India News Live Updates, 15 September 2026: EVM glitches delay Kota civic poll results, re-poll tomorrow

In Kota, Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has won a decisive victory in the 100-member Municipal Corporation elections, securing 55 wards out of the total and leaving the Congress party with 40. Three seats went to independent candidates. However, glitches with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in three Kota wards and one ward in Suket led to a halt in result declaration. The re-polling is set to take place on September 16, with the final count scheduled for September 17.

The controversy surrounding Ward 87 erupted when Congress candidate Laxmi Sharma staged a sit-in protest outside the counting center, accusing the electoral process of being flawed and demanding greater transparency. The incident occurred just as the Indian Express Realtime breaking news blog began its coverage of the day's latest developments.

Meanwhile, legal proceedings continued across various fronts. The Supreme Court will take up a case on violations of building bye-laws, land-use regulations, and unauthorized constructions. This hearing is significant as it involves the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction challenging the Election Commission's decision to recognize the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the official Shiv Sena party.

Additionally, the court will hear a plea disputing the reappointment of Deepak Prakash as a minister in Bihar. Lastly, the court will address a request for stricter enforcement of road safety regulations and improved support for victims of road accidents.

In a separate aviation-related development, Air India finds itself in hot water after three Italian nationals bypassed immigration controls at Delhi airport on September 4. The travelers, who had flown from Amritsar to Delhi and then on to Munich on a Lufthansa flight, did so without going through Indian immigration checks. This lapse has prompted the Ministry of Civil Aviation to issue a show-cause notice to Air India, with the Union Home Secretary expected to convene a meeting with key stakeholders to address the issue.