Following CJP's ultimatum, Congress held marches in Delhi, Patna, Dehradun and Guwahati against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, facing water cannons, barricades and detentions including Gaurav Gogoi, while Abhijit Dipke threatened nationwide protest from October 2. Focus moved to procedure: Form 6 changes, alleged pause in Gen Z enrolment, Delhi 'mark VIP' reversals, and a Supreme Court plea citing 14 objections and challenging Kumar's immunity. Commission sources claimed SIR in 12 states was unanimous; BJP allies Chirag Paswan, Upendra Kushwaha and Bihar NDA leaders urged the EC to dispel confusion, while BJP said Kumar deserved a Padma Bhushan.

Editors parsed the Trump-Xi dinner takeaways on trade, Taiwan and AI control, and Jaishankar's dismissal of a Pakistani reporter as from 'a terrorist country' after Netanyahu's walkout-hit UN address.

In Nagoya, Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet won air-pistol gold with a Games record plus rifle silver, followed by Gulveer Singh's silver and Baranica's pole-vault bronze.