Election Commission's Demand, Vice President Chosen

Indian media’s editorial focus began with continued coverage of the stalled India-US trade talks, noting the deferment of the US team’s visit amidst tariff discussions. Simultaneously, reports detailed severe cloudbursts and flash floods in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, leading to fatalities, building on earlier natural disaster accounts. By late morning, Prime Minister Modi’s inauguration of significant infrastructure projects in Delhi-NCR captured headlines, aiming to improve connectivity. However, the dominant narrative shifted rapidly with the Election Commission’s strong response to Rahul Gandhi’s “vote theft” allegations. The EC demanded a substantiating affidavit or a public apology within seven days, firmly asserting its impartiality and criticizing the accusations. This confrontation escalated throughout the early afternoon. The major political development later in the day was the National Democratic Alliance’s announcement of Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its Vice-Presidential candidate, which became the new leading story.