11 सितंबर 2026Rajasthan Municipal Elections: Polling Underway in Four Sikar Urban Bodies, Over 2.92 Lakh Voters to Decide 537 Candidates
Polling is underway in four urban local bodies in Rajasthan’s Sikar district in the second phase of the municipal elections. More than 2.92 lakh voters across Sikar, Ramgarh Shekhawati, Losal and Dhod will vote for 537 candidates until 6 pm.
The second phase of polling in Sikar district covers Sikar Municipal Council, Ramgarh Shekhawati Municipality, Losal Municipality and Dhod Municipality. Voters are casting their ballots for candidates contesting the councillor posts in their respective wards.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm. More than 2.92 lakh voters are eligible to vote across the four urban local bodies. The voters will decide the outcome for 537 candidates in the fray.
Polling in the district’s other 10 urban local bodies was completed on September 9. Counting of votes for all the municipal elections will be held on September 14.
Sikar Municipal Council is the largest of the four urban local bodies and has the highest number of voters.
Sikar Municipal Council has 2,27,635 voters, while Ramgarh has 24,124, Losal has 30,975 and Dhod has 9,796 voters.
Sikar Municipal Council has the highest number of candidates among the four urban local bodies. Elections are being held across 65 wards, with 262 candidates contesting.
The number of candidates varies across wards. While some wards have multiple candidates, others have only two candidates, resulting in direct contests in some wards and multi-cornered contests in others.
Ward number 18 of Sikar Municipal Council has the highest number of candidates, with 11 candidates contesting the election.
The candidates include Congress’s Sabir Hussain and BJP’s Shakeel, along with seven independent candidates. One candidate each from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party is also contesting from the ward.
Only two candidates are contesting in each of 10 wards of Sikar Municipal Council. The contests in these wards are between Congress and BJP candidates.
The wards with two candidates are Ward numbers 14, 21, 26, 28, 31, 34, 41, 44, 45 and 52.
Women voters were among those arriving at polling centres in Sikar Municipal Council’s Ward 14 after polling began.
Queues of male and female voters were seen at polling centres. A long queue was reported outside the polling centre at Senior Secondary School Number 5 in Sikar in the morning.
Voters are casting their ballots within the prescribed polling hours, while officials are monitoring arrangements at the polling centres.
According to the available data, there are 17,191 male voters and 12,526 female voters in the 18 to 25 age group.
In the 26 to 35 age group, there are 29,528 male voters and 29,080 female voters. The 36 to 59 age group comprises 51,024 male voters and 45,859 female voters.
Among voters aged 60 years and above, there are 20,461 male voters and 21,960 female voters.
The figures provided show a total of 1,18,204 male voters and 1,09,425 female voters.
A local holiday has been declared in the urban local body areas where polling is taking place.
September 11 has also been declared a dry day. The sale of liquor will remain prohibited in the election areas during the dry day, with the administration monitoring compliance with the rules during the election process.
Sikar Additional SP Dr Tejpal Singh is inspecting polling booths across the city during the voting process. He reviewed security arrangements and other facilities at the polling centres.
Officials are monitoring arrangements at polling centres and overseeing the smooth conduct of voting. Security arrangements at sensitive locations are also being monitored.
Polling for the four urban local bodies under the second phase in Sikar district will continue until 6 pm today. Votes for all municipal elections will be counted on September 14.
Polling in the remaining 10 urban local bodies of the district was completed on September 9. After the second phase of polling, candidates and political parties will await the counting of votes on September 14.
11 सितंबर 2026Vellore Church Roof Collapse Kills Three Workers and Injures 11 in Tamil Nadu
Three workers were killed and 11 others injured after the roof of an under-construction church collapsed in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district on Thursday. The incident occurred at Mandi Krishnapuram near Katpadi while workers were pouring concrete for the church roof.
According to police, workers were engaged in pouring concrete on the under-construction church roof when the roof slab suddenly collapsed. A steel scaffold and support framework, approximately 20 feet high, also collapsed during the incident.
Several workers became trapped under heavy concrete and construction debris. After receiving information about the incident, local administration, police and fire department teams reached the site and began rescue operations.
Three workers died in the accident, and rescue teams recovered their bodies from the debris. Eleven workers were injured and were immediately taken for treatment at different hospitals.
The injured workers were admitted to Vellore Government Medical College Hospital and Christian Medical College Hospital. Some injured workers were also sent for treatment to a hospital in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.
According to the Vellore district collector, the condition of eight of the injured workers was reported to be stable. The administration is monitoring their treatment and condition.
Police said the building involved in the accident was being constructed for the Church of South India. The steel scaffolding and support framework being used during construction suddenly collapsed.
A large amount of concrete and debris spread across the construction site after the accident. Rescue teams immediately began operations after receiving information that workers were trapped under the debris.
In view of the seriousness of the accident, a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was sent to the site from Arakkonam. The NDRF team worked with the district administration, police and fire department to rescue people trapped under the debris.
Late Thursday night, the NDRF team also reached the site with a dog squad. The team searched the debris for people who might have been trapped. Debris was removed carefully during the rescue operation to reach anyone trapped inside.
The injured workers rescued from the debris were given initial treatment in ambulances before being taken to hospitals.
The Vellore district administration said an investigation committee would be formed to determine the cause of the accident. The committee will examine the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the under-construction church roof and why the steel scaffolding and support framework suddenly collapsed.
The investigation will also examine technical and administrative aspects related to the construction work, including whether safety standards were being followed at the site.
The administration will also examine whether the builder had obtained all necessary approvals and building permits for construction of the church. Construction-related documents and the approval process will also be included in the investigation.
Officials said the actual cause of the accident and the circumstances responsible for it will become clear only after the investigation.
The investigation committee will also examine the condition of the steel scaffolding and support framework being used at the time of the accident and the stage to which construction work had progressed.
Relief and rescue agencies continued operations at the site following the accident. Teams from the local administration, police, fire department and NDRF remained engaged in removing debris and searching for people who might have been trapped.
A dog squad was also used to search sections of the debris where a person could potentially have been trapped. The administration's priority was to provide timely medical treatment to the injured and complete the rescue operation safely.
The investigation committee's report will determine the actual cause of the accident and whether any negligence was involved.
10 सितंबर 2026Congress Appoints Madhu Goud Yaskhi as All India Professionals Congress President
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed senior Telangana leader and former Lok Sabha MP Madhu Goud Yaskhi as president of the All India Professionals Congress (AIPC). The All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced the appointment in an official statement issued by Congress national general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal on Wednesday. The statement said Yaskhi was appointed to the post by Kharge.
The Congress also appreciated the contribution of outgoing AIPC president Praveen Chakravarty.
The All India Professionals Congress is the Congress organisation focused on engagement and participation with professionals and experts from different fields. Yaskhi’s appointment comes as the Congress is focusing on strengthening its engagement with various social and professional groups.
Madhu Goud Yaskhi is a prominent Congress leader from Telangana and has long-standing experience in the party organisation and with its national leadership. He is also known for his close association with the Congress leadership.
Yaskhi is a highly educated leader and has been among the prominent Congress leaders from the Backward Classes community. He was a strong supporter of the movement for the formation of a separate Telangana state.
Yaskhi has significant experience in electoral politics. In 2004, he contested the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat for the first time and won the election. He defeated Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate Syed Yousuf Ali by a margin of more than 1.37 lakh votes.
Yaskhi won the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat again in 2009. He defeated Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) candidate Beegala Ganesh Gupta by a margin of more than 60,000 votes.
After winning two consecutive Lok Sabha elections, Yaskhi became one of the Congress leaders recognised at the national level. He also served as Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party.
Yaskhi lost the Nizamabad seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. He contested against K. Kavitha, daughter of former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. Kavitha won the election on a Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) ticket and defeated Yaskhi.
Yaskhi contested the Lok Sabha election again in 2019 but finished third.
The Nizamabad seat was won by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Dharmapuri Arvind, who defeated his nearest rival and TRS candidate K. Kavitha. Yaskhi finished third in the election.
In 2023, the Congress assigned Yaskhi another key organisational responsibility by appointing him chairman of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Campaign Committee.
In the Telangana Assembly election held the same year, the Congress fielded Yaskhi from the LB Nagar Assembly constituency, one of the key Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad. He could not win the election and finished third behind the BRS and BJP candidates.
Despite this, Yaskhi continued to hold an important role in the party organisation. His long experience in electoral politics and association with the Congress central leadership kept him among the party’s important leaders.
In 2024, Yaskhi’s name emerged among the possible contenders for the post of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president. At the time, then-TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy had become Chief Minister of Telangana, and discussions were underway over a change in the leadership of the state Congress organisation.
Yaskhi was considered among the leading contenders for the post. However, the Congress ultimately appointed Mahesh Kumar Goud as TPCC president.
With his appointment as president of the All India Professionals Congress, Yaskhi’s role in the Congress organisation has expanded to the national level. The new responsibility places him in charge of the organisation’s engagement and organisational outreach with professional groups across the country.
The appointment comes as the Congress seeks to expand its engagement with professional groups. Yaskhi has experience in electoral politics, Parliament and party organisation, including his long association with the Telangana Congress.
Yaskhi will now lead the All India Professionals Congress at the national level. His responsibilities include the organisation’s engagement with professionals, experts and people associated with different fields.
His appointment expands his role beyond Telangana into the national Congress organisation. Having served as a two-time Lok Sabha MP, Yaskhi has experience in electoral politics as well as parliamentary and organisational work.
The Congress leadership has handed him the responsibility of the organisation after acknowledging the contribution of outgoing president Praveen Chakravarty.
09 सितंबर 2026Apple Surprise and Shine Event Today May Introduce iPhone 18 Pro Foldable iPhone and More
Apple will hold its “Surprise and Shine” hardware event on Wednesday, September 9, at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, Cupertino, California. The keynote will begin at 10am PT, or 10:30pm IST. The company may unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first foldable iPhone, Apple Watch Series 12 and AirPods 5.
Users will be able to watch the event live on Apple’s official website, the company’s YouTube channel and through the Apple TV app. Reports suggest that Apple may return to a fully in-person event format this time.
Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at the event. According to reports, both models may retain the design language of the current Pro series. The devices are expected to feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively.
Leaks have suggested that Apple could reduce the size of the Dynamic Island and introduce LTPO+ displays on the Pro models. The main camera on the iPhone 18 Pro Max may also feature a variable aperture, which could provide greater control over light and depth of field during photography.
Both smartphones are expected to use the Apple A20 chip manufactured using TSMC’s 2nm process. Reported colour options include light blue, dark grey, silver and either a deep red or dark cherry finish.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone has attracted significant attention ahead of the event. Leaks have suggested that the device could be called the iPhone Ultra. It may feature a book-style foldable design, with an approximately 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
The device is reportedly expected to measure approximately 4.5mm in thickness when unfolded. It may feature a titanium and aluminium frame, a durable hinge and a crease that is minimally visible.
The slim design could result in two rear cameras instead of three, while Touch ID may replace Face ID. Its starting price could be $2,000, or more than approximately ₹1.9 lakh. However, none of these details has been officially confirmed.
The Apple Watch Series 12 is expected to receive internal upgrades rather than a major redesign. According to reports, it may feature a new S-series chip and improved battery life. Apple may also bring back a ceramic case option alongside new health and fitness features.
The company may also introduce AirPods 5 at the event. Reports suggest that the lineup could include two variants, with one supporting Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and the other without ANC.
AirPods 5 are not expected to include a camera. Camera-equipped AirPods have reportedly been delayed until 2027. Apple is also working on health features such as temperature sensing, but their inclusion in AirPods 5 has not been confirmed.
