From BJP’s bypoll wins in West Bengal and TVK’s victory in Tamil Nadu to Navi Pillay winning the Nobel Peace Prize and the Supreme Court’s key directions on protests in Delhi, here’s what made headlines today. Good evening, readers! Here’s your evening news brief with the biggest stories of the day.
Read here . The Delhi Police has asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to consider closing entry and exit gates at 57 metro stations from Friday night, October 9, in view of proposed protests at Jantar Mantar and other locations in the New Delhi district on Saturday. Following this suggestion, the DMRC announced that entry and exit at 57 stations will be closed from 9pm onwards on October 9.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls in West Bengal, with candidates Hasirani Rath and Shankharavh Sarkar registering decisive victories. The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre and Delhi Police to lift blanket restrictions on metro and railway services ahead of Saturday’s proposed protests in Delhi. She is the mother of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari who was killed in May. Read the whole story here . The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognised her instrumental role in ensuring the prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Read more on her . Read more . The Supreme Court has asked Delhi Police and other competent authorities to consider designating an alternative venue to Jantar Mantar for peaceful demonstrations. It stressed that any alternative venue should have basic facilities, including toilets, drinking water, medical assistance and portable cabins. Read here . Among the high-stakes seats is the Nandigram assembly seat in West Bengal, which fell vacant after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the seat after winning two seats in the recently concluded state assembly elections. In Tamil Nadu, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was ahead in Madurantakam and Dharapuram. The results are being closely watched amid contests involving the BJP, Congress and regional parties.
Rath defeated Congress candidate Milan Pradhan by 1,22,753 votes, securing 1,64,427 votes. In Rejinagar, Sarkar defeated Aam Janata Unnayan Party candidate Golam Nabi Azad (Robin) by 75,816 votes. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, has won the Dharapuram SC Assembly bypoll, with candidate P Sathyabama defeating DMK’s Suganya by 9,471 votes. Sathyabama secured 66,841 votes against Suganya’s 57,370. Earlier reporting noted: The by-elections were held on October 6 across five Assembly constituencies and one parliamentary constituency.
Indian-origin South African jurist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said authorities could regulate train movement to prevent unlawful gatherings but could not halt the entire public transport system, stressing that security measures must remain proportionate. The bench said the national capital needed a larger, better-equipped space that protects citizens’ right to protest while ensuring public safety and access to emergency services.
Earlier reporting noted: Bypoll results: BJP ahead in Nandigram, Rejinagar, Nagaon while TVK leads in Madurantakam, Dharapuram as counting underway Counting of votes for five assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat is underway in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Earlier reporting noted: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in West Bengal’s Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies and Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha seat.
TVK also won Madurantakam. Read the whole story here .
DMK president M K Stalin termed the bypolls a “blatant murder of democracy”, while Vijay criticised remarks targeting women, calling the result a vote against defamatory speech.
