Morning Digest: CJP, Congress to organise separate protests today; ECI orders probe into Form-7 fraud charge in Karnataka, and more

Cockroach Janta Party Founder Abhijit Dipke. | Photo Credit: ANI CJP, Congress to organise separate protests against CEC Gyanesh KumarCockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the group will hold a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Friday (October 2). The protesters’ main demands include the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the filing of criminal charges against him. The INDIA bloc announced a nationwide campaign beginning Friday (October 2, 2026) with a graded agitation plan that includes protest marches at district headquarters, public meetings, a march to the Election Commission and a joint appeal to the Chief Justice for expedited hearings in cases related to the SIR and alleged electoral “malpractices”.ECI orders probe into Form-7 fraud charge after Karnataka CM Shivakumar’s protestThe Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered a probe into the filing of Form-7s in bulk seeking deletions of names from final electoral rolls following a five-hour protest by Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues.Eight students from Pune drown at Diveagar beach in RaigadEight students from Maharashtra’s Pune district drowned at Diveagar beach in Raigad district on Thursday (October 1, 2026). According to the Raigad police, the students drowned after being caught in strong sea currents. The eight students were part of a 48-member group, comprising 25 boys, 17 girls, and six teachers. All students were in Class XI and XII and were studying at Winners Academy, a coaching class in Alandi in the Pune district, located around 170 km from Diveagar.Govt. caps sugar stock limit for dealers to 1,000 quintals ahead of festive seasonThe government on Thursday (October 1, 2026) tightened the stock-holding limit for sugar dealers to 1,000 quintals, effective from October 15 to November 30, in a bid to ensure adequate supplies at reasonable prices during the festival season.Judicial panel blames institutional failure for Indore water contamination deaths; says tragedy was preventableThe Judicial Commission formed to probe the death of more than 30 people due to water contamination in Indore has said the tragedy was preventable while blaming institutional failure, systematic lapses and delays in replacing the ageing infrastructure. ‘Government doesn’t exist here,’ says Rahul Gandhi after meeting Balaghat families who lost childrenCongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday (October 1, 2026) accused the Union and Madhya Pradesh governments of abandoning the tribal community without basic facilities, speaking in Balaghat, where more than 30 tribal children have died in the past three months due to monsoon-related illnesses, poor immunity, and lack of access to healthcare. Saudi Arabia says flydubai co-pilot who tried to crash Israel-bound jet transferred to UAE; Trump alleges copilot linked to IranSaudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the flydubai co-pilot, suspected of an attack, stopped by the captain and passengers on a flight bound for Israel, has been transferred from the kingdom to the United Arab Emirates.Putin says Russia will use ‘all weapons’ in its arsenal if any of its territory is attackedPresident Vladimir Putin on Thursday (October 1, 2026) reiterated Moscow’s long-held position that Russia is not planning to attack European countries but will respond to aggression with “all weapons” in its arsenal.U.K.-Iranian man held over U.K. airbase incidentA man with dual UK-Iranian citizenship was arrested Thursday (October 1, 2026) over a mysterious “major incident” at an airbase in southwest England as Israel said it had warned London about an attack.South Korea’s Lee urges North Korea to restore dialogue, pledges military buildupSouth Korean President ​Lee Jae Myung on Thursday (October 1, 2026) called on North ‌Korea to help restore trust and resume dialogue, ​a day after Seoul and Pyongyang traded ⁠barbs over a landmine incident that South Korea’s military and the UN Command said amounted to an armistice violation. Published - October 02, 2026 07:05 am IST