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The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the upcoming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha, with polling for three seats in Assam set to take place on March 16. The announcement was made on Wednesday through an official press note, which also confirmed that elections will be held across 10 states to fill 37 seats that will fall vacant in April 2026 as the current members complete their terms. In Assam, the terms of three sitting Rajya Sabha members — Rameswar Teli, Bhubaneswar Kalita and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan — are coming to an end. The election will…

Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Principal Professor Achyut Baishya has been accused of workplace harassment by a senior woman doctor. A government inquiry has been ordered into the matter. The allegation includes claims of sustained harassment and professional victimization. The complainant, an Associate Professor and former Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology at GMCH filed a formal complaint with the Chief Minister’s Office on February 6. In her complaint, she alleged that the principal made inappropriate remarks, sought private meetings outside official settings and created administrative obstacles that affected her professional work. She also claimed that she faced…

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the schedule for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections aimed at filling 37 vacant seats across 10 states, with three seats specifically in Assam, due to the expiration of terms for current members in April 2026. In Assam, the elections are prompted by the termination of terms for BJP representatives Rameswar Teli and Bhubaneswar Kalita, alongside independent member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan. The polling is set for March 16, operating from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with vote counting occurring the same day at 5:00 pm. To maintain standardization and minimize errors, the ECI…

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary and MP, has rescheduled her visit to Assam for February 19-20 as part of her role in the screening committee for selecting party candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls. Accompanying her will be the three other members of the committee: Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Imran Masood, and Sirivella Prasad. Their task includes shortlisting candidates and conducting internal consultations. Priyanka has implemented a new strategy, wherein committee members are assigned to five districts each to gather local feedback on potential candidates, contrasting with the traditional practice of meetings in Delhi. Prior to her visit, a significant…

Doctors at Peerless Hospital Guwahati successfully conducted a revision joint replacement surgery on a 43-year-old woman suffering from implant failure after previous bilateral total hip arthroplasty. The patient experienced debilitating discomfort and mobility issues due to complications from the earlier procedure. Following a clinical evaluation, revision surgery was deemed necessary to correct the implant failure and restore her functional stability. The operation was performed by orthopedic specialist Dr. Rituraj Neog under the ESIC scheme and proceeded without complications. Post-surgery, the patient exhibited significant improvement, regaining stability within three days, with expectations to gradually resume daily activities over the coming weeks…

BJP delegation, including MP Pradan Baruah, former Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, and Dhrubajyoti Dauka, convened a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Guwahati, urging for the Assam Assembly elections to be held before the Rongali Bihu festival. They highlighted improvements in road infrastructure, connectivity, and law-and-order in the state as reasons for a timely electoral process. The Chief Election Commissioner, accompanied by Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi and Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel, considered these requests during discussions.

In a significant development ahead of the Assembly elections in Assam, suspended Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed has joined the Raijor Dal, led by Akhil Gogoi, marking the second defection from the Congress party within two days. Ahmed, who has served as an MLA for three terms representing the Baghbor constituency, was officially welcomed into the Raijor Dal by party leaders during an event in Kalagachia, Barpeta district. Earlier in the same week, another former Congress MLA, Abdur Rashid Mandal, made a similar move to Raijor Dal. During his address at the event, Ahmed declared his intention to seek nomination…

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal characterized the Opposition Congress in Assam as an “exhausted party” lacking grassroots support, asserting that its leaders only engage with the media without genuine commitment to societal needs. During a media conference in Dibrugarh, he dismissed the potential for Congress to regain power, highlighting the BJP-led government’s actions against illegal immigration and its efforts to ensure security for various communities, including Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Sonowal emphasized the protection of land, property, dignity, and heritage under the NDA government, expressing confidence that youth and students in the Northeast believe…

In a significant political shift, former president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Bhupen Kumar Borah, will join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on February 22, ahead of the Assam Assembly elections. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made the announcement following a meeting with Borah at his residence, which occurred shortly after Borah resigned from the Congress, a party he had been with for 32 years. Despite attempts by Congress leadership to persuade him to reconsider his resignation, Borah ultimately sought time to evaluate his position. Sarma expressed his delight over Borah's decision, noting that BJP state…