Manipur high court orders release of journalist held under NSA since November
New Delhi: The Manipur high court has ordered the release of the Imphal-based journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem from detention. Wangkhem was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) in end November 2018 for castigating Prime Minister Narendra Modi, state chief minister N. Biren Singh and the RSS in a YouTube video that went viral on social media.
Kishorechandra’s wife Ranjita Elangbam told The Wire from Imphal, “We have just got the verbal order, waiting for the written order. We need to get certain signatures from the state administration which may take two-three days. After that, he would be released from the Sajiwa jail.”
She said, “I feel extremely relieved by the news as he has been seriously sick and need proper medical care.”
Since mid March, Kishorechandra has been unwell and being treated at the government-owned Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JIMS) in Imphal. Ranjita said she was shocked to see “the sudden huge weight loss in him” when he was brought to the hospital on March 20.
“We wanted to click a photo of the prescription just to know what his ailment was, but were told to take it from the jailer. We learnt from the hospital that his sugar level was very high at 534 after the meal and therefore, the doctors wanted a special diet for him but the police officials accompanying him said they were not sure whether they would be able to provide it to him,” she had said.
Kishorechandra was employed as an anchor with local news channel ISTV. However, on being arrested, he was sacked from his job.
The BJP-led government has been widely criticised both inside and outside of Manipur for arresting the journalist, first under Section 124A (sedition) of the IPC, and then under the NSA, for speaking against the ruling party. He chiefly talked about the chief minister holding a government-funded event to commemorate Rani Laxmibai’s battle against the British and equating it to the freedom movement of Manipur.
Though a local court released him in end November after setting aside the charges under 124A, the state police took him into custody within 24 hours and charged him under the NSA. On December 13, the advisory board set up under the Act to look into the charge approved his detention for 12 months. Kishorechandra then went to the high court seeking relief.
courtesy: thewire.in
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Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
