Some pollsters are attempting to minimize the apparent decline of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha election results by drawing attention to the party’s vote share, which has decreased by only 0.7% compared to the 2019 election results. However, despite their expertise as psephologists, they are overlooking the fact that gauging a political party’s popularity and success solely by its overall vote share in a first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system can indeed be simplistic and misleading.

In a troubling turn of events linked to an August 2020 assault on journalists from The Caravan magazine, Delhi Police have now designated these same journalists as accused in a related criminal case. The journalists – Shahid Tantray, Prabhjit Singh and a female reporter – were attacked by a mob in northeast Delhi, which included communal slurs and threats of murder. The female journalist was also subjected to sexual harassment during the incident.

Two Muslim men were beaten to death by cow vigilantes while transporting buffaloes in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on June 7, as reported by News18 Hindi. The attack occurred just three days after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results, which are widely being viewed as a rejection of the use of communal issues in politics.

The mood is sombre among the members and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) despite their “victory” in the national election. Although they won, the party did not secure enough seats to form a government without relying its coalition. The outcome fell short of their expectations and claims of overwhelming popularity. And the voters who provided a reality check on their actual popularity primarily reside in rural areas, as indicated by the election results. These individuals, who constitute the majority of the Indian populace, were anticipated by the BJP to remain mere spectators to India’s projected economic advancements.

The 2024 election results have dealt a significant blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), shattering its confidence in its ability to mobilise voters using its Hindutva ideology, which promotes Hindu nationalism and marginalises religious minorities. This shift is reflected in the overall results of the election, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, including Ayodhya, a city central to the party’s Hindutva agenda.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar told Scroll.in that it was the decision of the Election Commission to refrain from taking action against the top two leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party, despite apparent violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). This unprecedented – and unworthy-of-precedence – decision brings to light two major issues that challenge the core principles of our democratic system.

The central government frequently responded with “no data” to parliamentary questions concerning at least 10 vital issues, according to an analysis by IndiaSpend. Between 2015 and 2023, out of 35 key questions regarding health, education and public safety, the government claimed that data was not maintained in 17 instances.

Floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Remal have claimed nearly 60 lives and affected hundreds of thousands of people in the northeastern states of Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya. As many of these states have regions that are difficult to access and telecommunication can be challenging during disasters, it is likely that the death toll will rise in the coming days.