September 26, 2026

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh NEW DELHI: Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh each on Amazon and Flipkart, and Rs 5 lakh on JioMart, for selling and advertising an unregistered agrochemical product, Cyclosinone Herbicide.Cyclosinone Herbicide is marketed as a granular weed-control product used to prevent and eliminate broadleaf and grassy weeds in lawns, gardens and agricultural fields.In separate orders issued recently, the consumer watchdog directed the e-commerce marketplaces to immediately discontinue the false and misleading advertisements and conduct a self-audit of their platforms to identify and remove products that violate the law or pose a risk to consumers’ life and safety.The CCPA initiated proceedings after the department of agriculture and farmers’ welfare forwarded a complaint it had received from the Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) regarding the sale and advertisement of the unregistered herbicide through e-commerce and digital media platforms.During the investigation, the agriculture department informed CCPA that the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides and pesticides are regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968, and the Insecticides Rules to safeguard human beings and animals from potential risks.The department told the authority that no chemical named Cyclosinone is included in the Schedule to the Insecticides Act. However, a product marketed as “Cyclosinone Herbicide” was being sold through online platforms without disclosing the chemical name of its active ingredient or its composition.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“It is currently being marketed illegally because it bypasses the mandatory safety, bio-efficacy, quality and legal checks required under the Insecticides Act,” the department said in its submission to CCPA.The authority rejected the e-commerce companies’ argument that they could not be held responsible for products listed by third-party sellers. The CCPA said online marketplaces cannot disown their statutory obligation to protect consumers and are required to exercise due diligence to prevent the sale of products that are illegal or hazardous.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTibet Govt-in-Exile Reprimands Activist Sonam Wangchuk, Calls Comparison ‘Misplaced and Inaccurate’India’s Savage ‘Osama’ Reply To Pak PM’s UN Bluster; ‘Repeating Lies Won’t Make It True’‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Rigging123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh NEW DELHI: Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh each on Amazon and Flipkart, and Rs 5 lakh on JioMart, for selling and advertising an unregistered agrochemical product, Cyclosinone Herbicide.Cyclosinone Herbicide is marketed as a granular weed-control product used to prevent and eliminate broadleaf and grassy weeds in lawns, gardens and agricultural fields.In separate orders issued recently, the consumer watchdog directed the e-commerce marketplaces to immediately discontinue the false and misleading advertisements and conduct a self-audit of their platforms to identify and remove products that violate the law or pose a risk to consumers’ life and safety.The CCPA initiated proceedings after the department of agriculture and farmers’ welfare forwarded a complaint it had received from the Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) regarding the sale and advertisement of the unregistered herbicide through e-commerce and digital media platforms.During the investigation, the agriculture department informed CCPA that the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides and pesticides are regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968, and the Insecticides Rules to safeguard human beings and animals from potential risks.The department told the authority that no chemical named Cyclosinone is included in the Schedule to the Insecticides Act. However, a product marketed as “Cyclosinone Herbicide” was being sold through online platforms without disclosing the chemical name of its active ingredient or its composition.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“It is currently being marketed illegally because it bypasses the mandatory safety, bio-efficacy, quality and legal checks required under the Insecticides Act,” the department said in its submission to CCPA.The authority rejected the e-commerce companies’ argument that they could not be held responsible for products listed by third-party sellers. The CCPA said online marketplaces cannot disown their statutory obligation to protect consumers and are required to exercise due diligence to prevent the sale of products that are illegal or hazardous.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTibet Govt-in-Exile Reprimands Activist Sonam Wangchuk, Calls Comparison ‘Misplaced and Inaccurate’India’s Savage ‘Osama’ Reply To Pak PM’s UN Bluster; ‘Repeating Lies Won’t Make It True’‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Rigging123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court


CCPA penalises Amazon, Flipkart, JioMart for selling unregistered herbicide
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh

NEW DELHI: Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties of Rs 10 lakh each on Amazon and Flipkart, and Rs 5 lakh on JioMart, for selling and advertising an unregistered agrochemical product, Cyclosinone Herbicide.Cyclosinone Herbicide is marketed as a granular weed-control product used to prevent and eliminate broadleaf and grassy weeds in lawns, gardens and agricultural fields.In separate orders issued recently, the consumer watchdog directed the e-commerce marketplaces to immediately discontinue the false and misleading advertisements and conduct a self-audit of their platforms to identify and remove products that violate the law or pose a risk to consumers’ life and safety.The CCPA initiated proceedings after the department of agriculture and farmers’ welfare forwarded a complaint it had received from the Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) regarding the sale and advertisement of the unregistered herbicide through e-commerce and digital media platforms.During the investigation, the agriculture department informed CCPA that the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides and pesticides are regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968, and the Insecticides Rules to safeguard human beings and animals from potential risks.The department told the authority that no chemical named Cyclosinone is included in the Schedule to the Insecticides Act. However, a product marketed as “Cyclosinone Herbicide” was being sold through online platforms without disclosing the chemical name of its active ingredient or its composition.

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Kumaraswamy said there was a need to distinguish between reports appearing in the media and the actual situation inside the EC NEW DELHI: Union minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday called on the Election Commission EC to clarify amid the continuing row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Kumaraswamy said the responsibility for addressing reports of internal differences lay with the Election Commission itself and that the country needed to know what was actually happening within the constitutional body.“It is not the question of demands by any party or any leader. The responsibility of the Election Commission, that is important. What is the ground reality? What is going on inside the Election Commission?” Kumaraswamy said.His remarks came a day after three NDA allies Chirag Paswan’s LJP(RV), Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP separately urged the Election Commission to address concerns surrounding the SIR exercise and reports of differences within the poll panel.Kumaraswamy said there was a need to distinguish between reports appearing in the media and the actual situation inside the ECI.“The difference between what we are watching in the media and what is the real fact has to come out by these members. Because this is an important organisation, an autonomous body; why has it happened? That reality they must tell the media and the country. Their responsibility is greater. It is not an easy thing. Those three Election Commission members, including the chairman, what is the problem between them? What is the fault in that? Anything is there, they have to spell it,” he said.The issue gained traction after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded 14 written dissents or objections over a 10-month period. The reports have prompted opposition demands for action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and calls to halt the SIR process.The ECI has maintained that differing views, internal notes and queries are part of its institutional functioning and said its final decisions on the SIR were unanimous. What NDA allies saidLJP(RV) chief and Union minister Chirag Paswan on Friday said he did not intend to “defend what is a constitutional body” but argued that the Election Commission should address public concerns directly.“If questions are being raised about its conduct, it is the responsibility of EC, especially the chief election commissioner (Gyanesh Kumar), to present its side firmly,” Paswan said.He added: “If people start losing trust in the electoral system, that will not augur well for democracy and, therefore, I think the EC 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.”RLM president Upendra Kushwaha also called for an immediate clarification, writing on social media, “There is considerable confusion among the public regarding the controversy surrounding SIR. This issue needs to be addressed. The EC should immediately clarify the situation to dispel this confusion.”The TDP too sought greater transparency. TDP parliamentary party neta Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said, “The EC 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.”Opposition raises allegationsMeanwhile, Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise and alleged that names had been removed from electoral rolls.Speaking to ANI, Ansari alleged that the ECI had acted in a manner that benefited the BJP and questioned whether the poll panel would work according to the directions of a political party. The allegations were not independently established in his remarks.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“I want to ask the citizens of the country, and I even want to ask the BJP voters: Names have been removed from the voter list; your name might have been removed too,” Ansari said.He also alleged that names of Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis had been deleted from voter lists and demanded that elections in Bihar be held again.“The Commission is an independent, neutral body. No political party should interfere with it,” he said, while alleging that Kumar had interfered and helped the BJP.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVivek DubeyA digital news desk journalist at The Times of India with over two years of experience. Closely tracks foreign affairs and international politics. Fondness for precise language and clever headlines. When not editing news, he is usually refining a turn of phrase.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTibet Govt-in-Exile Reprimands Activist Sonam Wangchuk, Calls Comparison ‘Misplaced and Inaccurate’India’s Savage ‘Osama’ Reply To Pak PM’s UN Bluster; ‘Repeating Lies Won’t Make It True’‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? 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Kumaraswamy said there was a need to distinguish between reports appearing in the media and the actual situation inside the EC NEW DELHI: Union minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday called on the Election Commission EC to clarify amid the continuing row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Kumaraswamy said the responsibility for addressing reports of internal differences lay with the Election Commission itself and that the country needed to know what was actually happening within the constitutional body.“It is not the question of demands by any party or any leader. The responsibility of the Election Commission, that is important. What is the ground reality? What is going on inside the Election Commission?” Kumaraswamy said.His remarks came a day after three NDA allies Chirag Paswan’s LJP(RV), Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP separately urged the Election Commission to address concerns surrounding the SIR exercise and reports of differences within the poll panel.Kumaraswamy said there was a need to distinguish between reports appearing in the media and the actual situation inside the ECI.“The difference between what we are watching in the media and what is the real fact has to come out by these members. Because this is an important organisation, an autonomous body; why has it happened? That reality they must tell the media and the country. Their responsibility is greater. It is not an easy thing. Those three Election Commission members, including the chairman, what is the problem between them? What is the fault in that? Anything is there, they have to spell it,” he said.The issue gained traction after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded 14 written dissents or objections over a 10-month period. The reports have prompted opposition demands for action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and calls to halt the SIR process.The ECI has maintained that differing views, internal notes and queries are part of its institutional functioning and said its final decisions on the SIR were unanimous. What NDA allies saidLJP(RV) chief and Union minister Chirag Paswan on Friday said he did not intend to “defend what is a constitutional body” but argued that the Election Commission should address public concerns directly.“If questions are being raised about its conduct, it is the responsibility of EC, especially the chief election commissioner (Gyanesh Kumar), to present its side firmly,” Paswan said.He added: “If people start losing trust in the electoral system, that will not augur well for democracy and, therefore, I think the EC 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.”RLM president Upendra Kushwaha also called for an immediate clarification, writing on social media, “There is considerable confusion among the public regarding the controversy surrounding SIR. This issue needs to be addressed. The EC should immediately clarify the situation to dispel this confusion.”The TDP too sought greater transparency. TDP parliamentary party neta Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said, “The EC 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.”Opposition raises allegationsMeanwhile, Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise and alleged that names had been removed from electoral rolls.Speaking to ANI, Ansari alleged that the ECI had acted in a manner that benefited the BJP and questioned whether the poll panel would work according to the directions of a political party. The allegations were not independently established in his remarks.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“I want to ask the citizens of the country, and I even want to ask the BJP voters: Names have been removed from the voter list; your name might have been removed too,” Ansari said.He also alleged that names of Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis had been deleted from voter lists and demanded that elections in Bihar be held again.“The Commission is an independent, neutral body. No political party should interfere with it,” he said, while alleging that Kumar had interfered and helped the BJP.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVivek DubeyA digital news desk journalist at The Times of India with over two years of experience. Closely tracks foreign affairs and international politics. Fondness for precise language and clever headlines. When not editing news, he is usually refining a turn of phrase.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTibet Govt-in-Exile Reprimands Activist Sonam Wangchuk, Calls Comparison ‘Misplaced and Inaccurate’India’s Savage ‘Osama’ Reply To Pak PM’s UN Bluster; ‘Repeating Lies Won’t Make It True’‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive Protest Erupts At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Against Gyanesh Kumar Over EC-SIR RowUAPA ‘Missing’: What Allowed VanDyke, 6 Ukrainians To Leave India? 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Tributes pour in for former PM Manmohan Singh on his birth anniversary. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to former prime minister Manmohan Singh on his birth anniversary, remembering his long public life and service to the nation.”Tributes to our former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji on his birth anniversary. He spent many years in public life and served the nation with dedication,” PM Modi said in a post on X.Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi also paid floral tributes to the former prime minister on his birth anniversary.Sharing a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh ji, I pay my humble respects to him. With his humility, integrity, and foresight, he gave a new direction to the country’s economy and social justice. His historic decisions and invaluable contributions to the making of India will forever continue to guide us.”Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid tribute to Singh saying, “I offer my humble respects. As a skilled economist and successful politician, Dr Manmohan Singh ji imparted extraordinary momentum to India’s development and elevated the nation’s prosperity to new heights.””Through his visionary and inclusive economic policies, he enriched every section of society. Dr Manmohan Singh ji’s unprecedented contributions to the country’s development will always be remembered. I pay homage to his memories,” he added.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also remembered the former prime minister, saying, “We remember with profound respect the extraordinary contribution of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to India’s nation-building. A visionary statesman, his landmark economic reforms transformed India’s growth trajectory, created new opportunities and helped lift millions out of poverty. His humility, integrity and wisdom defined his public life.””He led with quiet dignity and compassion, placing inclusive growth and the welfare of the most vulnerable at the heart of governance. The rights-based framework of his government remains an enduring testament to this vision. On his birth anniversary, we pay our heartfelt homage to a statesman whose legacy of honest public service, inclusive development and transformative reforms will continue to inspire generations,” he added.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesManmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, in present-day Pakistan, then part of undivided India. He died in New Delhi on December 26, 2024.Singh became India’s 14th prime minister on May 22, 2004, and returned for a second consecutive term on May 22, 2009. He served as prime minister until 2014.Before becoming prime minister, Singh served as Union finance minister from 1991 to 1996. During his tenure, India introduced a wide-ranging programme of economic reforms that reshaped the country’s economy and earned international recognition.Singh’s public life spanned several decades, during which he held key positions in government and played a significant role in shaping India’s economic policy.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. Her reporting also focuses on policy, governance and economic developments, with a close lens on how decisions in corridors of power affect everyday lives and community well-being.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Shows123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Tributes pour in for former PM Manmohan Singh on his birth anniversary. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to former prime minister Manmohan Singh on his birth anniversary, remembering his long public life and service to the nation.”Tributes to our former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji on his birth anniversary. He spent many years in public life and served the nation with dedication,” PM Modi said in a post on X.Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi also paid floral tributes to the former prime minister on his birth anniversary.Sharing a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh ji, I pay my humble respects to him. With his humility, integrity, and foresight, he gave a new direction to the country’s economy and social justice. His historic decisions and invaluable contributions to the making of India will forever continue to guide us.”Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid tribute to Singh saying, “I offer my humble respects. As a skilled economist and successful politician, Dr Manmohan Singh ji imparted extraordinary momentum to India’s development and elevated the nation’s prosperity to new heights.””Through his visionary and inclusive economic policies, he enriched every section of society. Dr Manmohan Singh ji’s unprecedented contributions to the country’s development will always be remembered. I pay homage to his memories,” he added.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also remembered the former prime minister, saying, “We remember with profound respect the extraordinary contribution of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to India’s nation-building. A visionary statesman, his landmark economic reforms transformed India’s growth trajectory, created new opportunities and helped lift millions out of poverty. His humility, integrity and wisdom defined his public life.””He led with quiet dignity and compassion, placing inclusive growth and the welfare of the most vulnerable at the heart of governance. The rights-based framework of his government remains an enduring testament to this vision. On his birth anniversary, we pay our heartfelt homage to a statesman whose legacy of honest public service, inclusive development and transformative reforms will continue to inspire generations,” he added.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesManmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, in present-day Pakistan, then part of undivided India. He died in New Delhi on December 26, 2024.Singh became India’s 14th prime minister on May 22, 2004, and returned for a second consecutive term on May 22, 2009. He served as prime minister until 2014.Before becoming prime minister, Singh served as Union finance minister from 1991 to 1996. During his tenure, India introduced a wide-ranging programme of economic reforms that reshaped the country’s economy and earned international recognition.Singh’s public life spanned several decades, during which he held key positions in government and played a significant role in shaping India’s economic policy.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. Her reporting also focuses on policy, governance and economic developments, with a close lens on how decisions in corridors of power affect everyday lives and community well-being.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Shows123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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Congress has held nationwide protests demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s removal NEW DELHI: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday hit back at West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya after the latter said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar deserved the Padma Bhushan for his role in conducting the state’s recent assembly election and revising the voter list.Reacting to Bhattacharya’s remarks, Khera said, “The Padma Bhushan is a very small thing. Make him the Prime Minister. After all, a person who can make others Prime Minister should be made one himself.”Bhattacharya had earlier praised the CEC while speaking to reporters at Panihati in North 24 Parganas district, saying the CEC deserved the Padma Bhushan “at the very least”. He credited Kumar with ensuring a violence-free election in West Bengal and with “cleansing” the electoral roll by removing illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.”Gyanesh Kumar deserves to be awarded, at the very least, with the Padma Bhushan. The people of West Bengal are delighted that, after so long, intimidation was kept at bay, that there were no incidents of murder during the elections and people were actually allowed to cast their votes,” the BJP leader said.He also claimed that Kumar had played a key role in the revision of the voter list.”In a border state like West Bengal, Gyanesh Kumar took the initiative to remove the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators from the voter list,” Bhattacharya said.”The people of West Bengal have rarely witnessed an election like this. Therefore, the general public of West Bengal is grateful to Gyanesh Kumar and has blessed him with all their hearts,” he added.The BJP leader’s comments came amid a growing controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. An Indian Express report said that two election commissioners had objected to decisions allegedly taken in their names have triggered criticism from the Opposition.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesCongress has held nationwide protests demanding Kumar’s removal and arrest, while a plea has also been filed in the Supreme Court challenging election-related orders and alleged software changes attributed to the CEC without the concurrence of the other two election commissioners.The row has also drawn criticism from Rahul Gandhi, who accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Kumar of being “traitors” and alleged that they were destroying the foundation of India’s democracy by rigging elections.Bhattacharya, however, dismissed Gandhi’s remarks, saying, “The Congress itself doesn’t pay heed to him. His own party doesn’t take him seriously, and you are talking of Rahul Gandhi.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVivek DubeyA digital news desk journalist at The Times of India with over two years of experience. Closely tracks foreign affairs and international politics. Fondness for precise language and clever headlines. When not editing news, he is usually refining a turn of phrase.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Shows123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

Congress has held nationwide protests demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s removal NEW DELHI: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday hit back at West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya after the latter said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar deserved the Padma Bhushan for his role in conducting the state’s recent assembly election and revising the voter list.Reacting to Bhattacharya’s remarks, Khera said, “The Padma Bhushan is a very small thing. Make him the Prime Minister. After all, a person who can make others Prime Minister should be made one himself.”Bhattacharya had earlier praised the CEC while speaking to reporters at Panihati in North 24 Parganas district, saying the CEC deserved the Padma Bhushan “at the very least”. He credited Kumar with ensuring a violence-free election in West Bengal and with “cleansing” the electoral roll by removing illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.”Gyanesh Kumar deserves to be awarded, at the very least, with the Padma Bhushan. The people of West Bengal are delighted that, after so long, intimidation was kept at bay, that there were no incidents of murder during the elections and people were actually allowed to cast their votes,” the BJP leader said.He also claimed that Kumar had played a key role in the revision of the voter list.”In a border state like West Bengal, Gyanesh Kumar took the initiative to remove the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators from the voter list,” Bhattacharya said.”The people of West Bengal have rarely witnessed an election like this. Therefore, the general public of West Bengal is grateful to Gyanesh Kumar and has blessed him with all their hearts,” he added.The BJP leader’s comments came amid a growing controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. An Indian Express report said that two election commissioners had objected to decisions allegedly taken in their names have triggered criticism from the Opposition.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesCongress has held nationwide protests demanding Kumar’s removal and arrest, while a plea has also been filed in the Supreme Court challenging election-related orders and alleged software changes attributed to the CEC without the concurrence of the other two election commissioners.The row has also drawn criticism from Rahul Gandhi, who accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Kumar of being “traitors” and alleged that they were destroying the foundation of India’s democracy by rigging elections.Bhattacharya, however, dismissed Gandhi’s remarks, saying, “The Congress itself doesn’t pay heed to him. His own party doesn’t take him seriously, and you are talking of Rahul Gandhi.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVivek DubeyA digital news desk journalist at The Times of India with over two years of experience. Closely tracks foreign affairs and international politics. Fondness for precise language and clever headlines. When not editing news, he is usually refining a turn of phrase.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Shows123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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NEW DELHI: The United States on Saturday said that it was looking to meet India’s massive energy needs, days after US President Donald Trump signed the ‘Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’, which authorises him to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas.”We are looking to also become a huge source of India’s energy needs. We’re increasing our hydrocarbon exports,” a senior US state department official told news agency PTI.“The demands are great, and the needs for oil are there. We are looking for alternatives. But I would say before even the war, India had been looking to diversify when it came to energy for a long time. It’s not a new concept. We just need to expedite it faster,” he added.The US official also played down New Delhi’s warning over the contentious law and said that India’s response was expected after the US Congress took a pretty hard approach, especially publicly.“India has been looking for a long time to diversify its energy sources. They’re a country that has massive energy needs,” the official told PTI.“You had members of Congress calling out India in particular, so of course India has to respond. We understand that. They have a domestic constituency, as do we. Like, there are no sort of hard feelings on any of that kind of activity,” he added.Last week, the ministry of external affairs warned the US of the legislation’s potential impact on the US-India relationship.“This issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors. Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side,” the ministry said.The official said that the new act gave President Trump a new tool in his toolbox.“That doesn’t necessarily mean he deploys it tomorrow, but he has the opportunity to. His focus is on ending this war. It’s been something he campaigned on and something he’s been dedicated to from the beginning,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“We’re looking for our friends, especially like India, to help support that effort. But I think you’ll have to stay tuned on how the bill gets implemented. But there is a broad national security waiver, so you can imagine also the president, there’s a scenario, the president uses that as well,” he added.”Now, with President Trump’s incredibly successful operation in Venezuela, we are moving into a better position that countries like India are going to be able to get access to that market,” he added.Last week, US President Donald Trump signed into law the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026′, which authorises him to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas, including China and India.The law is named after late Senator Lindsey Graham, who had proposed a sanctions bill imposing 500 per cent tariffs on countries for buying Russian oil.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Shows123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

NEW DELHI: The United States on Saturday said that it was looking to meet India’s massive energy needs, days after US President Donald Trump signed the ‘Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’, which authorises him to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas.”We are looking to also become a huge source of India’s energy needs. We’re increasing our hydrocarbon exports,” a senior US state department official told news agency PTI.“The demands are great, and the needs for oil are there. We are looking for alternatives. But I would say before even the war, India had been looking to diversify when it came to energy for a long time. It’s not a new concept. We just need to expedite it faster,” he added.The US official also played down New Delhi’s warning over the contentious law and said that India’s response was expected after the US Congress took a pretty hard approach, especially publicly.“India has been looking for a long time to diversify its energy sources. They’re a country that has massive energy needs,” the official told PTI.“You had members of Congress calling out India in particular, so of course India has to respond. We understand that. They have a domestic constituency, as do we. Like, there are no sort of hard feelings on any of that kind of activity,” he added.Last week, the ministry of external affairs warned the US of the legislation’s potential impact on the US-India relationship.“This issue has been discussed at high levels in recent months with various US interlocutors. Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side,” the ministry said.The official said that the new act gave President Trump a new tool in his toolbox.“That doesn’t necessarily mean he deploys it tomorrow, but he has the opportunity to. His focus is on ending this war. It’s been something he campaigned on and something he’s been dedicated to from the beginning,” he said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines“We’re looking for our friends, especially like India, to help support that effort. But I think you’ll have to stay tuned on how the bill gets implemented. But there is a broad national security waiver, so you can imagine also the president, there’s a scenario, the president uses that as well,” he added.”Now, with President Trump’s incredibly successful operation in Venezuela, we are moving into a better position that countries like India are going to be able to get access to that market,” he added.Last week, US President Donald Trump signed into law the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026′, which authorises him to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas, including China and India.The law is named after late Senator Lindsey Graham, who had proposed a sanctions bill imposing 500 per cent tariffs on countries for buying Russian oil.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘A Terrorist Country Asking Me That Question’: Jaishankar’s Sharp Reply To Pak Journalist At UN’SIR’ Under Fire? IIT-Bombay, Election Commission Face Accountability Questions | PrasangMassive 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 Shows123Hot PicksMandeep K BhandariBank strikeNEET PG ResultGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysTN programmePunjab school holidayMadurantakam bypollDr MonishCBSE Date SheetTop TrendingNorma DumontRahul GandhiPowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme Court

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