Happy Holi 2025: Best messages and quotes filled with colours and happiness
Holika Dahan 2025: Significance, Shubh Muhurat, Puja Vidhi and Rituals
Holika Dahan, also known as Choti Holi, is an important Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Holika Dahan 2025 will be celebrated on Thursday, March 13 this year. On this auspicious day, devotees perform Puja and light the fire, which destroys negativity and sins.
If you want to celebrate this auspicious occasion in the right way, this guide will provide you complete information on Shubh Muhurat, Puja Vidhi, required materials and mantras.
Significance of Holika Dahan 2025
Holika Dahan is related to the mythological story of Prahlad and Holika. The festival symbolizes the power of devotion, faith and truth, indicating that good always triumphs over evil.
Holika Dahan 2025: Shubh Muhurat
According to the Hindu calendar, the Purnima Tithi will be from 10:35 am on March 13 to 12:23 pm on March 14. Since Holika Dahan during Bhadra Kaal is considered inauspicious, it is best to do it during Pradosh Kaal (evening time).
✅ Bhadra Kaal – March 13, 10:35 am to 11:26 pm
✅ Holika Dahan Muhurat – March 13, 11:26 pm to March 14, 12:30 pm
It is necessary to use these holy materials during Holika Dahan:
✔ Akshat (unbroken rice)
✔ Flowers and garlands
✔ Roli (vermillion)
✔ Kachha Sut (sacred thread)
✔ Turmeric powder
✔ Wheat flour
✔ Lota filled with water
✔ Batasha (sweet sugar cake)
✔ Desi ghee and lamp
✔ Mustard oil and four-faced diya
✔ Sweets
✔ Cow dung cakes
Holika Dahan 2025: Puja Vidhi and Rituals
🔹 Place purification – Clean the pyre site and Sprinkle Ganga water there.
🔹 Offering Prasad – Keep the puja material near the fire and tie the sacred thread around Holika.
🔹Prayer and Parikrama – Pray for wealth, prosperity and happiness and peace and circumambulate Holika three or seven times.
🔹Holika Dahan – Light the fire at an auspicious time and pray for the destruction of negative energy.
🔹Mantra Recitation – Chant these sacred mantras for auspiciousness and protection:
Conclusion
Holika Dahan not only holds religious significance but it also gives the message of abandoning evil and embracing positivity. Perform Puja with a sincere heart on this auspicious occasion and welcome happiness, prosperity, and peace in your life.
Holi 2025: Celebrate the Festival of Colors with Joy, Traditions & Vibrant Festivities!
Happy Holi 2025: 50+ Wishes to Share with Loved Ones,
The holy festival of Holi symbolizes love, friendship, and new beginnings. Send these beautiful wishes and images to your loved ones on this auspicious occasion.
Happy Holi 2025
This spectacular festival filled with colours brings a message of joy, merriment, and harmony. This year Holi will be celebrated on Friday, March 14, 2025, which marks the victory of good over evil. People across the country splash colours, distribute Gujiyas and other delicious sweets, and celebrate.
To make your Holi even more special, we have brought you a special collection of wishes, messages, and beautiful images that you can share on WhatsApp, Facebook, and other social media platforms.
Happy Holi 2025 Wishes and Messages
1️⃣ May this Holi fill your life with the colours of happiness, love, and prosperity! Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holi of colours! 🌸🎨✨
2️⃣ May this Holi be filled with sweet memories, bubbling laughter and beautiful colours! Have a joyous and colourful Holi! 🌈🥳
3️⃣ May the bright colours of Holi bring love, happiness and good health in your life. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holi of colours! 💖🌸
4️⃣ Let go of old grudges and embrace your loved ones with affection this Holi! Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holi! 🤗🌸
5️⃣ Holi is a festival of love, friendship and new beginnings. May it bring joy and excitement in your life like the colours! 🌈💫
6️⃣ May your life be filled with the colours of happiness and success as you throw colours on your friends and family! Wishing you a very Happy Holi! 🎨🎊
7️⃣ May this festival of colours bring peace, good luck and immense joy in your life. Happy Holi to you and your loved ones! 🥰✨
8️⃣ Holi is not just a festival of colours but a symbol of unity, love and joy. Have a safe and cheerful Holi! 🌸🌿
9️⃣ May this spring of colours fill your life with laughter, love and prosperity! Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holi! 🎉🌈
🔟 Just like Holi has a variety of colours, may your life also be filled with happiness and positivity! Happy Holi! 🥳🎨
Special Holi Messages for Friends and Family
1️⃣1️⃣ Celebrate Holi with enthusiasm, energy and fun of colours! My dear friend, wishing you a joyous Holi filled with colours! 🎉🌿
1️⃣2️⃣ May this shower of colours bring love, laughter and beautiful memories in your life. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holi! 🎨💖
1️⃣3️⃣ Let us all fill this Holi with the colours of happiness. May this festival bring love, peace and prosperity in your life! 🌈💞
1️⃣4️⃣ Wishing you and your family a lot of love, laughter and happiness this Holi! May this festival be as colourful as your smile! 🌸🥳
1️⃣5️⃣ Holi is a festival of forgetting the sorrows of the past and embracing happiness anew. Have a wonderful and colourful Holi! 🎊🌿
1️⃣6️⃣ This festival gives the message of love, harmony and brotherhood. May this Holi bring immense happiness in your life! 🌈💫
1️⃣7️⃣ May your heart be filled with happiness and your life be drenched in the beautiful colours of Holi! Enjoy this festival! 🎉💖
18. As you spread colours in the air, may they bring new joys of happiness and success in your life! May this Holi celebration be memorable and joyous for you! 🌈✨
19. Play Holi with natural colours and create beautiful memories with your loved ones. Wishing you a safe, happy and colourful Holi! 🎊🌿
20. May this Holi filled with love, laughter and colours bring new enthusiasm and positivity in your life! May your days be brightened with happiness! 💖🌸
### **Happy Holi 2025 GIFs**
The festival of Holi fills the atmosphere with laughter, merriment and colours. (Pinterest)
This festival strengthens the bonds of affection and friendship. (Pinterest)
The tunes of traditional songs and the beats of drums add to the charm of this celebration. (Pinterest)
Holi teaches us to forgive, forget and embrace happiness. (Pinterest)
### **Holi 2025 WhatsApp and Facebook Status**
21. “Holi is not just a festival of colours but of love and joy. It is an occasion to express our affection and share happiness.” – Wishing you a colourful and joyous Holi! 🎨✨
22. May the colours of Holi bring peace, love and prosperity in your life. Enjoy this festival to the fullest! 🌸💖
23. “Holi is not just a festival of colours but an occasion to spread love, laughter and positivity.” Wishing you a safe and joyous Holi! 🌈🥳
24. Celebrate this festival with zeal, joy and warmth. May the beautiful colours of Holi brighten your days ahead! 🎊🌿
25. When there are colours in life, every moment becomes beautiful. This Holi, spread happiness and cheer all around! Have a wonderful Holi! 🌈💞
26. Holi reminds us that good always triumphs over evil. May your life always be filled with positivity and success! 🌸✨
27. Fill your heart with love and your hands with colours. May your dreams be as bright and beautiful as these colours this Holi! 🎨💖
28. Holi gives us an opportunity to feel the beauty of life, the value of friendship and the magic of colours. Enjoy this festival! 🌈🥳
29. Welcome happiness and good fortune by immersing yourself in the colours of Holi. May this festival add precious memories to your life! 🎊🌿
30. Holi is not just about colours, but an opportunity to live life to the fullest without worries. Celebrate this festival! 🎨✨
31. Wishing you a Holi filled with bright colours, immense happiness and lots of love. May your life always shine like Holi! 🌸💖
32. May this Holi add new colours of happiness, prosperity and peace to your life. Enjoy this colourful festival with your loved ones! 🎉🎨
33. The festival of Holi is all about spreading the message of love, peace and happiness. Enjoy this beautiful day to the fullest and make it memorable! 🌈✨
34. This Holi, may your life be as colourful and joyous as this festival. Wishing you lots of love and lots of happiness! 🎊💞bolizes the victory of good over evil. On this auspicious occasion, have fun with colours with your loved ones and spread the message of love and harmony.
Happy Holi to all of you! 🎨🌸✨
35. **Holi** is the perfect time to erase old grudges, give a new dimension to relationships and clear misunderstandings. Let your life be drenched in the colours of love and laughter! 🌈✨
36. This Holi, may your heart be filled with love and your life be illuminated with happiness. Wishing you a joyous festival full of colours! 🎨💖
37. Let this Holi, fill your life with the colours of love, joy and happiness. Wishing you and your family a memorable and beautiful Holi! 🌸🥳
38. May the colours of Holi fill your life with warmth and positivity. Enjoy this colourful festival with your family and friends! 🎊💞
39. Let this Holi mark the beginning of new relationships and new happiness. Wishing you immense prosperity and happiness in the year ahead! 🌈✨
40. **Happy Holi!** May this festival of colours fill your life with countless joys and bring comfort and peace to your heart! 🎨💖
41. Holi is not just a celebration of colours but also of happy moments spent with loved ones. Wishing you a fun-filled and joyous Holi! 🥳🌿
42. This Holi, fill your life with bright colours of hope, love and happiness. Enjoy every moment and celebrate the festival! 🎉💫
43. May the bright colours of Holi bring enthusiasm, energy and new vibes in your life. Enjoy this vibrant festival to the fullest! 🌸🥳
44. Wishing you a wonderful Holi filled with sweet memories, colourful moments and blooming smiles. Enjoy this festival of colours to the fullest! 🎊💞
45. Just like the colours of Holi spread happiness and joy all around, may your life also be filled with love, joy and success. Wishing you a colourful and happy Holi! 🌈✨
46. On this festival of colours, I wish that all your dreams come true and may you always be surrounded by love and laughter. **Happy Holi!** 🎨💖
47. Holi is an occasion to forget old grudges and fill your life with the colours of happiness. This time make the canvas of your life even more colourful! 🌸🥳
48. This Holi, may every colour bring new happiness in your life and may you find immense peace and love in every moment. Celebrate the beauty of life! 🎊💞
49. May the colours of Holi bring your loved ones closer to you and fill your life with love, joy and happiness! 🌈✨
50. Just like the colours of Holi spread cheer and joy all around, may your life also be filled with success and positivity. Have a beautiful and colourful day! 🎨💖
51. **Happy Holi** to all my loved ones! **May you always be happy and your life be filled with joy! 🌸🥳
Mandhana, Wareham, Rana perform brilliantly to deny MI the top spot
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ended the season on a high note as they defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) by 11 runs and knocked them out of the top spot. However, MI made it straight to the final.
Sneh Rana’s impressive performance
Sneh Rana picked up two crucial wickets in her first two overs to turn MI’s start into a shaky one.
Match Brief:
RCB batted first and scored 199 for 3. Smriti Mandhana (53), Alyssa Perry (49*), Richa Ghosh (36) played brilliant knocks while Hayley Matthews took 2 wickets (2-37) for MI. In reply, despite a brilliant innings from Nat Sciver-Brunt (69), MI could only manage 188 for 9. Sneh Rana registered excellent figures of 3-26.
MI’s race for top spot ends, RCB makes a strong comeback
First season champions Mumbai Indians (MI) needed a win to top the table and enter the final directly, but poor fielding and RCB’s aggressive play defeated them. Nat Sciver-Brunt fought alone, but it became difficult for MI to achieve the target as she was dismissed for 69 in the 15th over.
RCB’s aggressive batting set the stage for victory
In this match, RCB put pressure on MI bowlers with their aggressive attitude. S Meghna and Mandhana gave a great start, while Perry, Ghosh and Wareham batted fast to take the team to a strong score.
Mandhana scored 53 runs off 37 balls, including 6 fours and 3 sixes.
Meghna gave a quick start by scoring 26 runs off 13 balls.
Alyssa Perry (49*) and Georgia Wareham (31* off 10 balls) scored runs quickly in the end.
MI’s weak fielding became the reason for the defeat
MI dropped several catches during the match, giving RCB a chance to reach a big score. RCB batsmen attacked the bowling of Kerr and Ismail, which weakened MI’s strategy.
Rana’s sharp bowling wiped out MI
MI got off to a bad start, and Kerr failed once again. Matthews played some good shots, but Rana pushed the team back by dismissing both MI openers in her first two overs.
IndusInd Bank’s Share Price Falls 15% to ₹765.55 on March 11, 2025,
On Monday, IndusInd Bank informed the stock exchanges that it had found accounting errors in its foreign exchange derivatives portfolio, which could impact its earnings and net worth.
The bank said that during an internal review, it was found that hedging costs related to foreign exchange transactions were miscalculated over the last five to seven years. This review was related to the processes of other asset and liability accounts. The bank had used internal derivative trades on its foreign currency borrowings and deposits till March 31, 2024. This assessment was done in line with the valuation processes of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and commercial banks’ investment portfolio, including derivative portfolio management.
This discrepancy is estimated to have a potential impact of 2.35% (about Rs 1500-1600 crore) on the total value of the bank. As of December 31, 2024, the bank’s total assets were Rs 65,102 crore.
On Tuesday, IndusInd Bank shares recorded their biggest ever fall, closing 27.2% lower at Rs 655.95 on the BSE. This was the lowest level since November 2020 after hitting an intra-day low of Rs 649. The stock also fell 27.06% on the NSE. The stock had already fallen by 4% on Monday after the bank’s CEO Sumant Kathpalia got just a one-year extension from the RBI instead of the three-year term.
The stock has been falling for the last five sessions and is down 58% from its 52-week high of Rs 1,576.35 hit on April 8, 2024. The fall has eroded the bank’s market capitalisation by about Rs 19,000 crore.
Analysts’ opinion
According to Motilal Oswal Financial Services, anomalies were caused by insider trades linked to swap contracts amid low liquidity. This trading was done under 3/5-year yen and 8/10-year dollar borrowings. When the new investment norms came into effect from April 1, 2024, internal swaps done by the banks’ asset liability management (ALM) and treasury desks were exposed.
A senior analyst told Reuters, “When the currency market became volatile and the dollar strengthened, the treasury department booked these profits. However, the bank should have reported the losses that were incurred due to the ALM desk’s swap trades but it did not do so. Whether this was done deliberately or it was a systemic mistake is not yet clear.”
Domestic brokerage firm Nuwama raised concerns over the delayed disclosure. “The bank said it wanted to present the most accurate assessment of the impact, hence it was not disclosed in the Q3FY25 earnings report,” the report said.
Strategy ahead
IndusInd Bank has appointed an external agency to conduct an independent review of the matter, after which the potential impact can be re-evaluated after the final report is released. According to media reports, PwC is probably handling this review.
The bank says that this loss may be visible in the March 2025 quarter or the June quarter of FY 2025-26. However, the bank has assured that its profitability and capital adequacy are strong enough to handle this one-time impact.
IndusInd Bank promoter Ashok Hinduja also assured investors that the bank is financially strong and the promoters will make additional investments if capital is required. He told CNBC-TV18, “Investors need not panic. The banking business runs on trust and transparency. The bank itself has brought this issue to the fore.”
Impact on the stock and brokerage reaction
Several brokerage houses downgraded the stock of IndusInd Bank and reduced their price targets. ICICI Securities estimates that this discrepancy will lead to a post-tax loss of Rs 2,000-2,100 crore. “This impact will be reflected in the P&L statement and the bank may report a loss in Q4FY25. Overall, the impact on the bank’s earnings could be up to 25%,” the report said.
Risks in the banking sector and lessons for investors
Risks in the banking sector remain persistent, making it challenging for investors to select banking stocks. In recent years, Yes Bank, RBL Bank and Bandhan Bank have also gone through crises.
Devina Mehra, founder and CMD of First Global, wrote in her LinkedIn post, “Banking is a business where negative surprises outweigh positive surprises. When a bank grows faster than expected, it becomes clear after a few years what problems were hidden in that growth.”
Panchang for March 12, 2024: Know Tuesday’s Almanac, Rahukaal, Auspicious Timings, and Sunrise-Sunset Details.
March 12 marks the day of Phalgun Shukla Paksha Dwitiya and falls on a Tuesday. The Dwitiya Tithi will remain until 7:14 AM on Tuesday, after which Tritiya Tithi will begin. On March 12, Brahma Yoga will last until 4:08 AM the next day. Additionally, Revathi Nakshatra will be in effect from 8:29 PM on Tuesday.
Apart from this, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Jayanti and Phulera Dooj will be celebrated on March 12. Get insights from Acharya Indu Prakash about Tuesday’s almanac, Rahukaal, auspicious timings, and sunrise-sunset details.
Udaya Tithi of Falgun Shukla Paksha: Dwitiya Tithi will last until 7:14 AM on March 12, 2024, after which Tritiya Tithi will begin.
Brahma Yoga: It will last throughout the entire day on March 12, 2024, and end at 4:08 AM the next day.
Revathi Nakshatra: Begins at 8:29 PM on March 12, 2024.
Fasts & Festivals on March 12, 2024: Phulera Dooj, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Jayanti.
Rahukaal Timings (City-wise):
Delhi: 3:29 PM – 4:58 PM
Mumbai: 3:47 PM – 5:17 PM
Chandigarh: 3:30 PM – 4:59 PM
Lucknow: 3:14 PM – 4:43 PM
Bhopal: 3:28 PM – 4:58 PM
Kolkata: 2:45 PM – 4:14 PM
Ahmedabad: 3:48 PM – 5:17 PM
Chennai: 3:19 PM – 4:49 PM
Sunrise & Sunset Timings:
Sunrise: 6:34 AM
Sunset: 6:28 PM
Giants vs Indian Live Score, Highlights, and Post-Match Analysis
LIVE: WPL 2025 – Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians
Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s LIVE coverage of the Women’s Premier League 2025 clash between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians at the Kotambi International Stadium, Vadodara.
I’m Rajdeep Saha, and I’ll be taking you through Gujarat Giants’ final home game of this edition.
Key Updates
🔹 Meet Mumbai’s debutants – Who are Kamalini and Parunika?
🔹 TOSS UPDATE – Mumbai Indians elect to bowl first.
🔹 PITCH REPORT – Some early movement expected for bowlers.
🏆 Mumbai Indians WIN by 5 wickets!
📍 MI 122/5 (16.1 overs) | Target: 121
✅ Sajana seals the victory with a one-handed shot over the covers, securing MI’s first win of the season with 23 balls to spare!
Key Moments:
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s masterclass! – 57 (39) before being bowled by Priya.
G Kamalini’s dream start! – Hits a FOUR off her first ball in WPL.
Kashvee Gautam on fire! – Picks up crucial wickets for GG.
Harmanpreet Kaur departs early! – Trapped LBW by Kashvee for just 4 runs.
First Innings: Gujarat Giants (120 all out, 20 overs)
🔸 Harleen Deol’s 32 (31) was the top score, but GG struggled to build partnerships.
🔸 Nat Sciver-Brunt, Kerr, and Matthews led MI’s bowling attack, taking key wickets.
🔸 Late resistance from Tanuja Kanwer (13 off 12) and Sayali Satghare (10 off 7) took GG to 120.
Second Innings: Mumbai Indians (122/5, 16.1 overs)
🔹 Sciver-Brunt’s all-round brilliance led MI’s chase.
🔹 Amelia Kerr (19 off 20) and Kashvee’s stunning spell kept GG in the fight.
🔹 Sajana Sajeevan finished the match in style!
Pre-Match Highlights
📢 Debut Alert! Mumbai hands first caps to G Kamalini & Parunika Sisodia.
📍 Pitch Report: Chilly conditions, some assistance for bowlers early on.
📺 Where to watch? Live on Star Sports & JioHotstar.
Mumbai Indians skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and, following the prevailing trend in the tournament, chose to field first in Vadodara. Chasing teams have had the upper hand so far this season, and a confident Harmanpreet had no second thoughts about putting Gujarat Giants in to bat.
Mumbai made two changes from their opening game against Delhi Capitals, introducing debutants G Kamalini, a top-order batter, and left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia in place of Jintimani Kalita and Saika Ishaque. Both Kamalini and Sisodia were part of India’s triumphant squad at the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia earlier this month.
Gujarat Giants, on the other hand, stuck with the same XI that secured a victory against UP Warriorz on Sunday.
Harmanpreet emphasized the importance of the powerplay while bowling first, aiming to capitalize on the early conditions before the dew sets in. Gujarat captain Ashleigh Gardner admitted she would have also opted to bowl first but remained confident that a score of 200 or more could be defendable.
Mumbai Indians hold a dominant 4-0 record against Gujarat Giants in the WPL and will be eager to maintain that streak as they seek their first win of the season. They enter this contest after a last-ball loss to Delhi Capitals, a match overshadowed by three controversial run-out decisions.
Gujarat Giants, playing at home, have split their two matches so far, losing a high-scoring opener to Royal Challengers Bengaluru before bouncing back against Warriorz.
“ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan to Host Major Cricket Event After 30 Years”
The attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team occurred on March 3, 2009, in Lahore. The team bus was ambushed by 12 heavily armed gunmen just outside Gaddafi Stadium, with the attackers wielding assault rifles, grenades, and rocket launchers.
Workers recently began installing billboards at the entry point to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in preparation for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The event will mark the return of major international cricket to Pakistan after nearly 30 years. The last multi-team event hosted by Pakistan was the 1996 World Cup, co-hosted with Sri Lanka and India.
Following the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, many nations avoided touring Pakistan. The attack had a lasting impact on Pakistan’s cricket, as former captain Inzamam Ul Haq noted, “The events of 2009 feel like a bad dream… We were punished for 10 years, and our cricket suffered.”
For a decade, the Pakistan national team hosted its “home” matches in the UAE before international teams slowly started returning to Pakistan in 2018.
On March 3, 2009, while the Sri Lankan team was playing a Test match in Lahore, their bus was ambushed by terrorists on the way to the venue for the third day of the Test. The attack occurred at around 9 a.m. (local time), just outside Gaddafi Stadium. The gunmen, heavily armed, fired assault rifles, threw grenades, and launched rockets at the team bus.
The attack resulted in the deaths of six policemen and a driver escorting match officials. Several others were injured, including seven Sri Lankan players and coaching staff members.
The situation could have been far worse, as a rocket fired at the bus narrowly missed the vehicle’s roof, and a grenade thrown under the bus failed to detonate. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara later described how a bullet struck the seat where his head had been only a second earlier.
Interestingly, Sri Lanka replaced India on the tour after India withdrew following the Mumbai attacks in November 2008.
“Gyanesh Kumar Appointed New Election Commissioner: Key Details and Significance”
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticized the selection process for the new chief election commissioner (CEC), calling it “disrespectful and inconsiderate” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make a “midnight decision.” He raised objections over the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection committee, arguing that this move undermines the credibility of the Election Commission, especially with a Supreme Court hearing on the matter scheduled within the next 48 hours.
On Monday, the Centre appointed Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch Kerala cadre IAS officer and former parliamentary affairs secretary, as the new CEC. The selection panel included PM Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi, who participated in the meeting, expressed his dissent on X, stating: “During the committee meeting to choose the next Election Commissioner, I submitted a dissent note to the PM and HM, highlighting that the most crucial aspect of an independent Election Commission free from executive interference is the process of selecting the Election Commissioner and chief election commissioner.”
Gandhi further accused the Modi government of disregarding a Supreme Court ruling by excluding the CJI from the selection panel, calling it a move that “deepened the concerns of millions of voters about the integrity of our electoral process.”
“As the LoP, it is my duty to uphold the values of Babasaheb Ambedkar and our nation’s founding leaders and hold the government accountable. It is both disrespectful and inconsiderate for the PM and HM to have made a midnight decision on selecting the new CEC when the composition of the committee and the process are under challenge in the Supreme Court, with a hearing due in less than forty-eight hours,” Gandhi added.
The Congress party issued an official statement on Monday, stating that the meeting should have been postponed until the Supreme Court delivered its final ruling on the composition of the selection panel. “The Congress party believes that since the Supreme Court will hear the matter on February 19 and issue a decision on the committee’s composition, today’s meeting should have been postponed,” the statement read.
Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi also condemned the government’s actions, suggesting that the exclusion of the CJI was an attempt to exert control over the Election Commission rather than ensure its integrity. “By removing or attempting to exclude the Chief Justice from the CEC appointment process, the government has made it clear that they want control, not credibility. The credibility of the Election Commission is paramount,” Singhvi said.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi raised the issue in Parliament, questioning the Prime Minister about the decision to exclude the CJI from the selection panel. “The rules have changed. The election commissioner used to be selected by the Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition, and the Chief Justice. Why was the Chief Justice removed from the committee?” he asked. This referred to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which altered the selection panel’s composition by excluding the CJI.
The appointment is significant as the current CEC, Rajiv Kumar, is set to retire on February 18. Gyanesh Kumar will become the senior-most Election Commissioner following his departure, with his tenure lasting until January 26, 2029.
RCB vs DC Women’s WPL 2025: Smriti Mandhana Shines in Bengaluru’s Dominant 8-Wicket Win
RCB Dominate Delhi Capitals with an Emphatic Eight-Wicket Victory
Royal Challengers Bengaluru outclassed the Delhi Capitals with a commanding eight-wicket win, chasing down the target with 3.4 overs to spare. A clinical bowling display, spearheaded by Renuka Singh Thakur and Georgia Wareham—both claiming three wickets—restricted the Capitals to 141. Captain Smriti Mandhana then led from the front with a blistering 81, her highest WPL score, forming a dominant 107-run opening stand with Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (42).
Capitals Struggle After Strong Start
Put in to bat due to the expected dew factor in the second innings, Delhi had a disastrous start as Shafali Verma fell for a first-ball duck, chipping straight to mid-off. Jemimah Rodrigues narrowly survived an LBW appeal off Thakur, benefiting from the umpire’s call. Rodrigues and Meg Lanning cautiously navigated the early swing before counterattacking with boundaries off Thakur and Kim Garth.
Their aggressive intent paid off as they took 14 runs off Ekta Bisht and punished young Joshitha VJ for 15 in an over. The duo added 50 runs in just four overs, bringing up their partnership milestone. However, just as Delhi looked to accelerate, Wareham struck, stumping Rodrigues with a clever delivery. Five balls later, Lanning top-edged Garth to fine-leg, falling right after the strategic timeout.
RCB capitalized on the breakthroughs, applying relentless pressure as the Capitals went 22 balls without a boundary. Annabel Sutherland briefly broke the shackles with a slog-swept six but fell to Renuka soon after. Jess Jonassen and Marizanne Kapp, brought into the XI for this match, failed to make an impact, raising questions over the decision to drop Niki Prasad. Delhi collapsed from 60/1 to 105/6 as RCB’s disciplined bowling attack tightened the screws. Sarah Bryce (23 off 19) attempted to push the Capitals past 150, but Wareham stumped her before Thakur and Garth cleaned up the tail.
In reply, RCB wasted no time as Mandhana launched into Kapp with two early boundaries. Wyatt-Hodge also got into the act, taking on Shikha Pandey for four boundaries across two overs, while Mandhana dispatched Arundhati Reddy for a towering six over extra cover. By the end of the PowerPlay, RCB had raced to 57 without loss.
The carnage continued as Sutherland and Jonassen proved ineffective, with Mandhana racing to her fastest WPL fifty off just 27 balls. Wyatt-Hodge was dropped by Rodrigues but was eventually dismissed after RCB had already crossed the 100-run mark inside 10 overs.
A miscommunication in the field between Lanning and Sutherland allowed Ellyse Perry a reprieve, adding to Delhi’s woes. Mandhana smashed Sutherland for a boundary before slog-sweeping Jonassen to bring the equation down to 11 runs. She eventually fell, attempting a scoop to fine-leg, but the match was all but sealed. Richa Ghosh wrapped up proceedings in style with a four and a six, ensuring RCB’s dominant start to the season continued.
Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals – 141 in 19.3 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 34, Sarah Bryce 23; Renuka Singh Thakur 3-23, Georgia Wareham 3-25) Royal Challengers Bengaluru – 146/2 in 16.2 overs (Smriti Mandhana 81, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge 42; Shikha Pandey 1-27) Result: RCB won by 8 wickets.
