A Bathinda court has postponed the scheduled appearance of actor and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kangana Ranaut, who was expected to attend proceedings on Thursday in a defamation case linked to comments made during the 2020–21 farmers’ protest. The court has now directed her to appear on December 15. Her legal counsel informed the court that Ranaut is currently occupied with the ongoing Lok Sabha session and is unable to attend in person. The court accepted the submission and granted an extension. Complainant Mahinder Kaur, along with a witness, appeared before the court on Thursday. Kaur f

Punjab representatives in the Lok Sabha have renewed demands for a dedicated federal relief package to support farmers whose crops were damaged during this year’s monsoon flooding. The call was raised by Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Aam Aadmi Party MP Malvinder Singh Kang, who urged the Union government to release recovery funds without further delay. Kang told the House that intense rainfall in August and September left extensive losses across six districts, affecting more than 2,500 villages. He said the state has yet to receive any portion of the assistance that was expected foll

Farmer unions in Punjab say they will stage a statewide railway blockade on December 5 to highlight what they describe as unresolved demands related to minimum support price legislation and other pending issues. The action has been announced by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha, which has been leading several recent mobilizations in the state. Union representative Sarwan Singh Pandher said the protest will be symbolic and peaceful, adding that its purpose is to draw the attention of both the central and Punjab governments to long-standing commitments farmers believe remain unaddressed. He not

Former Punjab chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amarinder Singh says the BJP will likely need to rebuild its ties with the Shiromani Akali Dal if it hopes to return to power in the state. Speaking about the party’s prospects, he suggested that forming a government without an alliance would be difficult in Punjab’s current political landscape. Singh said discussions on seat sharing between the BJP and the Akali Dal had nearly been finalized ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election but fell apart late in the process. He cautioned that if the two parties do not realign, the

Punjab has scheduled elections for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti bodies for December 14, introducing several procedural changes aimed at improving participation and oversight. The State Election Commission confirmed that ballots will be cast using paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines, marking a shift from recent local elections. Half of all seats will be reserved for women, a measure officials say is intended to strengthen representation and broaden community involvement in local governance. Vote counting is set for December 17. For the first time, each district will have a

The acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj, met with the family of a 13-year-old girl who was killed during an alleged attempted sexual assault in Jalandhar, urging authorities to pursue the maximum punishment allowed under law. The visit comes as community members continue to express concern about the handling of the case. During the meeting, the Jathedar offered prayers for the victim and received a detailed account of the events from the family. He assured them that the Panth’s highest temporal seat, along with the broader Sikh community, supports the family as the

The Punjab government has increased the state procurement price for sugarcane by 15 rupees per quintal, bringing the new rate to 416 rupees. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during the inauguration of a new sugar mill in Dinnanagar. The Chief Minister said Punjab now offers the highest state-advised price for cane farmers in the country. Haryana has set its rate at 415 rupees per quintal for the current season, creating a narrow but notable difference between the two neighbouring states. Farm groups in Punjab have been pressing for higher returns as input costs continu

The Election Commission of India has directed Punjab’s Director General of Police to appear before the poll authority on November 25 after a series of police cases were filed against workers of the Shiromani Akali Dal during the Tarn Taran by-election campaign. Officials say the order was issued after the commission reviewed a detailed report submitted by the state police on November 13, one day before results were announced. According to information provided to the commission, nine FIRs were registered in separate police districts over the course of the campaign. The cases were lodged in Ta

The Aam Aadmi Party has strengthened its position in Punjab after winning the Tarn Taran assembly by-election with a significant lead. According to the final count released today, AAP candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu secured 42,649 votes, finishing well ahead of his competitors in a closely watched contest. Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa of Shiromani Akali Dal placed second with 30,558 votes, trailing Sandhu by 12,091 votes. The election saw participation from multiple parties, with Mandeep Singh of Waris Punjab De finishing third with 19,620 votes. Congress candidate Kanwarveer Singh Burj followed in