Morning Digest: Voter roll deletions cross 1.5 crore, Vance-Modi call, and more
Here are the top stories from across India and the world on Saturday, August 8, 2026.
Over 1.5 crore names deleted in electoral roll revision
The Election Commission's third phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has resulted in the deletion of more than 1.5 crore names from voter lists so far. The exercise is being carried out in 19 States and Union Territories, including Delhi, Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Tripura, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The SIR aims to remove duplicate, shifted, and deceased electors to clean up the electoral rolls.
U.S. Vice-President Vance calls PM Modi
U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday to discuss expanding the India-U.S. comprehensive global strategic partnership in trade, defence, and energy security. The conversation took place amidst rising tensions in West Asia. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in emerging technologies and critical minerals.
Jharkhand protest enters 15th day; no breakthrough in talks
In Ranchi, the students' protest at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium continued for the 15th day on Saturday, with no sign of retreat despite rain. A seven-member delegation of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) met a government committee and presented their demands, but no immediate breakthrough was reported. The protesters have been on the streets since July 25, pressing for action on their demands.
Rahul Gandhi praises youth in Prayagraj
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said in Prayagraj on Saturday that India's youth are the country's greatest strength, with potential unparalleled in the world. He added that the youth have worked to 'light a lamp in the darkness.'
Government examines Meta's recommendation system
The Centre's meetings with Meta have focused on whether the social media giant's recommendation systems and paid content promotion fit within its status as an intermediary under the Information Technology Act. Government sources said the key issue is whether the company actively decides 'what content is shown to whom,' which could make it a publisher rather than a neutral platform.
Dharmendra Pradhan says he sought PM's nod to accept protesters' demands
Former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday that he had personally sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's permission to concede the demands of protesters led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar. According to Pradhan, the PM agreed and also interacted with the youth.
Rahul, Rijiju spar over women's reservation and delimitation
The women's reservation law, enacted in 2023, reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, but its implementation is linked to a fresh delimitation exercise. On Saturday, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Rahul Gandhi clashed on social media over this linkage. Gandhi questioned the government's decision, while Rijiju defended it, saying the constitutional amendment mandates the sequencing. The exchange followed Gandhi's video post on harnessing the 'energy' of India's women and freeing them from patriarchy.
Meta restricts Kashmir pellet victim report in India
Meta has restricted access in India to a report on Kashmir pellet victim Insha Mushtaq from its platform Instagram. A message on the link read: 'We restricted access to this content pursuant to legal requirements under India's Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules.' The restriction was noted on The Hindu's report as of Saturday afternoon.
