Top news of the day: March 9, 2026

Opposition to move impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

The INDIA bloc parties are likely to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in the coming days. According to sources, Trinamool Congress’ Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Satabdi Roy, raised the issue at the INDIA bloc meeting chaired by Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, at his office in Parliament. Ms. Roy argued that it was crucial for the Opposition to take the next step by moving an impeachment motion against Mr. Kumar. Other Opposition leaders agreed with the suggestion, sources said.

West Asia conflict: India favours peace, return to dialogue, prioritises Indians’ safety, says Jaishankar

Speaking on the developments in West Asia, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday (March 9, 2026) said India remains in favour of peace and a return to dialogue and diplomacy. India also advocates de-escalation, restraint, and ensuring the safety of civilians, he said. Mr. Jaishankar, who was making a suo moto statement on the conflict in Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha on Monday, said the developments in West Asia are a deep cause for concern for all of us, saying the government continues to believe dialogue and discussion should be used to resolve all issues. “It is also imperative that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in the region be respected,” he said. He added that the wellbeing and security of the Indian community in the region remain the government’s priority.

Crude oil prices surpass $114 a barrel as Iran war impedes production and shipping

Oil prices eclipsed $114 per barrel for the first time since 2022 on Monday (March 9, 2026) as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in West Asia. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged past $114 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. That was up 23% from its Friday (March 6, 2026) closing price of $92.69. West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, also was selling for about $114 a barrel. That’s 25% higher than its close on Friday (March 6, 2026) at $90.90.

Supreme Court impleads Unnao rape survivor in CBI plea against bail for Sengar

The Supreme Court on Monday (March 9, 2026) recognised the right of the Unnao rape survivor to be heard and ordered her impleadment as a party in a petition filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the grant of bail to the accused former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Kuleep Singh Sengar, in the case. The Bench of the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, however, did not entertain an application filed by the survivor’s cousin, a minor, citing a threat to his life. The court said the applicant could seek an independent legal remedy, possibly before the jurisdictional High Court, rather than attempt to implead himself in the CBI petition before the apex court.

Excise Policy case: Delhi High Court seeks stand of Kejriwal and Sisodia on CBI plea against discharge

The Delhi High Court on Monday (March 9, 2026) sought the stand of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 others on a petition by the CBI challenging their discharge in the liquor policy case by the trial court. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma listed the CBI’s petition for hearing on March 16. The court said it would pass an order asking the trial court to defer proceedings to a later date in the connected money laundering case probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

SIR in W.B.: Supreme Court to consider plea against deletion of electors from electoral rolls

The Supreme Court agreed to consider on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) a fresh plea filed by some persons whose names have been deleted from the electoral rolls by the Election Commission during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy that the plea pertained to the deletion of erstwhile voters from the rolls. “These are electors. They had voted earlier and now their documents have not been taken,” the senior lawyer said. When the senior lawyer said the appeals are maintainable, the Bench said it will hear on Tuesday.

CBI summons Vijay on March 10 for further questioning on Karur stampede

The CBI has summoned actor and TVK chief Vijay on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) for a fresh round of questioning in connection with the Karur stampede case, officials said. The actor was earlier questioned by the agency at its headquarters on January 12 and 19. During the probe, the CBI has gathered material that needs further questioning and clarification from the actor, the officials said. A new notice has been served to him.

Rajya Sabha polls: BJP appoints Central observers in Bihar, Haryana, Odisha

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Nitin Nabin on Monday (March 9, 2026) appointed Central observers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in Bihar, Haryana and Odisha—States where the number of candidates exceeds the number of seats. According to a press release issued by the party, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma and Union Minister of State (MoS) Harsh Malhotra have been appointed observers for Bihar. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi has been named observer for Haryana, while Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule will oversee the polls in Odisha.

IndiGo’s Delhi–Manchester flight: a 14-hour journey to nowhere

An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Manchester was forced to turn back from Eritrea after being airborne for nearly eight hours, even though the aircraft had skirted the conflict-affected Persian Gulf region, effectively turning the journey into a 14-hour flight that ended back where it began. The prolonged diversion was triggered by confusion at the air traffic control in Eritrea over a permit filed by IndiGo, sources said. The Boeing 787 aircraft, which IndiGo has leased from Norwegian carrier Norse Atlantic Airways, took off from Delhi at 12:30 a.m. on Monday (March 9, 2026). Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows that it avoided the entire Gulf region, entered Africa through Ethiopia and was flying over Eritrea when it did a u-turn and started returning to Delhi. It landed in Delhi at 2:30 p.m.

Meghalaya CM condemns Delhi assault, says racial bullying against northeast people not acceptable

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday (March 9, 2026) said he is angered by the repeated attacks on Northeast people, hours after an attack on a woman from Manipur by a group of men near the Saket District Court complex. The physical attack on two of our people from Manipur and Assam near the Saket Court in Delhi is sickening, Mr. Sangma said in a post on X. “Racial bullying should not be accepted as the new normal and we must act against it. I urge the authorities to take stringent action,” his post said. A woman from Manipur was allegedly assaulted by a group of men near the Saket District Court complex on Sunday (March 8, 2026) after she confronted them over harassment, the police said. 

Eminent historian K.N. Panikkar passes away

Eminent historian, academic and public intellectual K.N. Panikkar, widely regarded as one of India’s foremost scholars of modern history, passed away in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Monday (March 9, 2026). He was 89. Panikkar breathed his last at a private hospital after age-related ailments. Panikkar was widely known for his rigorous, evidence-based historical writing and his consistent critique of communal interpretations of Indian history.

Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of using white phosphorus in new Lebanon attacks

Human Rights Watch on Monday (March 9, 2026) accused Israel of “unlawfully” using white phosphorus over residential parts of a southern Lebanese town last week. “The Israeli military unlawfully used artillery-fired white phosphorus munitions over homes on March 3, 2026, in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor,” the New York-based rights group said in a report.

Tehran threatens to confiscate property of Iranians abroad who back attacks on Iran

Iranians living abroad could have property confiscated and ​face other legal penalties if they express ‌support for the United States ​and Israel, the Iranian prosecutor ⁠general’s office said on Monday (March 9, 2026). Some members of the Iranian diaspora who want ‌political change in Tehran took to the streets of ‌European and American cities to celebrate ‌the ⁠killing of Supreme Leader ⁠Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. “A warning has been issued to those Iranians living abroad who in different ways sympathise, support ‌or cooperate with the American-Zionist [Israeli] enemy,” ​the prosecutor general’s office was quoted as saying by ⁠state media.

Two accused in Bangladesh’s political leader Osman Hadi’s murder arrested by Bengal STF: official

Two persons accused of killing Osman Hadi, a political activist of Bangladesh whose daylight murder had sparked widespread violence in the neighbouring country, were arrested by the special task force (STF) of the West Bengal police, an official said. The two Bangladesh nationals, identified as Rahul alias Faisal Karim Masud (37) and Alamgir Hossain (34), residents of Patuakhali and Dhaka, respectively, were apprehended from the border town of Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district. They were arrested on the intervening night of March 7 and 8, the Bengal STF said in a statement.

Iraq coach Graham Arnold urges FIFA to delay team’s World Cup playoff because of the Iran war

Iraq head coach Graham Arnold has issued an urgent plea to soccer’s international governing body to delay his team’s intercontinental qualifier for the World Cup because of disruptions caused by the escalating Iran war. The Iraq squad faces major logistical issues ahead of a winner-takes-all playoff against either Suriname or Bolivia, scheduled for March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico. Players haven’t secured visas for the playoff tournament in Mexico due to foreign embassy closures, and Mr. Arnold is stranded in the United Arab Emirates due to the conflict.

Published – March 09, 2026 06:15 pm IST