Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has secured a landmark victory in the Bankipur Assembly bypoll, marking a major breakthrough for his Jan Suraaj Party. The win comes in Kishor's electoral debut and represents a significant milestone after Jan Suraaj failed to win a seat in the previous Bihar Assembly elections. During the campaign, Kishor focused on issues such as migration, employment, education and governance, positioning the bypoll as a referendum on Bihar's future.

Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed fresh unrest following the first phase of its Legislative Assembly elections. Preliminary results show the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) winning nine of the 13 seats decided so far, while the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) secured the remaining four. The elections have been overshadowed by allegations of rigging, an election boycott campaign led by the Awami Action Committee, and reports of violence during protests in Rawalakot. Reports also allege multiple casualties following clashes between protesters and security forces. Reacting to the developments, India rejected the PoJK elections, with the Ministry of External Affairs describing them as a "cosmetic exercise" aimed at masking Pakistan's illegal occupation and alleged human rights violations in the region.