DELHI: The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Afspa), in specified areas of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur for another six months from October 1, according to Gazette notifications issued on Friday.The extension follows a review of the law and order situation in the affected areas of the three northeastern states.The Afspa, which grants special powers to the armed forces, will remain in force in these areas for six months from October 1, unless withdrawn earlier, according to the notification.The government order cited Section 3 of the act, which empowers the Centre to declare specified areas as “disturbed areas.”Which are these ‘disturbed areas’In Manipur, the ministry of home affairs has extended the “disturbed area” declaration across the state, excluding areas under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five districts.The excluded areas are those under Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi police stations in Imphal West district; Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung police stations in Imphal East; Thoubal police station in Thoubal district; Bishnupur and Nambol police stations in Bishnupur district; and Kakching police station in Kakching district.In Nagaland, the Afspa has been extended to nine districts — Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri — which have been declared “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of the Act.The notification also covers areas under the jurisdiction of 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland: Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIn Arunachal Pradesh, the Afspa has been extended to Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts.The order also covers areas under the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, bordering Assam.Among the northeastern states, Afspa has been completely withdrawn from Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Tripura, while it remains in force in select areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland.(With PTI inputs)Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against OfficialsAnother Sexual Assault Case from Bihar: 4 Arrested In Samastipur After Video Surfaces OnlineRahul Gandhi Demands Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation, Alleges ‘Vote Chori’ After ECI Rift Emerges’Justice Must Be Served’: Ladakh Marks One Year Since Deadly Leh Violence | Watch123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court


Afspa extended by six months in 'disturbed areas' of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
A security patrol in Manipur

NEW DELHI: The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Afspa), in specified areas of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur for another six months from October 1, according to Gazette notifications issued on Friday.The extension follows a review of the law and order situation in the affected areas of the three northeastern states.The Afspa, which grants special powers to the armed forces, will remain in force in these areas for six months from October 1, unless withdrawn earlier, according to the notification.The government order cited Section 3 of the act, which empowers the Centre to declare specified areas as “disturbed areas.”

Which are these ‘disturbed areas’

In Manipur, the ministry of home affairs has extended the “disturbed area” declaration across the state, excluding areas under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five districts.The excluded areas are those under Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi police stations in Imphal West district; Porompat, Heingang and Irilbung police stations in Imphal East; Thoubal police station in Thoubal district; Bishnupur and Nambol police stations in Bishnupur district; and Kakching police station in Kakching district.In Nagaland, the Afspa has been extended to nine districts — Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri — which have been declared “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of the Act.The notification also covers areas under the jurisdiction of 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland: Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha and Zunheboto.

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AFSPA gives the armed forces deployed in areas declared as “disturbed”, powers to search, seize and arrest without a warrant, and to also use lethal force against law-breakers. NEW DELHI: The home ministry on Friday extended the application of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 in parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland for a further period of six months until March 31, 2027, while retaining status quo in terms of the police stations and districts declared as “disturbed areas” under the Act.As Manipur continues to witness law and order upheavals on account of clashes between Kukis and Nagas that in the past few days have seen scores of houses torched across the Naga villages in Kangpokpi district, the Centre renewed the “disturbed” tag for the entire state, barring 13 police stations across its five districts, for six months starting Oct 1. The areas that will continue to be outside the purview of AFSPA include Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi police stations in Imphal West district; Poropat, Heingang and Irilbung police stations in Imphal East district; Thoubal police station in Thoubal district, Bishnupur and Nambol police stations in Bishnupur district, and Kakching police station in Kakching district.AFSPA gives the armed forces deployed in areas declared as “disturbed”, powers to search, seize and arrest without a warrant, and to also use lethal force against law-breakers.The latest AFSPA notification for Nagaland, which extends applicability of the Act in parts of the state till March 31 next year, retains nine districts and 21 police stations across five other districts as “disturbed areas”. The list includes Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri districts in Nagaland and the areas in Nagaland falling within the jurisdiction of Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima district; Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki ‘C’ police stations in Mokokchung district; Yanglok police station in Longleng district; Bhandari, Champang and Ralan police stations in Wokha district; and Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhuto, Zunheboto and Aghunato police stations in Zunheboto district.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIts status quo in Arunachal Pradesh as well with Tirap, Changland and Longding districts and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district bordering Assam, declared as “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of AFSPA for a period of six months with effect from Oct 1.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against Officials123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

AFSPA gives the armed forces deployed in areas declared as “disturbed”, powers to search, seize and arrest without a warrant, and to also use lethal force against law-breakers. NEW DELHI: The home ministry on Friday extended the application of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 in parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland for a further period of six months until March 31, 2027, while retaining status quo in terms of the police stations and districts declared as “disturbed areas” under the Act.As Manipur continues to witness law and order upheavals on account of clashes between Kukis and Nagas that in the past few days have seen scores of houses torched across the Naga villages in Kangpokpi district, the Centre renewed the “disturbed” tag for the entire state, barring 13 police stations across its five districts, for six months starting Oct 1. The areas that will continue to be outside the purview of AFSPA include Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi and Wangoi police stations in Imphal West district; Poropat, Heingang and Irilbung police stations in Imphal East district; Thoubal police station in Thoubal district, Bishnupur and Nambol police stations in Bishnupur district, and Kakching police station in Kakching district.AFSPA gives the armed forces deployed in areas declared as “disturbed”, powers to search, seize and arrest without a warrant, and to also use lethal force against law-breakers.The latest AFSPA notification for Nagaland, which extends applicability of the Act in parts of the state till March 31 next year, retains nine districts and 21 police stations across five other districts as “disturbed areas”. The list includes Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Meluri districts in Nagaland and the areas in Nagaland falling within the jurisdiction of Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima district; Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki ‘C’ police stations in Mokokchung district; Yanglok police station in Longleng district; Bhandari, Champang and Ralan police stations in Wokha district; and Ghatashi, Pughoboto, Satakha, Suruhuto, Zunheboto and Aghunato police stations in Zunheboto district.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIts status quo in Arunachal Pradesh as well with Tirap, Changland and Longding districts and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district bordering Assam, declared as “disturbed areas” under Section 3 of AFSPA for a period of six months with effect from Oct 1.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against Officials123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Vamsikrishna 0
Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav during a visit to Raebareli. (PTI photo) NEW DELHI: Is Uttar Pradesh all set to go the Bihar way for the opposition’s INDIA bloc? Wait, we are not talking about the results yet. This is about the all-too-familiar alliance strains between INDIA bloc allies – the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in the run-up to UP assembly elections early next year.On Thursday, Akhilesh Yadav unveiled the Samajwadi Party’s ‘PDA Rath’ which he will use for a statewide campaign in the run-up to the 2027 assembly poll. While his fight is against the BJP, the first stop of his rath was Raebareli – a Congress bastion represented by the Gandhis for decades.Also, while Akhilesh targeted the BJP, he had a clear message for the Congress also.“Alliance will happen. We will also go with the alliance. Winnability will be the criteria for deciding seats. For us, it is not about seats, it is about victory. Whosoever can win can take the seat.”The BJP was quick to take digs at both allies and suggested that now Congress should start its campaign from Yadav bastion Mainpuri.This was not an isolated remark. The SP and the Congress have been engaged in a war of words over seat sharing for quite some time now. The open fight has an uncanny resemblance to how events had unfolded between the INDIA bloc allies in Bihar.INDIA bloc’s failed Bihar experimentCut to the 2025 Bihar assembly elections.INDIA bloc allies – the RJD and the Congress engaged in a continuous war of words in Bihar over seat-sharing and CM face, while the BJP-led NDA managed a smooth division of seats. What started as public posturing between INDIA bloc allies ended up in public sparring between them as the divided opposition alliance was decimated in the polls.The two parties campaigned separately for most of the time as they could not agree on seat sharing. They took out separate yatras across the state. While Rahul Gandhi undertook the “Vote Adhikar Yatra,” RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav went across the state with his “Bihar Adhikar Yatra.” Ironically, it was the success of the two yatras that boomeranged on the alliance as it made seat-sharing bitter and difficult.In the run-up to the Bihar elections, Tejashwi Yadav was confident of a sweep. The Congress was also not willing to budge, guided by its improved showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state. The two parties used pressure tactics against each other. So much so that the INDIA bloc went into the elections as a divided house despite last-minute agreements and adjustments to keep the alliance intact.Uttar Pradesh appears to be headed the same way, at least as of now. We have already seen a lot of public posturing and sparring between the leaders of the INDIA bloc partners. Both the Congress and the SP have repeatedly claimed that the opposition’s fight against the BJP can be led only by their respective leaders.The SP and Congress contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together in Uttar Pradesh and won 43 seats between them, with the SP winning 37 and the Congress six. The alliance also won the Faizabad seat, which includes Ayodhya, where the BJP won in 2019.And that is perhaps where lies the genesis of this power tussle. Both the SP and the Congress feel that it was their party and leader who played a greater role in the 2024 electoral success and hence want the advantage to flow accordingly in seat sharing for the assembly elections.Rahul or Akhilesh vs BJPOne look at the latest broadside between the two parties and we know why seat sharing between them may not be smooth.Recently, Samajwadi Party MP from Kairana Iqra Hasan and Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood, both elected in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as part of the SP-Congress alliance, publicly pitched their respective party leaders to take on the BJP.”Only Rahul Gandhi is the opposition voice across the country, which unnerves the BJP. Rahul ji has done the hard work and created a favourable atmosphere. So make no mistake, nothing is possible without Rahul ji, and no one should have any doubts about this,” Masood said.Days later, Hasan responded and pitched SP chief Yadav as the key to the alliance’s prospects.”Only Akhilesh Yadav is capable of defeating the BJP. On its own, the Congress won’t be able to achieve much,” she said.Last week, Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam signalled a firm stance regarding upcoming electoral negotiations and said that any seat-sharing arrangement with the Samajwadi Party (SP) must be built on mutual respect and equal standing.Clarifying reports regarding seat distribution, Gautam claimed that formal discussions with the SP have not yet begun. While expressing open flexibility for minor adjustments, he stressed that the Congress would not compromise its organisational self-respect or dignity in any prospective deal.”We have made one thing very clear. The Congress is the country’s oldest party. It was the Congress that led the freedom struggle. Any alliance formed will be based on mutual respect; there will be equal partnership and dignity. Sure, we can show some flexibility; there might be minor adjustments, but we cannot compromise on our dignity,” the Congress leader said.The contrasting assertions come despite messages of unity from both sides of the divide. Akhilesh is riding high on SP’s Lok Sabha success in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress, which is trying hard to revive its lost electoral fortunes, does not want to compromise on its expansion plans in one of the most politically important states.The Owaisi factorThe problem is that both the parties are wooing the same social base in the state – minorities, Dalits, women, youth. Akhilesh is missing no opportunity to expand his PDA’s – Pichda Dalit and Alpsankhyak – base by making concerted attempts to include Pandits, Aadhi aabadi (women) and other social groups. The Congress is also wooing the Brahmins, the Dalits and the women in a big way.What the two bickering allies don’t realise that there are several other parties who are also reaching out to the same social base. For instance, Mayawati and Chandrashekhar Azad are also going all out to woo Dalits. Then there is Owaisi, who has already put both the parties in a Catch22 situation by offering them an alliance against the BJP. Owaisi’s proposal is like a double-edged sword for the two parties. If they accept his offer, the BJP will gun for them.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines If they reject the offer, Owaisi will use the rejection to rally the Muslims against them.Lok Sabha gains, assembly painsThe Samjawadi Party and the Congress may do well to learn lessons from the Bihar debacle before it’s too late. Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections are two very different games and success in one does not automatically translate into success in another. There are numerous instances to show that alliances which did well in Lok Sabha elections failed in assembly elections. Maharashtra is a case in point. The Maha Vikas Aghadi of the opposition parties – Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP did very well in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, putting the BJP on the backfoot. But a year later in 2025 – the opposition alliance was decimated by the BJP in the assembly elections. So, Akhilesh and Rahul need to decide if they want to keep on flexing muscles at each other or unite in time to pose a challenge to the BJP.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against OfficialsAnother Sexual Assault Case from Bihar: 4 Arrested In Samastipur After Video Surfaces Online123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav during a visit to Raebareli. (PTI photo) NEW DELHI: Is Uttar Pradesh all set to go the Bihar way for the opposition’s INDIA bloc? Wait, we are not talking about the results yet. This is about the all-too-familiar alliance strains between INDIA bloc allies – the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in the run-up to UP assembly elections early next year.On Thursday, Akhilesh Yadav unveiled the Samajwadi Party’s ‘PDA Rath’ which he will use for a statewide campaign in the run-up to the 2027 assembly poll. While his fight is against the BJP, the first stop of his rath was Raebareli – a Congress bastion represented by the Gandhis for decades.Also, while Akhilesh targeted the BJP, he had a clear message for the Congress also.“Alliance will happen. We will also go with the alliance. Winnability will be the criteria for deciding seats. For us, it is not about seats, it is about victory. Whosoever can win can take the seat.”The BJP was quick to take digs at both allies and suggested that now Congress should start its campaign from Yadav bastion Mainpuri.This was not an isolated remark. The SP and the Congress have been engaged in a war of words over seat sharing for quite some time now. The open fight has an uncanny resemblance to how events had unfolded between the INDIA bloc allies in Bihar.INDIA bloc’s failed Bihar experimentCut to the 2025 Bihar assembly elections.INDIA bloc allies – the RJD and the Congress engaged in a continuous war of words in Bihar over seat-sharing and CM face, while the BJP-led NDA managed a smooth division of seats. What started as public posturing between INDIA bloc allies ended up in public sparring between them as the divided opposition alliance was decimated in the polls.The two parties campaigned separately for most of the time as they could not agree on seat sharing. They took out separate yatras across the state. While Rahul Gandhi undertook the “Vote Adhikar Yatra,” RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav went across the state with his “Bihar Adhikar Yatra.” Ironically, it was the success of the two yatras that boomeranged on the alliance as it made seat-sharing bitter and difficult.In the run-up to the Bihar elections, Tejashwi Yadav was confident of a sweep. The Congress was also not willing to budge, guided by its improved showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state. The two parties used pressure tactics against each other. So much so that the INDIA bloc went into the elections as a divided house despite last-minute agreements and adjustments to keep the alliance intact.Uttar Pradesh appears to be headed the same way, at least as of now. We have already seen a lot of public posturing and sparring between the leaders of the INDIA bloc partners. Both the Congress and the SP have repeatedly claimed that the opposition’s fight against the BJP can be led only by their respective leaders.The SP and Congress contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together in Uttar Pradesh and won 43 seats between them, with the SP winning 37 and the Congress six. The alliance also won the Faizabad seat, which includes Ayodhya, where the BJP won in 2019.And that is perhaps where lies the genesis of this power tussle. Both the SP and the Congress feel that it was their party and leader who played a greater role in the 2024 electoral success and hence want the advantage to flow accordingly in seat sharing for the assembly elections.Rahul or Akhilesh vs BJPOne look at the latest broadside between the two parties and we know why seat sharing between them may not be smooth.Recently, Samajwadi Party MP from Kairana Iqra Hasan and Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood, both elected in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as part of the SP-Congress alliance, publicly pitched their respective party leaders to take on the BJP.”Only Rahul Gandhi is the opposition voice across the country, which unnerves the BJP. Rahul ji has done the hard work and created a favourable atmosphere. So make no mistake, nothing is possible without Rahul ji, and no one should have any doubts about this,” Masood said.Days later, Hasan responded and pitched SP chief Yadav as the key to the alliance’s prospects.”Only Akhilesh Yadav is capable of defeating the BJP. On its own, the Congress won’t be able to achieve much,” she said.Last week, Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam signalled a firm stance regarding upcoming electoral negotiations and said that any seat-sharing arrangement with the Samajwadi Party (SP) must be built on mutual respect and equal standing.Clarifying reports regarding seat distribution, Gautam claimed that formal discussions with the SP have not yet begun. While expressing open flexibility for minor adjustments, he stressed that the Congress would not compromise its organisational self-respect or dignity in any prospective deal.”We have made one thing very clear. The Congress is the country’s oldest party. It was the Congress that led the freedom struggle. Any alliance formed will be based on mutual respect; there will be equal partnership and dignity. Sure, we can show some flexibility; there might be minor adjustments, but we cannot compromise on our dignity,” the Congress leader said.The contrasting assertions come despite messages of unity from both sides of the divide. Akhilesh is riding high on SP’s Lok Sabha success in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress, which is trying hard to revive its lost electoral fortunes, does not want to compromise on its expansion plans in one of the most politically important states.The Owaisi factorThe problem is that both the parties are wooing the same social base in the state – minorities, Dalits, women, youth. Akhilesh is missing no opportunity to expand his PDA’s – Pichda Dalit and Alpsankhyak – base by making concerted attempts to include Pandits, Aadhi aabadi (women) and other social groups. The Congress is also wooing the Brahmins, the Dalits and the women in a big way.What the two bickering allies don’t realise that there are several other parties who are also reaching out to the same social base. For instance, Mayawati and Chandrashekhar Azad are also going all out to woo Dalits. Then there is Owaisi, who has already put both the parties in a Catch22 situation by offering them an alliance against the BJP. Owaisi’s proposal is like a double-edged sword for the two parties. If they accept his offer, the BJP will gun for them.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines If they reject the offer, Owaisi will use the rejection to rally the Muslims against them.Lok Sabha gains, assembly painsThe Samjawadi Party and the Congress may do well to learn lessons from the Bihar debacle before it’s too late. Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections are two very different games and success in one does not automatically translate into success in another. There are numerous instances to show that alliances which did well in Lok Sabha elections failed in assembly elections. Maharashtra is a case in point. The Maha Vikas Aghadi of the opposition parties – Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP did very well in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, putting the BJP on the backfoot. But a year later in 2025 – the opposition alliance was decimated by the BJP in the assembly elections. So, Akhilesh and Rahul need to decide if they want to keep on flexing muscles at each other or unite in time to pose a challenge to the BJP.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against OfficialsAnother Sexual Assault Case from Bihar: 4 Arrested In Samastipur After Video Surfaces Online123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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NEW DELHI: Unease within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over a media report concerning Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar surfaced on Friday, with three BJP allies urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue a clearer response.Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Chirag Paswan was the first NDA ally to urge the ECI to dispel “misgivings in the minds of the people.”“Let me make it clear that, as part of the government, I do not intend to defend what is a constitutional body. I am also not much worried about the allegations made by the opposition, which will always take a stand that suits it politically,” Paswan told reporters in Patna.“However, if people start losing trust in the electoral system, that will not augur well for democracy. Therefore, I think the Election Commission must come out with its clarification more forcefully. It need not respond to what Rahul Gandhi and his associates are saying, but it must dispel misgivings in the minds of the people,” the Hajipur MP added.Janata Dal (United) Bihar chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha also called for a clarification, saying the controversy had created “confusion” among the public.”The controversy regarding the SIR has created a situation of significant confusion among the public. The matter needs to be addressed. The Election Commission should immediately issue a clarification regarding the actual situation to clear up this confusion,” Kushwaha posted on X.The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) described the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Andhra Pradesh as a “success,” while noting that a clarification from the ECI would be “beneficial”.“The exercise has been a success. Even the opposition has not been able to substantiate its concerns regarding the process in Andhra Pradesh. At the same time, the Election Commission of India is a constitutional institution entrusted with a crucial responsibility in our democracy. Therefore, whenever questions are raised by anyone, providing appropriate clarification and maintaining transparency will only help strengthen public confidence in the institution,” TDP MP Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu said.What is the controversyThe allies’ remarks came after a report in The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had, on at least 14 occasions over the past 10 months, recorded objections to decisions and orders apparently issued without their knowledge or recommendation.The objections reportedly related to changes to the statutory voter registration Form 6, the process for adding and deleting names from electoral rolls, and the centralised control of the electoral roll database.The report prompted opposition parties to demand the CEC’s removal and call for the SIR exercise to be halted.The ECI, however, asserted that differences of opinion among its members were a “normal part of deliberation” and maintained that its final decisions, including those concerning the SIR, had been “unanimous”.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesAccording to the Commissionm all its official orders and directions had legal sanction, while describing the suggestions made by the two Election Commissioners as efforts to improve electoral processes. Neither Sandhu nor Joshi has publicly commented on the objections attributed to them.The BJP, meanwhile, has played down the reported differences within the Commission, saying that the exchange of views during official deliberations reflected “pure democracy”.Kumar, who became an Election Commissioner in 2024 and CEC in 2025, has repeatedly faced allegations from the Opposition that he has “favoured” the BJP.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against OfficialsAnother Sexual Assault Case from Bihar: 4 Arrested In Samastipur After Video Surfaces Online123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

NEW DELHI: Unease within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over a media report concerning Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar surfaced on Friday, with three BJP allies urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue a clearer response.Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Chirag Paswan was the first NDA ally to urge the ECI to dispel “misgivings in the minds of the people.”“Let me make it clear that, as part of the government, I do not intend to defend what is a constitutional body. I am also not much worried about the allegations made by the opposition, which will always take a stand that suits it politically,” Paswan told reporters in Patna.“However, if people start losing trust in the electoral system, that will not augur well for democracy. Therefore, I think the Election Commission must come out with its clarification more forcefully. It need not respond to what Rahul Gandhi and his associates are saying, but it must dispel misgivings in the minds of the people,” the Hajipur MP added.Janata Dal (United) Bihar chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha also called for a clarification, saying the controversy had created “confusion” among the public.”The controversy regarding the SIR has created a situation of significant confusion among the public. The matter needs to be addressed. The Election Commission should immediately issue a clarification regarding the actual situation to clear up this confusion,” Kushwaha posted on X.The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) described the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Andhra Pradesh as a “success,” while noting that a clarification from the ECI would be “beneficial”.“The exercise has been a success. Even the opposition has not been able to substantiate its concerns regarding the process in Andhra Pradesh. At the same time, the Election Commission of India is a constitutional institution entrusted with a crucial responsibility in our democracy. Therefore, whenever questions are raised by anyone, providing appropriate clarification and maintaining transparency will only help strengthen public confidence in the institution,” TDP MP Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu said.What is the controversyThe allies’ remarks came after a report in The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had, on at least 14 occasions over the past 10 months, recorded objections to decisions and orders apparently issued without their knowledge or recommendation.The objections reportedly related to changes to the statutory voter registration Form 6, the process for adding and deleting names from electoral rolls, and the centralised control of the electoral roll database.The report prompted opposition parties to demand the CEC’s removal and call for the SIR exercise to be halted.The ECI, however, asserted that differences of opinion among its members were a “normal part of deliberation” and maintained that its final decisions, including those concerning the SIR, had been “unanimous”.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesAccording to the Commissionm all its official orders and directions had legal sanction, while describing the suggestions made by the two Election Commissioners as efforts to improve electoral processes. Neither Sandhu nor Joshi has publicly commented on the objections attributed to them.The BJP, meanwhile, has played down the reported differences within the Commission, saying that the exchange of views during official deliberations reflected “pure democracy”.Kumar, who became an Election Commissioner in 2024 and CEC in 2025, has repeatedly faced allegations from the Opposition that he has “favoured” the BJP.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? The Legal Gap Explained‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against OfficialsAnother Sexual Assault Case from Bihar: 4 Arrested In Samastipur After Video Surfaces Online123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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Current Bharat NCAP phase remains valid until Sept 30, 2027, with proposed introduction of Bharat NCAP 2.0 from Oct 2027 Bharat NCAP 2.0, planned for October 2027, will look beyond what happens when a car crashes. The proposed system will examine the entire safety chain: from how a vehicle helps avoid a collision to how well it protects occupants, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, and what happens after an accident.Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari announced the proposed timeline at the SIAM Annual Convention in September 2026. The second phase is being planned as the first phase of Bharat New Car Assessment Programme, or Bharat NCAP, approaches the end of its current cycle.According to the ministry of road transport and highways’ draft AIS-197 Revision 1, the first phase of Bharat NCAP began on October 1, 2023 and is valid until September 30, 2027. The draft revision has been prepared as the framework for Bharat NCAP 2.0.The proposed changes could make the safety rating a much broader measure of a car’s performance, not just in a crash, but before, during and after one.About Bharat NCAPWhat is Bharat NCAP?Bharat NCAP is India’s own vehicle crash-testing and safety-rating programme. It was formally launched by the ministry of road transport and highways in August 2023 and became operational from October 1, 2023.The programme applies to type-approved passenger vehicles in the M1 category with a gross vehicle weight of less than 3.5 tonnes. It is voluntary, which means manufacturers can offer eligible vehicles for assessment.The programme is anchored by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), while testing is carried out through designated agencies with the required infrastructure.At its core, Bharat NCAP gives car buyers a common safety benchmark. A vehicle must already meet mandatory regulatory requirements to be sold in India. Bharat NCAP goes a step further by putting eligible vehicles through specified tests and awarding them a rating of between one and five stars.India’s own car safety assessment programmeThe idea is fairly simple: instead of looking only at a car’s price, design or features, buyers get an additional reference point to understand how the vehicle performs in standardised safety tests.The government has also positioned the programme as a way to encourage manufacturers to improve vehicle safety and strengthen the safety standards of cars made in India.How does the current Bharat NCAP system work?The existing programme broadly assesses three areas:Adult Occupant Protection (AOP)Child Occupant Protection (COP)Safety Assist Technologies (SAT)Vehicles are subjected to prescribed crash tests and other assessments. Their performance across these parameters is then used to arrive at the overall star rating.The current framework includes a 64 kmph offset frontal impact test, a 50 kmph side movable deformable barrier test and a pole side impact test, among other checks prescribed under AIS-197.The assessment therefore goes beyond simply asking whether the passenger compartment remains intact.Adult Occupant Protection examines the risk of injury to adults in different crash conditions and seating positions. Child Occupant Protection looks at the protection offered to younger passengers, including the use and installation of child restraint systems.Safety Assist Technologies, meanwhile, covers technologies designed to help prevent crashes or reduce their severity.QuoteWhy are adult and child safety assessed separately?A car may offer different levels of protection to adults and children, so Bharat NCAP evaluates the two separately.The adult assessment focuses on occupant protection during prescribed crash scenarios, while the child assessment considers how effectively younger occupants are protected and how child restraint systems work within the vehicle.This also means that a car’s overall star rating is not simply a score from one crash test. It reflects performance across several safety parameters.For consumers, the individual scores can therefore provide more information than looking at the star rating alone.Who tests the cars?Bharat NCAP is anchored by CIRT, with testing carried out through designated testing agencies that have the required facilities.The wider automotive testing ecosystem includes agencies such as the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT).Manufacturers submit eligible vehicles for assessment under the programme. The existing framework specifies procedures around the variant selected for testing, including provisions concerning the base variant of a model.That distinction matters when reading a Bharat NCAP result. A rating should not automatically be assumed to apply to every variant of a model unless the official assessment covers those variants.Four assessments of NCAPBharat NCAP ratingsBharat NCAP ratings range from one to five stars. A higher rating indicates stronger performance under the programme’s prescribed assessment criteria.But a five-star rating is not a guarantee that occupants will escape injury in every real-world crash. NCAP testing is conducted under standardised conditions and is intended to provide a basis for comparing vehicle safety performance.It is also important to distinguish Bharat NCAP from the mandatory certification requirements for selling a vehicle in India.Bharat NCAP is voluntary and is designed to provide consumers with additional information beyond the mandatory regulatory framework. A vehicle being tested or rated under Bharat NCAP should therefore not be confused with regulatory approval.Since its launch, Bharat NCAP has increasingly become part of the safety conversation around new car launches. The ratings have also become a factor in how manufacturers present their vehicles to consumers, particularly as safety becomes a more visible consideration in the passenger-vehicle market.What do the stars represent?So, what changes with Bharat NCAP 2.0?This is where the proposed second phase takes a much wider approach.The draft AIS-197 Revision 1 divides Bharat NCAP 2.0 into five safety verticals:Safe drivingCrash avoidanceCrash protectionVulnerable road user protectionPost-crash safetyThe change is significant because the current system focuses mainly on occupant protection and safety-assist technologies, while the proposed framework looks at the complete safety chain.The draft framework uses a 100-point assessment structure, with Crash Protection accounting for 55% of the assessment. The remaining weightage covers the other safety areas.In other words, the crash itself will still be a major part of the rating, but it will no longer be the only part of the safety story.Five crash tests in the proposed new frameworkBharat NCAP 2.0 proposes expanding the Crash Protection assessment to five mandatory crash tests:64 kmph offset frontal impact against a deformable barrier50 kmph frontal impact against a full-width rigid barrier50 kmph lateral impact against a mobile deformable barrier32 kmph oblique side impact against a rigid pole50 kmph rear impact against a mobile rigid barrierAdult and child occupant protection will continue to be assessed separately.The addition of full-width frontal and rear-impact tests means the proposed system will examine crash scenarios beyond the core tests in the existing framework.That gives the second phase a wider testing footprint and allows different types of impacts to form part of the overall safety assessment.Not just about surviving crashOne of the biggest differences in Bharat NCAP 2.0 is that the programme is designed to look at what happens before a crash as well.Crash Avoidance is one of the five proposed verticals. It focuses on technologies and vehicle characteristics that can help prevent a collision or reduce its severity.Your guide to safer carsSafe Driving is another proposed category, widening the assessment beyond the vehicle’s passive protection features.Together, these categories shift the focus from simply asking, “How well does this car perform when it crashes?” to a broader question: “How does this vehicle contribute to safety across different stages of a road incident?”Bharat NCAP 2.0 also proposes a separate Vulnerable Road User Protection category. This brings pedestrians and other vulnerable road users more directly into the safety assessment.The proposed framework also asks a different question: what happens once the collision has taken place?Post-Crash Safety is one of the five proposed assessment areas. Minister Gadkari described Bharat NCAP 2.0 as covering the entire safety chain, including post-crash evacuation and care. “We are going to evaluate the entire crash chain,” Gadkari said, adding that new technologies developed globally as well as by startups would be considered under the programme.This means the assessment is intended to extend beyond the instant of impact and examine safety considerations in the period immediately after a crash.It adds another layer to the programme’s approach: avoiding the crash where possible, protecting people during the impact, and addressing safety after the collision.What does Bharat NCAP mean for car buyers?For buyers, Bharat NCAP offers an additional way to compare cars beyond mandatory safety requirements.A consumer can look at a vehicle’s overall rating as well as its adult and child protection performance and the safety technologies considered in the assessment.The rating is not meant to replace other factors involved in buying a car. Price, size, fuel efficiency, features, driving requirements and other considerations remain relevant, but the proposed 2.0 framework would expand that information further.Buyers could eventually have a broader picture of how a car performs across crash protection, crash avoidance, safe driving, vulnerable-road-user protection and post-crash safety.Bharat NCAP is one part of a much larger road-safety challenge, focusing on the structure of vehicles. Vehicle design and safety technology can influence the outcome of a crash, but they cannot address every reason why accidents happen.The ministry has identified several factors associated with road crashes, including speeding, mobile-phone use, drunken driving, wrong-side driving, lane indiscipline, jumping red lights and failure to use helmets and seat belts. Vehicle condition, road conditions and weather can also play a role.Several countries have their own NCAPSGovernment data recorded 1,68,491 road accident fatalities in 2022.Bharat NCAP therefore addresses one part of this wider equation: the safety performance of vehicles. Its proposed second phase would broaden that role by looking at what a vehicle can do to help avoid crashes, how it protects people when a crash occurs, how it protects vulnerable road users and what happens afterwards.The bottom lineThe current Bharat NCAP phase remains valid until September 30, 2027. The government has proposed introducing Bharat NCAP 2.0 from October 2027, with the draft AIS-197 Revision 1 serving as the framework for the next phase.The proposed transition would take India’s vehicle safety-rating system from a relatively focused crash and occupant-protection programme to a broader safety assessment.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe familiar one-to-five-star rating would remain the consumer-facing language of vehicle safety, but the assessment behind it is set to become much more comprehensive.The bigger shift is in the question Bharat NCAP is trying to answer. Instead of looking only at how a car performs when it is involved in a crash, the proposed system would examine the vehicle’s safety journey from avoiding a collision to protecting occupants and vulnerable road users, and supporting safety after the crash.That could give Indian car buyers a wider set of safety information to consider when choosing their next vehicle.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Made In UP’ Missiles Giving Pakistan Sleepless Nights: Amit Shah On BrahMosOmar Abdullah Moves Full Statehood Resolution In J&K Assembly, BJP Protest Sparks House UproarThird Bihar Harassment Case In A Week: Minor Girl Targeted In Banka, Video Surfaces’You Cannot Keep Playing’: CJP’s Dipke Challenges Opposition Over Alleged Election Rigging“Terror, Theatrics Won’t Repay Loans”: India Hits Back At Pakistan At UNHRCBJP’s ₹529 Crore Poll Spending Revealed; Bengal Alone Accounted For ₹287 Crore, EC Data ShowsAjeet Bharti Faces Arrest Heat As Delhi HC Rejects Bail In Chandrashekhar Azad CaseIIT-Bombay Death Row: Parents Question CCTV Leak, Demand CBI Probe And Action Against OfficialsAnother Sexual Assault Case from Bihar: 4 Arrested In Samastipur After Video Surfaces OnlineRahul Gandhi Demands Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation, Alleges ‘Vote Chori’ After ECI Rift Emerges123Hot PicksWeather tomorrowBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingAsian Games Medal TallyRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Current Bharat NCAP phase remains valid until Sept 30, 2027, with proposed introduction of Bharat NCAP 2.0 from Oct 2027 Bharat NCAP 2.0, planned for October 2027, will look beyond what happens when a car crashes. The proposed system will examine the entire safety chain: from how a vehicle helps avoid a collision to how well it protects occupants, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, and what happens after an accident.Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari announced the proposed timeline at the SIAM Annual Convention in September 2026. The second phase is being planned as the first phase of Bharat New Car Assessment Programme, or Bharat NCAP, approaches the end of its current cycle.According to the ministry of road transport and highways’ draft AIS-197 Revision 1, the first phase of Bharat NCAP began on October 1, 2023 and is valid until September 30, 2027. The draft revision has been prepared as the framework for Bharat NCAP 2.0.The proposed changes could make the safety rating a much broader measure of a car’s performance, not just in a crash, but before, during and after one.About Bharat NCAPWhat is Bharat NCAP?Bharat NCAP is India’s own vehicle crash-testing and safety-rating programme. It was formally launched by the ministry of road transport and highways in August 2023 and became operational from October 1, 2023.The programme applies to type-approved passenger vehicles in the M1 category with a gross vehicle weight of less than 3.5 tonnes. It is voluntary, which means manufacturers can offer eligible vehicles for assessment.The programme is anchored by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), while testing is carried out through designated agencies with the required infrastructure.At its core, Bharat NCAP gives car buyers a common safety benchmark. A vehicle must already meet mandatory regulatory requirements to be sold in India. Bharat NCAP goes a step further by putting eligible vehicles through specified tests and awarding them a rating of between one and five stars.India’s own car safety assessment programmeThe idea is fairly simple: instead of looking only at a car’s price, design or features, buyers get an additional reference point to understand how the vehicle performs in standardised safety tests.The government has also positioned the programme as a way to encourage manufacturers to improve vehicle safety and strengthen the safety standards of cars made in India.How does the current Bharat NCAP system work?The existing programme broadly assesses three areas:Adult Occupant Protection (AOP)Child Occupant Protection (COP)Safety Assist Technologies (SAT)Vehicles are subjected to prescribed crash tests and other assessments. Their performance across these parameters is then used to arrive at the overall star rating.The current framework includes a 64 kmph offset frontal impact test, a 50 kmph side movable deformable barrier test and a pole side impact test, among other checks prescribed under AIS-197.The assessment therefore goes beyond simply asking whether the passenger compartment remains intact.Adult Occupant Protection examines the risk of injury to adults in different crash conditions and seating positions. Child Occupant Protection looks at the protection offered to younger passengers, including the use and installation of child restraint systems.Safety Assist Technologies, meanwhile, covers technologies designed to help prevent crashes or reduce their severity.QuoteWhy are adult and child safety assessed separately?A car may offer different levels of protection to adults and children, so Bharat NCAP evaluates the two separately.The adult assessment focuses on occupant protection during prescribed crash scenarios, while the child assessment considers how effectively younger occupants are protected and how child restraint systems work within the vehicle.This also means that a car’s overall star rating is not simply a score from one crash test. It reflects performance across several safety parameters.For consumers, the individual scores can therefore provide more information than looking at the star rating alone.Who tests the cars?Bharat NCAP is anchored by CIRT, with testing carried out through designated testing agencies that have the required facilities.The wider automotive testing ecosystem includes agencies such as the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT).Manufacturers submit eligible vehicles for assessment under the programme. The existing framework specifies procedures around the variant selected for testing, including provisions concerning the base variant of a model.That distinction matters when reading a Bharat NCAP result. A rating should not automatically be assumed to apply to every variant of a model unless the official assessment covers those variants.Four assessments of NCAPBharat NCAP ratingsBharat NCAP ratings range from one to five stars. A higher rating indicates stronger performance under the programme’s prescribed assessment criteria.But a five-star rating is not a guarantee that occupants will escape injury in every real-world crash. NCAP testing is conducted under standardised conditions and is intended to provide a basis for comparing vehicle safety performance.It is also important to distinguish Bharat NCAP from the mandatory certification requirements for selling a vehicle in India.Bharat NCAP is voluntary and is designed to provide consumers with additional information beyond the mandatory regulatory framework. A vehicle being tested or rated under Bharat NCAP should therefore not be confused with regulatory approval.Since its launch, Bharat NCAP has increasingly become part of the safety conversation around new car launches. The ratings have also become a factor in how manufacturers present their vehicles to consumers, particularly as safety becomes a more visible consideration in the passenger-vehicle market.What do the stars represent?So, what changes with Bharat NCAP 2.0?This is where the proposed second phase takes a much wider approach.The draft AIS-197 Revision 1 divides Bharat NCAP 2.0 into five safety verticals:Safe drivingCrash avoidanceCrash protectionVulnerable road user protectionPost-crash safetyThe change is significant because the current system focuses mainly on occupant protection and safety-assist technologies, while the proposed framework looks at the complete safety chain.The draft framework uses a 100-point assessment structure, with Crash Protection accounting for 55% of the assessment. The remaining weightage covers the other safety areas.In other words, the crash itself will still be a major part of the rating, but it will no longer be the only part of the safety story.Five crash tests in the proposed new frameworkBharat NCAP 2.0 proposes expanding the Crash Protection assessment to five mandatory crash tests:64 kmph offset frontal impact against a deformable barrier50 kmph frontal impact against a full-width rigid barrier50 kmph lateral impact against a mobile deformable barrier32 kmph oblique side impact against a rigid pole50 kmph rear impact against a mobile rigid barrierAdult and child occupant protection will continue to be assessed separately.The addition of full-width frontal and rear-impact tests means the proposed system will examine crash scenarios beyond the core tests in the existing framework.That gives the second phase a wider testing footprint and allows different types of impacts to form part of the overall safety assessment.Not just about surviving crashOne of the biggest differences in Bharat NCAP 2.0 is that the programme is designed to look at what happens before a crash as well.Crash Avoidance is one of the five proposed verticals. It focuses on technologies and vehicle characteristics that can help prevent a collision or reduce its severity.Your guide to safer carsSafe Driving is another proposed category, widening the assessment beyond the vehicle’s passive protection features.Together, these categories shift the focus from simply asking, “How well does this car perform when it crashes?” to a broader question: “How does this vehicle contribute to safety across different stages of a road incident?”Bharat NCAP 2.0 also proposes a separate Vulnerable Road User Protection category. This brings pedestrians and other vulnerable road users more directly into the safety assessment.The proposed framework also asks a different question: what happens once the collision has taken place?Post-Crash Safety is one of the five proposed assessment areas. Minister Gadkari described Bharat NCAP 2.0 as covering the entire safety chain, including post-crash evacuation and care. “We are going to evaluate the entire crash chain,” Gadkari said, adding that new technologies developed globally as well as by startups would be considered under the programme.This means the assessment is intended to extend beyond the instant of impact and examine safety considerations in the period immediately after a crash.It adds another layer to the programme’s approach: avoiding the crash where possible, protecting people during the impact, and addressing safety after the collision.What does Bharat NCAP mean for car buyers?For buyers, Bharat NCAP offers an additional way to compare cars beyond mandatory safety requirements.A consumer can look at a vehicle’s overall rating as well as its adult and child protection performance and the safety technologies considered in the assessment.The rating is not meant to replace other factors involved in buying a car. Price, size, fuel efficiency, features, driving requirements and other considerations remain relevant, but the proposed 2.0 framework would expand that information further.Buyers could eventually have a broader picture of how a car performs across crash protection, crash avoidance, safe driving, vulnerable-road-user protection and post-crash safety.Bharat NCAP is one part of a much larger road-safety challenge, focusing on the structure of vehicles. Vehicle design and safety technology can influence the outcome of a crash, but they cannot address every reason why accidents happen.The ministry has identified several factors associated with road crashes, including speeding, mobile-phone use, drunken driving, wrong-side driving, lane indiscipline, jumping red lights and failure to use helmets and seat belts. Vehicle condition, road conditions and weather can also play a role.Several countries have their own NCAPSGovernment data recorded 1,68,491 road accident fatalities in 2022.Bharat NCAP therefore addresses one part of this wider equation: the safety performance of vehicles. Its proposed second phase would broaden that role by looking at what a vehicle can do to help avoid crashes, how it protects people when a crash occurs, how it protects vulnerable road users and what happens afterwards.The bottom lineThe current Bharat NCAP phase remains valid until September 30, 2027. The government has proposed introducing Bharat NCAP 2.0 from October 2027, with the draft AIS-197 Revision 1 serving as the framework for the next phase.The proposed transition would take India’s vehicle safety-rating system from a relatively focused crash and occupant-protection programme to a broader safety assessment.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe familiar one-to-five-star rating would remain the consumer-facing language of vehicle safety, but the assessment behind it is set to become much more comprehensive.The bigger shift is in the question Bharat NCAP is trying to answer. Instead of looking only at how a car performs when it is involved in a crash, the proposed system would examine the vehicle’s safety journey from avoiding a collision to protecting occupants and vulnerable road users, and supporting safety after the crash.That could give Indian car buyers a wider set of safety information to consider when choosing their next vehicle.Get the latest India News and Live updates. 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