Headlines

December 20, 2025:

Headlines

 * Privacy Breach on Namo Bharat: Rapid Rail Loco Pilot suspended for filming and leaking CCTV footage of a couple.

 * Security Crisis in Bengal: Election Commission (EC) demands Central Forces (CAPF) for the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office following a security breach.

 * Audit of Electoral Rolls: EC orders a daily audit of all "Special Intensive Revision" (SIR) hearing cases to ensure error-free voter lists.

1. Privacy Breach: Loco Pilot Suspended on Rapid Rail

A loco pilot of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat (Rapid Rail) train has been suspended following a severe breach of passenger privacy.

 * The Incident: An objectionable video of a young couple recorded inside the train surfaced online.

 * The Breach: Investigations revealed the video was not filmed by a passenger but by the loco pilot, who used his mobile phone to record the live feed from the internal CCTV monitor in his cabin.

 * Action Taken: The Ministry of Railways/NCRTC suspended the driver immediately. A departmental inquiry is underway, and police are investigating the dissemination of the private content.

2. EC Demands Central Security Cover in Kolkata

The Election Commission of India has formally requested the Union Home Ministry to immediately deploy Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) at the CEO's office in West Bengal.

 * Reason for Request: The EC cited "security vulnerabilities" after a crowd of political workers and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) gheraoed the office on November 24 and 25.

 * Office Relocation: The current office at Balmer Lawrie Building is considered unsafe and will soon shift to "Shipping House" on Strand Road, where the EC insists on round-the-clock CAPF security for its staff.

3. Daily Audit of Bengal Voter List Revision (SIR)

To ensure the integrity of the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections, the EC has ordered a daily audit of all hearings related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

 * Massive Deletions: Over 58.2 lakh names (approx. 7.6% of the electorate) have been marked for deletion across West Bengal.

 * Statistical Concerns: The opposition had previously demanded an audit after a "statistically impossible" jump of 1.25 crore entries was recorded in just three days (Nov 26–28).

 * Strict Monitoring: Each hearing case is now being monitored to prevent political pressure on officials and to ensure the final electoral rolls are error-free.

RASHMI RANJAN